Revenge Revisited
by MothToANewFlame
Summary: What if Daniel had found out Emily's true identity at the end of Season 1? With this knowledge could they have a chance again? What if he became her ally? A rewrite of Seasons 2-4 featuring a slight change to the Season 1 finale, the return of some favorite characters, and a chance for the heroes and villains to 'do-over' … New beginnings and slightly different endings…
1. Chapter 1: Reckoning

**Chapter 1: Reckoning**

 **Author's Note: Welcome to Revenge Revisited, readers! Back by popular demand =) Many of you requested for me to write a new fanfic, so here we go! To begin this new story, the first chapter will deal closely with the events that occur in the last half of the S1 Finale, "Reckoning". I highly recommend re-watching this episode before you read, although you will notice, that my story begins about midway through. (Safe to say, anything that occurred before the opening scene is still canon in the storyline). You will see a LOT of familiar scenes, included for continuity's sake but pay close attention – there are slight changes in each one, allowing for some fresh storylines in S2. Also, different from other "alternate episodes" I have posted before, this story will be written progressively, with the chapters being named for the episode they align to in the actual show, but of course with a different outcome =) So please enjoy and stay tuned for some exciting surprises!**

"Where have you been?"

Daniel's distraught voice greeted Emily as she walked through the door of her beach house, reminding her that despite the vigorous day she had endured, resulting in the victory of her own conscience, she still had unfinished ties to sever before her revenge was truly over. She looked up in the eyes of the man she still deeply cared for despite how disappointing his alliance with his wretched family was, and immediately felt pangs of guilt for not being honest with him in the first place.

"Sorry," she replied, setting her keys on the table as she braced herself for the interrogation. "It's been a crazy day."

"It looks like it," Daniel observed, standing to his feet and coming close to inspect the wounds that Emily had on her bottom lip, face and neck. "You all right?" he asked, his concern for her forever trumping the heartbreak behind his words.

"Yeah, I just fell on the ice when I was running," she lied instinctively, still feeling regret for not being able to just tell him the truth. "I didn't want to worry you with everything that's happened." Her clever responses flowed out of her mouth with ease, only angering Daniel more at her ability to quickly sidestep the truth.

"Sure," he tested her. "What's one more secret? It's hardly the biggest one you're keeping, right?"

Emily looked up at him in surprise, not expecting his senses to be so sharpened, and immediately her pity for keeping him in the dark so long weighed her down. Her mission was all but finished and the evidence along with Victoria's testimony would have her father's name cleared by daybreak. Since her encounter with the white-haired man it had only refreshed her senses that all had been accomplished and it was time to minimize the collateral damage as much as possible. And despite his unpredictable loyalties, she knew Daniel's heart would be the greatest casualty of them all, and an innocent one at that. She owed him the truth before she left the Hamptons for good.

"What do you want to know, Daniel?" she responded weakly, surrendering the protective wall she normally kept around her heart. "I'm an open book tonight."

Daniel seized the opportunity, anxious to confirm if what Ashley had told him was really true. "Jack came by here yesterday, didn't he?"

Emily furrowed her brow, expecting a much different response from him than to pursue her relationship with Jack again. "Yeah," she admitted, knowing the reason was a legitimate one. "His dog died." She walked over to face the flames that Daniel had started in the fireplace, sensing the symbolism of the blaze that was clearly burning in his heart.

"Did you kiss him?" he continued, surprising her again, and she turned around to face him, curious at how he had come to learn of her dalliance. "Just give me a straight answer, please," he insisted, fully aware of Emily's skill at rationalizing.

But Emily held to her promise of being an open book, knowing he deserved no less. "Yes," she answered truthfully, knowing how painful it would be for him to hear it from her lips, lips that had betrayed him, lips that had kissed him goodbye only hours before. "We kissed."

Daniel grimaced as Emily bowed her head in guilt. He knew Ashley would have no reason to make up the story but a part of him had still hoped in his heart that it wasn't true. "So all these months- the engagement, standing by me during the trial," he stammered, in shock and confusion by it all as he enumerated the things that just did not make sense. It all seemed to prove her loyalty and now this. "What- What was the point of all that if you just really wanted to be with him?"

Emily paused to think, but knew only the truth would explain her actions, and nothing else would satisfy Daniel's aching emotions. She remained quiet as he continued to rack his brain.

"Or was my mother right? Were you just pretending to love me because you wanted the Grayson name?"

"No," Emily retorted firmly, unwilling to let that particular untruth stand. That alone was motivation enough to come clean with him. After all, he knew about Jack and she had already decided in her heart that Jack was who she truly wanted to be with all along. Daniel would find out soon enough so she might as well explain to him why – it might even soften the blow. "I wanted to be with you _despite_ the Grayson name."

"Then what changed?" Daniel still did not understand.

Emily took a deep breath and let it all come out. "The truth is…" she resisted the urge to look away from him, and instead mustered up the courage to look into his eyes as she prepared to collapse his world. She wasn't even fully sure she could trust him with what she was about to say, but a part of her didn't care – she cared for him enough to take that risk even if she was no longer in love with him. "I'm not really the person that you fell in love with."

Daniel looked at her in confusion and broke her confession with his own desperate attempt at making sense of it all. "Yesterday you were," he exhaled, and the emotion in his voice tugged at Emily's heart. "This morning you were." He continued to stare at the woman he was prepared to spend the rest of his life with, examining her golden blonde locks, her brilliantly brown eyes that reflected the glare of light from the fire. It was hurting him so much to see her do this to him. He reached out to touch her cheek, softly grazing where she had been injured. "You were ready to move with me to Manhattan after that lunatic broke in – what happened?"

Emily couldn't bear the pain of his sincerity and affection any longer, and caught his hand with her own so she could stop him. "He didn't break in, Daniel," she divulged, starting her confession with the topic he had volunteered. "I told you that to distract you so I could look at the evidence myself."

Daniel's heart skipped a beat and he froze in shock. "Wait— _what?"_ His face darkened, zoning in her wording and realized she too had caught him in a lie. She had clearly said 'evidence' when this morning he had told her they were customer files. He took a step back, and glanced around quickly, fearful of how far her betrayal truly went. "How did you know what was in the briefcase?"

Emily let him step away, only continued her admission. "There's a lot of things I know about that would surprise you Daniel," she summarized, seeing no benefit in going into too many details, save for the most important. "Like the fact that the evidence in that briefcase contained the truth about the people who framed David Clarke," she looked at him with a pointed look, and he knew what was coming. "Your father, your mother… and the man who I led you to believe broke in this morning. He murdered him."

Daniel took another step back, aghast as he realized everything Emily was saying to him was the truth. His disbelief at how she had arrived at his family's darkest secret and why she would have reason to even be concerned about it all left him at a loss for words.

Emily took that opportunity to reveal one additional detail. "I went after that man today," she admitted, clearly explaining how she had really gotten her wounds as she gestured to her face. She looked down in slight embarrassment. "I had a chance to destroy him but… I chose not to instead." She looked up at Daniel. "But the government has the evidence now."

Daniel guessed the only reason he could imagine of why she would be involved in any of this. "What are you, working for the SCC? The feds?" He was fresh out of ideas, with only a wretched thought left. _"My mother?"_

Emily shook her head, exhaling through her nose in disgust. "No."

"Then why?" Daniel pleaded, stepping back closer to her to stress his alarm and disappointment. "Why do this to me—to all of us?"

"Because," Emily again took another deep breath, fully aware that it might be the last time she would see Daniel and wanting him to know her for who she truly was. She looked down at her hands, beginning to loosen the large engagement ring from where it sat on her ring finger.

"David Clarke was my father."

 **SCENE**

Victoria sat at her vanity mirror in her bedroom, applying the final touches before she prepared to board her plane out of the Hamptons. She finished applying lipstick and then palmed her cellphone to make a last attempt at saving her once closest friend. Despite continuing to be revolted by her betrayal, she still felt a sense of loyalty to her, and after all she could care less about who Conrad slept with. If anything it gave her more pleasure to know that _he_ valued the companionship of Lydia, and if nothing else, it would please her to take that last bit away from him before sending him to rot in prison for his crimes.

"Lydia, it's Victoria," she greeted when Lydia answered.

"I have nothing to say to you," Lydia snipped back, growing exhausted of Victoria's conniving ways. She had anticipated this last ditch effort as she knew the deposition approached, with Victoria at its helm.

"Lydia, be sensible." Victoria admonished her with sincerity. "They're not just charging Conrad with framing David Clarke. They're charging him for his murder, too. You have a very small window of opportunity to protect yourself."

"Advice from the self-preservation society? I think I'll pass," Lydia quipped back, impelling Victoria only further to question her future.

"What exactly is your plan, hmm, to live your life on the run with an international fugitive?"

"Conrad's not the enemy, Victoria," Lydia insisted. "You are."

Victoria shook her head at her friend's naiveté. "And who do you think will be the first person he sells out when the money runs dry? And believe me, that day is coming faster than either one of you realizes. Because when I am done with him, it will make your taxi-cab bounce look like a trip to Saint-Tropez!"

Victoria hung up the phone expediently, fully aware that her dramatic ending to the call would likely have a deeper impact on Lydia afterwards. Either way, she could only hope that Lydia would heed her advice because she was not turning back now. After years of stowing away her feelings of guilt over David's demise, this was finally the break she was looking for: a chance to purge her conscience and hopefully have a chance at happiness again – a feeling that had been fleeting ever since the day they took David away.

She stared at her reflection as she paused to reflect on the only remaining semblances of happiness that existed in her life, and decided to visit the main source before she boarded her plane – Daniel.

 **SCENE**

"Good, you're packed."

Conrad observed as he swaggered over to his mistress in the foyer of her apartment, her completing his full entourage for a speedy exit before the charges were levied against him. Just before meeting her, a conversation with a slightly bruised version of his business associate, Gordon Murphy, had resulted in confirmation that the evidence against him was in federal hands, on its way to Washington DC. Leading the presentation would be Victoria, the woman he simply could not seem to rid himself of no matter how hard he had tried. But in spite of it all, Gordon had encouraged him to follow his plans to leave town, leading Conrad to believe not so much that he could trust him, but he could trust the Initiative to prevent the actions that were about to incriminate them all. And while he had an idea that they might just prove devastating, he wasn't about to stay nearby for the fallout. Fortunately, he could rely on Lydia, his next favorite option to Victoria, to accompany him on the way… that is, if she remained loyal to him.

"The plane boards at 8:00 P.M.," Conrad informed her, leaning over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll have our bags taken down to the car." His curiosity peaked as he observed the shaken look on her face. "Oh, who was that on the phone?" he asked, waiting for Lydia to lie to him.

"Uh, my mother," she failed to disappoint.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, and paused, anticipating the last traces of Victoria's manipulation to somehow make themselves manifest.

But to his surprise, Lydia's silence denoted something quite different. She stood in pause, thinking of who she really wanted to trust – the friend she had dearly disappointed despite sharing years together in a close coveted circle? Or, the man she had sacrificed that esteemed position for, who could potentially be behind bars within the week? She struggled with the choice immensely, and nearly carried on with another lie to get away from going with him. But in the end, she realized even if Victoria were right – owing her a favor would be no better a fate than wasting away on the last morsels of Conrad's dwindling fortune. After all, she had been a resourceful woman before – she could find her way back to the top if she needed to.

"Hmm?" she pretended to lose track of his question. "Oh yes, she's fine. Just wanted to hear her voice in case I don't see her for a while."

Conrad exhaled, relieved that Gordon's suspicions about his mistress had been proved false. "That's my girl," he caressed her on the back. Even though he knew she was lying, it mattered more that Victoria's attempt had proved unsuccessful. His thoughts drifted momentarily to his former paramour, and a part of him wanted one last closure before he departed from her forever.

"Shall we?" Lydia smiled back at him nervously, gathering her things as they prepared to leave.

"You go ahead," he instructed her with a smile, wishing to address the nagging in the back of his mind. "I'll meet you at the airport… I just have one last stop."

 **SCENE**

"Your _father?_ "

Daniel's mind was racing to keep up with all of the information that Emily had just unloaded onto him. Not only was she fully aware of his family's betrayal and murder of David Clarke, but she had also gone after the hired man that laid claim to the final deed. And now, despite being completely blindsided by her involvement in all of this, he was shocked to find out the reason – that she was actually the daughter of David Clarke. That admission held even more weight as he realized that also made her Charlotte's half-sister! Her indiscretion with Jack now seemed light years away in comparison to the meteor she had just thrown at him.

Emily nodded, looking down and then back up at him. And when she did, he realized she held out to him in her palm the engagement ring he had given to her. "I told you I'm not the girl you fell in love with," she exhaled, not ashamed of her identity, but rather of her deceit.

Daniel stared at the ring in surprise, amazed at his own naiveté to see who she really was. But how could he have? She had done every single thing he wanted, been the perfect girl, and all along was quite possibly the most tortured victim of his family's wrongdoing. A part of him was deeply angry with her for hiding the truth from him for so long, while another part sympathized with her, after so recently staring in the face of his family's atrocities.

"So, you're that girl?" he continued, as he closed his fist over the ring she had placed into his fingers. He looked up at her, seeing her in a new light. "The girl they took away… the one that lived _here_?" he suddenly grasped where he stood, and it all came crashing together, making sense but still jolting him with each realization.

"I'm Amanda," Emily breathed, looking off into the distance, surprised at her own ability to divulge and own that which she had guarded the entire summer, her most precious secret.

Daniel just shook his head, unable to process the truth any further. He wanted to ask her so much, as information slowly began to connect in his mind. Had any of their relationship been real? Or had she known all along that she was just going to end things when his family finally got exposed? And furthermore, why had she not revealed their secrets? She certainly had shown how much she knew about them, but as far as he knew, it was his mother alone that was intent on exposing her father's involvement, and Emily had denied any connection to her. So what was her angle? And even more- why had she chosen _him_ to get close?

He knew he would never find all the answers to his questions, especially in the wake of her resolution to end things. But he couldn't help at least making an attempt to understand. "So Emily Thorne… doesn't even exist?"

Emily thought carefully on how to answer that. "She does," she answered Daniel, thinking of the real Emily Thorne but also knowing that despite who she really was, she had changed her name and assimilated a new identity, and Emily Thorne was still hers. "But she's changed." The accusation that seemed to linger in his eyes motivated her to even the scales. "And you're changing too, Daniel. I watched you become everything you said you never wanted to be."

His eyes met hers in question.

"I know you know the truth about what they did to him," she continued, referring to the father he had just learned was hers. "You had a chance to tell the truth…but you didn't."

Daniel nearly laughed at the irony; how painstakingly similar both of their situations were. While he was struggling with alienation and betrayal from her admission, she was feeling exactly the same.

He sighed. "I guess we're more alike than we think," he observed, knowing it didn't matter now. It was too late for reconciliation when they were both barely a shell of what they were when the summer had started – a time that seemed so far away now. What hurt the most was that in spite of all of the lies and deceit – he didn't care. It hurt more to know that he had to let go of her than it did to learn the truth about her, and have her learn the truth about him. He buried his curiosity if only temporarily to accept the reality that lay in front of him.

"Goodbye," he breathed finally, unsure of what to call her, and still hurting inside. He brought himself to at least kiss her goodbye on the cheek, before turning away to leave as a tear rolled swiftly down his own.

With Daniel gone, Emily settled uncomfortably onto the couch across from the fireplace, allowing the brilliance of the flames to mesmerize her as she considered all that had just happened and what was next to come.

 **SCENE**

"Where are you going?"

His mother's voice rang in Daniel's ears like the clang of a bell in a boxing match, setting his already provoked anger into the second round. He responded without turning to face her, throwing clothing into his bags as he cleaned his possessions out of the pool house.

"I broke things off with Emily."

Victoria looked at him in surprise, unable to fathom that her son had the courage to do it. "I don't believe it."

"Sure you do," Daniel challenged her, already growing annoyed with her feigned ignorance. Somehow it angered him even more now that he knew Emily's true identity to hear his mother's constant nagging. Even if she had been partially right, Daniel knew the only reason he had even come to meet Emily was likely because of his mother's own role in David Clarke's demise. And that was one secret he promised himself he would never admit to her, being disgusted at her pious approach to their relationship the entire summer, when she held so much blame for it to begin with. "You've been angling for this since the day Emily and I met," he continued. "So take your victory lap. You got what you wanted."

"Contrary to what you think, I can't bear to see you hurt," Victoria insisted, annoyed that her son always seemed to demonize her sincere attempts at supporting him. Regardless, she was still proud of him, not just for ending things with Emily but also for the information that had been made known to her by the federal agent she was due to meet within the hour. "I knew I could trust you to do the right thing and turn over the evidence."

Daniel laughed to himself. "I didn't turn over anything," he answered honestly. "I was gonna give it to Dad, but someone with a bigger ax to grind than yourself intercepted it," he shared, realizing that unbeknownst to her, his mother's foe had played a part in furthering her plot. That fact in itself was almost ironic enough to share, but again he held his tongue, out of a protective instinct for his former fiancé. Despite understanding Emily's reasoning, he still could not conceive how his mother could play the hero and act as if she had nothing to do with it.

"How can you do this to Dad, Mom?" he pried from her, tossing his packed bag to the side so he could face her. A desperate part of him wanted her to give up the entire thing, if only to save him the embarrassment of having his family's sins open and exposed, along with his own foolish alliance to them. "How you can you be so intent on destroying him and the rest of our family?"

"You're afraid of what's going to happen to your reputation," Victoria assumed, seeing right through him as usual. "But, it's time for the truth to finally come out. I promise; I won't let anything happen to you or Charlotte. "

"Charlotte is already on the edge, this might push her even further – we might never get her back!" Daniel retorted, fearful of losing so much more than he already had in one day. He surprised himself for even pushing the issue, as he regretted not outing his father on his own when he had the chance. But he knew this was the last opportunity he would have to possibly undo his shame at the family he called his own – the one that had quite possibly ruined happiness for him forever.

"I will take care of Charlotte," Victoria asserted confidently.

"Oh, yeah, you've done a great job so far," Daniel finally snapped back at her, earning him a prompt slap in response from his mother. He remained still as the sting wore on his face, only ratifying what had amounted to a day of reckoning from all directions.

Victoria's cold eyes blazed at his disrespect, and she neared him to finally make her point clear, despite all his arguing. She could not understand the source of his sudden opposition but she would not let it stop her. "I have done some heinous things in my life, Daniel. But now I have the chance to right a terrible wrong. And nothing and nobody, not even you, my darling son, will stand in my way. Do you understand?"

Daniel remained where he stood when she stormed away, leaving him to ponder on how similar his mother's determination to reveal the truth seemed to be, to Emily's own commitment to being by his side all summer long in anticipation of it. He thought about the exposure that was to come, and the demise that he was certain awaited. While Emily's father's name would be cleared, it would only cement him and his own father as the despicable people who had either contributed to it, or stood by and done nothing to correct it. Meanwhile, his mother would be glorified for her honesty, regardless of the role she played in causing it to happen. He would be ruined. His sister would be distraught. And Emily… she would likely be gone, probably off somewhere with Jack Porter celebrating her victory and forgetting him forever.

Feeling himself nearing his capacity for what he could possibly stand in a day's time, Daniel turned to the only solace he could think of to drown his sorrows – settling down at the bar in the pool house to pour himself a drink.

 **SCENE**

Emily's trance was broken from staring into the fireplace as she heard a knock at her door. She got up to answer it, meeting her visitor with a look of surprise.

"Victoria."

She opened the door nervously, not knowing what to expect. Had Daniel went to her with the truth? Was she here to gloat over her own knack for knowing something was off with Emily the entire time? Or had her change of heart and intent to expose the truth caused her to turn a new leaf and approach her in sincere regret for her actions? Emily could barely imagine what would come next, but after intercepting a conversation between the white-haired man and Conrad from a camera in his office, she knew that regardless, the evidence was safely with federal agents and her mission would be accomplished either way.

"Come in," she beckoned her, stepping aside but watching her carefully as she walked in.

"I heard you took a nasty spill," Victoria offered immediately, and Emily played coy before assuming it was a signal that she still did not know her identity.

"I'm fine," she answered.

"Daniel told me about your breakup. I wanted to offer you my condolences in person," for all her lies, Victoria's sinister smile had a way of always betraying her true intentions.

"Mm," Emily mumbled, still wondering how much she knew. "I can feel your devastation." She turned to where the boxes she had packed were sitting, as she had prepared to leave this false life behind forever. She began searching for something as Victoria gushed on.

"Maybe now the two of you can move on and find someone more appropriate?"

Emily ignored her and retrieved what she was looking for, the engagement gift Victoria had given her some time ago. She held it out to her. "I suppose you'll be wanting this back?"

"The engagement gift?" Victoria fluttered innocently. "No. Don't be absurd. Why don't you open it?"

Emily braced herself, imagining the worst – a photo of her and her father, or some other item signifying her knowledge of the truth to rub in her face. But as she pried open the wrapping; to her surprise the box was empty. She looked back at Victoria for explanation.

"You see, even long before the day of your engagement party, I knew…" she began, walking towards her and extending her finger to gesture, "that your future with Daniel was as empty as that box."

With that she grinned broadly, to a curt smile in return from Emily. She still didn't know.

"Well, best of luck with your next endeavor," Victoria concluded her matter-of-fact confrontation and promptly left the house, leaving Emily with her own contentment of sorts in knowing that despite Victoria's manipulative ways, she still had not managed to earn full loyalty from her son. Daniel had told her about their breakup but had kept her secret safe, and while she didn't fully understand why, she could only appreciate his discretion. It in itself was a victory of sorts to know she still held a place of respect in his heart.

But as for her next endeavors, well that was all she needed to finally take the next step. It was time to tell Jack the truth and see if he would handle it as nobly as Daniel, and still want to be with her. Emily did not know what to expect but she knew she could not wait another moment to find out.

 **SCENE**

"Hey."

Emily took a breath as she walked into the Stowaway, her hands firmly holding Sammy's collar and her eyes set on Jack, leaning up against the bar. He was like a breath of fresh air after the long day she had to endure, and it was all she could do not to run over and embrace him. But she longed to tell him the truth first; it was all she could think about. She could barely believe this moment was happening, but she wanted it to more than anything.

"Hi," he responded, a bit apprehensively. So much had happened since he had spoken to her earlier, and part of him wished he had gone to see her then, than wait for her to come by.

"Slow night, huh?" she observed, looking around at the empty bar.

"I closed up early," he replied, conscious of the glaring reason why that waited for him in the other room. Before he could glance over, something caught his eye on Emily's face – clear marks on her lip and bruising on her cheek and neck. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously, immediately concerned. He reached out to move her hair slightly as she came close to him.

"I'm fine," she replied. "You should see the other guy," she tried to laugh, and knew it wouldn't take long for him to start asking questions that she was ready to answer. She started with the most important, extending the collar in her hand. "I think this belongs to you."

His face softened, the collar reminding him eternally of the night before, one that seemed so long away now, a perfect moment of passion that would likely escape them both forever. He took a breath as he looked at the emblem that signified it in his hand. "Actually, it belongs to Amanda."

Emily almost smiled at him – Jack was going to make this so easy for her after all. But with a sudden rush of reality, her excitement was broken.

"Sammy was my dog, after all," a familiar voice replied, coming over to them from the corner of the bar. Emily looked over in shock as she saw the voice's owner, her namesake that she would be forever tied to if not in sisterhood, then in identity.

"Amanda," Emily breathed as she peered closely at the glaring indication underneath Amanda's jacket – a large bump that could only mean one thing. She was pregnant. And she was returned.

"I've missed you so much," Amanda immediately embraced her, and then pulled away so Emily could get a good look at her.

"Oh, my God," was all that Emily could manage. How could this be happening? She had done everything right – abandoned her path of revenge, let go of her intent to kill her father's murderer – even come clean to Daniel when it hurt her so much to ruin his perfect image of her. How could the powers that be not allow her to have this – this one thing that she wanted in Jack?

"I know, right?" Amanda just gushed on, affectionately rubbing her belly with one hand while she slipped the other around Jack's arm and clasped his fingers. "Jack and I are gonna have a baby."

The verbal confirmation hurt just as much as the visual. "Wow," Emily stammered, returning to a steely disposition that she had abandoned since that morning. It was like someone had draped a cold wet blanket around her and refused to remove it, no matter how much she shivered beneath. Despite her attempts to emerge, she was forced back into Emily Thorne, as if she had never been Amanda Clarke, and never existed beyond the Hamptons.

"Congratulations," she continued, conscious that she still was not saying much and concerned her reaction had already betrayed enough. Jack looked at her with a pleading expression, as if to ask her forgiveness and explain his own ignorance all in the same glance. But Emily spared him any further embarrassment. "I'm sure you both have a lot of catching up to do. Just wanted to return the collar."

She handed the collar over to Amanda and turned to leave, but Amanda called out after her.

"Jack told me what you did for Sammy," Amanda continued, making Emily feel stabbed all over. "If it couldn't be me, I'm glad it was you." Emily couldn't bear to hear her any longer and only nodded in response, desperate to run out of the barrage of torture.

"I'll walk you to your car," Jack offered, but Emily would not have it and cut him off quickly.

"No," she insisted, to a look of dismay from him in response. "Don't. Good-bye, Jack."

Jack stood and watched her leave in disappointment as Amanda tightened her grip on him, regretting so much and feeling at such a loss to do anything about it. Meanwhile, Emily stormed outside, catching her balance on the railing that led up the walk as she paused amidst the blustery cold outside, finally crumbling inside and breaking down in tears.

 **SCENE**

Victoria tossed her overcoat on top of her bags as a resounding knock sounded at the door. "Oh, they're a little early," she mumbled to herself as she walked over to answer it. Immediately she retracted, attempting to close the door when she saw who was on the other side.

"Victoria!" Conrad bellowed at her, bursting through. "I'm fully aware that I have squandered any good will that you have ever felt for me. But I implore you; think of our children, of their future. If you refuse to testify, they may still have one!" He leaned closer to his ex-wife, doing his best impression at full-on begging. "Come on. You have a moral obligation as a parent—"

"You come in my house and you preach morality?!" Victoria screamed back at him, furious. "I know that you ordered David Clarke's murder. Do not deny it!" She stepped around him to grab hold of her things, incensed at his presence and hoping that Charlotte did not hear their heated exchange from upstairs. For the life of her, she could not understand why so suddenly both her ex-husband and her son had joined forces to oppose her. It reeked with implication that both of them knew more than they were letting on.

"David Clarke's death was decided by people far above me," Conrad insisted, following her to the door despite her attempts to get away from him. "The very same people who will stop at nothing to destroy the both of us if you decide to testify!"

"Well, then so be it!" Victoria retorted, becoming more and more comfortable with the concept. She had nurtured a death wish for much longer than she could remember and despite wanting only the best for her children she was willing to sacrifice for the sake of their souls, if not her own. "I cannot live these lies anymore, and neither will our children!"

She turned to fling open the door and again Conrad reached out to her, grabbing her by the arm. "Victoria—"

"What?!" she yelled back, her patience completely drained. She glanced over at the car that had just pulled up to the front of the mansion, signaling the arrival of her escort.

Conrad lowered his voice, glancing over at the federal agents that emerged to assist her to the car. "Victoria, if you board that plane it's gonna be the last thing that you do!" his whisper was more threatening than any yell.

Victoria smiled back in kind at his threat. He had confirmed exactly what she expected and would now need to prepare for. Thankfully, her escort would afford her that opportunity, unbeknownst to him. She smirked back at him before walking away with one final response.

"Then I guess I'll see you in hell."

 **SCENE**

"Ems, what are you doing here?"

Nolan nearly burst in the back door of Emily's beach house that she had left surprisingly open. He paused to catch his breath as he looked at the eerie vision of his closest friend in the Hamptons staring straight ahead into the fire.

"I must have called you a hundred times," he continued, holding up his phone. She still didn't budge. "I thought you and Jack might be halfway to the Little White Chapel in Atlantic City, until I called him and he was still at the Stowaway – what happened?"

"I didn't tell him," Emily answered, motionless, keeping her gaze forward.

"What?" Nolan was stunned. Only hours before she had the willingness to share her secret with her adversary's son, against what he expected was her better judgment, but to hold out on Jack? That was unpredictable, even for her. "You told Prince Daniel, but not your _true love_? Ems, why - what are you waiting for?"

"Amanda's back," Emily answered simply. "She's pregnant."

"O.M.G.," Nolan responded, finally making sense of it all. He could sense she was stunned but still didn't quite understand what else was troubling her until he watched her eyesight. He realized that she was not as focused on the fireplace as he had initially thought, as she was on the news that played on the television above it.

"Ems, what are you looking-?" he cut himself short as he caught sight of what was blaring on the news.

"This can't be real…" she whispered back lowly, and Nolan finally paid attention. He grabbed hold of the remote to turn up the sound and listened in shock.

 _"We have late-breaking news of a plane crash coming out of East Hampton this evening. Sarah Juarez is live at the scene. The government chartered twin-engine jet exploded shortly after takeoff at approximately 8:15 this evening. On board were two witnesses bound for an unspecified hearing in Washington, D.C. We now have confirmation from the passenger manifest that one of the witnesses on that flight was Victoria Grayson, matriarch of the embattled the billionaire Grayson family…"_

Nolan dropped his head into his hands in shock as his eyes averted over to Emily, immediately sympathetic to her devastation.

"All of Conrad's evidence, everything that could have exonerated my father was on that plane," Emily exhaled through choked back cries, and for the first time Nolan noticed the tears streaming down the side of her face.

His heart went out to her immediately, but it was all he could do not to convince her that all was not lost. "Not exactly," he responded, anxious to console her, and she turned to face him, wiping her face.

"What?"

"That's why I've been calling you like crazy," he explained, producing a drive from his pocket and getting up to sit next to Emily on the couch. "I, uh unencrypted and backed up that mysterious hard drive before I gave it to the federal agent. After the Graysons framed your father, Americon Initiative handled the cover-up. This goes so far past the Graysons and so far past what they did to your father."

Emily faced forward in shock, digesting the new revelation as Nolan worked to open the laptop that sat on the table in front of them. She peered closely as he booted up the drive and began to let the recording play.

"Hold on to your hat," he advised her, aware that what he was about to show her was going to change everything, and likely renew the quest for revenge that she thought had ended. But after her devastation from things with Jack, he felt he owed it to her to find out some good news.

The recording depicted an old video of Conrad and Victoria discussing their plot against David with another co-conspirator, likely the district attorney Kingsley that assisted them.

 _"It'll work because he trusts me," Victoria was saying on screen._

 _"How can you be so sure?" the attorney asked her._

 _"Because I know David's deepest secret," Victoria answered. "The wife he had before we met- - the one who died in 1990?"_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"If you look a little deeper, you'll find there's much more to the story," Victoria responded._

Nolan paused the video at that point, prompting Emily to ask the question creeping into her mind. "What is she saying, that they killed my mother, too?" she questioned him.

"No," Nolan answered, already having seen the entire recording. He braced himself for Emily's reaction when he delivered the final blow. "What she's saying is that…Your mother's alive."

Emily stared ahead and all semblance of dismay left her completely, as if being excavated from her identity along with the last traces of Amanda Clarke that she'd left in the Stowaway with Jack. Despite her yearning for it to end, the mission had to continue – it was not over yet.

"Let it play."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: Soooo…what did you think? See some distinct possibilities for a lot of new things to happen? Please stay tuned because I promise you there is a lot more to come and it will be quite interesting! I plan to update each chapter as a parallel version to an episode of Season 2, only with some major changes that will start to quickly mix things up. You'll see some familiar parts and also some different ones. I am also considering not referencing Aiden in this new storyline, as I think the Daniel/Emily/Jack love triangle still contains a lot of possibilities on its own. For all your Demily fans, here's a chance for them to find their way back to each other, this time without the lies that resulted in so much pain during Season 3. So please please please, comment, favorite, follow and let me know what you think! Are you excited that Daniel knows? How do you think he'll react when Emily returns "next summer"? And what else are you looking forward to seeing? Thanks for all your support! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	2. Chapter 2: Destiny

**Chapter 2: Destiny**

 _Emily's Voiceover: To believe that a life is meant for a single purpose, one must also believe in a common fate. Father to daughter, brother to sister, mother to child, blood ties can be as unyielding as they are eternal. But it is our bonds of choice that truly light the road we travel. Love versus hatred. Loyalty against betrayal. A person's true destiny can only be revealed at the end of his journey. And the story I have to tell is far from over._

"Sorry, I should have knocked," Ashley apologized as she entered Victoria's old bedroom, finding Daniel staring out of her window, clearly reminiscing. It had been months since her passing on the crashed flight to Washington, and in the time that lapsed she had tried to stay close by Daniel, offering him her unending support. But despite his appreciation, he had not been receptive to any romantic advances she attempted, and only accepted her friendship instead, employing her as his assistant at Grayson Global. She felt a clear distance when it came to matters of the heart, and assumed it related more specifically to the loss of his mother than anything else. So being back here in the Hamptons to kick off a summer without her was likely going to resurrect those feelings of distance even more, and while Ashley expected he might want some space, she was hopeful he would eventually concede to becoming more than friends.

It's okay," Daniel responded, unpassed by her presence. "Gonna take some getting used to, her not being here. And yet everywhere, all at the same time. This room was her sanctuary."

"I'll tell the staff that it's off-limits and to leave everything as is," she offered immediately, all business but ever hoping he would appreciate her spot-on efficiency.

"No," he responded instead, resolved to let go of the woman who lived to meddle in his life and her legacy. "No, nothing good comes from dwelling in the past. Let's just move forward this summer, like we promised."

"Okay," Ashley relented, sensing he was in one of his focused moods. "By the way," she began, grimacing as she knew her next bit of information would only make Daniel more annoyed. "The program is confirmed for the Memoriam Art Auction this weekend – Lydia Davis is going to speaking first, in honor of your mother."

Daniel sighed in disgust as expected and rolled his eyes at his father's glorified mistress, who seemed to be only too happy to take his side now that his mother was deceased and Conrad had dodged federal charges. She too, for her own sake, had dodged an untimely end by sticking by his father's side, and despite a thin layer of suspicion still hanging in the air around him; Lydia was comforted to usurp Conrad's position and assets to propel her to her own pedestal. Daniel knew just how deeply she coveted his mother's crown, but would perish first before seeing her seize it as the new Queen of the Hamptons.

"That's fine," he replied shortly, knowing it was a necessary evil. He looked over at Ashley, hoping for some space. "Can you give me a minute?"

"Of course," she answered, hoping he would appreciate her submission, and took her leave, stopping briefly in the doorway to look back at him, but he was still faced towards the window.

Once she was gone Daniel walked over to the French doors that led to the balcony, stepping out onto it in contradiction of all he had just said a few moments before. Despite swearing he would move forward rather than dwell in the past, he had done just the opposite over the past months, thinking only of Emily. He glanced towards the house she had left behind and wondered if this summer would see her return, despite knowing that she likely wanted nothing further to do with his family after everything that had transpired. For all her deception, he still nurtured a measure of guilt for all that his father and late mother had done to ruin her life.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, in his down time he had dug deep into her past looking up the little girl known as Amanda Clarke. What he had found nearly broke his heart. She was an innocent casualty of his father's vicious attack on David, and even if his mother's last act was an attempt to clear his name, the path they had chosen prior to her death was full of terrible deeds to that poor girl. Yet despite it all, she had grown up to become a beautiful and strong woman. Daniel had studied the events since her return to the Hamptons and realized that each of the people that seemed to meet an untimely demise of career or public image had crossed David during his trial, and he started to understand just how calculated Emily's plan had been. And yet, though it should repulse him that she had done so right under his nose, somehow he gained respect for her. She had not hurt a single soul and she had still been loyal to him – that is, up until he made the biggest mistake of his life, aligning himself with his father.

Well that act would certainly not remain forever, as he had his own plans for this summer that still needed time to come to fruition but would finish the redemption his mother tried to start. Although he no longer had concrete evidence to use against Conrad, there were other ways he could carefully pursue his downfall – particularly by dethroning him from Grayson Global. While it was a long reach, he only hoped that he could be as clever about it as Emily had been, ensuring his own future was protected while not tipping his hand to his father. It was a dangerous game, but if there was one thing he was sure of – he wanted in.

 **SCENE**

"If I knew you needed training I would've taken you with me to Japan."

Emily smiled at the sight of her sandy haired friend, watching as he danced around the ring with his trainer at one of the upper-end gym clubs in lower Manhattan. He turned to face her, breaking stance to come over to where she was leaning on the outer ropes.

"Hello, Nolan," she acknowledged him, giving him a warm, albeit distant hug over the side while he greeted her back. She stepped down to walk and talk while he maneuvered his way down to the floor.

"Ems! So you went back to Revenge camp huh? Makes sense. After eight weeks with no word I was beginning to think I'd never see you again," he jabbed her softly, eliciting a smirk and eye roll in return.

"So boxing?" she made light talk. "I'm impressed."

"And weight training and karate," he added. "You never know when a white-haired maniac's gonna pop out of the shadows with a knife," he gave her a cautious look, realizing despite her stating her whereabouts, it didn't necessarily have to account for the entire time she was gone. "Unless…You didn't go finish the job, did you?"

"My priorities have shifted… I've been doing a little research instead," she replied, not wanting to go into too much detail while people were around. They neared the entrance to the club. "So - you ready to go back?"

"Where to?" Nolan asked, handing over his wrist to Emily to assist him with taking off his boxing gloves.

"The Hamptons," Emily answered, stripping off his gloves with ease and tossing them back at him with a hinted smile. "Round Two."

 **SCENE**

"So Takeda was behind Amanda's return?" Nolan was catching up on the events of the past few months in the kitchen of Emily's beach house, while she produced a few items for him to look over from her now restored Infinity Box.

"He claims he was training her to be my ally," Emily replied, seemingly thinking otherwise. "But my guess is he was making sure her presence kept me on task."

"Wow," Nolan reacted; slightly bothered at how involved Takeda would get in his best friend's life just to make sure she stayed focused. "Way to cock-block, Uncle T," he muttered under his breath, and then tried to perk up. "Well, at least you can cross the Graysons off your to-screw list. Conrad's been buried under a cloud of suspicion ever since Victoria's plane crash destroyed all the S.E.C. evidence against him."

"Not quite," Emily countered, producing a torn piece of paper that looked like it came from a log of sorts.

"Ah, Ems - how many guest rooms do you have?" Nolan interrupted, taking a pause from the excavation.

Emily furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"Well, casa Nolan's in escrow," he explained, warranting a look from Emily. "Bad mojo," he continued. "Plus, if I'm gonna be your wingman this summer—"

"No," she answered plainly, to a hurt look from Nolan. She ignored it and continued with her plan, regaining his attention again. "A few weeks ago I remembered something – Angel of Mercy hospital, not far from where my parents grew up. I visited my mother there – I remember staring up at the statue in the front of the building. I looked into it and it was bought and shut down by a dummy investment group in August of '93 – only two days after my father was arrested."

"And the plot curdles," Nolan supplemented with intrigue.

Emily pushed the log sheet closer. "I broke into the abandoned facility and found this in my mother's file – she received a visit from a Charlotte Clarke before the place was shut down."

"So… Auntie Char is involved?"

Emily shook her head. "My aunt had Parkinson's, she would have been an invalid by then. Look at the handwriting," she instructed him, holding up the tag from Victoria's engagement gift next to it. It was good thinking that she decided to hold onto it after all.

"Whoa," Nolan observed. "That's Victoria's handwriting all right - she didn't even try and disguise it?"

"She must have been in a hurry," Emily assumed. "But the question is, what did she do to my mother, abduct her or worse?"

"And risk getting her manicured talons dirty? Not her style."

Emily took the paper back into her hands, pausing to think as she ran through her mind the dialogue from the video that Nolan had decrypted, knowing it almost by heart now. "The Graysons had motive to make sure my mother's side of the story was kept under wraps – if she had told the truth that my father was leaving her for another woman, it would have only incriminated Victoria and destroyed the case they tried to build against him."

"Wait, you think Victoria could've had your mother declared cray-cray and locked up in the first place?" Nolan was beginning to catch on.

Emily sighed, knowing it would take further intel to get to the bottom of it all. "Only two people can answer that question," she stated, referring to her adversaries of the previous summer, despite it being one less this year. "I need to get close with the Graysons again."

"Well, good luck with that after you spilled the beans to poor Spaniel and broke his heart," Nolan chided her, growing a bit worried. "You really think he won't smell your trail of revenge a mile away? Now that he knows the truth, he's a huge risk."

"Daniel could have outed me to everyone months ago and he didn't," Emily retorted, making a good point. She paused to gather her thoughts, knowing deep inside that he still had to hold a reserve of loyalty to her to continue keeping her secret. "Besides, he knows I know the truth about them – if nothing else, I have just as much leverage as he does."

"Still," Nolan digressed, sensing she was on to something but still feeling a twinge of concern at how far she would go. "You're playing with fire…" He turned to look back at her laptop and browse for local housing.

"He'll know something's up if I cozy to him right away," Emily agreed. "But he's not the only way in," she concluded. As much as she felt secure that he was protecting her for some reason, she knew better than to test him. And beyond that – she couldn't bear hurting him again, not a second time. "Besides… I wouldn't put him through that again."

With a thought fixed firmly in mind, she reached for her purse, and prepared to leave. "Stay out of trouble while I'm gone," she ordered him.

"You mean I can stay?" Nolan perked up, sensing she was recanting on her earlier decline. "Hey Em – where are you going?" he called out to her before she walked out of the door.

"To see my sister."

 **SCENE**

"Ahoy! Captain Jack." Nolan made his way down to the dock where a tired-looking but still well-built Jack was emerging from the _Amanda._ He smiled, thinking of a witty reference to his impending fatherhood. "Or should I say Jack daddy?"

"Not for another four weeks," Jack laughed off with a smile, leaping over the side of the boat to come grip Nolan in a friendly hug. "It's good to see you, Nolan. Back for another season?"

"We'll see what the summer holds," Nolan hinted, alluding to more than Jack realized. "I'm currently sort of Hamptons homeless. Sold the house after everything that happened with Tyler and, well, other stabby, strangle-y things…"

He sincerely wished Emily could have just come clean to Jack about the truth, especially when he was the closest guy friend he had and likely the only person that would understand what it felt like to be so threatened without judging him. He brushed it off before Jack could get too curious and decided to test the waters on whether he still nurtured feelings for her. "Emily's cool with me staying with her temporarily, so… that's where I'll be docking for now."

"She's-she's back?" Jack stammered, proving Nolan's suspicion correct. There was no question – he still missed her.

"Oh, yeah – you didn't know?"

Jack glanced over to the boat where he faintly heard Amanda's footsteps coming up to the surface. "I've been a little, uh, a little preoccupied these past few weeks," he whispered, but she heard him regardless.

"I can vouch for that," Amanda snipped coyly, still a little perturbed with him for sleeping on the boat for the past few nights. Despite his initial embrace of her return, he had been decidedly distant ever since that first night when Emily came by to drop off Sammy's collar, and while he never mentioned her she always wondered in the back of her mind if he missed her at heart, and wished he wasn't obligated to fatherhood with her instead.

She sighed, rubbing her large belly. It was only a matter of time now. "Haven't heard from her, have we, Jack?" she brooded, referring to Emily. She glanced up at Nolan to say hello. "Hey, Nolan can you tell her to call us? I'm dying to see her."

Nolan fake grinned back at her, knowing just how much a thorn in the side the real Emily Thorne had become to his now-roommate. "I'm sure the feeling's mutual," he quipped sarcastically, edging away back up the dock.

"It is," a voice echoed over his shoulder, and he turned in surprise to see Emily coming into view, sauntering down the dock behind him. Her presence was a slight shock – her visit to Charlotte had gone faster than he expected. Both Jack and Amanda looked up at her in surprise as well, with Amanda paying particular attention to how closely Jack looked over at her.

"Jack, Amanda," Emily greeted them, putting on her best repressed smile. "Goodness, it's been a while hasn't it?" She eyed Amanda's protruding belly. "You look ready to _pop_ any day now," she observed, putting emphasis on the word 'pop' as if to imply a double meaning.

Amanda sneered slightly at the reference. "You have no idea." She glanced over at Jack and stepped past him, using his extended hand to secure her balance as she stepped over to the dock. Once next to Emily, she grabbed her affectionately by the hand. "Come on, let's go catch up."

Emily shot a look over at Nolan and turned to follow her, leaving him behind with Jack to exchange knowing glances as the two women walked away.

 **SCENE**

"I knew you wouldn't stay away."

Once alone in her and Jack's bedroom, Amanda cornered Emily, and while her demeanor seemed somewhat defensive, her true emotion for her closest friend and lifelong sister from Allenwood still shined through.

"Well, how could I when we have so much to talk about?" Emily replied cautiously, turning to gaze out of the window back towards the dock where Jack and Nolan were still standing. She tried her hardest not to study Jack intently but her attempts were mired by the longing feeling that still fluttered in her stomach when he was around.

"I know. Takeda debriefed me," Amanda admitted, inciting Emily to turn around to face her. "Look, whatever you need, I'm here to help."

Emily immediately sympathized. For all her defiance, Amanda was still unflinchingly loyal to her. "I know that you've always been there for me," she acknowledged with appreciation, aware that it would be of no help to her however this summer. Trying to take down the Graysons had been hard enough but finding out her mother's fate would require complete focus, and she couldn't risk Amanda's involvement any further. Especially not with a child on the way – she cringed – Jack's child. "But I'm on a different path now."

"Wow." Amanda stared at Emily, annoyed. "Back five seconds, and already, you're pushing me away." She shook her head. "Except this time, I'm not going anywhere. Jack and I are in this together, for real."

Her digs at her still hurt. "He thinks you're me, Amanda," Emily retorted. "How real can it be?"

"Plenty once the baby comes," Amanda shot back, feeling a spike of jealousy at her confidence that Jack's feelings for her were really just misguided feelings for Emily instead. "And don't forget If he learns the truth about me, everyone learns the truth about you," she threatened.

Just then Jack walked in, interrupting the sharp-edged response Emily had prepared. "Hey, ah… sorry to interrupt," he glanced between Emily and Amanda, sensing something was up. "Ah – Amanda we have an appointment remember?"

"Yup," Amanda answered him without turning her focus away from Emily.

"I have to be going anyway, I need to pick up my dress for an event I'm attending tomorrow," Emily offered, cutting the awkward silence from Amanda. She started towards the door and stopped short. "Oh the news - Amanda, should you tell Jack or should I?" Emily challenged her, testing to see how far her friend was really prepared to go with her threat.

"Go for it," Amanda dared her, turning around to face both her and Jack, and Emily could see the pain and desperation welling in her eyes.

It was enough to soften her anger. Emily knew no matter how much she harbored feelings for Jack; she couldn't betray her friend, nor do something to so pointedly rob her of her happiness. At that moment she made a decision in her heart that regardless of what happened, she would simply let it go. Jack was with Amanda, and she had chosen to be Emily. It was just the way it had to be. She took a deep breath before answering cleverly, turning to face Jack.

"Amanda just asked me to be the baby's godmother," she breathed with a smile, and in turn Amanda breathed a sigh of relief.

Jack's excited reply was barely audible as Emily's senses remained focused on Amanda, hoping she would accept her response as a peace offering. She leaned forward to wrap her in another hug, whispering over her shoulder before she left, and when she did she knew Amanda had heard and accepted it.

"I'm sorry."

 **SCENE**

"The return of the vivacious and elusive Ms. Emily Thorne," Conrad observed as he approached his son who was perched over the second level balcony of his yacht where the Memoriam Art Auction was being hosted. "It's never too late to reconcile, you know."

Daniel's eyes were indeed fixed on his former fiancé as she made her way up the path, escorted by longtime crony, Nolan Ross. He looked on in wonder, curious as to what had made the real Amanda Clarke return to the Hamptons, knowing without a doubt that she had to have some ulterior motive to return to their company. As he did so, he couldn't help but let the repressed memories of their engagement the summer before slip through in his mind, tugging at his heart strings as he admired how radiantly beautiful she still was – if not more so. Her golden locks had grown long, swept over one shoulder and she donned a bright magenta dress that only complimented her creamy complexion, slightly more tanned than he remembered. Despite having his view tainted of her she was still, in his opinion, perfect. _But was she trustworthy?_ That remained to be seen.

"Never gonna happen, Dad," Daniel replied, anxious to throw off his scent before he got any ideas. He wanted to keep any of his own plans private, and while he sensed his father had a fondness for Emily for some time, he didn't want the possibility to emerge of his inflicting harm on her any further than he already had.

"Why not?" Conrad pushed, sipping from a cocktail as he leaned up against the balcony, inches away from his son. "Come on. She's a suitable match for you… and she might even fend off the advances of the delightful if frothy little confection, Ashley Davenport." He glanced over in her direction where she was preoccupied with managing the event about to commence.

Daniel ignored his reference, aware that Ashley had set her eyes on him for some time, but he wasn't worried about her. She served enough of a purpose at Grayson Global, and despite him not finding any particular attraction to her, she was still loyal enough to tell him the truth about Emily's brief liaison with Jack. The topic brought another question to mind – Emily had the option to bring a guest but she only Nolan had accompanied her; was she even together with Porter?

He sidestepped the observation to continue the repartee with his father. "That's funny coming from you, with an attention whore like Lydia Davis on your arm."

"Take care your words, young man," Conrad scolded him, glancing over to where his over-achieving mistress was charming some of the attendees. "Lydia may be a far cry from your mother, but her loyalty to me has far exceeded hers."

"Is that so?" Daniel challenged him, being mildly certain of quite the opposite. "Then why haven't you married her?"

Conrad diverted, staring down at the waters beneath them. "It's complicated. I take it you've given some consideration to our earlier conversation?" he continued, changing the subject back to his proposal that Daniel reinvest his own assets into the company.

"I did," Daniel answered stoically. "My money stays in trust."

"You disappoint me," Conrad shook his head, but Daniel's answer was more than calculated. With the knowledge he had, he needed to tread lightly so as to secure his own future and sever any ties with his father's demise – one that he expected would occur sooner than later.

"It was a business decision, Dad," Daniel replied, finishing off his drink and breaking away from his father to return to the party. Emily's presence continued to tug at his curiosity and he couldn't keep away from her long. He tapped his father reassuringly on the shoulder. "But trust me; I have nothing but the company's best interests at heart. And the next venture I'm working on will prove to be more lucrative than the last."

Conrad grinned as he walked away. Even if he wasn't easily convinced down his own line of thinking, Daniel had proved himself increasingly more loyal of late. "That's my boy."

 **SCENE**

"Emily!" Ashley exclaimed, seeing her once closest friend make an entrance on the second level of the party. She came over anxiously, uncertain of how she would react and whether she knew it was her that betrayed her to Daniel, impelling their breakup. "What a surprise!"

Emily reached out to hug Ashley in return, feeling no ill will towards her despite sensing her apprehension. She could never be completely certain where Ashley's loyalties stood, but she was still important to have as an ally. Time had proven she was certainly a useful means to get information. "Ash! Charlotte invited me; I hope that's all right?"

"Of course," Ashley replied, secretly coveting how close Emily was to Daniel's younger sister. If only she had been able to generate that type of relationship with her, perhaps her chances with Daniel might have improved. But now that Emily was back in town, even she knew that was a long shot. Hopefully Emily didn't pick up on her intentions. "I've really missed you."

"Me, too," Emily replied, and in the blink of an eye her attentions were off beyond her.

Ashley sensed the change in atmosphere and already knew who had walked up to steal her interest away.

"Hello, _Em_ ily," Daniel greeted her, emphasizing her name as he looked almost completely past Ashley altogether. He gave Emily a brief once-over. "You look well."

"You, too, Daniel," Emily responded in kind, picking up on his reference. Nolan appeared behind her and she continued to exchange pleasantries after he greeted him also. "I'm really sorry about your mother."

Ashley watched as the tension built between the former lovers and Nolan saw the opportunity to break it up with a fancy drink, handing Emily a Cosmopolitan. "Here you go, Ems."

"Thanks," she replied, glancing at it and then up at Daniel. "I promise not to spill it on your jacket this year."

Daniel smirked, appreciating the fakeness in her tone. "Oh no worries – it's not like you did it on _purpose_ right?" he suggested, knowing it was likely the opposite.

Emily sneered back and both Nolan and Ashley suddenly felt quite uncomfortable in their presence. Ashley took it as her cue to leave before having to endure the rest of the awkward reunion, while Nolan volunteered to escort her away. "Come on, Ash – why don't we let the kids get caught up?" He extended his elbow mercifully, which Ashley took with relief. "Play nice," he whispered over his shoulder, leaving the two of them alone.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Daniel dropped the charade, drawing closer to his ex. "So – back to finish what you started…?" he lowered his voice to a whisper that tickled her ear. "Amanda?"

Emily tilted her head and smiled curtly as he moved back, ready to match whatever he dished her way. "Contrary to what you think, Daniel," she countered. "I'm actually very sorry for your loss." She was being sincere, despite expecting Daniel to take it otherwise.

He only nodded, remembering the circumstances that surrounded. "Yeah, well I'm sure it was a loss for you as well – since everything that could have exonerated your father was on that plane with her."

She sensed his sympathetic comment was hindered by his own view of her as being slightly cold and numbed and couldn't resist throwing it back in his face. "Surely you understand what it is to be loyal to one's father," she assumed, glancing through the clear window panels in the boat to the balcony where Conrad remained from his earlier conversation with Daniel.

Daniel caught sight of him too and immediately understood. "It's not what you think," he attempted to clarify, still unsure if he wanted to share everything with her until it was all said and done. "There's a reason why I haven't broken off ties with my father."

Emily exhaled and shook her head at him, slightly disappointed. "I _think_ you're pretending to be something you're not." She failed to grasp how someone with so much potential and now even more knowledge could still bear being affiliated with Grayson Global, much less sit on the truth he knew.

"I guess you could say I'm taking a page out of your book, then?" he retorted, keeping the space between them tight while Emily took a swallow of her drink.

Emily glanced away instinctively. "Daniel, I don't want to argue with you. We obviously both have enough information to bury each other but that's not what I'm here to do."

"Really," he narrowed his eyes at her. "Then why are you here?" He glanced around; dying to ask her the question that plagued him since the day she left. "For Jack Porter? If so you came to the wrong boat – his is on a different side of the pier-"

"I'm here for Charlotte," she interrupted him, before she could grow any further annoyed at the egotism and jealousy that clearly still loomed beneath the surface. And for her own sake, she really did not want to think about Jack at the moment.

Daniel chuckled under his breath. "I hardly believe that. But while we're on topic – when do you plan to tell her the truth anyway? She is your sister after all."

"When the time is right," Emily answered matter-of-factly, fully intending to follow through on her promise. Yet it was too soon – Charlotte's substance abuse following her mother's death had only landed her in a rehab facility that she was only just now on the verge of being released from. She knew she was fragile, and having been in the same position, did not want to risk damaging her any further, especially not when she still needed the connection to find out more about what happened to her mother. "You know she's not recovered. But in the meantime, I still want to be a part of her life."

Daniel began a reply but they both paused briefly as they heard the signaling on the main deck that the procession was about to begin. Emily took advantage of the distraction to continue her train of thought.

"That is, unless you plan to tell her first?" she tested him, hoping her guess about him was correct. He was bitter of course over the breakup, but she knew he still cared for her, and the feelings he held dear were currently the only thing keeping her protected. She needed to know she could at least rely on that to even begin to continue her mission – otherwise she might as well turn around and leave.

Daniel did not disappoint. His eyes softened for the first time since their encounter and he looked sincerely into Emily's dark browns. Even if his instincts told him there was another reason for Emily's return that would soon reveal itself, he couldn't begrudge her the opportunity to get close to their shared sister. In fact, he rather admired it and held out hope that she would eventually drop the charade for good.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

Emily smiled, deeply appreciative and placed the glass she still held into Daniel's hands, in an affectionate and slightly flirtatious gesture to give him the rest of it. "Then I'll see you on deck."

She turned to walk away while Daniel stared down into her glass, observing how perfectly the warm pink hues of the drink matched the coloring of Emily's dress and knew he was still a goner when it came to her. He called out to her before she was completely out of sight.

"Hey Ems?"

She turned to face him, peering back over a shoulder of blonde hair.

He gave her a last admonition before taking her drink to the head to finish it off and popping the remaining olive in his mouth.

"Be careful."

 **SCENE**

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and happy Memorial Day. It seemed only fitting to use the official start of the season to pay tribute to a woman whose absence is still unimaginable. I'm referring, of course, to the late great humanitarian and philanthropist Victoria Grayson. So to begin this tribute, I'd like to invite one of her closest friends to the stage – Ms. Lydia Davis!"

Ashley's introduction to Lydia elicited hesitant applause from the crowd as Emily and Nolan looked on from one corner of the yacht deck, while Conrad, Charlotte and Daniel gathered in another, a sea of guests in between them.

" _She's_ giving the eulogy?" Charlotte whispered to her dad as she watched Lydia take the stage, immediately disgusted. She had never been very fond of her father's mistress, who had not even once come to visit her while she was in rehab. Her doctor stood behind her, serving as her escort for the day, and the thought of having to listen to Lydia go on a tirade about her mother nearly made her want to take up her habit again.

"Uh, tribute, sweetheart. Tribute," Conrad corrected her, clapping lightly. "Eulogies are for funerals."

Lydia boldly walked to the podium as Ashley stepped aside, nodding her off and basking in the attention of all in attendance. She referenced the covered paintings beside her in a grand gesture. "Victoria's impeccable art collection, ladies and gentlemen," she turned to face them, holding a snide grin across her face. "I was privileged to be close to Victoria, before she left us. She was a dear and respected friend and I will always cherish her for the many gifts she gave to me."

Daniel stifled a disgusted snort as Conrad flinched and caught wind of it. The display was beyond intolerable, especially with Lydia shooting knowing glances in Conrad's direction every five minutes.

She continued. "And I'm confident that Victoria, whom I was close to for so long, would say that, in a word, she approves—"

"While whirling like a dervish in her grave," Nolan muttered under his breath to Emily, in similarity to the reaction Daniel had just had.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you an exquisite work by Dominik Wright," Lydia went on, stepping beyond the podium to unveil the large painting beside her. "The aptly titled "Victoria, Unfinished!"

The audience again erupted in applause as Charlotte could not bear to stand it any longer. She rushed up to the podium to interrupt and Lydia stepped back in surprise. "May I say a few words?" she asked. As Lydia moved aside, Charlotte took the platform. "Sorry, I just can't let this day go on without someone pointing out that Victoria Grayson was more than just art auctions and fancy parties. Yes, she was generous, but she was also a woman of many contradictions and deep secrets."

Emily's brow furrowed at where Charlotte was headed with her confession and she caught eyes with Daniel as they both wondered at how much she really knew by the direction of her words.

They relaxed a bit when she went on. "As confusing as that could be sometimes, to me, she was simply Mom." Charlotte smiled, a bit wistfully. "And it took losing her for me to realize the truth of just how much she loved me and how much I felt the same. I've made a lot of positive change in my life, and I want my family – Dad, Daniel?" They both looked intently at her. "I want you to know that I intend to keep it that way in honor of Mom."

With her last promise she exited the podium and again the clapping ensued, with Daniel peering over at Emily again, curious of what she thought of her sister's commitment to staying clean in honor of their mother's passing. Emily was still slightly revolted, trying her best not to think too ill of Victoria since her death, but still sickened at the thought that her sister's intentions were so blinded.

"Get refills," Emily whispered to Nolan, sending him off for more drinks while she edged closer to where Charlotte was returning to her father's side. Her doctor had stepped away to take a phone call and Lydia had returned to the podium.

"Thank you Charlotte," she addressed her, a bit aloof. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the rest of the afternoon and bid generously." She concluded the speech and stepped down to continue hobnobbing with potential bidders.

"Very inspirational, sweetheart," Conrad greeted Charlotte when she returned, with Emily only a few paces away in earshot. "And heartfelt." He glanced back at her doctor and both Emily and Daniel held their eyes on him as he came over with a serious look on his face.

"Charlotte, I've just received some upsetting news," her doctor began. "Your blood work came back. It's positive for hydrocodone."

Emily wrinkled her brow in confusion as she watched Charlotte's shocked reaction. "That's impossible!"

"What's going on?" Daniel inquired, coming over to see what the fuss was about.

"Your sister's results show her positive for drugs, son," Conrad led right away, doing his best to shuffle her off to the side. "Come on, Charlotte let's go."

"No, there's been a mistake!" Charlotte exclaimed, still protesting. "I'm clean, I promise!"

"Charlotte, we can do another blood test, but first we need to get you back to the center, okay?" Her doctor continued to insist, placing his hand on her back to pull her away from Conrad.

She immediately whirled halfway around and the doctor did his best to restrain her as she yelled back. "No, stop it. Let go of me!" she faced her father who was now a few paces away. "Dad, you did this! You blew up that plane and now you're trying to keep me locked up!"

Daniel froze at her allegation and looked over at his father to see how he would react. He had long suspected that to be the case but while he bought his time to unravel it, he was curious how his father would respond with it being thrown in his face. Conrad remained cool as a cucumber, whispering over to his son. "Your poor sister, she can't even keep a promise for her late mother's sake."

"Daniel, do something!" Charlotte cried at her brother as the doctor continued to pull her away. Daniel wanted to go to her, wanted to immediately comfort her and let her know he knew the truth but it was too soon and the wrong place. He needed his father to still trust in his loyalty for his plan to work.

Seeing Daniel not moving, Charlotte caught sight of Emily standing nearby and finally wriggled free to lurch forward in her direction. "Emily!" she cried out and quickly threw her arms around her, whispering something into her ear.

"Hey, that's enough now Charlotte, come on!" her doctor finally caught up with her and broke her away, just as Emily's face fell in despair and shock at Charlotte's words. She nodded at her while Charlotte was taken away, a look of determination coming over her.

Conrad did his best to quiet the crowd as Lydia looked over at the commotion, signaling him to restore the atmosphere before the event was ruined any further. People began to return to their conversations and when the coast was clear Daniel finally took a few steps over to approach Emily.

"Hey, what did she say to you?" Daniel whispered to her, but Emily did not respond. Instead, she shot him a death glare, hoping that he was not already aware or hiding the information that Charlotte had just shared with her. She took off without a word, anxious to confirm it for herself.

 **SCENE**

The door swung open revealing a very incensed and very much alive, Victoria Grayson on the other side.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" she sneered at the last person she expected to see before her – Emily Thorne.

Emily bit her tongue to muffle her own disbelief, but inside she was steaming. "Charlotte sent me," she answered honestly, leaning on Victoria's trust.

Victoria took a glance behind her and quickly invited her in. Once inside she grilled her. "Where's my daughter?"

"Back in rehab," Emily replied, making quick mental notes as she sized up the cottage that Victoria clearly had been stashed away in, hiding out. "They found drugs in her system."

"Charlotte swore she wasn't using," Victoria exclaimed, walking across the room to face where Emily stood by the fireplace.

"And she might be telling the truth. Charlotte believes there's a conspiracy to keep her locked up," she glanced around again, spotting a small clam shaped figurine on the mantle. "Conrad must have her counselor on his payroll."

Victoria writhed with anger and turned away, giving Emily just the few seconds she needed to palm the clam figurine into her hand before she looked back. "That son of a bitch is trying to get control of her inheritance… does anyone else know you're here?"

"No," Emily answered truthfully again and decided to try her luck with a little additional intel. With Victoria alive, an alliance was now more important than ever – she could once again be close enough to get information on her mother. "Victoria, forgive me if I'm a little confused, but Charlotte's only inheriting because everybody thinks that you're dead."

"That's the way it has to stay," Victoria asserted. "Conrad brought that plane down. He was trying to kill me and destroy federal evidence. The government is keeping me safe while they build their case against him, and Charlotte's the only one who knew the truth. I insisted on it."

Emily breathed an inner sigh of relief, glad that Daniel was not a part of the plot. Victoria had clearly said only Charlotte knew. Perhaps her continued faith in her ex-fiance' was not misguided after all. But as long as Victoria was exclusively separate from him that would remain in her hands to see through to fruition.

"Well, now it appears she's no longer safe either." Emily took a breath as she began to elaborate to Victoria on the current state of events, gaining her trust and setting the first steps of her plan in motion.

 **SCENE**

"Victoria's alive."

Emily greeted Nolan as she walked into her beach house, where he was perched in the kitchen in front of his laptop, his more favorite spot of late.

"Come again?" he nearly spit out his mouthful of water as she brushed past him, setting her purse on the table and slipping off her heels.

"That's what Charlotte whispered into my ear on the boat before they dragged her off," she continued. "The government is keeping Victoria hidden until they can build a case against Conrad, or so she says."

"Wait - you talked to her?" he asked in shock, still digesting it all. "You know where she is?"

"Me and Charlotte," Emily answered, resting her hands on the countertop to think. "Like I suspected, Daniel knows nothing about it."

"Are you going to tell him?"

Emily squinted, already having considered the option. "Yes. But not right away. I'm going to need his help after all, but first I need to make sure he trusts me."

"Uh, if telling him Mommie Dearest is alive doesn't get you points, I'm not sure what will?" Nolan affirmed.

Emily shook her head. "Daniel knows I have an agenda for being here. Today at the party he said something that led me to believe he has his own plans for Conrad, but he needs to find out what's at stake before he gets involved. I can't just tell him – I need to show him."

"What are you gonna do?"

She produced the clam figurine from her purse and tossed it to Nolan to catch as she began to make her way upstairs to change. "Play a hunch. I need to get a camera in there. I was hoping you could use this?"

Nolan caught it and nodded after taking a moment to inspect. "Um, yeah. 'Clam-cam', I like it."

"One more thing," she asked, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "How fast can you run a deep background on Charlotte's doctor?"

"Another hunch?" he asked and a knock at the back door interrupted her response. Nolan peeked over. "Uh, Jack's here." He waved her to answer the door while he left the kitchen with his laptop to spread out in the living room. "You go - I got work to do."

Emily rolled her eyes and backed down the stairs to answer the door, stepping out onto the porch once she opened it. "Hey, Jack."

"Sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting." Jack was ever the hallmark for compassion.

"No, not at all," Emily fibbed walking over to lean on the railing. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he assured her. "It's just, we, uh we haven't had a chance to talk since you know," his innermost thoughts overlapped his words. _Since we kissed._ But instead his voice said, "Since the night Sammy died."

"Jack, it's okay," Emily assured him, burying her feelings again out of respect for her exchange with Amanda earlier that week. If she was going to commit to this summer, she had to cut all potential for diversion. And besides, she wanted Amanda to be happy.

He continued intent on getting it out. "Emily, I want you to know, the last time I saw you, I had no idea that Amanda was coming back let alone that she was pregnant," he hung his head apologetically. "I would never do something like that to you."

"I know that," she rushed him, not able to bear hearing any more of his sincerity. "Please, don't worry about it, I'm happy for you both," she insisted. "Really. And I'm thrilled to be the baby's godmother."

Jack smiled, sincerely appreciative of Emily's long-suffering and self-sacrificing spirit. He took the hint from her that she had moved on and decided not to press the issue, for fear of making himself look even more foolish. "We're gonna name him after our dads," he continued, glad to be able to talk about his son freely. "Carl David Porter."

Emily grimaced, aching that her own father's name would be carried on child that did not belong to her. But regardless, she would not take the moment away from Jack. It seemed clear that her path this summer would be to return to the Grayson's inner circle, and any semblance of a happy life with Jack Porter was just a figment of her imagination.

"I'm sure they'd both be honored," she replied.

Jack nodded, and observed how nicely she was dressed for the first time since he had arrived, remembering that the day before she mentioned picking up a dress. "So how'd your ah… event go?" He realized with embarrassment that this entire time he was trying to pour his heart out, Emily had likely moved on anyway. After all she had her pick of any beau in the Hamptons, why should she stress over losing him after one kiss?

"Memoriam Art Auction in honor of Victoria, of course. It went well," She braced her hands a bit as she continued, knowing the implication of her words would sting him but thinking it for the best. " _Daniel_ was there, we reconnected."

"Of course," Jack nodded, and he cursed himself for his earlier thought. _Any beau in the Hamptons,_ he thought. _Except that one._ He assumed they had already reconciled but Emily quickly averted the subject, letting his imagination do the rest to keep him safely at bay.

"Charlotte was there, too," Emily commented. "She's doing much better despite a few hiccups… when she's out of rehab I think she'll be thrilled to see Amanda – and hopefully meet her nephew."

"I think she'd like that," Jack agreed with a slightly forced smile. It was time to go, and let her go in more ways than one. "Well I should let you go – I'll see you around Em."

Emily grinned back at him, and couldn't resist giving him a hug, somewhat out of pity for what she had just did. But it was for the best – keeping him far from her plan would only protect him and help Amanda feel more secure about their relationship. And the truth was, she still didn't know for certain where she stood with Daniel. She certainly cared about him, but only the months ahead would tell whether he could be redeemed. Either way, it was time to move forward.

"Bye, Jack."

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte's settling back in to Cliffside," Conrad informed Daniel as he entered Grayson Manor, catching sight of his father pouring himself a drink from the study.

"At least you're back to trying to take care of her," Daniel replied, already annoyed by his presence. He sincerely despised when his father made cavalier appearances in the home he inherited from his mother, knowing just how much she would have loathed his random visits as well. But to hear him go on about his sister's welfare when Daniel was certain he was responsible for it was even more excruciating to endure. "It's been just me these past few months."

"Well, she's a sick girl," Conrad rationalized. "I wanted to give her time to recuperate. And as it stands, she still clearly has obstacles to overcome – the things she accused me of are preposterous."

"I'll bet," Daniel muttered under his breath, tossing his jacket onto the stairwell as he started to make his way upstairs. "You can let yourself out."

"Oh, skipping the nightcap?" Conrad inquired, knowing his son well enough to sense that his lack of joining him in the study for a drink meant there were other things on his mind.

"Not really in the mood to drown my sorrows behind four walls," he replied.

"Ah, headed out to your mother's favorite spot on the balcony then? Before you go," Conrad turned around to stop him before he was out of sight, pausing at the foot of the stairs. "Since you've been so loathe to endure the walls of Grayson Manor of late, I was wondering if you'd be interested in selling it back, perhaps?"

Daniel looked at him suspiciously. _What did he stand to gain now?_

Conrad looked away a bit sheepishly but continued with his forward request. "I know you've still got your hooks into your trust fund and that's fine, but it's important we represent a united front behind the Grayson name. And with your mother gone, well…"

"You want your nesting ground back?" Daniel finished, knowing exactly what his father had in mind. "What so Lydia can live out her dreams of finally sitting on mother's throne?"

Conrad shook his head, knowing his son was in an unreasonable state. "Daniel, it's been a long day. Just think about it, alright?"

Daniel left him without reply, trudging upwards until he reached his mother's old room, just as his father had predicted. He felt relaxation come over him as he walked out onto the balcony, and instinctively looked in the direction of Emily's beach house, hoping to see her lights on. When he did, he decided not to resist the urge any longer and retrieved the phone from his pocket.

Before he could dial he stopped himself short, as something else caught his attention – a figure on the docks just short of Emily's house. He peered closer – it was her. _Of course,_ he thought to himself, remembering her routine nighttime swim before bed. To his surprise, she looked up at him, taking note of him on the balcony. He wished desperately that he could be down there with her – could tell her all the things he knew she would be proud of him for, the case he was building against his father, and his intention to clear himself from any affiliation to Grayson Global. But would she believe him? And furthermore, what had Charlotte told her?

The trust issues between seemed insurmountable, yet Daniel pushed them to the back of his mind when he saw her beautiful figure, as if mesmerized just by the sight of her. He stayed on the balcony, watching her in silence until she finally turned and walked away, returning back to her home.

 **SCENE**

"You better be house hunting."

Emily greeted Nolan in all his pajama and blanket glory on her living room couch as she plopped down next to him, slinging a towel underneath her wet hair.

"Among other things," he replied, typing on her laptop.

"By the way that research on Charlotte's doctor worked like a charm," Emily thanked him as the topic came to mind. "I was able to convince Victoria of his corruption and sneak the camera back onto the mantelpiece."

"Giving us access to her every move," Nolan added, smiling as he pulled up the live video feed.

"Anything yet?" Emily inquired.

"Looks like the show is just starting," Nolan observed, as Victoria got up to walk over to the door on the recording. Both he and Emily leaned closer to pay attention.

 _"Where have you been?" Victoria exclaimed as her visitor entered. "I've left five messages for you."_

Both Emily and Nolan reacted in simultaneous expectation as the man entered the camera's view – the white haired assailant. "My God, they're in this together," Nolan gasped while Emily continued to concentrate on their dialogue.

 _"I don't work for you, Victoria," he replied, walking past her._ " _This is meant to be a mutually beneficial arrangement."_

 _"Well, that arrangement might be in jeopardy. Charlotte told Emily Thorne a version of the truth. She could be our downfall."_

 _"I take it you don't trust her?"_

 _"No," Victoria responded. "I never have."_

Emily pursed her lips as her assumption was proved correct. Victoria had no more intentions to look out for her interests than she did for her father years ago. And it was becoming increasingly clearer that despite surviving Conrad's attempt to quiet her, she had shifted priorities in wanting to come clean about the truth. Any deal she made with the government was for her own protection, not anyone else's.

 _"What would you like me to do about her?" the white haired man continued._

 _"What you've done so many times before," she answered decisively. "Eliminate the liability."_

 _"As you wish."_

Nolan let the feed play on silent mode and made sure to record it as the assailant left Victoria's room. He looked at Emily for response, certain her vigor was only peaked by the execution Victoria had just ordered.

"What they did to my father they did to my mother, too," Emily concluded, realizing that there was a strong likelihood that instead of her mother being institutionalized to preserve her life, she was likely put there to cover her eventual death.

"And now they're coming for you," Nolan replied, fearing the worst was coming.

Emily cared little about Victoria's threat. It was no match for the information that she held in her possession to incriminate her, and it was certainly enough to convince Daniel of her thorough wickedness once he learned she was alive. She only hoped he would make the right choice the second time around to spare his own future. For her own sake, fate was bending in her favor once again and this time she would ensure that her own destiny was decided by her and no one else.

"Good," she replied, growing more determined. "Let them."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: Hello again Revengers! I have to say, I am thoroughly enjoying writing this fanfic, it feels so empowering to make changes S2 in favor of some of some more exciting elements! Many of you requested that the Daniel/Ashley relationship be skipped, as well as seeing no real point in including Aiden, so I made a point to address that in this installment. As you may have noticed Ashley is still pining for the Grayson prince but his heart seems to be intent on Ems/Amanda – woohoo! Some things never change. =) So how did you enjoy the rest of the chapter? Curious how far Lydia will go to usurp Victoria's throne? And what will Victoria do when she inevitably returns? How do you like the more understanding Emily who supports Amanda rather than tries to force a wedge between her and Jack? Please let me know your thoughts and I can't say this enough – thank you so much for all of your support, your reviews, comments and PMs are so appreciated, and I'm thrilled your excited for this new fic! ENJOY! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	3. Chapter 3: Resurrection

**Chapter 3: Resurrection**

 _Emily's Voiceover: For those who believe in resurrection…death is inconsequential. It is not an ending, but rather a new beginning…_

Emily stirred in her sleep, another distant memory of her younger years with her mother drifting into her dreams. She was little, barely even school age and her mother had taken her for a drive out on the highway, listening to one of her favorite songs, singing it back to her. In her dream, she smiled, remembering vaguely the shape of her mother's face, her serene smile, and the playful way she tickled her in the passenger seat.

 _Continued Voiceover: But the very idea of resurrection is so seductive a concept…_

She stirred again as another fragment of her memory returned to mind – asking her mother where they were going and where her father was. In response her mother merely smiled at her and caressed her hair, ensuring her that he was not far.

 _Continued Voiceover: it's easy to forget before you can rise from the dead._

Emily's sleep began to break as the dream disseminated and suddenly the familiar face of her mother morphed into that of a much less mysterious foe – Victoria. Turning to face her in the driver's seat with her jet-black hair she mouthed something back at her.

 _Victoria's Voiceover: You have to spend a few days in hell!_

Emily lurched awake on the couch in her living room, her arms outstretched in a choking motion around what she was dreaming was Victoria's throat, but was actually that of her roommate and concerned friend, Nolan. His eyes bulged as he managed to get out a raspy plea, "Wake up! It's just me!"

Immediately remorseful, Emily released him at once, sending him to his knees as he clutched his neck, gasping for air. She heaved a sigh of relief, scolding him for waking her like that. "Don't do that again," she exhaled, orienting herself with reality and where she really was.

"This is why you shouldn't fall asleep watching horror movies," Nolan chastised her, regaining his balance and sitting down across from her on the couch while she steadied her laptop back on her lap from where it was sitting on the edge of the table.

"I fell asleep monitoring Victoria," Emily corrected him.

"Exactly." Nolan quipped in return, not seeing much difference. "And catnapping out in the open, Ems? Are you actually baiting the white-haired Mannibal Lecter to come for you?"

"If he comes for me, I'll be ready," Emily replied, focusing her attention on the computer screen. "Victoria was lying about working with the government to bring down Conrad – he could be lying just to appease her too."

She thought intently, replaying the events of the night before that they had watched live and a few other conversations she witnessed Victoria have on the phone. Everything confirmed what she suspected – Victoria was out for her own interests and had given up trying to exonerate her father. She was back on her own and whatever she was planning it involved Charlotte. "She's planning something, and it clearly involves my sister or else she wouldn't have told her where she was."

Nolan shook his head, not seeing how it could all tie in when Charlotte was nearly inaccessible at the moment. "Curious how that works out considering Charlotte's in lockdown at Dr.  
Doom's sober house."

Emily grinned to herself, already having a plan to unravel that piece of the puzzle. "Not for long."

SCENE

Daniel rubbed his head with a mix of intrigue and satisfaction, pondering how to handle the quarterly reports he had gotten up extra early to pore over in the study at Grayson Manor. They confirmed everything that he had carefully researched in the past three months, and fortunately his own set of accounting books were able to note the discrepancy - the company's revenue was up 4% higher than any of their competitors. The problem? The numbers clearly didn't match the assets in the bank, pointing all fingers towards his father artificially manipulation the returns. Despite that, there was still a large amount of revenue that went to a mystery entity – cited only as _A.I._ on the receipts. He stored copies of them aside, knowing there was a likelihood its significance would come up later, but for now he had all the ammunition he needed.

Daniel double checked his calendar – if he could get to the board meeting this afternoon with a copy of the balance sheets, he could expose Conrad's fraudulence, and call an emergency vote to remove him from the board. He knew that by declining his suggestion to turn over his trust, he would have no other resources to refill the coffers ahead of time and the glaring inconsistency would be impossible to deny.

He gathered the papers into a portfolio, just as his phone began to vibrate on the desk – it was Emily. A rush went through him at the contact and he wondered if she had thought about him as much as he did about her the night before.

"Hey?" he answered curiously.

"You busy?" Emily asked quietly, not bothering with pleasantries as she walked out onto her porch, glancing up at the Grayson estate.

"Taking a page out of that book of yours, remember?" Daniel hinted back, feeling the moment nearing when he would be able to not only tell her, but show her just how separate from his family he intended to be. The papers in his grasp burned his fingers like evidence fresh off the press.

Emily smirked. "Well, here's your first lesson – you might want to look into Charlotte's doctor. I did some research and it looks to me like he's corrupt."

"Oh, is that so?" Daniel questioned her, pulling up the doctor's information on screen. He couldn't resist the urge to tease her, when it was so clearly obvious that her manipulating days weren't over. "I thought you said you didn't come back to finish what you started last summer? Too hard to stay away from my family, huh?" A knock sounded at the front door and Daniel took the phone with him to answer it while Emily replied.

"Nothing's changed, Daniel - I told you I was here for Charlotte," she clarified, growing slightly impatient at how frequently he used his trump card against her. "And since it's obvious your father can't be trusted to care for her, I'll be staying around until I'm sure she's safe."

"Trust me, you're not telling me anything I don't already know about my father," Daniel replied, signing for the packet that was delivered to him at his front door by messenger. "As we speak I'm already building a case against him that should keep him out of Grayson Global forever."

Emily was barely impressed. "From the cage to the jungle – that's rich. Any progress on getting _my_ father's name cleared, while you're at it?"

Silence on the other line. Daniel returned to the study and stared downward, expecting Emily's accusation but still feeling slightly guilty once hearing it. "I'm working on that," he assured her.

She nodded, moving past it. "Well while you're working, listen to what I'm telling you – that doctor has a laundry list of priors and if my guess is correct, he's on your father's payroll too."

Daniel began to open the packet, furrowing his brow at what Emily was getting at. "Care to explain how keeping Charlotte institutionalized benefits my father any?"

"Oh, I don't know, Daniel," Emily replied sarcastically, taking a stroll down her porch to sit on the steps. "Maybe to protect her from receiving her inheritance from your mother's death? An inheritance that would revert back to him to use at his own disposal?"

Daniel froze, as the papers he removed from the packet confirmed every word that Emily had just spoken. He stared at Charlotte's judgment of being "mentally unfit", the anger bubbling in his stomach as he realized what it meant. His father was certain to seize the funds to cover his tracks on the very discrepancy he had just uncovered. It was likely already too late.

"My god, I have to get to the city," he exhaled, seeing his plans falling apart. He rose to his feet, taking the portfolio and judgment papers with him and grabbing his jacket in hand.

"The city?" Emily questioned him, standing also. "What about Charlotte? She shouldn't have to spend another second in Cliffside, can you imagine how trapped she's probably feeling?"

Daniel paused, slightly embarrassed and knew she was right. He immediately felt another stabbing twinge of guilt, seeing how determined his desire for attack against his father had become, and had nearly outweighed his compassion for his sister. For a moment, he sympathized at how driven Emily could be on her summer long course of revenge the previous year.

Emily dialed back her impatience, remembering that Daniel was new to all of this information and tried to remind herself how much she already had over him. He was still just learning who his family truly was and did not even know the biggest secret of them all for the moment.

"You're right, Em," he digressed, changing his plan. "I'll go get her."

"Wait—" she interrupted him, feeling a sense of obligation as well. "I'll meet you over there. I should be there for her too. And Daniel?"

"Yes?" he answered, already halfway out the door and at his car, where his driver awaited.

Emily looked back towards the house where Nolan was still monitoring Victoria and decided that it was time for Daniel to know the rest of the truth if she was ever going to gain his trust again. "There's something else I need to tell you."

Daniel sighed as he got in the rear door, settling down into his seat while he gave the driver instructions on where to take him. "What now?" A thought struck him. "Let me guess – something to do with what Charlotte whispered to you before they took her away?"

Emily closed her eyes, bracing herself for it.

"Yes…it's about your mother."

 **SCENE**

"Just in time," Nolan greeted Emily when she walked back into the house, signaling her to come over quickly to where he had the laptop set up.

"I can't stay –" Emily walked over just to grab her purse and glanced at the live feed. "I'm going to help get Charlotte out of Cliffside."

"Wait, wait it's just getting good!" Nolan insisted, and she paused where she stood to listen. Another meeting was occurring between Victoria and the white-haired man on the live feed.

 _"I kept the initiative off our trail for nine weeks – that was my end of the bargain. Now it's time you keep yours." He walked over to Victoria, handing her two passports._

 _"I can't pay you until Charlotte receives her inheritance," Victoria pleaded, as the white haired man took one of the passports back._

 _"Well then, I'll just hang onto yours then to make sure you stay put," he turned to walk away. "The good news is your daughter's a drug addict and you're already dead. That makes you both damn easy to dispose of."_

"Passports, new identities…" Nolan observed once he was gone, glancing over at Emily. "Looks like Vicky's gonna fly the coop."

"Not with my sister, she isn't," Emily affirmed, turning back towards the door. "I'll be back – do me a favor, send a cap of that footage to my phone?"

"Sure thing, boss," Nolan shrugged, wondering what she was up to. "Sudden craving for a scary movie on the drive over?"

"I might need it for something else," Emily replied, opening the door.

Nolan sensed when she was being coy for a reason. "What's up your sleeve, Revenger?"

Emily paused in the doorway. "Let the punishment fit the crime. Victoria took my mother away from me – it's time I take her child away from her." She closed the door behind her, saying the last few words she was thinking to herself as she walked down her back porch steps.

"Both of them."

 **SCENE**

"Daniel!"

Charlotte's excited voice was like music to Daniel's ears as he made his way into her room at Cliffside, having stood off her crooked doctor in the hallway with a threat of exposure. He was still reeling from the bomb that Emily had dropped on him on his way over, when she revealed to him the truth that his mother was still alive. He could hardly believe it, but Emily swore she had proof. It was all he could do to keep from blurting it all out to Charlotte, but Emily had warned him not to let on that he knew.

"Grab your things," he instructed his sister. "We're leaving."

Charlotte's eyes beamed with excitement. "They're releasing me?"

"No, I am," Daniel asserted with confidence. It was time he stepped up as the patriarch of the family, since clearly his father was growing more and more ill-equipped for the role. "It turns out Dad was keeping you in here in order to get his hands on your inheritance."

"I knew it," Charlotte sighed with satisfaction. "You stopped him?"

Daniel's head sunk. "No - I found out too late, but I promise, I'm gonna get it all back for you, every penny. Now come on." He took a hold of her arm and to his surprise she suddenly shook away.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she nearly shouted, drawing Daniel to look back at her in alarm. "Isn't it convenient, you come in here acting like the hero, but only after Dad stole everything? I swore at Mom's memorial I was clean, and you did nothing to stop them!"

Regret filled Daniel's heart and he shook his head, wishing he had only known sooner what he finally knew now. He took a breath and decided to drop the whole charade, feeling it might be the only way she would trust him again.

"Listen, Charlotte I need to know the truth—" he began, to an estranged look from his sister. His mind finished the question that his voice would not have the chance to. _Is Mom really alive?_

Just then Emily walked in, as if intentionally breaking up his confession. "Charlotte!" she interrupted and then looked over at Daniel. "Oh I'm sorry – is this a bad time?"

"No, actually its perfect timing," Charlotte finished, walking away from her brother. "Emily, can you give me a ride home please?"

"Sure," Emily responded, keeping her calm and cavalier demeanor so as not to draw suspicion from her sister. "Go ahead pack your things."

Charlotte returned to a corner of her room to get her suitcase while Emily snuck a knowing glare over at Daniel. He walked over towards her, stopping to give her a meaningful look as he exited the room. She didn't let him go that easily, ever so deftly pinching his arm with hers and whispering for him to wait for her outside.

"Charlotte I'll just be down the hall when you're done ok?" Emily called out to her sister before returning to the hallway with Daniel.

Once out of earshot, she cornered him into a family waiting room. "Just what exactly were you about to do? Charlotte's life is dependent on your secrecy!"

Daniel rose to her level of emotion. "Oh pardon me for confirming the truth but you don't exactly have a history of always being forthright!"

Emily rolled her eyes, unable to fathom how he could think she was making it all up when she had just given him valid information about Charlotte's doctor. She reached in her purse for the evidence she figured she would need to use and thrust her phone into his hand. "Fine, you don't believe me? See for yourself."

Daniel watched as the footage played, showing an undeniable image of his mother having a conversation with the man he recognized as Gordon Murphy – the one responsible for the evidence falling into the hands of federal agents before his mother's plane was crashed.

"How did you get this footage? Wait, this is him," he uttered in shock, looking up at Emily. "Gordon Murphy – he's been working with my father!"

"Not anymore," she asserted, snatching the phone out of his hand and ignoring his question of how she came to get it. It was however, good to finally put a name to the person her and Nolan had been referring to as the "white-haired man" for the past year. "Apparently he's working for your mother now, keeping Americon Initiative off her trail while he tries to help her and Charlotte disappear forever."

" _Americon Initiative?"_ Daniel knew the name sounded familiar but didn't have time to figure out its place in the puzzle.

"Ring a bell?" Emily glared at him. "Because from the way it looks, if he doesn't get what he wants, Gordon has no problem eliminating your mother _and_ Charlotte from the picture for them."

"We have to do something—" Daniel breathed, his mind reeling.

"We can't do anything until we make sure Charlotte is safe," Emily interjected in a harsh whisper, looking back over her shoulder out of the windowed doorway to make sure Charlotte wasn't in the hallway yet. She looked back at Daniel. "The first thing she's going to ask is to see your mother and when Victoria finds out her inheritance is gone, there's no telling what she'll do."

Daniel shook his head and looked down, trying to ransack his brain for what to expect next. While a part of him wanted to defend his mother's attempts to exonerate Emily's father, it was clear she was no longer working with the government and was out for her own agenda – yet again. And as much as he'd begged her to save the family's reputation, now he felt ten times more ashamed at the escapade she was trying to pull off.

"Look, I won't let anything happen to her," Emily insisted, sensing his concern and discomfort with having to stay put and wait for next steps. "I have to go," Emily started to walk out, seeing Charlotte in the corridor. She looked back at Daniel. "I'll call you when I know something."

Daniel nodded his appreciation, feeling an odd sense of indebtedness to Emily, being the only person that Charlotte trusted at the moment, despite not even being who she thought she was. He knew to spare her life he had no other choice but to wait. He made sure both girls were out of sight before exiting the waiting room and glancing at his watch.

He still had time to make it to Grayson Global before the board meeting started.

 **SCENE**

Amanda anchored her feet on the pavement as she stood up from the rest stop bench, looking back and forth beyond the traffic for Emily's car. She was relieved to receive her text message, telling her to meet her, despite wondering why the specific location. If anything it was just good to hear from her, and certainly a relief since Emily had decided to pledge her support to her and Jack.

As she habitually rubbed her large belly to soothe herself, Emily's car finally came into view. She raised a hand to block out the sun and watched a person emerge from the passenger side – her would-be sister, Charlotte. Her heart sank a bit, as she hoped it would be Emily that came to see her instead, but rather than dwell on it she accepted it as another peace offering from Emily, bringing her sister in confirmation of her role as Amanda Clarke.

She wrapped her arms around Charlotte as she came over excitedly, marveling at the fact she was pregnant and catching up on all she had missed while she was away…

 **SCENE**

"Mom!"

Upon hearing the familiar and light voice of her youngest child after soft tapping, Victoria was on her feet in moments, racing to open the door to her hideout.

"Charlotte?" she verified, to see her brimming face on the other side. She immediately wrapped her in a warm hug. "Oh, my God, it's really you. I'm so glad you're here."

Charlotte returned the embrace, bubbling forth with so much to tell her, and deeply appreciative that she was even able to be held in her arms again. At last, physical confirmation that she was really still alive.

"Are you all right?" Victoria asked, pulling back to check her over and smooth her hair. "I've been worried half to death about you!"

"I'm fine," Charlotte assured her. "Dr. Thomas confiscated my phone, he was working for Dad. He had me declared mentally _unfit!_ But Emily came to my rescue."

"She did?" Victoria kept her thoughts to herself, cautious of how involved Emily had gotten now that she knew about her.

"She's the one who brought me here," Charlotte acknowledged and then a sorrowful look came over her. "But the only thing is – I was too late for my inheritance. They took everything, Mom, the money is gone!"

Victoria's pulse quickened and her face turned to stone. "All of it?"

"It's going be okay, though," Charlotte rushed to assure her, hopeful that her mother would reconsider their plan to go away. "Emily took me by the house so I could get a few things to use for money, and you can have all of it. But I need to stay behind."

"My darling why?" Victoria was growing more annoyed by the minute at the monkey wrench thrown into their plans.

"Because… I'm going to be an aunt!" she revealed with a squeal.

Victoria stood back, firmly planting her hands on her hips. "Oh, God -don't tell me that your brother impregnated Emily Thorne."

"It's not Daniel," Charlotte corrected her. "It's my sister, Amanda!"

Back in the car, Emily listened in to every word being spoken, having an open line with Nolan who was still monitoring the footage from the Clam Cam. "You hearing this, Ems?" he whispered in the background, fully aware of how perfectly it was working out for Emily's plan that Charlotte was turning down Victoria's request. "Is Victoria's heart still beating?"

"Was it ever?" Emily listened as the voices seemed to indicate that Charlotte had handed over the items she retrieved from the house to pawn for Victoria, which she promptly refused. Emily held the phone closer as she waited for Victoria's reaction.

"This is worthless to me, Charlotte!" Victoria exclaimed, tossing the bag of trinkets aside and panicking that she would never be able to pay off Gordon. She felt the stress mounting as she realized she would need to resort to another way to claim their safety.

Not aware of the information Victoria held, Charlotte's face wrinkled up in concern, taking offense at her indifference. "Mom, why is it you seem more upset about the _money_ than me staying? I thought this was about us!"

Victoria thought quickly on her feet, knowing she had little time to make a decision before Gordon returned, wanting bounty. She couldn't risk her daughter's life and did the only thing she could think of to ensure she would stay out of harm's way. "You're right, Charlotte. It was never about us. My plan was always to leave everything behind, you included. I only needed you to access the account."

Charlotte shrunk back in fear, while Emily continued to listen intently to the conversation through Nolan's feed.

"If you want to spend the summer with Amanda Clarke, go ahead," Victoria continued. "Let her be your family now!"

Charlotte had had enough. "You really are a monster, aren't you?" she shrieked at her, storming towards the door. "I am NEVER coming back here!"

Emily snapped her head up to watch the door as she expected Charlotte to come back to the car at any moment. Meanwhile, Nolan offered his last observations.

"Tragic," he commented with fake lament. "Victoria pushing Charlie away to save her? Bittersweet victory, Ems."

"Don't take your eyes off of her - I'm not convinced," Emily shot back, ending the call as Charlotte opened the passenger door and slumped back into the seat. She turned to face her. "What happened?"

"My mother," Charlotte merely breathed, already regretting how hard she had come down on her brother earlier when it was clear that her parents held the trophy for most atrocious people she knew.

"Can we just go, please?" she begged. "I'm ready to go home."

Emily obliged with pleasure – her plans to keep her sister safe were falling into place.

 **SCENE**

Conrad flinched in the midst of his presentation of the board as the doors to the head conference room at Grayson Global swung open and his son suddenly stormed through.

"I need to speak to you!" Daniel bellowed in outrage, doing his best to keep composed. He had arrived a bit late to the meeting, fighting traffic on the way into the city, and his chances at a key demonstration of the altered quarterly reporting had long passed. But he could still manage a powerful display that might loosen his father's death grip on the company. He took a look around the room. "Unless, of course you want to discuss this in front of our key investors?"

Ashley trailed a few paces behind him. She had attempted to stop him when she entered the office, but to no avail. She was only able to watch as he had stormed through the halls, and had now become curious as to what could be the concern. "Mr. Grayson, I'm so sorry—" she apologized for the interruption.

Embarrassed, Conrad stepped away, sensing his son had come upon a great discovery that gave him the upper hand. "Uh, excuse me, gentlemen – family matters." He walked over to follow his son out of the doors, leaving Ashley to deal with the concerned looks on his board investors' faces.

"Did you think I wouldn't put two and two together?" Daniel started in immediately.

"Daniel, this is not the place—" Conrad tried to deflect but Daniel was on a roll.

"I saw the reports this morning, Dad. You cleaned out Charlotte's bank accounts. You manipulated a teenage girl to sink money into your joke of a company! I mean, my God what are you?"

"I am your father, Daniel!" Conrad belted back. "And whether or not you like it, every choice I make is in the best interests of this family, Charlotte included!"

"Like hell it is!" Daniel retorted, his anger blazing at the knowledge he was privy to that screamed otherwise.

"You're one to play judge when if you really wanted to help, you'd have given me your trust when I asked for it, then I wouldn't have had to touch Charlotte's!" Conrad eyed his son who could only shake his head in disbelief at how far gone his father had descended into evil. "And don't act like no one sees the little operation you're trying to run behind the scenes, keeping your assets safely untouched, running your own set of books to audit the company!"

His accusation caught Daniel off guard, as he had not considered that his father might be on to his intentions to remove himself from any affiliation with Grayson Global while he staged his down take. But regardless, at this point everything might as well be on the table. His mother was alive and Conrad would have bigger problems once the truth came out.

"You're right, Dad," Daniel conceded, to a surprised look from his father. "It's my entire fault. I haven't been showing loyalty to 'the family', at least not your twisted version of it that you clearly intend to bury yourself with. Well I won't let you dig my grave too."

Conrad looked at his son in disgust as he started to storm away, setting his hands on his hips as Daniel doubled back for one more response. "And by the way – keep your little mistress Lydia away from Grayson Manor." He inferred, assuming that Lydia was the inside tip that led Conrad to discover Daniel's second set of books.

"Daniel, that deal is all but done now," Conrad leveled back. "With Charlotte's inheritance, her half of the Manor goes back to me and you can't _possibly_ buy me out."

Daniel smirked, knowing the entire inheritance would be snatched from his hands once the truth about his mother came out. "Yeah, we'll see about that." With that he stormed away, before he was tempted to reveal anything else.

The timing could not be more perfect. In his pocket, Conrad felt his phone ring from an unknown number and answered it annoyance. "Who the hell is this?"

"Conrad?" her unmistakable voice sounded through the other line, nearly sending him into cardiac arrest.

"It's Victoria. Listen – and listen _good_."

 **SCENE**

"Uh, where have you _been_?"

Nolan grilled Emily as she walked in the door, getting up from his pajama-friendly position on the couch that he had barely moved from all day. It was evening, the sun finally ducking in behind the horizon, and he had not heard from Emily since she'd left Victoria's retreat with Charlotte. He halted as he came around the corner and saw her holding up a new pistol, fitting it with a silencer.

"Sorry I asked," he conceded, throwing his hands up in a mock-surrender pose.

"Keeping protected," Emily replied, stashing the armed gun in the drawer she normally kept it in by the door. "After I dropped Charlotte off I went to the shooting range. We're not in the clear yet, Gordon's still out there."

"Tell me about it," Nolan nodded, returning to the matter at hand. "While you were out playing shoot 'em up, you missed a double-episode of crazy." He gestured to the live feed. "Victoria called _Conrad_ to help fudge her story and frame old Whitey." He paused, realizing Emily had just revealed his real name. "Or should I say, Gordy?"

"I don't believe it," Emily gasped, coming over to watch. "Conrad _knows?_ " She looked on the screen that now only showed a few police officers moseying around the premises, with Victoria gone.

"And thanks to the Grayson lovers' reunion, not only does your assassin have orders to take you out, but he's also on the run." He glanced over at where Emily had stashed the gun. "Good thing you went shopping."

Emily shook her head, ignoring Nolan's quips, as she felt another option beneath her fingertips in the laptop itself. "It may not have to come to that. He doesn't know we have the only evidence that can exonerate him. I can use it to get more information on my mother." She kept focused; certain that the next stage of the plan would work as long as she could get Gordon Murphy to cut a deal with her.

"Oh, great, win-win situation," Nolan responded dryly, headed for the bathroom. "Well then, you can take over the night watch if you don't mind, or feel free to shut it off even – Connie and Vicky should be on their way back to the ranch as we speak. In the meantime, I think I'll take a shower—" he referenced his inability to leave all day long; something he was certain Emily took for granted.

"You can't stay here tonight," she ordered him promptly, confirming he was right. Her phone went off as she stood up from the couch with an incoming call from Daniel that she ignored, setting it back on the table.

"Dodging your inside man?" Nolan guessed, close enough to peer over her shoulder and see who it was.

"Daniel still has questions. I told him Victoria's alive," Emily confessed to him. "But it's just as well she's on her way home because I need him occupied tonight. If Gordon shows up – things might get ugly."

Nolan took the drift, already expecting she had let him in on the info after asking him for the video earlier. "Well then, allow me to get out of your hair."

 **SCENE**

"Hey," Daniel greeted his sister, peering into her bedroom upon his return from the office back home. He looked down at her suitcase sprawled on her bed that she appeared to be unpacking, and wondered in the back of his mind how things went with his mother. He had called Emily several times but she still had yet to get back to him. "You're here?"

"Where else would I be?" Charlotte answered as she looked up at him, oblivious to the fact that Daniel had almost tipped his hand that he knew about their mother's plans to take her away.

Daniel took a few steps into her room with a paper in his hand. "Just ah… just thought you might be at Emily's for a little while," he cleaned up nicely. "You were pretty upset with me earlier."

Charlotte sighed and set down the shirt she was unfolding. "About that – Daniel, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed you were involved. I was just – just scared, you know? Sometimes I don't know who to trust anymore." She started to bend her head forward, emotions still flowing from her earlier exchange and Daniel came close to comfort her.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he assured her. "I understand. And look," he handed her the paper in his hand. "I promised you I would make this right and I am."

"What is this?" Charlotte peered closely at it.

"I went to the bank and opened up a new trust account for you - one that no one can touch. Not even me once you sign the papers." He exhaled as he watched a dearly needed smile come over his sister's face. "I transferred everything I own into it, including my half of the inheritance. You can even have my car if you want it."

Charlotte could barely believe her ears. "What? Why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to," Daniel answered her, still keeping the underlying reason on reserve. _And because I'm trying to fix everything our parents destroyed._ He looked around her room, settling on another decision as he did so. "In fact I think I'm gonna move out to the pool house – let you have this place to yourself."

"What's this about the pool house?" a voice carried through the doorway.

Daniel turned and Charlotte's broad smile faded as they looked to see who it was – Lydia Davis.

"Glad to see you home Charlotte," she drawled before sending a vindictive look Daniel's way and turning to walk back down the hallway. "Enjoy the pool house, Daniel."

"Wait right here," Daniel instructed Charlotte before leaving her bedroom to follow Lydia down the stairwell.

"You want to explain what you're doing in our house?" Daniel questioned her, to barely a glance over her shoulder as she took her time down the steps. In usual fashion she was dressed to the nines, likely wearing clothes purchased by his deplorable father.

"It'll be my house too soon enough," Lydia answered boldly, stopping at the landing near the front door where Daniel met her eye to eye. "Don't act like you don't know, Conrad finalized Charlotte's half of the inheritance this morning. She may be out of Cliffside but it's too late to reverse the sale going back to its proper owner." She took a look around the premises. "And I intend to join him here."

"Over my dead body," Daniel leered back, his expression suggesting her assumption was laughable.

"Hasn't this family endured _enough_ loss already?" Lydia retorted, thinking herself clever. She did her best impersonation of softening, hoping to appeal to Daniel's more sensitive side. "Look, I know it's been hard accepting your mother's loss and please don't think I would ever try to replace her. But your father wants you to be a family again. I just want to support that."

A knock sounded at the door, and Lydia started forward ahead of Daniel to answer it. "Here, let me get that."

The next moment was enough to make her drop to her feet in shock. The federal agent that had knocked on the door moved aside to reveal Conrad with his arms around a beaten and bruised, but clearly recognizable – Victoria.

"LYDIA?!" Victoria exclaimed, none suspecting to see her once closest friend again, least of all opening her own front door.

"VICTORIA?" Lydia's shock was only further enhanced by the sight of the woman she had thought dead, leaving her at a loss of breath, her eyes rolling back in her head as she nearly collapsed to the floor.

Daniel did his best to feign sincere surprise, although it was not difficult seeing how a clear in-person visual of his mother still elicited a reaction from him. With Charlotte trailing just behind him on the stairs, the entire scene had become a conglomerate of alarm and amazement, as Conrad escorted Victoria inside and proceeded to tell the best lies they had come up with yet.

 **SCENE**

"Lydia, considering the circumstances I think it's best that you leave for the time," Conrad encouraged his mistress while she came to her senses in the study at Grayson Manor, with one of the staff providing her with a cold compress.

She nearly batted it away, insolent at the charade she clearly had been too blind to see. "I'm not going anywhere Conrad. I don't care if she's alive, she nearly convinced me to go on that plane instead! She deserves to pay!"

"My dear," Conrad did his best to soothe his sassy mistress. "I hold just as much responsibility as she and I'm telling you if we don't handle this right, we are _both_ finished." He leaned forward, boring his eyes into her with a knowing look that only he could make so threatening. "Now you can trust me when I say that nothing about our relationship is changed. Please, just wait for me at my apartment like I asked you – I will be there shortly once this is all sorted out."

Lydia glared at him, not liking the sentence one bit, but knowing she had little choice and still depended sincerely on Conrad for her livelihood and social status. She rose to her feet, gathering her purse and let herself out. "This isn't over."

On the other side of the door, Daniel listened and then watched as his father's paramour left the premises, and was a bit startled by Charlotte who came up a few paces behind him.

"Are you okay, Daniel?" she asked, genuinely concerned about her brother.

He thought carefully how to answer, after having to listen to what he was certain were outright lies from both of his parents, and yet still restrain himself so he didn't let on how much he knew.

"I will be," he replied. "Just a little stunned right now."

"Daniel, I have a confession to make," Charlotte revealed, and he knew what was coming. She hung her head a bit as she went on. "I should have told you this sooner but… I knew all along about Mom."

"You did?" Daniel pretended, feeling himself getting better at playing dumb each time he tried.

Charlotte nodded. "She made me keep it a secret, said it was to protect me – to protect all of us. I wanted to tell you so many times but I was afraid it would ruin everything." She looked back in the front room where Victoria was still recanting events to the police and Daniel followed her glance, fighting back his repulsion. Meanwhile Charlotte felt a sense of relief that everything she had just began to conclude about her mother being a monster was possibly untrue. "As it is, she had to say some pretty terrible things just to keep me safe, and I nearly believed her. But now the truth is finally in the open!"

Daniel chuckled lightly, feeling just the opposite. "It's ok, Char. I know how hard it must have been."

She agreed with her eyes. "The worst." She looked around to make sure her voice was out of earshot. "I even slipped last weekend and told Emily – but if not for her I don't think I would have ever been able to get to Mom in the first place. In fact, that's where I'm off to know – Mom wants me to bring her here – to make sure she can trust her to keep everything private."

Charlotte started past Daniel and a thought came to him before she could make it to the door. "Wait – Char! Here, let me get Emily instead."

She looked back at her brother, sensing a different motivating factor for why he was so eager to go search out his former fiancé. "You still have feelings for her, don't you?" She smiled, as if stumbling across a secret. "I thought I sensed something between you two today."

Daniel grinned it off, knowing she was partially correct but more importantly needing to speak with her himself. She hadn't returned his calls all day and he wondered if she knew half of what happened. "Ah – it's not that, I just want to thank her for looking after you today. And besides, it's late – you should get some rest."

Charlotte sensed otherwise but nodded anyway, walking back up the stairs. Daniel did a quick look around to make sure no one saw him before he swiftly exited the front door, not catching his mother's watchful eye, peering over at him from where she sat, back on her grand throne.

 **SCENE**

"Jack?" Amanda called down from the upstairs apartment of the Stowaway to where Jack and Declan were talking at the bar. "You might want to turn on the TV?"

He looked back up at her suspiciously and complied, and his jaw nearly hit the bar with what the news was reporting.

 _"We are_ _confirming Victoria Grayson, who was thought to have died over two months ago in a private plane crash, was found earlier today…"_

"No way!" Declan gasped to a similar response from Jack. He rolled his eyes, certain that her reappearance couldn't possibly mean anything good – especially not for his brother whom he was certain still held deep rooted feelings for the matriarch's daughter.

Amanda made her way down the steps, shocked at the reports but certain that her return would coincide with Emily's master plan at some point, and she could expect to hear from her again, very soon. "Looks like the bitch is back," she commented, shaking her head.

Jack's eyes continued to stay focused on the report, wondering how the news would impact the family, including Emily – who he assumed from their last conversation had likely gotten back together with Daniel. Little did he know how closely involved she really was.

 _"Sources say Grayson was abducted and restrained here in this remote cabin. Her captor is still at large…"_

 **SCENE**

"All of this will exonerate you," Emily whispered as she felt her visitor enter the close proximity of her living room where she sat waiting for him. She had intentionally left the door cracked, hoping it lured Gordon in and bought her the time to bargain with him for the information she needed.

He indeed walked over to where she sat cautiously, waiting for her to finish.

"It's yours," she continued, turning her eyes from where she was staring at the laptop to where he loomed over her. "But there's something I need in return. You once said I was a hell of a fighter, like my mother. You knew her, didn't you?" She watched as a wrinkle of surprise crossed his face. "Did the Graysons hire you to kill her like you killed my father?"

Gordon took advantage of the break in questions to stroll halfway around the room, keeping his eyes on Emily, and finally responded. "If anyone could've proven David Clarke was innocent, - it was your mother," he informed her.

"How?" Emily had watched the playback over and again and still did not see how clearly it all connected.

Gordon had the answer. "When he asked for a divorce, he _told_ her he planned to marry Victoria.  
Your mother's testimony would've brought down the whole house of cards."

Emily stared back down at the computer, doing her best to imagine how the whole scenario would have went down – her father going to visit her mother in confidence, pleading her for a divorce, all the while never expecting the onslaught to come from his deceitful lover and her manipulative husband. She listened as Gordon continued with the story.

"I went with Victoria to visit her. She tried to convince Cara that David was a terrorist and that she needed to cooperate, but she wouldn't listen."

Emily exhaled in frustration. "That's because she knew he was _innocent,_ " she asserted firmly. "She could see through all of Victoria's lies, even as she was stealing my father from under her nose."

Gordon tilted his head in acknowledgement that Emily was probably right but moved past it, edging closer to her. "Likely, she did. Victoria even tried to assure her that you would be safe – but she wouldn't hear of it."

It all seemed to make sense. "So you killed her," Emily finished, assuming the rest.

"That was the plan," Gordon confessed, edging all the more closer while Emily continued to stare into the distance, none suspecting. "But you know, I don't always follow orders."

Emily's trance only continued to deepen, as she tried her best to imagine what her mother suspected to be her last moments, only to open another door – that of possible escape. The voice in her mind was nearly all that she could hear. _For those who believe in the resurrection, death is inconsequential._

Her eyes perked up a bit, though she still stared straight ahead. But it was clear she was anxious that there was still hope. "Then what did you do to her?" she spoke aloud.

Gordon lifted his gloved hands, seizing Emily's distracted trance as his perfect moment. "Unfortunately, that's something you'll never know—"

Before she could react, Gordon's strong hands were at her throat, choking the air out of her windpipe as Emily's eyes bulged in shock and she struggled to remove his hands, turning a deep shade of red and panting to keep alive. The threat on her life only intensified the thoughts going through her mind, as if flashing her life before her. _In the resurrection, those that were dead live, and those who live believe they shall never die…_

"Good-bye Amanda," Gordon leered over her, gritting his teeth as he prepared to extinguish her life. "I'm sorry it has to end this way."

Emily closed her eyes, resolute to accept her fate and before her entire vision could turn to black suddenly a muffled sound was heard and Gordon jolted forward and his grip on her throat released, allowing air to flow back into her lungs. She opened her eyes in alarm to watch as he fell to the floor in front of her, a large gunshot wound opened in his back and immediately she looked up to the direction of the backdoor – the only place it could have come from.

To her alarm, there her savior stood – his arm still extended in aim, holding the silenced gun she had just purchased, clearly taken from her favored storing place in the front drawer. He looked nearly as in shock as she was, and frightened at his own actions, dropped his hand to his side, releasing the gun clattering to the floor.

Emily panted, barely being able to register what he had just done, how he had been able to get there in time, and how to accept the fact that the only remaining link to her mother was now gone. All she could do was whisper the name of the man that stood before her in shock and bewilderment.

"Daniel?!"

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: As Nolan would say – the plot curdles! Whew this was quite a chapter to write and I'm sure it was a long one, so thanks to everyone who hung in there for the big ending. I hope you enjoyed it – I had a lot to include and quite a few things to switch around. But suffice to say, it all seemed to come together by the end and I really hope you enjoyed it! Are you excited to see what happens next? How did you like Lydia's half-hearted attempt at seizing Victoria's throne? And a slightly sharper more clever Danny? And of course, what are your thoughts on the big switch –replacing Aiden with Daniel as Emily's savior? Suffice to say, this action will only tie them closer as a revenge duo and will certainly lead to many conversations and joint cover-ups in the near future. Stay tuned to enjoy the ride! Please let me know your thoughts, what you liked, and if you're still interested in reading on! Ciao for now~ Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	4. Chapter 4: Confidence

**Chapter 4: Confidence**

 **Author's Note: Welcome back Revengers! The voiceover for this upcoming chapter/episode is meant to coincide with the same scene that we left off at. Contrary to how it was originally played in the show with a flashback of Emily/Aiden – please imagine it playing over the scene at Emily's house, with Daniel still frozen in the doorway, gun in hand, while Emily stares back at him in shock, the body of Gordon Murphy at her feet… also please take careful notice for a few 'callouts' in dialogue and scene placement to "Atonement" from Season 4 – an episode that if I have my way, will never happen in this version of the story! LOL =) Enjoy!**

 _In a race between danger and indecision, the difference between life and death comes down to confidence. Faith in our abilities, certainty in ourselves – and the trust we put in others…_

"Em, are you alright?!"

Daniel's whisper was barely audible to Emily while she glanced from Gordon's motionless body back into the other's darkened eyes, struggling to restrain her anger that the one missing link to her mother's disappearance was no more. She nodded convincingly. "Fine," she muttered, shifting her attention more so to Daniel's shaking hands and the murder weapon where he had dropped it beside his feet.

Thinking quickly, Emily stepped over Gordon to come to Daniel's side. She picked up the gun on the floor first, removing the clip and returning it to the drawer that was propped open from where Daniel had obviously retrieved it when he entered the back door. She turned back to face her attention to him where he continued to stand, unmoving. "Daniel, what are you doing here?"

He glanced up at her finally. "I came to… to…" he mumbled, trying to stay composed. Sweat beads began to form on his brow, convincing her otherwise. "My mother wanted to see you," he interrupted himself trying to place all that had just happened. "I heard fighting and I just… I…" he struggled to continue. "That's him isn't it...? Is he…?"

"Dead? Yes." Emily confirmed, bending down to remove identification from the corpse on her floor as she began to rummage through his pockets. "Gordon Murphy," she acknowledged to Daniel, who had guessed his identity just the day before after viewing the footage.

"My God, what have I done?" Daniel continued to gasp, resting his weight on the counter as he watched Emily check the body for any other important belongings. He observed as she removed a phone from his chest pocket that looked all but destroyed from where the bullet went through, and then eyed a pool of blood that was forming underneath him. He looked away in disgust, giving Emily an opportunity to discover a few more items: a bottle of prescription pills, a pocket watch and a hotel room key. She read it quickly, _Pine Crest Motel,_ and stashed the items out of sight before Daniel could notice.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she checked on him, making sure he was holding together.

He turned back to face her, wondering how she could manage to be so calm when she had almost died on her own couch. His mind raced as he tried to process her abnormal reaction - how she had not even thanked him yet, nor did she seem the least bit accosted by the blood and aftermath. He watched in amazement at her prowess as she swept the rest of his body and ensured he was carrying nothing else. The discomfort was tugging at his mind and he had to ask. "So is this is who you really are? An expert at covering up murder?"

Emily glanced up at him as she walked over to the sink to rinse her hands and then pulled the shades closed, turning off most of the lights. "I've never killed anyone Daniel," she clarified while she walked back over, Daniel following her with his eyes the entire way. "This man was more valuable to me alive then dead. Contrary to what you might have assumed about me, I believe my enemies deserve to _live_ in agony for what they've done."

Daniel shook his head, uncertain if he believed her, especially considering the extensive research he did once she had left town months ago. Or was it that her words simply incriminated him more for firing the fatal shot? "So I suppose I should have just let him kill you then?"

Emily answered without turning to face him. "I didn't say that."

A thought struck Daniel as he watched her pour a cleansing agent onto her floor to dissolve the blood. "You really expect me to believe you've never done this before? What about last year – the trial, Tyler's murder, was that you too – was it you that set me up?!" His voice continued to rise. Somehow his anger was the only emotion that prevailed when he was under duress.

Emily paused only momentarily to look at him like he was insane. "Daniel I had nothing to do with that! And if you remember correctly _you_ were on the other side of the gun that shot Tyler!" She looked back down at Gordon's corpse and continued cleaning. "This is becoming a habit for you."

"You know damn well that I didn't fire the final two shots that killed Tyler!" Daniel fired back, stepping closer to her. "And I'm betting you know something about who did." His brain was still running, a vague memory of the conversation he had with Jack before the summer ended. Emily continued to ignore him. Though she wasn't certain if she could still trust her sensei, she wasn't foolish enough to betray him, no matter what Daniel was starting to piece together. She continued working, setting the floor mop aside so she could begin to lift Gordon's body.

"Was it Jack?" Daniel continued, nearly stepping in the blood smears on the underside. He seemed to not even notice what was happening as he remained intent on settling events of the past. "Have you two been working together?"

Emily finally snapped, dropping Gordon's body mid-drag and stepped over him to confront Daniel, inches away from his face. "Will you get a grip?! Stop obsessing over your insecurities for one second and focus! Do you have any idea of who you're dealing with?"

"You mean you?" he leered at her.

"I mean your _family_ and their vile connections! Gordon was working for Americon Initiative, the same group that downed Flight 197," she stared at him, incredulous. She could only hope he would finally get the seriousness of all that was going on. "Not to mention your own mother." His face contorted a bit. "Yeah, she ordered him to execute me and when she couldn't get the money from Charlotte's inheritance to pay him off; she and your father teamed up to frame him so she could go free." She looked back at the body and then at Daniel. "Which is probably why she sent you here to tie up the missing pieces from her little story—"

Just in case her assurance wasn't enough, Emily turned on her heel midsentence to grab her laptop and rewound the playback far enough to the point she was referring to, slamming it down on the counter for Daniel to watch. Daniel just stood in shock, shaking his head as he watched his mother invite his father into her hideout, then request that he beat her nearly to a pulp, to which he obliged with pleasure.

Emily let him continue to watch, walking back over to a closet to retrieve a loose sheet that she could wrap around Gordon's body to prevent any further blood trail. She continued to mop up the rest of the smears on the floor until they were all gone, speaking as she did. "And just so you know, Jack doesn't know who I really am. He thinks _Amanda_ is the girl living with him. None of us had any part in Tyler's murder, and unless you want another replay of last year's trial, I suggest you take a break from rehashing the past and start helping me clean this up."

Daniel stopped the video feed, unable to look at it anymore and only stared at Emily in surprise, doing his best to digest all that she had neatly uncovered to him. Somehow the knowledge about Jack relaxed him, but the glaring truth about his family still left him disgusted. Not only had his mother conspired to have her killed, had he not come over to see her, the Initiative's hit-man would have finished the job. And now that he was eliminated, he was certain his own life would be at risk, not to mention what other schemes his family had already entangled him in. He swallowed and realized how right she was, that he needed to be sensible and think first of how to handle the situation.

"What do you need me to do?" he finally asked her, coming over to her aid.

Emily sighed, relieved that he was coming around and then crouched to her knees, grabbing hold of Gordon's feet while gesturing that Daniel do the same with the other end.

"Start with the head."

 **SCENE**

"Here – this is all I could find for you."

Daniel reached out to accept the armful of clothing that Emily was extending towards him – a large pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. He stood up from where he was sitting on her couch and tossed them on, while she set a mug of tea onto the coffee table in front of them. They had thoroughly cleaned up the room and disposed of Gordon's body per her suggest, and then removed their clothing to do away with any evidence. As Daniel stripped off his blood-stained sweater and slacks, Emily quickly tossed them into a plastic bag that already held her own soiled garments. She stashed the bag by the door along with the other items she had to get rid of by morning and sat down beside him on the couch, donning a bathrobe over her sleepwear.

Daniel examined the pants and shirts she gave him once they were on. "Guess you've had a visitor since we broke up…I'm sure I didn't leave this behind."

Emily did her best not to roll her eyes, sipping at her own cup of tea. "Yes. Nolan."

Daniel's expression relaxed in relief. "He's staying here?"

"Just until finds his own place," she replied, knowing she would make certain of that based on how the summer had already started off. "He won't be back tonight."

Daniel thought for a moment. "Does he know who you really are?"

Emily took a breath, still protective of what she chose to share with him. The tension in the air was still thick, and despite the fact that Daniel had taken down her father's murderer, almost officially making him part of the inner circle, she had reserves. But if they were going to help each other she knew she needed his trust. She nodded in response.

Daniel could hardly believe it, but a part of him was also not surprised. Emily and Nolan had always been noticeably close. His mind raced at how few people seemed to know and yet he was one of them. "Why didn't you tell Jack?"

Emily set her cup down. "I wanted to," she admitted honestly to a saddened look from Daniel. "I know you think I just started a friendship with him last summer but the truth is – we've known each other since we were kids. I'm the one who gave him Sammy to look after."

Daniel vaguely remembered who Sammy was from the night of her confession. "His dog. The one that died?"

She nodded again, trying not to reminisce too deeply. Something in her disposition changed as she went on. "Jack believes he's with Amanda Clarke – they're going to have a child together."

"So he thinks he's in love with… you? And you're ok with that?" Daniel was not sure he believed her complacence. She was either the greatest stoic he had ever known or had deftly mastered the art of lying to herself about her true feelings.

Emily answered, struggling with the truth. " _Amanda_ and I met in juvey together. She's the real Emily Thorne. I promised to look out for her for the rest of my life and she promised to keep my secret. This is who she is now, Daniel. She sacrificed everything for me. I want her to be happy – for years she was the only sister I had." She thought. "Until I found out about Charlotte."

The reminder snapped Daniel back to reality, a convenient excuse for him to put the whole Jack situation out of mind. "Charlotte's going to be worried about me – so will my mother."

Emily sighed. "Well it's safer this way. If she asks in the morning you can tell her you were with me. It's your alibi."

"I'm sure my mother's adversity to us reconciling isn't a motivating factor in that?" he examined her face, sensing she enjoyed the misconception.

Emily shrugged, he was right. She did love to boil Victoria's blood. But he could very seriously be in danger if they didn't handle things right. Despite Daniel nearly cutting off her only possibility at getting more information on what happened to her mother, she needed to stay close to him if she was ever going to find out more from Victoria. She turned to him. "Right now the only important thing is keeping you safe."

Daniel shook his head, still overwhelmed by how much had come to light about the despicable people he was ashamed to call his parents. "Safer from who? The people who Gordon was working for or my parents?" He looked down, a bit lost for what to do. "I'm not sure which is worse."

Emily turned to look at him and realized how incredibly tired he looked and immediately pitied him. He seemed to always get mixed up in things he wasn't prepared for. "Don't worry," she assured him, softening for the first time. She set her mug down on the coffee table and nervously placed a hand over his. "We're in this together now – we'll get through this."

His saddened eyes met hers. "How – another summer of lies?"

His comment tugged at her heart strings, and again her guilt resurged. She couldn't undo the hurt she had already caused but regardless whether he knew it or not, she did care for him. And if they were going to be allies, she needed to assure him of that.

"Come here," she gently requested, surprising him as she gestured for him to lean back. Feeling his muscles relax under her arm, she shifted for him to lie across her in her lap, and began to stroke his head softly. If nothing else, he was exhausted and needed to sleep. "Just try to get some rest."

When his breathing slowed down and she saw his eyes start to flutter closed, she finally addressed his question. "Daniel, I want you to know… it wasn't all a lie last summer." She thought how to clarify. "Not with you."

He heard her words and felt the sensation of comfort that came along with them, but they seemed to drift further away as the days' anguish finally mounted, sending him into a sound sleep.

 **SCENE**

"Is that my _shirt_?!"

Nolan's voice awoke Daniel and he instinctively lunged forward from where he slept on the couch, about to choke him. Emily rushed over from the kitchen, saving her friend again from yet another near-miss. Daniel released him and sat up, panting, as Nolan clutched at his throat for the second time in two days, pacing over to rest on the stairwell. "Why does this keep happening to me," he exhaled, gasping for air.

"I told you not to do that again," Emily scolded him, and then looked over at Daniel. "You need to get going anyway. Your mother will be worried if you don't show up for breakfast."

He agreed she was right, squinting up at the early morning sun streaming in through the window and took a moment to gather his bearings before walking over to the door. Emily followed closely behind him and he turned to face her before letting himself out. "Em – where do we go from here?"

She looked behind her at Nolan, who was still recouping on the steps and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Just like we talked about – act like nothing's different. Go back to your normal routine today – go to work. Keep your eyes open but don't look too closely." She felt her instructions bearing a striking resemblance to their conversation in jail when he was denied bail for Tyler's murder charges. Only this time she could truly help him, and she already had a plan for what she would do next. "I'll stop by to talk to your mother later on – I'll contact you afterwards."

He nodded and walked off, still a bit stunned by how calculated she could be, and realized he was finally getting to know the real her. He couldn't be certain whether the real Amanda intrigued him or frightened him, but either way it felt invigorating to have an inside look at who she really was.

Emily felt the same sensation of utter honesty and openness between them and while the moment felt right she knew she couldn't let him go without one last thing. "Daniel?" she called out, while he was nearly down the steps.

He turned and she continued. "Thanks again for saving me. Don't worry – I'll keep your secret."

Daniel nodded his appreciation, realizing how little he thought about risking himself for her sake, and knew she still had a bewitching effect on him. As she had said the night before, they were in this together now – Gordon's death had all but sealed the deal.

"I promise to keep yours too."

 **SCENE**

"You're up early," Victoria observed as she made her way down the stairwell at her beloved home, seeing her son fully dressed at the bottom of the stairs and headed for breakfast.

Daniel paused, his heart still racing from his discreet entrance and how quickly he had moved within the past hour to get ready for work without arousing any suspicion. Something about being back in his house and a pressed suit repulsed him, and yet relieved him, as if the change in scenery and dress could erase the night before altogether. But despite the temporary relief, he knew it would not be easily forgotten.

"Well, it's kind of hard to sleep with all those reporters camped outside the gate and cluttering the sky," he fibbed neatly.

Victoria nodded in understanding, grazing his arm with a motherly caress as they stood side by side, not noticing how Daniel tensed beneath her touch. "The news hounds won't stop until they get my story, I'm afraid."

Daniel felt like testing her. "What exactly is your story?"

She tilted her head, slightly taken back. "What I told you last night of course. The moment I got on that plane I was threatened with Charlotte's life to see to your father's demise."

"And you're certain it was –" Daniel caught himself, wary that his mother would be suspicious if he said his real name. "The white-haired man?"

"Of course," Victoria glossed over, stepping down the final steps past him. "Who else?"

Daniel continued a step behind her, forcing her to stop short. He needed to try her just one more time. "I'm just wondering how he could have boarded the plane completely undetected by the ground crew?"

Victoria halted, turning to face him. "You sound like a journalist."

Sensing she was almost on his scent, he recalled Emily's suggestion. _Keep your eyes open but don't look too closely._ He forced himself into a smile, masking his suspicion. "Just keeping you on your feet that's all," he joked, and then came over to link his arm through hers.

She relaxed again, ever relieved with any semblance of support from her son, and grinned as he escorted her into breakfast.

"Morning Daniel – Morning Mrs. Grayson!" Ashley greeted them as they walked in, reminding him that with his mother's return came her return as assistant in close quarters. He nodded her way and split off to take his seat, turning up his nose at his father, who sat at the head of the table directly across from where Victoria was settling down.

"You're still here?" Daniel mumbled under his breath to him.

"Good to see you too son," Conrad flipped back, still salty from their altercation the day before. "It's ah – safer to stay here until the media storm passes."

Daniel chuckled to himself, heaping some food onto his plate. "Is that what you're telling Lydia?"

"I've spoken to my contact at Vanity Fair and confirmed their one-on-one with Mrs. Grayson," Ashley announced, taking a stroll around the table and doing her best to garner Daniel's attention. He didn't notice, focused only on what she had just said and looked over at his mother.

"You're going public?" he asked, doing his best to gather what information he could

"She's going nuclear," Conrad interjected. "Your mother is inviting every vulture in the sky down for a feast, attempting to capitalize on the one thing she's never really had – sympathy."

Daniel rolled his eyes, catching sight of Charlotte as she entered and sat down next to him. "Hey – what happened with Emily last night?" she whispered, doing her best to be discreet.

"Ah, she was exhausted," Daniel lied quickly. "She's going to try to stop by today though." His assurance was enough to comfort her as they paid attention again to Ashley's itinerary of the upcoming day's events.

"So I've come up with a list of talking points –" she began.

"Daniel and I don't need talking points," Charlotte interjected, cautious to protect her brother and the information she knew she was not supposed to have shared already. "We weren't involved." She glanced at her mother for approval.

Victoria nodded, redirecting Ashley. "She's right; I would prefer my children kept out of the media spotlight. Especially when the authorities have an investigation on their hands – hopefully the conference alone will help them find that despicable man."

Daniel buried his head slightly at the mention, but continued to listen. Ashley watched him closely as he seemed to flinch, but kept quiet, submissively waiting on Victoria to finish.

"Until then, no one leaves this house, and no one addresses the press alone." Victoria continued, glancing around the table.

"You're grounding all of us?" Charlotte whined.

"It's safer to stay inside until this media storm passes, darling," Victoria assured her. Again, she failed to notice Daniel's discomfort but Conrad caught sight of it, shooting a knowing glance at Ashley.

"Thank you, Ms. Davenport," he addressed her, gesturing to the last empty seat at the table. "But as you heard my wife's instructions to seal the fort, you might as well take a seat and join us for breakfast." Ashley complied, the location of her seat leaving her right across from Daniel, who glanced back at her with an uncertain look.

"Is there a problem, Conrad?" Victoria challenged him through a clenched smile. "Missing your chambermaid already? You can send for her if you like – if she isn't already otherwise occupied…" She took a sip of water from her glass, referring coyly to Lydia.

"That's kind of you my dear," Conrad toyed back. "But I'm sure she like everyone else is cursing the heavens, or should I say the _flames_ that burn below for your blessed return to the world of the living."

"Hm," Victoria laughed to herself at his insult, getting a feeling for the atmosphere she could expect over the next day or two.

"Great," Daniel sighed, already sick of it. "One big happy family…"

 **SCENE**

"So let me get this straight – Danny not only stayed the night but officially got inducted to the inner circle by _killing_ the White Knight?" Nolan verified, standing across from Emily in his large office at Nolcorp. He had only stopped by her house that morning to pick up a few things before heading into work, and after the interlude with Daniel, Emily did some research before driving up to see him.

"He saved my life," Emily added with significance.

"Initiation's a bitch," Nolan quipped, always prepared with a clever response as he caught up. "No wonder you wanted me off the premises."

"We've got bigger problems," Emily moved past it. "Gordon was at large; the police are going to be looking for him."

"So – why not just tell them the truth?" Nolan offered. "No better way to pull the curtain over Victoria then proving how she sent him to _kill_ you and thankfully her son came to save the day!"

"Too risky, the situation has too many similarities to Daniel's murder trial last year," she thought. "I can't put him back in the spotlight again – besides it's already done." She alluded to covering up the body already, making Nolan's head spin at how efficiently she was able to cover her tracks.

Nolan leaned forward, thoroughly interested. "Wow… you're really starting to care about Daniel again, aren't you?"

She glared back. "I always cared about him, Nolan," she corrected. "He was never supposed to get this involved in everything."

"Hm… does _Takeda_ know about said feelings?" he questioned rightfully. "Because you know how he has a tendency to split wigs as soon as you get all lovey-dovey…"

"Takeda doesn't know Daniel knows the truth and it has to stay that way," she asserted firmly. "As far as he's concerned, I've reconnected with him to get close to the Graysons again – which is exactly how it's going to look after I go meet with Victoria." She grabbed Gordon's phone from her pocket. "By the way – can you look into this for me – see if there's anything on the SIM card?" She handed it to him while he gingerly gripped it between two fingers, holding it away as if it repelled him.

"Sure thing – as long as you promise not to replace me with Danny as your new sidekick," he retorted, getting a dry look back in return. He glanced down the hallway and rethought. "But I may need to save this 'fave' for later – got a board meeting today," he replied, to a raised eyebrow from Emily.

"Oh! You're actually here?" a shy voice interrupted them as a beautiful, conservatively dressed woman entered the office, her eyes on Nolan behind astute glasses. "Ignore my text telling you to wake up."

"Don't we have a meeting?" Nolan asked, glancing down at his phone for confirmation.

"We do." She agreed. "You've just never shown up to one before."

"Hmm." Nolan blushed a bit at her implication and then began to introduce the women. "Oh, Emily, this is Padma Lahari, my new C.F.O. The I.R.S. is all up in Nolcorp's grill, and luckily Padma is the audit whisperer." Both ladies smiled and shook hands as Nolan continued to gesture between them. "Padma, this is Emily, my…" The words failed him as he could hardly think how to describe her – his partner in crime? His Revenge Instructor? His sensei? "Uh, my…Emily." He stammered awkwardly.

"Nice to meet you," Emily brushed over his shaky introduction, smiling at Padma and then glancing back at Nolan as she let herself out. "I'll stop by later for that thing I asked you about."

"Tell Danny I want my shirt back!" he whispered back at her when she was nearly gone, grinning to himself.

Padma glanced between them, a little uncertain of exactly what kind of relationship they shared. "She's very pretty. How do you know her?"

Nolan answered without thinking, not realizing how it sounded. "Oh, we cohabitate… she asked me to move out…" He cringed, looking at Padma to see how she would react. She merely looked confused, feeling slightly uncomfortable asking about his personal affairs.

He laughed it off, suddenly anxious to get to their meeting. "It's… _extremely_ complicated."

 **SCENE**

"Wake up sleeping beauty," Jack whispered, caressing Amanda's hair as he settled next to her side of the bed. Her eyes were closed and there was a half-drunken glass of milk on her night table.

"I'm awake," she mumbled, still not opening her eyes, and Jack laughed softly.

"Faking me out?"

"Pretending for my own sake," she continued, a smile creeping across her face. She finally turned her head to face him, opening her eyes and rubbing her face. "Another sleepless night."

Jack chuckled again, shaking his head. "You know, pretty soon, sleepless nights are gonna be a regular thing. You ready for that?"

Amanda sighed and propped herself up in bed, flipping her long curly hair over her shoulders. "Not until we can figure out the nursery," she replied, glancing into the hallway towards the second room where Declan had been staying before moving onto the boat. "I'm not doing late-night feedings by the beer taps."

Jack followed her gaze, knowing he had to take care of that situation fairly soon – time was running out before the baby would be there. "All right, look how about this? Declan's room: fresh coat of paint, steam clean the rugs, bring my grandma's rocking chair down from the attic. Cheap and cheerful, just for the short term." He smiled, hoping his concession would be enough to put a smile back on Amanda's face.

She grinned to appease him, but reached over to grab her laptop from where it was sitting on the night table, having something else in mind. She pulled up the screen quickly, showing the last thing she was looking at before trying to sleep the night before. "Or," she turned the screen to face him. "We can use the gift certificate Charlotte sent us from that fancy baby store in the village and do up the room in style."

Jack glanced over at it, growing exasperated. "$5,000? No, no – we don't accept charity from the Graysons." He got up from the bed, giving her more room to stretch out as she swung her feet over the side. "They can buy their way into the headlines. They're not buying their way into my child's life."

"Technically, Charlotte is not a Grayson," Amanda corrected him, throwing the covers off her. "She's a Clarke, like me, and she's excited to be an aunt. What's the big deal?"

Jack remained firm. "She can be an aunt without throwing money at us," he replied, a bit annoyed. He started to head for the door, knowing he had a long day ahead of him if he was going to turn Declan's room completely around. "Just return the gift, alright Amanda?  
I'll sort out the baby's room."

Amanda huffed under her breath as she watched him walk away, wondering if the dream life she was imagining with Jack and the baby was ever going to really be the way that she pictured it.

 **SCENE**

"$5,000 at a baby store?" Victoria exclaimed, spying Charlotte's computer screen over her shoulder as she entered her bedroom, unannounced.

Charlotte spun around, still sitting on her bed. "It's a gift for Amanda, Mom. She _is_ my sister."

"Half-sister, if that," Victoria corrected her, drawing a confused look from Charlotte in return.

She narrowed her eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind." Victoria did not want to spark her curiosity any further and kept her suspicions to herself. The fear however, of her greatest source of remorse coming back to haunt her by means of his spawn always left her uneasy and she knew Charlotte would only be safest the further away from her she stayed. "Look, the fact that David Clarke is your father is a secret we have to guard closely for various reasons. For now, you need to stay away from that girl."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, certain that her mother was doing her normal job to control her entire life, and already weary of her return, as quickly as it had come. "I'm staying away from everyone, Mom."

"Well so am I, darling," Victoria attempted to soothe her, coming over to sit beside her and give her a half embrace. "We're sequestered, remember? No one comes in. No one goes out."

She paused for a moment, rethinking her statement as she recalled the information Charlotte gave her that morning - Emily was indeed coming by per her request to discuss the things she was privy to.

"Well, with one notable exception."

 **SCENE**

"So what story are we telling?" Emily stared innocently back at Victoria as she shared a cup of tea in her favorite secluded part of Grayson Manor, overlooking the courtyard. "I certainly wouldn't want to say anything wrong to the press."

Victoria stretched a large phony smile across her lips in return, relieved at last that Emily had arrived so she could quickly eliminate her as a liability completely, that is if Gordon didn't get to her first. "Well, the answer's simple. You don't know anything. You barely know us."

Emily laughed lightly at the absurdity of her foe's suggested response for her to give. "I was engaged to your son," she insisted, with a leading glare.

"'Ever since Daniel broke it off, the Graysons have kept me at arm's length,'" Victoria replied in mock response. "See? Simple." She shot her a winning glance. "- And it's the truth."

"Hmm." Emily mumbled under her breath, knowing it was quite the opposite now that Daniel and her were literally joint partners in crime. She was curious how much Victoria already knew about Gordon's whereabouts and whether she truly suspected he had gone after her. But perhaps it might be more expedient to plant a different seed of doubt. "Victoria, are you and Charlotte safe here?"

"This house may as well be a fortress," Victoria replied, not understanding.

"I'm talking about Conrad," Emily continued, feigning concern. "He tried to have you killed."

Victoria waved a hand, setting down her cup delicately onto the saucer. "Oh, don't worry about Conrad. I'll take care of him in time. I'm more concerned about you, Emily."

She cocked an eyebrow, sensing what was coming. _So she did expect Gordon to finish the job._ "And why is that?"

"Ever since sharing my secret, your welfare has been at risk, I'm afraid. And the only way to ensure your safety is by cutting off all ties to my family, effective immediately." Victoria did her best to pretend disappointment, but her joy was all the more clear. "I hate to see our newfound friendship come to an end. But I have to ask you to stay away, permanently."

Emily stared back at her through disbelieving eyes. Victoria could not be a more clear monster if she tried – ever concerned about her own family's survival despite being responsible for her own endangerment.

"I'll have security show you home," she continued, beginning to stand.

"That won't be necessary," Emily cut her short, rising a second faster. "I can see myself out. Goodbye Victoria." She smiled and turned to quickly pace away.

Once out of the room and clear out of sight, Emily removed her phone from her purse to text Daniel, knowing that if he mentioned her as his alibi; it would only draw Victoria's added suspicion. _Your mother cut me off from your family. Don't mention you were at my house last night;_ she tapped, waiting for response. While she waited, she happened to observe a guard step away from his post for a second, leaving a table full of press passes open and unwatched.

Daniel's message back was instantaneous, seeing as he had his phone handy, waiting for her contact. _Typical,_ was his first reply. _So what now?_

She read Daniel's text and thought carefully. There was a strong likelihood that she would need to go to Plan B to get intel on her mother if Nolan couldn't get any other information from Gordon's phone. If so, Daniel would need to be prepared. _Wait for the media storm to pass – you'll know when you see it._

After sending, she slipped down the stairs quietly, deftly padding over to where the passes were sitting out in the open and swiped two, before slipping back into the main room. Lifting her head up as she waltzed past the security at the front door she left out of Grayson Manor, dialing Nolan as she exited down the front walk.

"Advanced forensics at your service," he answered on cue from his office. He glanced up at Padma who was sorting through a box a few feet away and decided to step away to take the call so it didn't draw too much attention.

"How are we on the phone fix?" Emily asked, getting straight to the point.

"Ah, 'Fix' may be too strong a word," he answered, staring out of his window. "Hardware's fried. Contacts, data, text history all bit the dust, or the bullet, as it were."

Emily grimaced, getting into her car to finish the conversation. "What about the SIM card?"

"Well, the only thing I could pull from it is Gordon's own number, and, guess what, he's not answering," he jested.

"That's still helpful." Even though it was time to move onto the next plan, his voicemail could still be accessed through the number – something she could check within the next few minutes. But to tie up the rest of the loose ends, she couldn't be two places at one time, which would mean she needed another favor. "Can you get it to me? In the meantime there's something else I need you to do – as soon as possible actually."

Nolan sly grinned. "Oh, I love it when you're bossy. It means something hot's gonna happen… Pray tell?" Unbeknownst to him, Padma glanced over at his sly remark, and began to suspect his relationship with Emily was more than platonic.

"There's a hotel key in the Infinity Box back at the house," Emily went on. "It was Gordon's – he was staying at the Pine Crest Motel. I need you to check his room to see if you can find anything of interest before he gets reported missing and the cops lock the place down."

"Field work assignment?" Nolan gushed, feeling a sense of pride that Emily was giving him such a big responsibility. "This feels like a promotion, Ems – guess I'm still your right hand after all." His mind wandered at what could be the reason why she chose to delegate. "What could possibly be keeping your hands filled for you to share the wealth?"

"I'm banned from Grayson Manor," Emily responded, ignoring his witty remarks as usual. "I need to find another way in before the press conference tonight. Just be careful, ok Nolan? Gordon was working for some dangerous people." She knew it was out of her normal comfort zone to trust him with an errand like that but with Daniel on lockdown and still unaware of the situation with her mother, it was her only choice.

"Mmm… good thing I have you for a boss," Nolan shot back. "I like to live on the wild side – I laugh in the face of danger!" he joked, not even realizing he was quoting a Disney movie.

"Just call me if you find anything," she brushed past it, catching the reference but sensing she needed to tell her friend to spend less time watching daytime television on her couch. "Otherwise I'll see you back at the house."

"I'm counting the hours," Nolan quipped before ending the call and looking back over at Padma who pretended to not be eavesdropping. "Gotta go - Ems needs me."

"What about the –" she stammered, looking at the audit files and unopened mail sprawled out on the table.

"Oh, all this?" he barely glanced at it, making way for the door. "We can attack it tomorrow.  
See ya!"

And with that he was gone, off to his very first investigation assignment from the revenge commissioner…

 **SCENE**

"Kind of sparse for a newborn," Emily observed, walking into the emptied upstairs guest room at the Stowaway, with Amanda just beside her.

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't be if Jack had accepted Charlotte's gift," Amanda explained with a sigh. She turned to face her dearest friend. "He's determined to keep all things Grayson out of the baby's life."

"Mm," she mumbled under her breath, secretly proud of Jack. "He's got good instincts." She wiped the lingering memory of him from her mind, focusing on what was at hand. "Unfortunately, Victoria has banished me from her premises. I need you to deliver something for me."

She handed Amanda the item she had retrieved from her house and slightly altered before making her way over. "It's one of my father's journals, or at least my version of it. Victoria's having a press conference." She handed her one of the passes she swiped on her way out. "This press pass will get you through security."

"Are you nuts?" Amanda responded, looking down at the items Emily held outstretched toward her. "I promised Jack I wouldn't go anywhere near the Graysons."

"So, lie," Emily insisted, not pulling her hand back. Why was it that whenever she needed Amanda to cooperate she was always difficult, yet when she didn't need her assistance she was willing to lend it? She regretted having to play the identity card but she was desperate. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Amanda rolled her eyes in angst.

"Look, just show this to Charlotte to thank her for her gift," Emily insisted.

"I told you, I'm returning the gift," Amanda retorted, taking a few paces away. "I've wanted a family my whole life. I'm not jeopardizing that for you or anyone else."

"We _are_ family, Amanda," Emily reminded her, stepping back into her close proximity. "When we exchanged identities, the plan was clear. You become my past, and I become your future." She put her head down slightly, knowing she had to acknowledge the truth in front of her. "Jack chose you as his future – I don't want to do anything to hurt that. But this is about my family too. My _mother_ could still be out there, and you are my only hope to find her."

Amanda glanced away and then back at her friend, knowing how much it meant to her. She couldn't blame her – they had both lost their families and while Emily seemed pent on finding hers in a twisted way, she owed her for giving her a chance to have Jack and their child at all.

"Please," Emily continued to beg, the sincerity in her voice hitting home as she extended the journal and press pass to Amanda again. "Do this for me?"

 **SCENE**

"You know, it's like you never left."

Victoria tensed as she heard the voice of her ex-husband rasp behind her while she sat at her vanity table, getting ready for the conference that was shortly to commence within the hour.

"You are not welcome in this bedroom, Conrad." She seethed at him, hoping he would soon disappear.

"Oh, so there are limits on how far you're willing to go with this charade?" he asked, testing her. It had been a long time since the two of them shared a bed, and as much as her return had nearly sent him to his own early grave, he had to admit that her presence was nothing if not, scintillating. He continued to walk over to her until she spun around to stop him.

"Shouldn't you be checking on that little varmint that you tried to replace me with?" she leered at him with a scornful smile. "Or did the exterminators clean her out of your bungalow at the South Fork already?"

Conrad laughed off her insults at Lydia, sincerely missing their heated exchanges. "Ah, but it's you that should fear extermination, my dear," he pointed out, raising a finger as if to say, _Tsk-Tsk._ He stopped where he stood, looming over Victoria. "You ruffled a violent man when you pulled off your double cross. Aren't you the tiniest bit afraid that he might come for you?" A thought crossed his mind. "Or perhaps you and he are working together even now?"

Victoria nearly spat in his face at the implication. "To what end?"

"Oh, I don't know," he guessed. "My destruction?" He leaned forward to rest his weight on her vanity table, probing his face directly into hers to whisper. "You may have trusted me enough to help with your bogus kidnapping story. But I…don't…trust…you."

She smiled back, indifferent. "Well, that won't be an issue for you much longer, Conrad. We may be quarantined here for a while, but come summer's end when this story runs its course, I will be leaving you for good." With that she turned away from him, content with the plan she had in mind to finish him off completely before taking her leave.

Conrad was not convinced, however and had his own version of how he wanted events to unfold. He tapped her on the shoulder, as if to stroke a pet and then turned to walk away; certain he had the upper hand. "Well, summer's end is a long way off, my dear."

 **SCENE**

Nolan did his best to appear discreet as he pulled up to the Pine Crest Motel, surveying his surroundings as he got out of the car. It looked nearly abandoned, certainly an ideal place for a killer on the run to hideout unnoticed. He braced himself as he found the room that belonged to the key Emily had left for him to investigate, and took a deep breath as he gingerly swung the door open.

To his surprise, an empty and neatly arranged room waited on the other side, with no sign of anything or anyone else in sight. With a relaxed grin he slipped on the latex gloves he'd brought along to ensure he left no traces of his being there behind and began inspecting the entire room. He lifted up pillows, pulled back the sheets, searched drawers, tables, the bathroom – it was beginning to look like a real life version of the phone's drive he just researched.

"Sorry, Ems," he muttered to himself. "This one comes up empty too."

He started to leave, opening the door to exit, and something caught his genius eye just beneath the sign advertising the hotel. _Central Air,_ read the advertisement.

"Hmm," Nolan thought aloud, realizing there might yet be one place that should be checked. He shut the door and returned back inside the room to the air conditioning unit, which only took a second to dismantle. As he pulled away the outside, there remained the jackpot – a large device which his engineering-attuned brain recognized as a flight recorder. He exhaled in excitement and placed it in a small duffel bag he had brought along, zipping it shut and returning the outside of the unit just as it was, with one last sweep to ensure the room looked untouched.

Once clear, he exited the room again, looking around for any unsavory characters that might be watching him. He tucked away the duffel bag safely in his trunk, just as a voice crept upon him from behind – a female one.

"There's no loitering here."

Nolan froze, as he realized someone was behind him, and turned around slowly to face her. Her face looked awfully familiar for some reason, but his nerves were too peaked to bother with figuring out why.

She glanced him over, thinking he looked familiar too but couldn't place from where. Regardless, it seemed no coincidence that he was parked in front of the particular room she had been most concerned about in the past 24 hours. She continued, hoping to get more information. "You want a room, you need to come inside."

Nolan put up a hand, doing his best to mask his voice with an accent, similar to how he disguised his voice for his first encounter with the white-haired man. "No need, ma'am," he drawled in a shaky Australian brogue. He pulled his contingency plan out of his pocket – the fake badge Emily had left next to the key, just in case. "Detective Lasky, Southampton Police."

The woman looked at him suspiciously and then eyed his expensive car. "In a Jaguar?"

Nolan flipped down his badge and put it back, following her gaze. "Recently promoted," he explained, telling the truth somewhat, if he counted this task as an upgrade from Emily. "It's my day off actually but I was hoping to get a lead on this man," he produced a sketch from the passenger seat. "Have you, uh - have you seen him? He might be someone that checked in a week ago."

He handed her the drawing and watched closely as she examined it, sensing that she recognized him. To his surprise she answered affirmatively.

"Paid cash. Stayed one night," she replied, handing him the sketch back. "What's he wanted for?"

"Kidnapping." Nolan grinned, feeling he was doing a good job at sticking to what a normal officer would ask. "Keep your distance, ma'am. This is quite the dangerous man." He walked around to the driver's side and watched as she nodded, still keeping her eyes on him. "Well, g-day, mate!" he mumbled, rushing to get out of there before he fudged his accent any further.

"Thank you," she answered as she watched him pull away. Once he was gone, she rushed over to the phone booth nearby, certain that the man she had just met was a fraud, and sensing that the one he was after was in grave danger.

"Southampton Police Department," she told the operator for Information, as they quickly connected her.

"Southampton Police?" the line answered.

"Yes, I need to speak with, um, Detective Lasky, please," she requested, waiting for confirmation.

"No one here by that name," the receptionist replied. "You might want to try the East Hampton police. People make that mistake all the time—"

Before they could finish, she slammed down the phone, fairly certain that it confirmed her affiliate was in danger and the person that had come looking for him was clearly working for someone other than the police. She thought on her feet of what to do next, rushing back to the main office to make an urgent phone call. Her only hope was that the man who came, regardless if he knew he was looking for Gordon Murphy, did not realize he had been standing face to face with Kara Clarke.

 **SCENE**

Ashley peeked through the doors of the Grayson Manor study, checking to make sure the hallway was clear before she emerged, and quickly scooted down the hall out of sight. She rushed along, as she did so nearly running smack into a disoriented-looking Emily.

"Emily!" she exclaimed, bracing herself for balance as she stepped around her. She was certainly the last person she expected to run into. "What are you doing here?"

Emily changed her mysterious look to one of innocence, keeping her own thoughts to herself about the room she had just seen Ashley sneak out of. "I'm not staying. A press van's blocking the driveway, I was hoping you could make an announcement?" She glanced around to make sure no one of import was nearby. "That is before the Queen sees me and dismisses me from court…"

An apologetic look came over Ashley's face as she clutched the portfolio in her hand. "Sorry, I heard she tried to exile you from the grounds, thankfully she's upstairs giving her first interview to Vanity Fair." She checked her timepiece as Emily nodded in relief that she was out of sight.  
"However that means we are minutes away from starting. You in a hurry?"

"No, no," Emily assured her, comforted her plan to get inside for the press conference had worked. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Daniel coming into the living room from the courtyard area. "I'll keep out of sight until then. But, uh, Mr. Knowles across the street isn't so understanding. I begged him to hold off calling the police until I spoke with you, but—"

"Ugh, thanks love, you're still a lifesaver," Ashley replied, sincerely appreciative. She squeezed Emily's arm and turned to head for the front door to speak to the press vans. Despite feeling guilty for not preparing better, Emily had once again saved her while she was preoccupied with another errand that stole her away from her true responsibilities. "I'm on it."

With Ashleyout of her way, Emily slipped into the living room to steal a moment with Daniel, who caught sight of her and led her a few paces away to where they would be safely alone.

"Hey," he breathed once the coast was clear. "I was worried when I got your text." He furrowed his brow, realizing something. "How did you get in here anyway, you said my mother told you to steer clear?"

"I have my ways," she shot back. "I needed to get this to you." She continued, handing him one of the items she had found on Gordon's person the night before.

"The passport?" he questioned, opening it to reveal his mother's picture and false identity that Gordon had precluded for her when she intended to disappear. "What for?"

"Get your mother to confess," Emily answered, and Daniel looked at her in surprise.

"You want me to confront her?" he lowered his voice. "I thought you said it was best if I lay low?"

"It still is," she confirmed, explaining further. "But this is the only way you can regain control. Say it was delivered to you by messenger, with a threatening note. Once your parents realize you've discovered the truth about their deception, this will give you the upper hand to handle them however you need to."

"Which is?" Daniel wondered if she already had plans for what she wanted him to do. Instead, Emily shrugged her shoulders, leaving it up to him.

"Whatever you see fit," she responded, deferring to him to decide how he wanted to approach his own take down, meanwhile already working on a separate plan of her own. "Even if the truth eventually comes out about Gordon's death, you can use what you know as leverage to keep them on your side." She adjusted her purse on her shoulder. "But I doubt you'll need it. Other information will soon come out that will ensure the media's attention remains on them, and not you. And if I know your mother as well as I think I do? She'll embrace it."

Daniel sighed, beginning to feel unworthy in the presence of Emily's masterminded genius planning. He wondered why she continued to protect him, when his parents had all but wiped her entire family from existence, but sensed that she still had her own agenda. Rather than press her for her reason, he simply appreciated her endurance, tapping the passport against his hand twice before conceding to go along with her plan. "Alright – I trust you." He looked over his shoulder. "I'll take this to them now."

Before he could leave she stopped him, taking hold of his arm to his surprise and sensitivity at her touch. "Daniel – a word of advice? Don't betray your emotions. The only way to win against your mother is to beat her at her own game."

He nodded, giving her another brief once-over before heading back towards the study where he spied his father heading in. There was much he could learn from his steely-eyed ex, namely how well she set the example for a forced pretense. "Then I'll give the performance of a lifetime."

Emily nodded; somewhat proud of Daniel's dedication to his cause and realized that he was turning out to be a trustworthy ally after all. She wondered if his reply was an indirect reference to her, but had little time to think it over, as she turned back to the front door where Amanda had just entered and signaled her that the coast was clear. She had previously told her that she would ensure her safety while she confronted Charlotte, and she kept to her promise, waiting by the end of the steps while Amanda tiptoed into Charlotte's room with her father's journal in hand.

 **SCENE**

"Tell me, Mrs. Grayson, after eight full weeks of torture, did you ever have a moment where you felt like giving up?" the reporter from Vanity Fair sat beside Victoria in the same spot that she had shared earlier with Emily, concluding the interview prior to the scheduled press conference.

"No," Victoria replied, feigning nobility. "The thought of never seeing my children again was far worse than anything my captor could have ever done to me. You can call it a mother's will to survive."

"More like a monster's!" Charlotte's angered voice interrupted them from a few feet away, as she approached with a small leather journal in her hand, gesturing it with it as she spoke. "I just found out the real reason you don't want me having a relationship with Amanda. Because she knows the truth about what you did to my father!"

"Charlotte, this is not the time," Victoria attempted to calm her, to no avail.

"Who, for the record," she went on, facing the reporter. "Was David Clarke!"

Victoria was quick to run defense. "You run that, and I will sue you for libel!" she instructed the reporter.

Charlotte pressed on. "It's only libel if it isn't true. Go ahead, Mom. Deny it." She bored her eyes into her mother, full of anger and disappointment, while Victoria sat still in silence and overwhelming shame. "That's what I thought," Charlotte concluded.

Victoria took a breath, doing the only thing she could in light of her youngest child's stunning and unexpected revelation. "This interview's over."

But the revelations weren't. "You're damn right it is," another voice chimed in, and Victoria looked up to see Daniel at Charlotte's side, with his own look of condemnation. He held up the sealed passport in his hand, signaling he had his own bundle of knowledge to spill.

"And if you value your relationship with either one of us – you'll follow me right this minute."

 **SCENE**

Once the four Graysons were safely assembled in the study with the doors closed, Daniel unleashed his secret weapon, keeping a guarded eye on Charlotte to make sure she didn't volunteer the information she told him the night before.

"Well now that we're all here, we might as well get the truth out on the table," he tossed the passport onto the coffee table in front of them, allowing it to spin open to reveal his mother's picture. "You weren't kidnapped, Mom. You were planning to disappear."

"Where did you get this?" Conrad jumped in first, seizing hold of the passport.

"Someone dropped it at the guard house along with that note," Daniel answered, prepared with the response Emily had given him. He kept his voice calm and collected. "She was working with him, Dad."

"No, open threats are not this man's style. If he truly wanted her dead, then she would be," Conrad objected, but Daniel pushed past the tiny hole he was picking at.

"I think you're missing the larger revelation here - Mom _faked_ her own kidnapping," he emphasized, staring directly at his mother who hung her head over her lap, as Charlotte stood beside her with crossed arms.

"Daniel, this secret was killing me," Victoria insisted, turning to glare at Conrad. "Just like the rest of the secrets I have been forced to keep over the years!"

"Oh sure, play the victim Mom, it's what you always do," Charlotte lobbed back at her, exasperated of her mother's predictable tendency to sidestep the blame of her own actions. The fresh knowledge of her biological father's framing and murder was still griping her to the core and she couldn't hold it any further. "Daniel – that's not the only secret Mom's been hiding – her and Dad conspired to set up my real father, David Clarke!"

Daniel jerked his attention to his sister in genuine surprise, and then did his best to relax, sensing that this was the element of "information" Emily had hinted to only moments before.

"Charlotte, whatever your mother's been telling you, pay no attention," Conrad interjected, hoping that Daniel didn't latch onto the bait. "She's clearly not in her right mind. And we are canceling this sham of an event."

Victoria would not have another of his forced placations. "Do that and I will have your head on a pike!" she yelled back, causing Charlotte to flinch slightly while Daniel watched for his father's reaction.

"You know, as fine as I am with a hired killer targeting you, he won't stop there, Victoria." Conrad remained cool as ever, angering Daniel even more. "We're leaving the country tonight, all of us." He stepped past Daniel, beginning to walk over to the desk of the study but Victoria stood to her feet, stopping him.

"No, I'm through with hiding!" she insisted, taking off towards the doors. "I'm going to put a stop to this right now, come what may."

Determined and unflinching, she stormed out of the room, leaving Charlotte to sigh and look to her brother for comfort while Daniel only stared down at the passport in his hands. His mother was going to finally set the record straight – just as Emily had predicted.

 **SCENE**

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. We are about to begin." Ashley announced from the stage setup in the Grayson Manor Courtyard, filled to the brim with press, security, and attentive onlookers in the audience that had been cleared for entry. Among them stood Emily and Amanda in the background; Emily having convinced Amanda to stay for the final act of her incredibly crucial performance.

Victoria took the stage next, leaving Ashley to step aside with her presence and trail to the back of the assembly to stand next to Emily. "Here we go," she mumbled under her breath as Emily gave her a tight grin in return. She turned ever so slightly to glance towards Daniel, who stood next to his father and Charlotte on the other side of the rear doors, catching her glance with a subtle nod. Show-time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's always been my motto that from bad comes good," Victoria proudly began. "So tonight there will be no rehashing of the past only my aspirations for the future. Violence to one is violence to all. And so I would like to acknowledge those close to me who have been touched by this tragedy."

"She's gone off book," Ashley whispered to Emily as she glanced down at her notes for the conference. Victoria insisted on making her life as an assistant and organizer, a living hell. "She's going to tank."

"I doubt that very much," Emily responded coyly, keeping full attention on Victoria.

"First, my daughter Charlotte." She spread a warm smile across her lips. "During my confinement, I promised God that if given another chance, I would live in truth. And this starts with the biggest admission of my life. Charlotte Is the blessed consequence of my affair with…" Victoria paused for emphasis, her eyes switching slightly to focus on Conrad. "David Clarke."

A hum of shock erupted in the crowd, as cameras flashed and reporters began to look around in alarm at what Victoria Grayson had just publicly admitted to.

Proud as ever, the Queen extended an open palm in the direction of Charlotte on the stage, inviting her to come forward. "Sweetheart, would you step up here, please?"

As Charlotte reluctantly left where she was standing to join her mother, Conrad suddenly disappeared from Daniel's side to take a call from a number he had come to recognize and fear over the years. "Yes?" he answered, not realizing he had already drawn Daniel's attention.

"Conrad, you're a smart man, so I know you've been expecting this call. Your wife's very public accusations about our agent's alleged transgression has us all deeply concerned," the voice on the other line slowly elaborated, causing a grave look to come over Conrad's face. "A course of action has been decided, and it involves your participation. We'll be in touch."

The call ended just in time as Conrad was next in Victoria's dissertation. "Next," she went on. "To the saint among men, who forgave my infidelity and cherished Charlotte as his own – Conrad." She paused on his name, her emphasis signifying how quite opposite she felt about him, despite her brazen admission. Again she beckoned from the stage. "Conrad - come."

Conrad swallowed his pride momentarily to return his phone into his coat pocket, and walk up to the stage to stand beside her, more concerned about the other issue at hand that had just accosted him than Victoria's grand display.

"And finally," Victoria added. "My son Daniel, whose loyalty knows no bounds."

Daniel glanced over at Emily, strongly disgusted by the thought of having to go up onstage with people he clearly despised, but a nod from her in return reminded him that he had to commit to his role and continue his performance until the credits rolled. He straightened his jacket, buttoning the last few buttons before striding to the stage, wearing his best version of a smile.

Victoria extended her arms around Charlotte and Daniel beside her, and looked back towards the crowd, her focus falling on Emily, whom she distinctly remembered, banning from the premise earlier that day. Despite that, her companion drew her interest more and she decided to continue her speech with one last addition.

"There is one person missing," she added. "Someone who has seen more bad than good from us, and who has never been scared off. Her tenacity I admire, and I wish to welcome her into the fold - along with her child." Emily braced herself as she sensed who Victoria had her senses locked on. "Amanda Clarke, Charlotte's half-sister. Amanda, please join us."

Again the crowd reacted in shock, and Amanda too felt overwhelmed, looking at Emily for direction on what to do, and knowing the event would be televised. She silently cursed herself for even coming in the first place, as she knew that Jack would be watching at home and would surely be disappointed once he found out.

"Please," Emily whispered, watching her hesitate. "Go."

Reluctantly, Amanda turned to slowly head for the stage, taking a few moments before she could join them, while Daniel stepped aside so Victoria could pull her close. Once she was safely next to her, she continued with a last concluding statement, that echoed like a threat instead.

"To my abductor and to anyone who thinks they can harm this family again, make no mistake, you will fail." She smiled broadly at the crowd, feeling a surge of strength with the four people beside her, never once realizing how perfectly she had followed Emily's prediction of her course of action.

Reporters called out to her from the audience but she ignored them, pausing to look intently at Amanda beside her. "Understood?" she enforced in a low whisper, to a fearful nod from Amanda in return.

As the press conference concluded, Ashley glanced at Emily for her opinion, clearly in awe of what had just transpired before them

"My God, they're stronger than ever."

 **SCENE**

"Thank you for your show of solidarity tonight," Victoria addressed her son as he entered the study where she was relegating. Daniel watched with a careful eye as she put away some items into the desk, and recalled his earlier suspicion that Lydia was the infiltrator that got a hold of his books. He pushed the thought aside, continuing to play the game.

"The truth is," he replied, coming over to embrace her. "I'd hate myself if I'd gotten you back only to lose you again. I'm willing to put this all behind us if you are. Come here." He wrapped his arms around her, sealing her own sense of confidence in him while he sneered on the other side. 

Victoria relaxed, sincerely appreciating the approval of her favored child. "Oh, I missed you so much."

"Oh, what a lovely tableau – mother and son reunited," Conrad commented, stepping into the study along with the interviewer from earlier that Victoria had shunned away.

Daniel broke his embrace with his mother to turn to face them, and saw it as a good opportunity to step away. "Excuse me," he slipped away. "I'll gonna check on Charlotte."

Victoria nodded, thanking him and then turned her attention to the visitor. "Ms.  
Fisk, my apologies if today's event ruined our interview."

Ms. Fisk shrugged it off, unworried. "Actually, Conrad just made up for it by offering me an exclusive on your upcoming wedding?" she gestured to him, eliciting a shocked look from Victoria in response, who sent a death glare Conrad's way.

"I'm sorry if I spilled the proverbial beans, my pet," he feigned sincerity, crumpling up his face in a droopy expression. "I mean, I just I think I just got caught up in the whole affair."

"And which affair would that be?" Victoria leered back under her breath. "You've had so many, dear Conrad."

Ms. Fisk missed the reference, continuing on with her excitement before she left. "And Tuscany? An exquisite place to honeymoon. I'd expect nothing less. Well thank you both so much for your time – have a good night."

She exited out of the door while Conrad sealed it shut, turning to address a steaming Victoria on the other side. "Consider that a small price to pay for publicly branding me a cuckold, dear."

"And what does Lydia have to say about this?" Victoria tested her favorite note to play.

"Nothing," Conrad assured her, turning to pour himself a drink from the small bar, and one for Victoria. "She's been a mistress before and she will again." He turned around to hand her the second glass and when she glared at him in return he simply dumped the contents into his own. "You didn't think this was an honest proposal did you?"

"Certainly not," Victoria shot back. "And if it has any merit, you and I will be dead before then."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that," Conrad continued. "See, I've got some breaking news of my own. While you were dazzling the press corps, I got a phone call from your would-be assassin's employers. It turns out that his recent, uh; rogue and high-profile escapades have made him a target now. So he's as good as dead, so long as we cooperate." He brought the drink to his lips and paused. "Hence, the nuptials, of course."

"Oh, you fool!" Victoria seethed, growing in anger. "You've just put us back in bed with the very architects of this entire nightmare!"

He took his leave from her, content to leave her in a provoked state. "Oh, Victoria," he sighed, seeing the story in a decidedly different light after her public confession. He walked away in complacence. "This family has _you_ to thank for that."

 **SCENE**

"Leaving so soon?" Emily commented, almost passing by the guest room upstairs where Nolan was packing away his clothing. She stood at the entryway with a box in her hand, slowly walking over to where he stood.

"Hey you're back," he replied, looking up at her and then down at the half-packed bag. "Listen, I-uh… I just figured with Danny being in the inner circle now and the both of you being prone to early morning choke attacks—"

Emily chuckled, regretting that Nolan had to find him the way he did that morning.

"I'd just let you sort things out on your own. That and, I happen to like my neck willowy and _working,_ " he added.

"Fair enough," Emily replied, understanding his need for space. She agreed it was likely for the best. "I take it Gordon's hotel room was just as empty as his phone then?"

"Actually – I did find something," Nolan replied, turning to retrieve the duffel bag he made sure to bring inside. He removed the large object and handed it to Emily. "It's the flight recorder from Victoria's plane. Not sure if this helps any with your quest to find your mother but… it's a start towards something right?"

Emily nodded, only just realizing how much she appreciated her friend and his willingness to put himself on the line for her, over and over again. "Thanks for all your help, Nolan. I appreciate everything you've done to help me." She sat down next to him on the bed, placing the box beside her. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Hey," he replied, coming around the side of the bed. "I'm gonna miss you, too, Ems," he put an arm around her. She smiled at the affectionate gesture, still in thought.

"As it turns out," she continued. "What I found on Gordon may contain more information than anything else. He had a bottle of pills on him." She reached into the box next to her to show him. "Fluphenazine, an antipsychotic, one of the strongest."

"Well, that fits," Nolan commented. "He _was_ a crazy killer."

"He might have been a killer, but he wasn't crazy." Emily's mind was at work, on a different angle. She looked up at Nolan. "I think the pills belonged to my mother – I found this on him too." She produced another item this time, a pocket watch with a photo of her mother in it and showed it to him. "He knew her, Nolan. Intimately."

Nolan gasped. "Oh my God," he stammered, to a confused look from Emily.

"What?"

He took hold of the picture to make sure he wasn't going completely crazy. "Ems, _this_ is your mother? This woman – I saw her at the hotel today! She asked me who I was, I – I thought she owned the place!"

 _"What?!"_ Emily could barely believe her ears. "Nolan, was she still there when you left?"

"I don't know," he guessed, trying to piece it all together while his friend anxiously looked to him for more information. "I pretended to be an officer looking for Gordon to throw her off, but… Ems I had no idea – I'm sorry!"

"It's ok," she reassured him, only thankful that she had not reached the dead end she was expecting. "This is more than I could have expected. But now that she knows Gordon's at large my guess is she's going to leave town – especially if she's waiting on him to return."

Nolan covered his mouth, in disbelief at how close they had gotten to finding her. "How can I help – what do you want me to do?"

Emily tried to think, realizing how late it was and knowing that she was strapped for time. "You've already done enough," she assured him, jumping to her feet. "I have to follow up on everything that happened from today. I still need Amanda's help to get through to Victoria. I know she knows more about her."

"So you're not going to go find her?" Nolan was shocked that she wasn't already out the door and on her way to track her down at the motel.

Emily shook her head, staring out of the window. "I can't. The world just heard Victoria admit that Charlotte is David's daughter, and Amanda is one of her fold." She turned to face him. "With any luck, if my mother heard the announcement – she'll come to Victoria instead." A thought crossed her mind, renewing her determination.

"And I'm gonna be there when she does."

 **SCENE**

"Hey," Daniel greeted Emily as he took her call on the balcony of his old room at the Manor. "I was wondering when I would hear from you."

"You did good today," Emily responded, the phone nestled to her ear as she sat propped up in her bed. "I know it wasn't easy for you to stand by them."

"No it wasn't." Daniel admitted, feeling the sting of his actions every time he thought about them. "But I made a decision – I'm taking matters into my own hands now." He thought back to their earlier conversation, and continued with the proposal he had in mind. "That is, if I can count on you to keep me focused – I may need your help and your expertise."

Emily smiled. It was exactly the proposition she was hoping for. She palmed the pocket watch from earlier, staring into her mother's photo intently, as her smile began to fade. She was thinking of Daniel's fragile heart again, hoping that despite his request for her help, he didn't have more things in mind. "Daniel—" she began, uncertain of how long she should keep him tailing along but he stopped her before he could continue.

"Emily, wait—" he cut in. "Before you say no, I just want you to know. I'm not going to rest until I make this right for you." He paused, glancing down at the evidence still in his hand, the passport photo with his mother's picture that read, _Veronica Clarke._ "For all the Clarkes – Charlotte too."

Emily bit her tongue, swallowing the decline she was about to give him. Perhaps she could continue to keep him close. She had lost focus before but she was wiser – stronger this time around. Could she trust herself to form an alliance with him? Again?

"So do we have a partnership?" he asked, wary of the silence on the other side of the line.

Emily continued to partner, knowing for it to be a true partnership she would need to tell him the truth about her mother, but that could wait. For now, Amanda had started the ball rolling in Victoria's corner and there was much to gain from keeping close by. And beyond that, once her mother surfaced, Daniel would soon find out. She didn't know what to expect yet – but it was clear she needed his assistance just as much as he needed hers. She took a deep breath before answering his question.

"We do."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: And on that note, Demily is baaaa-aaaaack! Whew this was a long one guys, sorry! So much Demily had to be included though! And it may be mostly business for now, but you guys know, that's how every good relationship starts right? So! Tell me your thoughts! How did you like the reinvented scenes at the start of the episode, altered to fit how Emily would react to Daniel being her savior? I know it took a little time to break through the barriers but I think they've reached a happy medium of trust in this installment, hence the aptly titled 'Confidence' that just worked out so perfectly! How did you like Daniel's first turn at being an 'inside man'? And finally – Nolan does spywork! Without Aiden in this story you'll be seeing more of that side of Noles, hopefully to stretch his legs with his summer karate training! Please let me know your thoughts and reviews! As always, they are deeply appreciated and I love to read them as I formulate my next chapters! Till next time, much Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	5. Chapter 5: Intuition

**Chapter 5 – Intuition**

 _Emily's Voiceover: Some think intuition is a gift. But it can be a curse as well… A voice calling to us from places that are better left unexplored… An echo of memories that will never die… No matter how hard we try to kill them…_

Daniel jogged along the beach, feeling the fresh ocean spray mist his face as the summer breeze caught the waves. He located his goal just a few feet up ahead – the slender figure that stood at the crest of the waves, her feet firmly planted into the sand, staring straight ahead as the wind caught wisps of her blonde hair and twirled them around her face. Daniel never stopped admiring how beautiful Emily was, whether it was late at night, or early morning like today, she always seemed to be radiant to him. Perhaps it was their renewed connection that only intensified his admiration for her, seeing just how selfless she could be and how incredibly brilliant, while yet dauntingly cunning.

"Your message sounded urgent," Daniel exhaled when he stopped a few feet from where she stood, leaning over slightly to catch his breath. Besides affording him the opportunity to see her, Emily's request that they meet on the beach had also proved to be a good workout.

Emily turned slightly to face him, holding up her phone. "So did hers," she answered. Daniel listened while she played back a message from a woman whose voice he did not recognize. _"_ _It's me. Where are you? Um, some guy claiming to be a detective came by with a sketch asking questions. I know what I'm supposed to do,_ _and if I don't hear from you by tomorrow, I'll start shutting everything down and go dark like we promised… I'm just worried. I hope they haven't got to you—"_

Emily stopped the recording short, so she could explain, bracing herself as she prepared to slightly mask the truth. "This message is from Gordon Murphy's voicemail – this woman was working with him. The people she's referring to are likely his employers."

"Americon Initiative," Daniel finished for her, to a nod in return. He set his hands on his hips, sensing it was a precursor to their next move.

"With all contact severed, the Initiative is going to resurface to cover the loose ends," Emily continued, looking into Daniel's eyes. "We need to find them. Now that your mother's gone public about her affair with my father they may have already contacted your family." She watched as Daniel glanced downward, trying to think. "Notice anything suspicious lately?"

He looked back up, trying to recollect. "Other than my parents getting remarried?"

Emily furrowed her brow, not expecting that shake of events. "They hate each other?"

Daniel nodded, already aware of how odd it appeared. "Yeah well ever since the press conference they made some strange effort to reconcile – my mother's even letting my dad stay at the house." He thought for a moment, something coming to mind. "Come to think of it, my father did get a strange phone call that night before he went up on stage."

Emily nodded, already thinking it connected. "That might be the key – can you try to find out more about it?"

Daniel was a step ahead. "I'm already on it – I had to clean out the study since he moved back in and Lydia Davis went poking through the books I was using to audit him." Emily gave him a concerned look, wondering what Lydia could possibly want with Daniel's books. "But I'm headed into the office today to see what else I can find out."

"Here, take this with you," Emily offered, reaching in her large sweater pocket to hand him a small framed photo of himself, clearly taken from the polo match where he had first asked her out. "Slip it into your father's office somewhere."

Daniel examined the photo frame, somewhat surprised that she still held onto a memento from their whirlwind courtship. "A photo from my polo match?"

"It's a camera," Emily explained, drawing Daniel's attention to a very small, barely noticeable lense that was concealed at the top of the frame outline. "It'll save you from having to ask questions."

Daniel just shook his head, amazed at how easily Emily was able to produce gadgets and vices to aid her in her mission. It was a clear sign of forethought, and only intrigued him even more into her past. His look of surprise, coupled with silence drew Emily's attention. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied, laughing to himself. "You're just full of surprises. I guess I should've already expected spying on my family was one of them."

She straightened her stance, defiantly. "Trust me it's not a hobby – it's expedient. Consider it a necessary measure to protect the people I care about."

"You're saying I'm one of them?" Daniel glanced up at her, brushing a few wet strands of hair away from his forehead. Emily turned as if to mock his slight arrogance with a quick once-over. True, he was more attractive to her in this state – casually dressed, his shirt a bit sweat-stained and loose enough to bare his biceps. But as usual, she was all business.

"I'm saying," she clarified. "We need to stay one step ahead of the Initiative if we want to survive. Gordon threatened Charlotte's life before – who knows what they'll do next once they know he's been compromised."

Her explanation brought Daniel back to reality from his brief fantasy, and he grew serious at the mention of their shared sister's name. Yet it only opened another door to his many questions for her. "Speaking of Charlotte," he switched subjects. "I thought it was convenient for her to find out what happened to David only minutes before my mother's speech…"

He paused, allowing her time to address it, but Emily only turned back to face the ocean, still keeping guarded. Trusting Daniel with a degree of information was one thing, but her instincts still told her not to unravel the entire reason why she had given her father's journal to Amanda to confront her. She still had more to do in that regard and until she could be certain of her mother's whereabouts, she needed Victoria all to herself. Even though he was proving to be a reliable ally, the less Daniel knew was ultimately, the better.

Seeing she had no intention to respond, Daniel also glanced towards the shore, finishing his own assumption. "Right. Guess that's your agenda then… you plan for Charlotte to find out the truth after all?" He couldn't blame her. In fact a part of him wanted his younger sister to know, albeit not just yet. The other part of him treasured the concept of it being just between him and Emily for now, as if they were looking after her together.

Emily felt the end of the conversation coming; knowing any longer she stayed would only lengthen it. She crossed her arms as she turned to walk back towards the house, leaving him with his orders and a final assurance. "Slowly but surely," she replied.

Daniel stared after her for a moment as she walked back, nodding to himself before looking down at the frame in his hand and then turning to run back towards Grayson Manor.

 **SCENE**

 **"** This is a terrible idea," Victoria sighed as she pranced into Conrad's bedroom unannounced, where he was packing a large suitcase. "Bringing the Initiative back into our lives is a recipe for disaster." She insisted angrily, hoping he would reconsider.

But Conrad was not one to be quickly shaken off his course. He ignored her pleas, continuing to pack his suitcase. "Well, perhaps you should've thought of that before you made, and then _broke,_ a deal with one of their deadliest assassins." He tossed a few items in, growing exasperated at having to constantly explain his actions that it seemed always were Victoria's doing in the first place. "And it's not an invitation; in any case, it's a summons."

"Oh, and it has to be you?" Victoria implored, taking a few steps closer to lean on his dresser.

That alone got Conrad's attention. "Is that _worry_ I detect in your voice?"

"Yes, it is," Victoria sneered, ensuring he didn't get the wrong idea. "Worry that you will screw things up like everything else you lay your reptilian hands on!"

Conrad chuckled at her insult, zipping his suitcase shut and lifting it from the bed as he started past her for the hallway. "As much as I'd like to send you in my stead, my dear, I need you here, dealing with what's truly important," he perked up with a pernicious smile. "For example, planning our wedding?"

Victoria rolled her eyes at his preposterous notion that their remarriage was any more real than their first union and held her tongue as she noticed her son approaching down the hall.

"Morning all," Daniel greeted them, eyeing his father's suitcase suspiciously. "Where are you off to?"

"Client meeting in Palm Beach," Conrad lied without missing a beat. "Due to recent events, some of our high-rolling investors are a little jittery."

Daniel smiled, knowing his father was only running either from, or in the direction of, the Initiative, but it would still afford him the opportunity he needed to pore through things a bit at Grayson Global.

"Well, don't worry," he assured him. "I'll hold down the company fort while you're gone."

Conrad made his way down the hallway to where his daughter had emerged from her bedroom, still in her pajamas. "Dad, why is there a man installing a camera outside my bedroom?" she asked, referring to a worker who was perched on a short ladder not five feet away.

Conrad glanced over to where she was pointing, not realizing Daniel was just a few paces behind him, listening in. "Ah, that's a necessary evil, my dear," he attempted to console her with his arm over her shoulder. "You're protection is priceless. I will see you in a few days." He bid her farewell and then took off down the stairs, while Daniel followed a few steps behind him, pausing to give his sister a good-morning kiss on her forehead.

"Morning, Char," he greeted her softly, and then headed the other direction towards the kitchen.

Victoria emerged to see her daughter poised on the steps. "Charlotte," she called out to her, thinking of a question she had been meaning to ask. "Just before the press conference, you told me that Amanda knew the truth about her father. What did she tell you?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes, prepared to pull away from the other half of her twisted family. "She didn't _tell_ me anything," she insisted, turning to head back for her bedroom. "It was all in the journal my dad kept while he was in prison."

"I'd like to see it," Victoria continued, before she was out of sight.

"I'm sure you would, but it belongs to Amanda." Charlotte replied, standing between her doorway. "You'll have to ask her." With that she shut the door, leaving Victoria alone at the top of the stairwell to figure out the rest.

Meanwhile, at the front door, Conrad handed his bags to his driver, coinciding with Ashley's arrival at the Manor to report in for duty at Victoria's beckoning. "Good morning," she greeted Conrad, a bit under her breath. "Where are you off to?" she whispered.

"Business awaits," he answered shortly, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you due back at the office today?"

"Yes," Ashley answered with an exhausted grin. "But unfortunately now that the queen is back on her throne I am officially balancing two jobs at the same time."

Conrad nodded, understanding. "Ah, well then make it three - do me a favor and keep your eyes on Daniel while I'm gone, and don't take them off him until I return. Given the way he was a bit too eager to hold down the fort in my absence, it's pretty obvious he's up to something."

"I'll do my best," Ashley shrugged, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't nearby. "But despite my efforts to do so, I'm afraid your son simply isn't catching on. His thoughts are elsewhere."

"Don't I know it," Conrad agreed, sensing his son's intentions were still plotted against him ever since his confrontation at Grayson Global. "But like any of the Grayson men before him, he can be… persuaded." His implication was clear, and if not, the gentle tap he gave to Ashley's neck with his forefingers said all the rest.

She flinched slightly at the touch and nodded her compliance quickly, worried that one of the staff might have seen. "Then rest assured, I'll find out what it is."

 **SCENE**

"Amanda."

Emily opened her back door wide to greet her friend, who stood on the other side with a glum look on her face, toting a large rolling suitcase behind her. She stepped aside so she could enter and continued to address her, a note of sincere sympathy in her voice. "I made up the guest room for you. You can stay as long as you want."

Amanda disregarded her pleas, storming past her to park her suitcase before turning around to vent. "What were you thinking by forcing that witch to publicly embrace me? Jack completely flipped at me for not listening to him – he said he can't _commit_ to me now."

"Amanda, I'm so sorry –" Emily apologized, the remorse showing all over her face as she neared her. She had not intended for her plan to have a severe effect, and had truly predicted that Jack would forgive her the small indiscretion.

"Is this your way of getting him to dump me once and for all?" Amanda continued, not wanting to hear it.

" _No,_ " Emily insisted, starting to regret ever getting her involved.

"Then what?" she fumed, tears starting to form in her eyes as she gestured. "They killed your father, I get it. They're terrible people! But your obsession with making everyone pay is ruining lives, namely my baby's."

For the second time that day Emily was faced with telling the truth to appease the other, and unlike her earlier conversation with Daniel, this time she gave in out of empathy for her sister and friend. "Amanda – my mother's still alive," she announced, hoping it would help her to understand.

Amanda had turned away to begin wiping the moistness from her face and at Emily's admission, turned back around to face her. "What? I- I thought she died when you were a kid."

Emily took a step closer. "So did I – but for some reason my father lied to me. Now Victoria is the only person left who could possibly tell me where she is." She continued on, knowing she owed her more since she had already begun to play a part. "I needed you to put my father's journals on her radar. Hopefully what I wrote in them will be enough to get her to crack."

Amanda shook her head in disbelief, doing her best to catch up on everything that she had failed to see about her tortured best friend. Before she could properly process it, her phone rang. "It's Victoria," she informed Emily, turning to show her.

"Right on cue," Emily exhaled, relaxing as the next phase began. "My guess is she'll want to see you, and the journal." She looked at Amanda with a pleading expression. "Answer it." But Amanda's face remained firmly opposed. _"Please?_ Do this one last thing and I promise I will help smooth everything over with Jack."

Amanda kicked her options back and forth in her mind, but despite her hesitancy she realized at this point she had little choice, and Emily's offer was all she could take.

"Victoria? Hello."

 **SCENE**

"I want you to know that whatever issues you and I may have had, I loved your father very much," Victoria attempted to be sincere as she sipped at afternoon tea across from Amanda Clarke, settled in her brightly lit living room.

Amanda sneered back at her, not buying it. "You and I both know there's more to that story. You may have had my father fooled, but you don't fool me." She shifted slightly closer, allowing the very small camera device affixed to her sweater's button to capture a visual of Victoria's response, while the earwig hidden underneath her hair picked up the audio.

Emily listened and watched to the feed at home, having retrieved the devices from Nolan earlier that day so she could guide Amanda's conversation, much like she did with her confrontation of Mason Treadwell. Picking up on Amanda's tendency to quickly become abrasive, she whispered a command back at her, which Amanda could hear in her earpiece. "Don't piss her off," she urged her. "Not yet. Read her the first passage."

Amanda complied, lifting the journal to read from the page Emily had slightly altered. _""I'll never forget the night Victoria and I met - New Year's Eve, 1991. In her eyes, I saw kindness and fire and something else - a deep sadness to match my own. It had been two years since I had said good-bye to my wife. And the pain of that loss was as crippling on that night as it was the day I laid eyes on her for the last time.""_

Victoria listened in deep nostalgia as she heard David's vivid description of her, but once Amanda stopped she cut her reminiscing short. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? How much?" she asked.

Amanda raised an eyebrow, realizing Victoria was attempting to buy her off. "The journal's not for sale - I don't want your money."

"Then pray, what do you want?"

"I want to know about my mother," Amanda continued, and began reading the next passage per Emily's request in her ear. _""The only person to whom I ever confided the truth about Kara was Victoria.""_ She straightened up. "What truth is he talking about?"

Victoria remained tightly locked up, growing irritated at her prying. "All I know is what he told me - which is that your mother died in a mental institution when you were a very little girl. Perhaps a similar fate awaits you?"

"Did you - meet her?" Amanda continued to push.

"No," Victoria replied firmly. "And if you think I'm going to fall prey to your emotional extortion, you are sorely mistaken. All I can tell you is that your mother was the source of all of David's pain."

Emily shook her head; it still wasn't enough. Victoria was holding onto something. She listened as she went on.

"Now if you don't care to share his writings - that's your prerogative. But you're family now.  
And it's my hope that one day you will share them, if not out of respect for me, out of love for your father." She finished her persuasive request to Amanda just as Charlotte entered the room, finally fully dressed.

"Mom? Amanda?" She was completely surprised to see them conversing without her knowledge. "What's going on?"

"Well, we were just discussing Amanda's baby shower," Victoria disguised the truth gracefully with a stern expression levied towards Amanda.

"What baby shower?" Charlotte wasn't convinced.

Victoria smiled. "Well, the one that we're throwing for her tomorrow. It's impromptu, I know, but I thought it would be a fun way for you to celebrate being an aunt. And thankfully Ashley has returned to our service, will you send for her please?" She cleverly dismissed Charlotte, who walked away slowly to make the phone call, still suspicious of her mother's intentions.

Once Charlotte was gone, Amanda grew nervous on how to respond, but Emily's whisper in her ear told her all she needed to know. "Say yes. We need another pass at her."

Amanda put on a fake smile to match Victoria's and stood to her feet, anxious to leave. As she did so, the camera she was wearing caught a small item in the corner of the room, an anomaly that Emily observed immediately while Amanda responded.

"Thank you, Victoria – I feel like the luckiest girl in the world."

 **SCENE**

"Ugh, that woman is a psycho," Amanda exhaled as she walked back inside Emily's beach house, slamming her purse on the table and moving to massage her belly immediately, out of habit. "I don't know if I'm up for another pass."

Emily got up from where she was sitting to comfort her, placing a hand on her back. "You did fine." She handed her a tattered piece of paper.

"What is this?" Amanda asked.

"It's proof Victoria knew my mother," Emily explained. "I found this in the hospital she visited her in - it's signed Charlotte Clarke. She signed in under a different name?"

"And how am I supposed to get her to admit that?" Amanda questioned. "In the company of a an entire baby shower, no less."

"Leave that to me," Emily affirmed, glancing back towards her laptop. "Your camera picked up something while you were over there – the Graysons have installed surveillance. If I can get Nolan to hack the system for me I can access any room we want."

Amanda started to get restless, taking a few steps away to breathe after hearing how complex Emily's plan was becoming. "Emily, I'm not sure if I can do this,"

Emily snatched up the phone that had slid out of Amanda's purse when she slammed it onto the table. "Look, all you have to do is call Victoria and tell her you've reconsidered giving her the journals. Tell her you'll take the money and ask her to write you a check for $100,000."

"What do we need her money for?" Amanda's confusion was making her more annoyed.

Emily thrust the phone into her hand. "We _don't_ need the money, we need her signature. Look, if we do this, if I find my mother – we can be _done._ " She looked at her expectantly.

Amanda just shook her head, staring at the paper in her one hand and the phone in the other, and finally fed up she forced them back at Emily. "You will _never_ be done." She turned around and started outside.

Emily received the items in surprise and began to walk after her. "Amanda, wait – where are you going?"

"To think!" she snapped back, annoyed. She continued out of the front door, desperate for air and some space.

Emily sighed; putting the items back down on the table before returning to sit down at her laptop, realizing that time to think might not be a bad idea. There was already something creeping into her mind that was tugging at her instincts. Daniel had not mentioned the surveillance installed in his house that morning, and had certainly given her the third degree when he suspected she could be spying on him. Was there something he was hiding? Something he didn't want her to see?

Her curiosity peaked, she decided to investigate the device she had given him that morning and pulled up the site to monitor the footage at Grayson Global. She watched as it appeared on screen – clearly it had been stationed in Conrad's office, but rather than the former being seated at his desk, the camera clearly revealed Daniel to be there instead. Emily watched closely to observe just exactly what he was up to.

 **SCENE**

"Daniel?" Ashley peaked into Conrad's office, surprised to find his son there in his place instead. She tensed up as she prepared to follow through on her commitment to keep an eye on him for Conrad. "I thought you went home?"

"I thought you did, too?" Daniel replied, a big caught off guard. He had hoped to have the last hour there alone to peruse through anything his father left behind, his absence proving to be convenient for him to look into his affiliation with the Initiative.

"I'm on my way out, just finishing final details on the Dubai teleconference in the morning," she summed up quickly, already prepared. She braced herself for another attempt at getting close. "Say, would you mind if I bummed a ride off you to the Manor? Your mother asked me to stop by to help with a last minute baby shower she's throwing tomorrow and of course it has to be the day I'm having my car serviced." She rolled her eyes, stressing his mother's merciless tendency to expect her to be at her beck and call.

Daniel smiled, immediately sympathizing. "Sure, of course." He thought for a moment. "Ah – baby shower for who?"

"Amanda Clarke." Ashley answered, clasping her hands.

Daniel paused to mull her answer over. Despite his mother's pretend advances to welcome Amanda into the fold, he knew to go to this extent had to mean something else. And his intuition was telling him his newly acquired partner had something to do with it. He needed to stall for time.

"So shall we walk down?" Ashley jumped in before he could reply.

"Ah, just a minute," he answered nervously, clicking away on the computer screen. "I just have to finish up a few things here."

Ashley nodded and began to walk away, but thought better of it, knowing this was a moment Conrad would expect her to seize the opportunity. "Daniel, are you sure you'll alright? I'm just a bit worried…"

Feeling a bit caught, Daniel turned his attention to her. "What do you mean?"

She decided to put it all out there. "This whole business with your mother's kidnapping and what the media's been speculating. You know, about your father? I keep thinking, if Conrad were engaged in some impropriety, couldn't we all be implicated?"

Daniel relaxed. Ashley was just like him, starting to pick up on the corruption in the family she worked for. He pitied her, knowing just how naïve he was when it all first kicked off and his sympathies allowed him to loosen up a little. "You're right, Ash. But not if get to the bottom of it first. And whatever he's done, I promise - he's gonna be taking sole responsibility for it."

Ashley's interest peaked slightly. "You would do that, turn on your own father?"

He knew his affirmation had surprised her, but she couldn't be blamed. She knew so little about what really was taking place behind the scenes. "What, you think he wouldn't do the same to me or Charlotte?" He paused. "Or even you?"

Ashley pretended to ponder on his words, seeing his point and shrugged, attempting to move past it. "I see what you mean." She glanced over at his screen before heading out of the office. "Well listen, I'll let you finish up. I'll meet you in the parking garage?"

"I'll be right there," he thanked her, appreciating her innocent show of support. He returned his focus back to the screen, and before she had exited not even ten seconds, his cell phone began to ring. He glanced over, saw it was Emily, and answered immediately.

"Just the person I was looking for—" he began, hoping to ask her about the baby shower Ashley mentioned, but his train of thought was cut short.

"What were you thinking sharing your suspicions with Ashley?" Emily immediately accosted him, her temper flaring as she monitored Conrad's office from her home.

Daniel glanced over at the camera on the frame, already annoyed. "Well excuse me, but I thought Ashley used to be your friend," he defended his actions. "So what now you don't care if anything happens to her? Or are you too busy sending your decoy to extort my mother?"

"What?" Emily was surprised he was so up to speed.

Daniel stood up; taking his briefcase so he could walk out of the monitor's frame and headed for the elevator. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Yeah, Ashley told me about the baby shower. I'm sure you have nothing to do with that, right?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Never mind that Daniel, Ashley could be working for Conrad, you can't trust her. Why else would she be cozying up to you again?"

Her assumptions drove him insane as he entered the elevator. "Oh I'm sorry, you must have misinterpreted the partnership we have as an indication that I don't have _real_ feelings."

Emily retracted her frustration, sensing she was pushing her limit with him. "Daniel, I'm not saying she isn't attracted to you." She relaxed her guard as she allowed herself to think about the area of their previous relationship she seldom dwelled on. "In fact I know she is – why else would she have told you about me and Jack?"

Silence on the other line. Daniel licked his lips and swallowed before responding. "You knew it was her?"

"An educated guess," Emily stated flatly. She glanced back at the time, knowing she had to get in touch with Nolan soon if she was going to get help hacking into the surveillance system. "Look, feel free to test me on my theory; I have other things to do."

"Yeah I'll bet," Daniel shot back, his insecurities beginning to spike a bit. He ended the call just as the elevator reached the parking garage and the doors slid open, revealing Ashley waiting on him.

She turned around with a bright smile, relishing the opportunity to accompany him home – alone, no less. "Ready, love?"

 **SCENE**

"You know, this wouldn't be as painful if you kept better records."

Padma gently scolded Nolan from where she was almost waist deep in papers in the sitting area of his office, while he looked on from behind his desk, smirking from behind the computer screen. She sighed at his clear disinterest. "Some of this unopened mail dates back six months or more!"

"Only Luddites use snail mail," he replied simply, glancing over at his phone when it buzzed on his desk. He picked it up immediately, more interested in the caller than the audit Padma was single-handedly trying to manage.

"And here we were, not even speaking of the devil," he greeted Emily on the other line. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Since Danny's been in the picture you hardly ever write or call—"

"Nolan I need a favor," she answered back urgently.

"—unless you need something," he finished, answering his own question. Padma only glanced over briefly to listen in but quickly went back to what she was doing when she realized who he was speaking to. Nolan accepted her request with grace. "Hit me, taskmaster."

"I need you to hack into the Graysons' security system," she continued, all business. "They recently had surveillance installed and I need to get in by tomorrow afternoon."

"Ooh, tight deadline," Nolan teased her back, quickly typing away as she spoke. He hit two buttons on the keyboard before snapping a fast response. "And – done and done. Kid's play. Next?"

"You're in?" she asked him. His effortless ability to infiltrate systems never ceased to be an amazing feat.

He smiled, beaming at the hidden compliment in her reply. "Turns out the software their security company is using? Proprietary to a subsidiary of Nolcorp. Now you can monitor Boris and Natasha's every move." He leaned back in his chair, proud of himself. "Now, would you like to give me a _real_ assignment, something challenging perhaps?"

Emily reviewed the link he had just shot over to her from her laptop and confirmed it worked. "I think I've got everything under control." She glanced out towards the porch, growing a bit worried about Amanda's state and knew she would need to do some additional convincing if the rest of her plan was going to work. As much as she wanted to stay on the line longer she was caught in a delicate balance between her friends and allies and had to prioritize. "I have to go - but thank you, really."

"Anytime." Nolan ended with a cavalier response, half-expecting her to disappear after she got what she needed anyway. He looked back over at Padma, who had risen to her feet and caught the expression of concern on her face.

"Nolan, I found something you need to look at," she began, walking over to hand him the piece of mail she was holding.

"Oh?" He stood up, fumbled around for a letter opener to slit it open, barely remembering the last time he had to open physical mail. "Another love letter from the I.R.S.?" he guessed.

"No," she explained while he perused it. "It's from your father's estate attorney. It says his belongings are being held in storage and will be auctioned off if not claimed." She stepped closer to lean on his desk, a solemn expression on her face. "Why didn't you tell me he died?"

His countenance fell as he allowed her words to sink in and stared back at the pages in front of his face that confirmed it. He took a deep breath and swallowed as he sank back into his chair to digest the truth she had just broken to him.

"Because… this is the first I'm hearing of it."

 **SCENE**

"So," Ashley attempted to break up the awkward silence on the ride home, while Daniel drove beside her. His eyes remained fixed on the road and he seemed to be thinking intensely. She knew she would need to work hard to get him to loosen up. "Have you considered taking a break this summer – a little vacation maybe?"

Daniel shook his head. "Not really, no. Things have been too hectic to even think about that."

"That's exactly _why_ you should," she insisted, reaching over to rub his arm that was relaxed on the console between them. "You're wearing yourself out worrying about all of this conspiracy with your father. You need to enjoy yourself. It is summer, after all."

Daniel managed a grin, glancing over at her. "I appreciate you looking out for me. Just not sure I can manage it with my father at the helm."

She conceded, just enough to seem agreeable, while passively pushing for the opposite. "And yet your father even still manages to steal away a visit to Palm Beach…?"

Daniel wanted to correct her, sensing that his father was quite possibly not where he said he was. But something about the conviction in which Emily had warned him made him reconsider. He kept silent for a moment, prompting Ashley to keep going.

"I'm not suggesting you head for the Keys or anything," she clarified, keeping her hand on his arm. "But how about a local diversion? Maybe even just… lunch sometime?"

Despite his initial reaction to find the interest flattering, something about the forwardness in her approach kept him at bay. Was Emily right? Was she only getting close to him for her own purpose? The thought only gnawed at him further when he still could not be sure if Emily herself was doing the same thing, a concept which frustrated him even more. And yet, she still had yet to breach the subject of their own relationship beyond the partnership they shared. Perhaps allowing Ashley to get close would be the best way to test how she felt.

"You know what you're right," he replied, pushing a more convincing smile onto his face while he turned briefly away from the road to look at her. "A diversion is just what I need. How about tomorrow?"

"Sounds lovely!" she responded, smiling to herself. Finally – a breakthrough. "I just have to square away the details with your mother for the shower before I leave, but that shouldn't be a problem."

"If she tries to tell you otherwise," Daniel continued, feeling a surge of power from his own plan. "Tell her I gave you the day off." He smiled over at her, to a mirrored look in return. So Emily wanted him to test her theory? He would be certain not to disappoint.

 **SCENE**

"We appreciate you coming on short notice."

Conrad turned slightly as he heard the voice of his eerie companion, the representative from the Initiative that had been dispatched to meet him at the appointed location where he waited, in a dimly lit parking garage. She approached slowly, concealed behind a scarf and dark sunglasses while he stared straight ahead, responding without turning to face her.

"I didn't realize I had a choice."

She scoffed at his remark. "You always have a choice. It's whether or not you're able to live with your choices - that's the question."

Conrad nodded, acknowledging her implication. "So I take it you've been watching the news very closely since your agent went rogue, taking my wife hostage."

"Yes." She answered flatly. "A curious betrayal after decades of loyal service to the organization."

Conrad set his hands firmly on his hips, emphasizing his discomfort. "He's been making subsequent threats, and I fear for my family. I need assurances that you can control him."

"As far as we're able to discern, he's off the grid, but rest assured, we will find him." His companion continued to speak slowly and deliberately, before turning to leave their meeting point as quickly as she had come. "And when we do, we'll be most interested in hearing his side of the story."

He watched her leave out of the corner of his eye, knowing that was a conversation he would have to go to great lengths to prevent.

She smiled as she walked away, noticing his hesitancy. "We'll be in touch."

 **SCENE**

"Emily, come in."

Ashley stepped aside as Emily arrived at Grayson Manor for the baby shower, dressed in an elegant black sundress that complemented her slender frame.

"Ashley," Emily greeted her back with a hint of surprise, observing her own choice of light and breezy attire. "I should have known Victoria would use your decorative flair to pull this shower off within a day's notice."

Ashley chuckled in agreement, glancing over at her handiwork. "Just another busy day in the hive," she concurred. "But I just came by to confirm last minute details; I'm not staying for the event."

Emily tilted her head in concern. "Oh, I'm sure Amanda wouldn't mind?"

Just then, Daniel emerged from the kitchen into the foyer, to come up beside Ashley, while Emily looked on, tensing up a bit. He rested a hand on that back of Ashley's arm. "Actually we made plans for luncheon," he asserted, watching for Emily's reaction. "Didn't we, Ash?"

Emily arched a brow at his challenge. So he was going to test out her theory after all. Well she certainly was not one to cower in return. She glanced over at Ashley, who wore an apologetic look on her face. "I hope you don't mind?"

Her seemingly sincere plea only gave Emily the extra urge to remain blasé. "No, why would I mind?" she responded innocently, shooting a meaningful stare at Daniel. "Daniel and I are history."

He caught her stare and ended the unspoken battle before it could get any worse, speaking aside to Ashley. "I'll be outside." He brushed past Emily to walk out of the front door, while she barely turned her head an inch to watch him leave.

Once he was gone, Ashley moved closer to Emily. "I'm so sorry about that, Ems – honestly we only just made the plans—"

"Ashley, don't be silly," she rebuffed her. "I just want you to enjoy your summer. As long as you and I can still be friends, that's all that matters." She nodded at her for confirmation.

"Right," Ashley forced a contented smile, still uncertain of where she stood. "I—I better go."

Emily nodded as she walked away and then turned back around to begin entering the living room, catching sight of Charlotte first, who rushed over to her.

"Thank God you're here," she greeted her with a hug. "I was worried Amanda was going to have to endure my mother grilling her all by herself."

Emily smiled, catching sight of both Victoria and Amanda seated in the main area. She hugged Charlotte back and rubbed her reassuringly, responding in a whisper with a double meaning.

"Not without me."

 **SCENE**

"You're here?" Padma observed, peeking her head into Nolan's office at Nolcorp to see him staring silently outside of his large window view. "After yesterday, I thought you might have taken a few days off."

Nolan responded, only slightly turning to acknowledge her presence. "Yeah, well my CFO says I need to have more of a presence so… trying to keep her happy." He managed a half grin. "She has been working insane hours to save me from a company audit after all."

Padma relaxed, shaking her head as she approached him. "Bereavement is different. There's nothing wrong with taking time to grieve."

Nolan waved off her attempt, wishing to change the subject all together. "So, where have you been?"

Unfortunately, the answer kept her on topic. Padma looked down in her hands at the key she was holding onto. "I've been at your father's storage unit." He gave her a questionable look in return and she had to finally help him see the important. "Look - my nani never wanted me to come to America. The week I landed a job interview at J. , she caught a nasty flu.  
My parents sent a ticket, urging me to fly home, but I was afraid if I asked them to push the interview, I'd lose the job. Three days later, she was gone."

Nolan stared up at her, a bit of moistness forming in his eyes as he realized the direct correlation of her story to his own life. She tossed him the key, which he caught and palmed in his hand.

"Regrets suck." She concluded, hoping he would reconsider. To her surprise, he did.

"Where is it?" he asked, beginning to see things in a new light, including just how much he appreciated her presence.

She smiled in response. "I'll drive you."

 **SCENE**

"Last but not least," Charlotte announced, handing over Amanda's final gift to complete the large stash of beautiful items she had received from herself, Emily, and several other ladies her mother decided to invite to support her cause.

Victoria watched as Amanda unwrapped the small box in her lap, revealing a leather-bound book. "It's a baby journal," she explained. "Open it."

Amanda complied while Emily looked on, certain that this was the moment they were waiting for. Her gasp confirmed it. "Um that is, uh, so beautiful," Amanda breathed as she stared back at the large check that was slipped into the front cover. "And appropriate."

Victoria gave her a winning smile, content that she had put the matter to bed. "Thank you."

With a quick nod from Emily, Amanda braced herself on the couch, appearing to feel faint. "Whoa," she mumbled, while Charlotte looked over nervously.

"Amanda, are you all right?" she asked.

"Just, uh, kind of exhausted suddenly." She lied with perfection, glancing over at Victoria. "Do you think maybe I could lie down, just for a moment?"

"Certainly," Victoria answered, confident that it signified the last part of their deal. She turned to her daughter. "Charlotte, would you escort the ladies to the conservatory for petits fours and refreshments?"

Charlotte complied and Emily rose to her feet to assist Amanda towards the hallway, stopping briefly to whisper to her before Victoria got close. "I'll be watching," she assured her, before dipping away into the downstairs lavatory. Once safely behind closed doors she plugged in her earwig so she could hear Amanda's conversation and pulled up the security surveillance on her phone, from the site Nolan sent to her. She watched as Victoria led her up the stairs.

"I knew you were a smart girl." Victoria began negotiations without hesitating. "I'm glad you changed your mind, Amanda."

"Tell her you have and that she can have the journals," Emily instructed, to which Amanda did immediately after.

"Well, once I receive them, I'll sign the check," Victoria held true to character, ensuring she had what she wanted before paying up.

"Go for it," Emily gave Amanda the signal to dive in. "Make her squirm."

"Actually, you don't need to do that," Amanda stopped her short in the upstairs hall, drawing a suspicious look from Victoria. She pulled a piece of paper out of her purse. "You said that my mother died in an institution. This is the visitors log from the hospital where she was committed. My Aunt Charlotte signed in a few days before my father's arrest."

"Oh, this again," Victoria rolled her eyes, beginning to walk away before Amanda stopped her and forced her to look at the paper. "I assume you have a point?"

"My aunt was an invalid." Amanda continued, turning the inside of the journal to face Victoria so she could compare the check and the log page side by side. "She couldn't walk, much less write.  
I had my suspicions about who forged the signature, but I never knew for sure until now." She read from where Victoria had addressed her name. "Amanda Clarke - Charlotte Clarke. They match. What happened when you visited her?"

Victoria shook her head, angered by how easily she had allowed the ruthless girl to entrap her again. "This is pointless. Either you show yourself out or I will have you escorted." She turned to walk away, while Emily watched from the monitor.

"Go after her!" she urged Amanda.

Amanda hurried to stop her, pulling her into the overlook directly above the foyer. "Why were you there, Victoria?" she demanded. "What did you do to her?!"

"Oh, let it go!" Victoria insisted. "If your father were here, he would tell you the same thing!"

"My father told me she was dead!" Amanda leveled back. "Why would he make me believe she was dead when she was obviously still alive?"

"Because he was trying to protect you!" Victoria was nearly screaming.

"From what?" Amanda pushed back, while Emily struggled to listen. Her connection suddenly began to time out, cutting into the footage and the audio in her ear.

"Amanda?" she checked in her ear, but she could clearly not respond, only listened as Victoria began to crack.

"He would rather have you believe that she was dead than to tell you the unspeakable truth," Victoria surmised, trying to walk away, but Amanda spun reached out to hold her steady in place, spinning around so that her back was to the railing while Victoria stood poised in the hallway.

"What? Tell me!" She held the check in hand, while Victoria stared at it regretfully.

"Amanda!" Emily whispered again, completely unable to hear her. She hit her phone twice and cursed when it would not come through.

Victoria gave in, finally fed up and leaned closer. "Your mother tried to kill you!"

Amanda shook her head. "No… no, that's a lie."

Seething with anger, Victoria took hold of the check in Amanda's hand, ready to snatch it back. "I wish it was. And no matter how much hatred you harbor toward me, it is the absolute- truth!" With her last word she pulled angrily at the check, forcing Amanda's arm to snap back in resistance, the momentum throwing her backwards against the railing and sending her flying back overboard. She screamed aloud as she flailed to the bottom floor below, landing in a painful crash.

The thud was loud enough for all to hear, an within moments Emily came running out of the downstairs bathroom, followed by Victoria down the stairs, with a look of shock over her face. "Oh my God!" She looked up for her maid. "Marta! Someone, call 9-1-1!"

Emily was by Amanda's side in moments, panicking at what Victoria had done, and what she had nearly forced Amanda to do to cause it. "What happened?!" She shrieked, pulling out her phone in moments.

"What happened?!" Charlotte cried out as she arrived next with the rest of the bridal shower guests behind her, kneeling down beside Emily. "Oh, my God. Amanda!"

Amanda struggled to lift her head and then released her grip, overwhelmed by the impact of the fall. Her mouth parted open where she'd bit her lip, leaking a pool of blood onto the floor.

"Yes, we need an ambulance right away!" Emily breathed into her phone as the 911 operator answered. She continued to breathe deeply, boring a glare into Victoria as she remained certain that the literal blood that marked her floor was without a doubt, on her hands.

 **SCENE**

"Can I start you two off with something to drink?"

Ashley looked up from her menu as a young waiter approached, and did her best to keep herself occupied while Daniel stared into the distance before her, his mind clearly a thousand miles away from the café' they were at.

"I hear the Pinot is positively sinful," she offered in response, hoping a glass of wine would calm his nerves. Daniel obliged and handed his menu back, just happy he didn't have to think any further. He tried his best to clear his mind, leaning forward to engage her, but still not speaking.

Ashley gave a nod to the waiter and did the same, sensing she would need to break the ice before she could accomplish anything. She figured the best way was head-on. "Listen I hope that wasn't too awkward for you earlier – running into Emily?"

Daniel toughened at the mention, but did his best to put it out of mind, taking a sip of his water. "Why should it be? It's like she said – Emily and I are history." He glanced at her through the bottom of his glass before setting it down. "You should know that better than anyone."

Ashley bit her lip. "Sometimes I regret telling you what I saw last year," she replied, glancing downwards. "It seems like ever since then you went into a bit of a black hole."

He knew all too well that her words were true, but for a decidedly different reason. Yet despite knowing who Emily really was, it seemed her exterior had only become more impenetrable than before, a concept that Daniel struggled with accepting given how open they had recently become with each other, and the secrets that bound them together. But in retrospect, that still didn't require Emily to open her heart to him, a fact he had to accept. He brightened up a little. "Well now maybe you can help bring me out of it. I know you've tried before and I wasn't very receptive?"

She shook her head in return, feeling a twinge of guilt that back when she tried it was out of sincere interest as opposed to now, when she had an ulterior motive pushing her harder.

"I'll work on changing that," he decided. "And by the way – don't be so hard on yourself for telling me. All that did was let me know that I can trust you."

Again, Ashley felt a pang of guilt as she stared back into his sincere brown eyes, and felt the urge to promise him in return, despite not being certain she could hold to it. "You can, Daniel. I will always be honest with you."

None too soon than when he smiled in return, her phone began to ring on the table. They both glanced at it quickly. _Conrad Grayson._ The brief image of his father's name on her caller ID peaked Daniel's interest as Ashley snatched the phone up, glanced at it, and then set it back down.

"You gonna answer that?" he pried, suspiciously.

She shrugged it off, taking a sip of her water. "Ah – no, it can wait. The man's called me three times to confirm his Palm Beach ocean view suite." She waved it off and slipped her phone into her clutch on the table, hoping Daniel wouldn't notice her nerves. "I'll just get back to him later."

Unfortunately for her sake, Daniel's observation skills had become sharpened of late and he caught the discrepancy. Suddenly nauseated, he began to rise from his seat, taking his own phone with him. "Hey, uh, that reminds me I forgot to call an important client today – will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Sure."

Once he was out of eyesight from the table, he glanced around the bar, looking for the young waiter that was their server. He caught up with him emerging from the kitchen with the bottle of Pinot wrapped in hand. He signaled him over. "Hey," and dug a thick money clip out of his pocket. "You look like a man who knows a good business proposition." He gestured back to Ashley back at the table, oblivious. "I'm looking for an excuse to get my lovely date home early - want to make a quick buck?"

The waiter grinned back, catching his drift and allowing Daniel's convincing wad of money to persuade him. He leaned close while Daniel whispered his request in his ear and then tapped him lightly in gratitude before heading back to sit down.

"Sorry about that," he apologized to Ashley. "You were saying?"

Before she could respond, the waiter was beside them again, opening the wine bottle. He paused to glance meaningfully at Daniel before beginning to lean over Ashley's lap to pour into her glass, and then suddenly stumbled forward, splashing her entire lap full of wine.

"Ahh!" she shrieked, throwing her hands up immediately. "Bloody hell!"

"Miss, I'm so-so _sorry!_ " the waiter apologized right away, setting down the wine bottle in front of her purse and attempting to mop at her lap with the towel over his arm. Daniel leaned over the table in an attempt to help, watching with exaggerated concern.

"Ash, you ok?"

"Ugh, my dress is _ruined!_ " she sulked, trying to mop at it herself, but to no avail. She finally rolled her eyes and got up, and the waiter continued to offer his aid.

"Please, miss, let me take you somewhere to clean up – I promise if I can't help you get that out, I'll take the cost of the dress out of my check myself." He insisted, nudging her by the elbow in another direction.

"No that's not necessary," she snapped, turning to grab her purse. "Just point me to the ladies room, I'll handle it myself." She sent an apologetic look at Daniel. "I'll be just a second."

Daniel rose from his seat to excuse her with an understanding nod, and once she was gone, he seized the opportunity to retrieve her phone from where he had stashed it under the table, having slipped it out of her clutch during the commotion. He pulled up her messaging inbox, and took a breath at what he saw. Multiple messages, back and forth, from her to his father, clearly instructing her to spy on him and stay close at all costs. He pressed his lips together firmly, seething at her betrayal, but maintained his calm, knowing his anger would only capsize her if confronted, and alert his father. Instead, another idea came to him. He kept the phone hidden in his hand until she returned.

She set her clutch down on the table angrily, clearly still perturbed over her dress. "I'm starting to think lunch was a bad idea," she lamented. Daniel pretended to sympathize in return.

"And just when I was finally getting to know you," he smiled back, implying more than she knew. He glanced around to make a snap decision. "Hey – what do you say we get out of here? I'll even stop on the way back to buy you a new dress?"

She tried to be modest. "You really don't have to."

He rose from the table, straightening his jacket. "I want to." He lifted her clutch into his hand and kept his eyes on her as he deftly slipped the phone back inside while at the same time planting a soft kiss on her cheek. The distraction worked, and when he handed her the purse back she didn't even notice the difference.

"Come on," he insisted. "Let's go."

 **SCENE**

Jack rushed into the emergency entrance of Suffolk County Memorial Hospital, frantically looking around for Emily. Her message had nearly caused him to hyperventilate on the spot, finding out that not only had Amanda visited Victoria Grayson's home since their breakup, but suffered a potentially fatal fall, likely at her hands. He cursed himself for ever being so harsh with her and asking her to leave in the first place, feeling like it was half his fault for forcing her to turn to the only people she thought she had left. But in reality, the true motivation behind his abrupt dismissal was compounded by the state of the Stowaway – it had failed to pass inspection and stank to high heavens with the solution that Declan was hurriedly cleaning it with, in hopes of removing the mold decay. Without it being able to pass they would have to sell, a concept Jack had not yet come to terms with, especially with a baby on the way and no secure place for them to live. The layers of stress in his life seemed to all be crushing down upon him, and he was nearly in tears when he finally saw Emily's face at the end of the hallway, with Charlotte a few paces away.

"Emily!" he called out and she whirled around.

"Jack!" she exhaled, suddenly relaxed once seeing him there. He rushed over to her and they embraced briefly.

"How is she, is there any word?" His face reddened with concern and anguish.

"Not yet," she answered solemnly. "The doctors are just about to give us an update." She took a deep breath, feeling nearly overwhelmed with guilt as she stared at the pain on his face. "Jack, I'm so sorry—"

"It's all my fault," he interrupted, shifting it to himself instead. "All I can think about is how awful I was to her, the last things I said—"

Emily refused to let him take the blame. "Jack, don't do that to yourself."

"I nearly pushed her to go to them!" He insisted, staring back up her while he covered his mouth with his hand. "And now this…" Charlotte looked on with a pained look. Despite their breathy whispers she knew he was referring to her mother, and she too felt a tugging feeling of resentment towards whatever hand her mother had played in her sister's life, and that of her child, hanging in the balance.

Just then the doctor approached, breaking up the downcast assembly with an update. "Amanda Clarke's family?"

Jack's face lit up as they all turned. "That's us," he stepped forward. "I'm Amanda's – I'm the father. How are they?"

 **SCENE**

"Victoria!" Conrad gasped as he entered the foyer of Grayson Manor and watched Marta mopping up blood on the floor. "What the hell happened?! Where are the children?"

Victoria approached, returning from the fireplace where she had just finished neatly destroying both the log-in sheets that Amanda had brought her and the check she had written her for the journals. She walked calmly into the foyer to answer Conrad's question. "The children are safe. It's Amanda Clarke's blood." She looked at the spot. "She fell."

Conrad was only mildly relieved. "On _our_ property? You better hope it's not serious."

"It's very serious, no matter what her fate," Victoria insisted, stopping short as Daniel walked in the front door.

"Hey, Mom," he greeted her and then looked at his father. "Welcome home, Dad. Good trip?"

"Uh – yes. Thank you, son," Conrad answered swiftly.

Daniel's attention finally caught onto the rigorous cleaning of the floor. "I take it the shower didn't go well then?" He looked to his mother for explanation.

"Amanda had an accident," Victoria glanced over at Conrad, anxious to cover the underlying reasons why. "Your sister and Emily went with her to the hospital." At her own mention of his former fiancé she rushed to change the subject. "How was your lunch date with Ashley?"

"Cut short, I'm afraid," he replied, peering over at his father to see if it triggered response. "I just dropped her off at her car. And I'm a bit wiped so I think I'll just turn in, alright?"

His parents watched until he exited out of the foyer, and once they heard the door leading to the pool house close, they resumed conversation, not realizing Daniel was actually hidden just inside the doors of the study, still listening in.

Victoria continued. "Just before the accident, Amanda confronted me with some old log-in sheets from her mother's hospital. She's very close to figuring out that I hand-delivered Kara to Gordon Murphy."

Conrad's countenance turned from concern to suspicion. "And how could she have stumbled upon that?"

Victoria smoldered in return. "She couldn't have, not without help."

"Well help is something we're both going to need very soon," Conrad digressed, loosening his tie as he started for their stairs. Victoria walked over to the banister to accost him.

"What happened? Has the Initiative located Gordon?" she leaned in, anxious.

Daniel flinched at the mention, listening closer.

Conrad continued marching upstairs. "Not yet. But for your sake, you better hope he's already dead when they do."

Daniel turned away once they disappeared, and slipped towards the pool house for real this time, processing all that he had heard. Amanda hospitalized, a showdown over her mother, and the Initiative clearly looking for Gordon Murphy's head? This convoluted puzzle was beginning to take shape and all signs pointed towards him and Emily at the helm.

 **SCENE**

Emily tried her best to console Jack in the waiting area at the hospital, after hearing the news from the doctor that it was quite possible a decision would need to be made during the delivery – mother or child. He continued to be restless, and she understood the feeling. Mountains of guilt compounded with the drive of responsibility. Amanda had chosen her child to be preserved first, should anything happen, but that would be a harsh reality to live with if it meant her loss. She for one could also not bear the loss of her sister in identity, as she put an arm around her sister in blood, Charlotte, who rested in the chair beside her.

Before she could get too comfortable, she felt the buzz of her phone and gently lifted herself from where Charlotte rested so she could take the call out of earshot. Once down the hallway she answered briskly.

"Shouldn't you be wining and dining your glorified secretary?"

Daniel scowled on the other side of the line, walking around the outside of the pool. "I suppose I deserve that. But I didn't call to fight – I called to tell you, you were right about Ashley."

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh, you tested her loyalty did you? You must still value that trait then. I guess you're not as much like your father as I thought."

"Enough Emily," Daniel stopped her caustic remarks, raising his tone slightly. "I know she's been working with him. But she's not the only one keeping secrets around here. Why didn't you tell me you were looking for your mother?"

Emily glared into space, knowing she had Victoria to thank for that revelation. She could just picture her now, excusing herself for her hand in Amanda's accident by blaming her for her confrontation about Kara Clarke. "It wasn't relevant to the plan," she stated flatly.

"My mother turned her over to Gordon Murphy – the man I shot in your living room – and a few days later your decoy shows up looking for her, how is that _not_ relevant to the plan?!" he nearly roared, thankful that he had taken the conversation outside.

"So Victoria confirmed it?" Emily deciphered, picking off on his wording. "Leave that part for me to handle, I thought your key focus was to unravel your father's dealings with the Initiative? Or did you forget that they're still out there?"

"As a matter of fact, I found out my father's business trip was a cover to meet with them." He shot back, taking a breath. "He's hoping they find Gordon dead or else my mother's cover story is blown and so is their secret alliance."

"Well he may just get that wish—" Emily leered back, already plotting what her future steps for Conrad might be.

"That's besides the point, Em, you never told me the woman who was working with him was your _mother!_ You can't just leave a key detail like that out, okay? You have to tell me these things!"

Emily finally snapped, growing exasperated of his incessant demands. "I don't have to tell you _any_ thing, Daniel! Because of your vile mother my best friend might be on her deathbed and her and Jack's child with her! Do you have any idea what that means?"

Daniel retracted, trying to calm down. She was hurt and he had pushed her, but he was growing more worried by the minute at how many people he was starting to lose trust in. "Emily, I'm just saying you could have avoided all of this if you had just told me the truth – I thought we had a partnership. I thought we _trusted_ each other!"

"So did I, Daniel," Emily exhaled back, glancing up as she saw a doctor heading out of delivery back towards the waiting area. She would have to put her own insecurities on hold for the moment. "I guess we both thought wrong."

With that she ended the call, rushing to get the latest update on whether the girl known to many as Amanda Clarke would ever live to see the light of day again.

 **SCENE**

"Who knew there was such a thing as competitive Tetris?" Padma observed, helping Nolan dig through the mounds of boxes in his father's estate holdings.

"Oh yeah," Nolan answered. "I led a petition to make it a demonstration sport at the '92 Olympics. We lost." He chuckled to himself. "I can't believe he held on to this?"

Padma closed up her box, shifting it over towards the door. "Well, this one is all Nolcorp stuff investor prospects, start-up budgets."

"I founded the company in my dad's garage the summer before my junior year." Nolan explained. "When I told him I wasn't going back to school, he kicked me out."

Padma shook her head. "I'm sorry… but I should sort through it all. Could be useful for the audit."

Suddenly, his eye caught something – a large scrapbook he had never seen before. He cracked it open and to his surprise were pages upon pages of articles, clippings and photos all about him. All of his accomplishments, achievements, and even miscellaneous articles that just depicted him in a favorable light. He shook his head in amazement, barely able to contain his disbelief. After all that time apart, his father had believed in him after all.

Padma came over behind him to observe what had him so intrigued and rubbed him softly once she observed what he held in hand. "Look at that – he's been watching you for years." She shook her head, looking at him directly. "And you would never have known had you not come here."

She started to walk back over to the rest of the boxes but Nolan stopped her short, gently squeezing her arm to pull her back over. "Padma, thank you for taking an interest. You – uh," he looked down, fumbling for the words. "You didn't have to."

"It's my job to take care of you," she smiled affectionately.

"Really?" he grinned. "'Cause I was kinda hoping maybe this had nothing to do with the job." He kept his eyes on her, and once locked together she realized what he meant, feeling a beautiful moment about to happen between them. They both leaned in, peering at each other as if to make sure they were both in sync, and then nearly brought their lips together, just as Nolan lost his balance on the box he was leaning on. He stumbled to the side, sending the box to the floor along with its contents.

Padma gasped in a mix of surprise and laughter, bringing her hands to her mouth. Nolan emerged, shaking his head at his clumsiness and tossed the last item in his hand to the side. "Can, uh, can we try that again?"

She nodded back excitedly. "I think we should."

This time they gracefully closed the space between them, leaning into a soft, endearing first kiss. Once they had separated, Nolan continued to stare into her eyes, a deep feeling of appreciation building in him that he could not say he had felt in quite a long time. Even as Emily's long-suffering sidekick, he could never quite say he felt as validated as he did when he was with Padma.

"After I finish loading the car," he promised. "I'm taking you out, anywhere you want to go."

She smiled up at him, jesting playfully. "Always wanted to go to Le Meurice?"

"Mm." He pondered, giving it actual consideration. "In Paris? Okay."

"I'm only kidding, Nolan." she played back, and then gave in to a laugh. "You said anywhere,"

He chuckled back with a shrug. "Oh well – I'm not." He slipped away from her, releasing her hand in his as he spun back towards the door and out into the dark night, even more eager to get going so he could repay her for her kindness.

Yet unbeknownst to him, once he had waltzed out of sight her eyes fell on a remaining item at the bottom of the box he had toppled over – a framed startup check for the launch of Nolcorp with a clear signature from its investor – David Clarke.

 **SCENE**

"Hey."

Emily stirred in her sleep as she felt a faint voice call out to her. In her dream she was swimming, it seemed like miles beneath the ocean surface. Her mother was there, it was a beautiful summer day – the sun shining up above. Suddenly, she felt a struggle from another force, perhaps the ocean tide, pulling her further and further into the deep, covering her in heavy watery depths until her lungs filled with water, sinking into her chest-

 _"Emily."_

This time the voice snapped her out of her dream, and she lurched forward in her seat of the waiting area, where she realized she had dosed off waiting for an update on Amanda. Jack stood over her, shaking her lightly to get her to wake up.

"Jack," she breathed, sitting up to look at him. "How is she?"

"She's ok," he exhaled, a look of relief on his face. "They had to induce a coma, but she's stable. They think with some monitoring and plenty of care she might come out of it." He put his head down and suddenly beamed from the inside with a sense of pride. "And… I'm a father."

Emily exhaled in relief, and rose to her feet to hug him, smiling over his shoulder. "Thank God. Jack – Congratulations." He smiled back in return, holding her tight until she finally broke the embrace.

"They're letting me see him now," he continued.

She smiled, just shaking her head, proud of his strength and endurance and thankful to the powers that be that watched over her dear friend. No matter the feelings she may have nurtured for him before, the look he held in his eyes at that moment was all she needed to keep her forever guarding his happiness. And if that meant giving up her undying feelings for him, well that was something she was willing to do.

"Declan's here," he informed her. "He took Charlotte for a walk outside. I'm gonna go over to the nursery observation. You coming?"

Emily smiled, staring down the hallway towards where he was headed. "Ah… just a minute. You go ahead." He smiled back at her, sensing her sincere humble deference to let him have the first few moments alone.

Once he was gone, Emily collected herself, uncertain if she could truly stay any longer after all that had happened that day. But something tugged at her to stick around, if not to see Amanda's and Jack's newborn son Carl, then to just see Amanda herself, if only to be beside her while she slept. She took a breath and began walking down the hallway, stopping short where the two corridors converged in either direction. She pondered deeply about the day's events, becoming immersed in her own thoughts as she often did when much weighed on her heart, and heard them in her mind as if speaking them aloud. _When at a crossroads, my father was fond of saying "go with your gut. "Intuition," he said, "always has our best interests at heart…_

Her instincts decided, she took the direction of Amanda's room and began walking down towards her, until she stopped suddenly in the hallway at the sight of the figure that waited just outside of her room. Again her thoughts haunted her. _It is a voice that can tell us who is friend and who is foe.. Which ones to hold at arm's length and which ones to keep close…_

Her eyes were not fooling her. The woman standing before her was the same woman that haunted her in her dreams minutes before, and for scattered parts of her life. She closed her eyes as the full memory came back to her – the gulps of water overfilling her as the woman pulled her into the sea, clasping her arms around her and dragging her down, down, further into the watery deep. Her mind was nearly screaming that this was the woman who had tried to end her life, while her consciousness answered back. _But too often, we become distracted by fear, doubt, our own stubborn hopes, and refuse to listen._

If only she had listened to the instinct she felt, indeed. For before her, staring into the bedroom where Amanda slept, oblivious to the world, stood the real Amanda's own mother – Kara Clarke.

 **SCENE**

If the anxieties of the day had not worn Emily thin to exhaustion, those of the night certainly vied for the chance. As she returned inside her beach house, weathered and full of emotions, she had barely shut the door behind her when she was stopped in her tracks by the sight of Daniel, waiting for her on her steps. The scene was reminiscent to so many others, him waiting there for her to explain herself on countless occasions – two of which resulted in a tragic outburst between the both of them.

But this time, Emily did not have the patience for an interrogation. She did not even bother to ask how he got in and instead merely sighed at his presence, setting her things down on the table. "Daniel, I'm not in the mood for any more accusations. If you want out of our partnership you can leave."

Daniel exhaled lightly, almost a chuckle through his nose. "Just like that, huh?" He shook his head at her ability to be so unfeeling at times and instead rose from where he sat to get closer to her. "Well that's not why I'm here. I don't want out of anything, ok? I just want to help you."

"You can't," she began to barrel past him up the steps.

"Why, Em—" he took hold of her arm to stop her, but despite ripping free, she paused on the step. "Because you're don't want to let me? Or too scared you can't do it all by yourself?"

"I know why my father lied to me, alright?" She winced as she spoke the painful truth. "It's because she tried to kill me!" She sighed, shaking her head. "Your mother was right. And now Amanda and her child are at risk, and there's barely anything I can do to save them…" her voice trailed off as she struggled with the unbearable reality that she was the daughter of a psychotic killer, who had once tried to do away with her own daughter and might keep going now that she had another chance.

Emily placed a hand over her head to suppress the tears that were forming but could not keep them back. "Your family destroyed mine and now I have nothing left!" she cried at him, acknowledging the truth. "Not even her…"

He stepped closer, sympathizing intensely. He had never seen her quite like this – with her emotions so bare and exposed. He realized with shock he had never even seen her cry before, and he accepted that the tears he now witnessed were a sign of the true Amanda coming through – the tortured spirit that only survived behind a stoic exterior of Emily Thorne.

"You have me. Emily," he insisted, never wanting to leave her side. "You have _me_." He could not deny his instincts any further and stepped forward to comfort her, reaching out to pull her into an embrace. Immediately defensive, she fought him at first, swatting at him with her hands, but he kept pushing forward, pulling even tighter until he finally overpowered her and she collapsed into his arms. Together, they sank to the floor at the bottom of the steps and she leaned into him, bursting into tears as he continued to hold her close, stroking her hair like she was a little child.

There was no denying it - he loved her, more ardently than he had ever loved another human being. And at that moment, as he rocked her back and forth, kissed her forehead and kept her tight beneath his grasp, his commitment renewed ever more to finish what she had started and see to it that his parents paid dearly for what they had done. His conviction strengthened as he held her through the night, his gentle words assuring that he would never leave her side.

"It's okay, Em – It's okay. I'm here for you… I won't let you go."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: Pardon me while I dab my own eyes a bit. Whew… that was a hard scene to get through! But a necessary one of course. The saga continues with revelations, forged bonds, and some almost-but-never-will's! Many of you have requested that Daniel/Ashley relationship not occur, and while I promise not to actually pursue it, I will hint that her attempts to pin him down may prove useful for the future. So you'll continue to see a little of her going after him, but as this chapter confirmed – he's got eyes only for Ems! How did you like the slight twist of events? And Kara is back – yikes! Are you enjoying the intrigue? Let me know your thoughts and thank you to all my new guest readers, I really appreciate you taking out the time to comment. Wish I could thank you personally so I will continue to express my gratefulness via these chapter end notes! Love u all, much! ~Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	6. Chapter 6: Forgiveness

**Chapter 6: Forgiveness**

 _They say let he who is without sin cast the first stone…And to be without sin requires absolute forgiveness. But when your memories are freshly opened wounds, forgiveness is the most unnatural of human emotions._

As always, Emily's dreams were heavily intertwined with memories of the past – some vague, some abstract, and some vividly painful, as was the one she fought to awake from the morning after seeing her mother in the flesh. A ripple in the past triggered and she thrashed in her sleep as the rest of the memory came back to her – disappearing beneath a cloud of water in the endless ocean, being pulled from the depths by strong hands, and waking to a bright beam of sunlight and her father's face. It was her personal brush with death and resurrection. Her father's unconditional devotion had brought her back to life from the clutches of her twisted and deeply sickened mother, who watched in shock beside her, shuddering from realization of the grievous deed she had nearly committed—

Emily lurched awake, gasping a deep breath as she sat up straight on the couch where she had fallen asleep the night before, and allowed herself a moment to place how she had gotten there. A sudden awareness of Daniel's body beside hers helped remind her – she had fallen asleep after a rare emotional breakdown after seeing her mother. It was a tainted reunion that only brought back painful memories to mind – verifying the truth that Victoria had spoken before sending her friend to a near fatal fall: her own mother tried to kill her when she was very young. Now realizing the gravity of why her father spared her the harsh reality of the truth, Emily felt deep disappointment in herself for allowing her judgment to be so clouded in the first place, never stopping to think that her mother might be dangerous.

"You okay?"

Her self-deprecating thoughts were interrupted by Daniel's voice as he woke beside her. She glanced at him briefly and shifted a few inches away from him on the couch, quickly conscious of their close proximity.

"I know why my father lied to me," Emily explained, turning to face him. "Like always, he was protecting me." She shook her head, wondering how she didn't see it before, and Daniel watched her, trying to look for the tender girl that had emerged momentarily the night before and broke down into tears in his arms.

"Guess your dad and I share the same protective instinct," he responded, out of deep concern. He looked at her with seriousness. "I meant what I said last night, Em. I know you've been through more than I could even imagine at my family's hands and it may take forever to make it right… but I'm not going to stop trying."

Emily pressed her lips together firmly, appreciatively and patted a hand on him, but retained her exterior. "Daniel, you're already in too deep. Something you don't know about my mother is – she wasn't just working with Gordon Murphy. She was married to him."

Daniel's face contorted in surprise. "What?"

Emily nodded, staring straight ahead. "She all but told me last night – she was at the hospital. I overheard her speaking to the authorities before she left." She regained eye contact with Daniel again. "Once she finds out what's happened to him, there's no telling what she'll do."

Daniel mulled over the information, realizing that his own concern for Emily's mother was now compounded by his involvement in Gordon's death. He struggled with the implication but was willing to accept it if it meant his actions had to be exposed. "If I have to take responsibility for what happened I will – I'm not afraid to tell the truth, I was defending you—"

"That's out of the question," she interrupted him, standing up with determination. "If you get implicated in anything to do with Gordon's death the Initiative will assume you were working in tandem with your family, and following their orders to eliminate him." She shot him a convincing stare. "One Grayson is no different from another in their eyes."

Daniel shook his head, exhaling. "So there really is no escaping them…"

Emily thought for a moment. "There is something else you can do to lure them out while keeping their attention focused on your father… you need to destabilize the company."

"I've tried that remember? My father has spies everywhere," he lamented, leaning forward to rest on his knees. "Including Ashley," he added, with a slight twinge of guilt. They still had yet to discuss his involvement with her and could not be sure what to expect from Emily in response.

"Not everywhere," Emily offered, ignoring the reference and turning down her bottom lip. She remained focused on the plan, thinking through their next steps. "You just need to be more resourceful. Let your clients do the investigating for you."

"Alright," Daniel conceded, thinking it a logical idea but unsure of where to start. "Like who?"

Emily walked over to the stairwell as her plan continued to brew in mind, knowing that if she was going to be able to see it through to her pictured fruition, she would need to call in assistance. "Start with one of Grayson Global's most valued stakeholders – Takeda." She paused to make her point. "Not only would his stake weigh heavily on the board if he were to begin to sense unrest, but he's a client that you personally acquired last year– so it won't arouse suspicion."

"With your help that is," Daniel confirmed as he reflected on the year before and agreed with her line of thinking. "Something I might need again if I'm going to convince him to think twice about staying with the company?"

Emily put a hand on her hip. "You can handle this. Don't be too forward – start off assuring him of your continued loyalty and diligence in his service. And then offer to follow up on all the promises you made last year to maintain transparency. If he's as sharp as he seemed," she began, doing her best to mask how well she knew the answer to that question. "He'll pick up on any anomalies in the reporting. That'll be your chance to redirect his loyalties."

Daniel shook his head. "Losing an account that big would not only draw the attention of the Initiative, but of every investor on the board," he pointed out insightfully. "It'll have a domino effect on each one as soon as they find out."

Emily shrugged it off. "It won't come back on you. If the past year's any indicator of the future, that was bound to happen anyway." She glanced at Daniel, suddenly feeling a slight rush of hope. "You said you wanted to make this right?"

He acknowledged her enthusiastically. "More than anything else."

"Well take it from me," she explained. "The decisions your family made affected more people than they realized. Other lives were sacrificed. The investors whose money contributed to the fallout deserve to know the truth about what they've been supporting all this time." She turned to begin up the stairs. "After that, the choice is theirs. If they choose to leave, so be it."

Daniel nodded, agreeing that it was the only fair way to handle the situation, while still ensuring that his father paid dearly for his role in the atrocities that had already occurred. Drawing the Initiative out would only be the first step towards his demise, with the company's dissent only following shortly behind. He stood up, feeling a sense of urgency to begin the mission ahead and started towards the door, calling out to Emily before she could disappear upstairs.

"Em, wait. About yesterday—"

Emily cut him off, assuming he was referring to the revelation about her mother. "I know it's been hard for you not knowing the truth, Daniel," she admitted, staring down the steps at him. "It's second nature for me to keep my past protected."

"That's not what I was going to ask you," he answered, not wishing to force her into divulging any further. He had come to respect that there would always be things about her he didn't know, and instead stepped closer, referring to something else that weighed on him. "It's just now that we're working together…" He paused to look away and when he looked back it was as though through the eyes of another person. "I just want you to know yesterday didn't mean anything…with Ashley."

She raised an eyebrow at him, not expecting that angle. "Daniel, who you spend time with, is your business—"

"So that's it, then? You really could care less?"

Again Emily took a breath, delicately trying to handle the matter. "I appreciate you being there for me last night. I do." She stared at him intently, and her expression conveyed her sincerity. "I needed someone. But I can't think beyond that – not right now." She watched him closely for his response, which appeared to be a mix between frustration and acceptance. "Besides," she added. "You should see where things go with Ashley."

Daniel was immediately confused. "She's feeding my father information on me. I couldn't trust her if I wanted to." He shot the idea down with a shake of his head and started out the door.

"No." Emily agreed before he could leave. "But if there's anything the Hamptons have taught me it's to keep your friends close – and your enemies even closer."

With deep meaning behind her words, she turned to go up the stairs, leaving Daniel to ponder over what she had said and how he could put her advice to use as he finally exited her house.

 **SCENE**

"Are those from your garden or your funeral?"

Victoria turned slowly from clipping roses on the courtyard patio as she heard a familiar but less than favorable voice behind her. She smiled deviously as she met eyes with the face that belonged to the voice.

"Lydia," she addressed her unexpected visitor with a sneer. "I'm not accepting any visitors, and I specifically told the staff to put the trash out this morning. So what the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Quite the warm welcome, Victoria," Lydia sassed back as she sauntered over to her nemesis with a proud smile. "Tell me, did you put your bogus cover story in the trash too?" She glanced at the roses behind her. "Because we both know no matter how many flowers you use to mask the scent, it still smells like garbage to the press." She tilted her head in thought. "Much like your desperate second attempt at marriage to Conrad?"

Victoria laughed to spite her. "As much as I admire your dedication to being Conrad's doormat, I must confess I had nothing to do with his spur of the moment proposal. But cheer up; I'm sure he'll be in need of somewhere to wipe his feet by the end of the summer."

Lydia shook her head at Victoria's breathy insults as she neared closer to square off. "You can say whatever you want, but that doesn't change the fact that you tried to kill me on that plane. Did you really think I was that stupid not to see your little 11th hour desperate plea coming a mile away?"

"Stupid?" Victoria seethed with a laugh. "Never. Even a stupid woman would have realized that _Conrad_ was behind the entire plan from the beginning, and left with her pitiful allowance while she still could instead of coming back begging for more. What you are, my dear, is positively _senseless_."

Lydia chuckled, mocking defeat as she ended the bickering. "You may be right on that count. But you're wrong about one thing – I'm not here to beg. No, in fact, I'm here to _give_ you a present instead."

Victoria raised her eyebrows in mock expectation, and then froze solid as Lydia stepped aside to reveal her gift – the woman that was now standing a few feet behind her at the terrace doors. "I believe you've already met?" Lydia continued to introduce. "Victoria – Mrs. Kara Clarke."

Kara stepped forward once Lydia completed her introduction, and for a moment Victoria's heart skipped a beat as she neared her, half expecting her to lunge out to her violently. But instead, Kara thrust herself forward – only to wrap her arms around her in a large embrace.

"Victoria! I'm so glad you're safe."

 **SCENE**

"You'll have to pardon my appearance, I've been traveling the past few days," Kara explained as she settled into Victoria's sitting room next to Lydia, while the former watched from her signature chair. She turned to face Lydia. "It's so nice to finally rest – thanks to Ms. Davis' kindness."

Victoria smirked. "Kindness indeed," she reiterated sarcastically. "One of her many traits."

Lydia glared at Victoria out of the corner of her eye while Kara continued. "If she hadn't overheard me at the reception desk at Suffolk Memorial, I would have never known you two used to be neighbors." She glanced around the house. "Such a beautiful home, with such a magnificent view."

"Yes, the shoreline is only one of the many things we have shared, haven't we Lydia?" Victoria continued to prod her, sipping at her tea coyly.

Lydia was prepared. "Including our enemies – except for one in particular that's recently gone missing, right Victoria?"

It was Victoria's turn to glare back, and her glance quickly shifted to Kara, worried that she had picked up on the reference. Kara jumped in, unaware of the underlying information the two ladies shared. "Oh, I know. I was so shocked to learn that the man that kidnapped you was the FBI agent you'd been working with! He seemed like a good man."

Victoria played it off with poise. "Well, all men are born hardwired to betray," she replied, glancing back at Lydia. "It's just a question of when."

"Do they have any leads on his whereabouts?" Kara continued to question while Lydia swallowed a retort.

"No, they don't, I'm afraid," Victoria continued. "But I'm so relieved that you didn't fall victim to him as well."

"Oh, no. I hadn't seen him for twenty years," Kara lied, drawing Victoria's interest. She appeared to think deeply for a moment as she sipped her tea and then glanced back up at her. "Where do you think he is?"

"If he's wise, far, far away from here. And as you pointed out, he's very gifted at the art of vanishing." Victoria was anxious to change the subject while Lydia looked on knowingly. "But I imagine your main concern is about Amanda. I presume you ran into Ms. Davis while visiting her." Victoria took a moment to question Lydia. "Were you visiting for the same reason, Lydia?"

Lydia brushed over her inquiry. "Actually I was there for my own reasons," she turned to Kara. "But Victoria's simply being modest – you'll have heard how incredibly kind to her she's been?"

Kara nodded emphatically. "Goodness yes, bringing her into your home and in such a public way. I never would've heard where she was, otherwise."

"Well it was the least I could do for her, poor thing," Victoria tried to lament, but Lydia stayed on target.

"Victoria is unparalleled in the kindness she's willing to extend – in fact In fact I'm sure she'd be willing to offer you a place to stay should you need it," Lydia cut her eyes back over to the former, with a triumphant glare. "Wouldn't you Victoria?"

Caught off guard, Victoria complied after a moment's hesitation. "But of course."

Kara immediately thanked her. "Oh I can't thank you enough; you have no idea how eager I am to visit my daughter when she wakes up." She reached over to embrace her, catching her off guard again while Lydia watched with a sneer. Victoria returned it halfheartedly; rolling her eyes once Kara broke the hug and then remained standing.

"I'm sorry, but would you mind if I washed up – I'm afraid I've been driving all night with nowhere to rest," Kara asked.

"Of course – Marta?" Victoria set her tea down as her maid entered. "See Ms. Clarke to our guest quarters." Again Kara nodded to thank them both and once she was escorted out of the room, Victoria relaxed the charade, sending a biting look at Lydia. "Alright, what do you want?"

Lydia laughed smugly and rose to her feet. "It's simple – what I've always wanted. Conrad." Victoria rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Call off the wedding, and I'll make sure that Kara goes back to a cozy little institution bed just like the one you sent her off to twenty years ago."

"That would be my pleasure, I assure you. But the decision to wed was not mine to make." Victoria insisted, not shifting an inch from her seat.

Lydia shrugged. "Well then. I guess I'll just have to do my best version of recalling all that fancy testimony you rehearsed with the FBI and tell Kara what really happened to David? Hmm?" she threatened. "Including the two people who conspired to have her committed and murdered - despite your friendly kidnapper not following orders."

"You forget Lydia, you played a part in that conspiracy, and any detail you share with Kara implicates all of us – yourself included!" Victoria's anger had become audible in her voice.

Lydia leaned forward. "A fact that would hold more weight if I had anything to lose. But as you pointed out – I'm just a doormat with a pitiful allowance, remember? Whereas you and Conrad on the other hand…" she eyed her over. "Well you clearly have much more at stake. Especially considering your re-marriage was – decided _for_ you, did you say?"

Victoria shook her head, incredulous at how Lydia had manipulated the situation into her favor in such a quick turn of events.

"Do yourself a favor, Victoria." Lydia continued to lean forward, now inches from Victoria's face. "Take your own advice and don't be _senseless._ Accept a good offer when you see one." She leaned back, standing up straight as she prepared to leave. "Otherwise," she turned in the direction of where Kara had gone to wash up. "Enjoy your guest."

 **SCENE**

 **"** Mr. Takeda, I just want to assure you your funds are being handled with the utmost discretion," Daniel addressed the video conference where his first and primary client listened intently on the other line, with the vocal translation captioning enabled. He straightened up at his desk while he spoke, conscious of making sure his voice did not carry. "However, I would like to make good on our promise of transparency and set some time to acquaint you with all aspects of our organization."

With his pause, Takeda responded, and Daniel waited to read the English translation that populated beneath his image onscreen. "I appreciate your forthrightness, Mr. Grayson. However, I would question why a discussion of this magnitude would exclude your father in representation of the board?"

Daniel swallowed, expecting the question but nevertheless wanting to answer it carefully. "My father has recently been detained," he began. "A topic we can discuss further if you have concerns – however he's asked me to see to this matter personally."

Takeda remained still for a moment as he appeared to read Daniel's expression before the words he spoke. Finally after a tense moment, he replied. "I should expect a detailed organizational run through would be best served in person."

"Absolutely," Daniel concurred. "I'd be happy to set that up immediately."

Takeda only nodded gracefully before the conference ended and Daniel could finally exhale. The first step was in motion. Before he could relax completely, he heard his door creak open, and Ashley poked her head in.

"Oh, sorry Daniel I hope I'm not interrupting?"

"No," Daniel assured her, closing his laptop in front of him and getting up from his desk. "No, not at all, what's up?"

"Personnel's flagged an outside request for David Clarke's employment contract," Ashley explained, a bit hesitant. "I thought I should get your approval before just sending it over?" She watched his face as he seemed to be distracted with something else. "Or perhaps I'm being a bit too cautious—"

"No," Daniel cut her short, and began buttoning his jacket. "Ah – perhaps a meeting would be better? Anyone comes asking about our historic associations its best to ensure their handled delicately."

Ashley nodded; inwardly proud she had done the right thing. "Certainly – shall I set that up this week?" She turned to get ready to leave and Daniel gently held her arm to stop her.

"Actually, let me handle that—" he insisted, to a look of surprise in return. He looked into her eyes, sensing that despite her loyalty to his father, there was still a measure of uncertainty in Ashley that might impel her to listen if he insisted. "And do me a favor – don't mention it to my father? Rather not worry him."

"Of course," Ashely nodded emphatically. She watched as Daniel appeared to be focused on something else and walked back over to his desk, about to pick up the phone. He paused once he realized she was still there and she relaxed by his door. "Sorry, I just um… I was wondering if maybe we could get a do-over on that lunch date of ours?"

Daniel tried to smile, and set the phone down. He thought about Emily's advice and realized if he was going to ensure Ashley's suspicions were calmed, he needed to heed her admonition. "You didn't think I forgot did you?"

"Oh, no of course not," Ashley insisted, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt with a grin. "I'm just rather anxious to wear my new dress, that's all."

Daniel chuckled. "Then I'll make sure we don't go back to that café." He tapped his finger on the desk. "You know my schedule for the week – block off the day you want and I'm there."

Ashley smiled, relieved at his openness and turned to leave, giving Daniel just the freedom he needed while she was occupied to call Emily.

"Hey," he answered when she picked up. "Did you put a request on your father's contract at Grayson Global?"

"No?" Emily replied, immediately all ears as she settled down in her living room, fully dressed and about to monitor surveillance at Grayson Manor. "Trust me I know all I need to about that already."

"Yeah, well someone else doesn't and they just sent for it this morning," Daniel explained, walking over to his window. "Any reason to think it could be your mother?"

"No," Emily answered calmly as she pulled up the footage from the Grayson Manor living room and clearly recognized the two faces on screen. "She's currently visiting with yours."

Daniel furrowed his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?" His eyes fell on a frame that lined his window sill, reminding him of the camera she'd given him to plant in his father's office. "Wait a minute, you _bugged_ my house?"

Emily grimaced. "No," she answered truthfully. "Your father did, when he installed surveillance in every single room. I just accessed the security system – a fact you conveniently left out the other day. Hiding something?"

Daniel suppressed a laugh. "As if I could keep anything from you if I wanted to, you're like Black Ops with all your technical accesses over there. I guess having Nolan Ross as a friend has its perks…"

Emily nodded to the side in partial agreement, the mention of his name reminding her that she still had yet to connect with him since the previous day's events. "More than you would guess," she answered, changing the subject. She attempted to zoom in on the feed. "From what I can see, it's a platonic visit but my mother's still dangerous."

"Alright, well don't do anything rash," Daniel insisted. "I'm sure I'll get the full story when I get home, including how she got there."

Emily agreed, sitting back. "I'm going to see Amanda first anyway – if they bring her out of the coma I need to be there before my mother shows up." She closed her laptop and stood up from the couch, preparing to leave. "How did it go with Takeda?"

"Well," Daniel replied, appreciative of her suggestion. "You were right, his interest was peaked. He's coming in person to meet."

"Good," Emily responded, smirking on the other end. Her expectation of her former sensei's keenness was still sharp. Not only would Takeda see this as an opportunity to take another step towards breaking down the Graysons and Americon Initiative, he might even start to realize the value in Daniel's alliance. And that knowledge was becoming more and more important to Emily as she strove to keep him guarded as an innocent.

"I have to go," she continued, heading towards the door. "I'll touch base when I have an update."

Daniel stopped her before she could hang up, as something suddenly struck his interest. "Hey Ems, how did you know he'd be so interested?" he asked, conscious of her elusive ability to predict things in advance.

Emily smiled. "Just a hunch."

 **SCENE**

"Come in," Conrad responded to the knock at his office door.

Ashley slipped in, and watched as he barely lifted his head from what he was concentrating on at his desk. "You called for me?"

"Yes, please have a seat, Ms. Davenport," Conrad replied, getting up from his desk to personally close the door behind her. She complied nervously while he walked over to lean against the front of his desk and address her. "I believe you owe me something?"

"Sir?" Ashley tilted her head absent-mindedly.

Conrad raised an eyebrow to prompt her further. "Have you already forgotten our arrangement for you to follow up on Daniel's actions of late?"

Ashley glanced into her lap and fidgeted with her hands before responding. "I haven't forgotten what we discussed it's just that… well I care about Daniel. And I don't want him to have any reason not to trust me."

Conrad folded his arms. "Your devotion is admirable, however if you recall I still possess a rather valuable piece of information regarding you, that if disclosed I'm certain would shatter his trust in you… entirely." He gave her a meaningful look as he emphasized his last few words, and his intent sunk in. "So if you wish to keep your current position with this company and status overall in the Hamptons, I suggest you make it clear which of the Grayson men you are truly loyal to, hm?"

Ashley sighed, pleading. "Daniel will notice immediately if something's off—"

Just then, Conrad's phone rang and he shrugged nonchalantly as he reached back to answer it. "Then I recommend you use discretion. Excuse me," he dismissed her with a wave and addressed the caller, seeing it was Victoria. "What is it sweetheart? I'm busy."

"Too busy to deal with the fact that Kara Clarke is alive?" Victoria bellowed into Conrad's ear. His face dropped in shock and he turned his back to Ashley as he walked back around to the other side of his desk.

Ashley scowled as she got up ruefully, taking her sentence and departing so he could have privacy. Once in the hallway she caught a glimpse of Daniel, and quickly turned to walk in the opposite direction, hoping he had not seen her just leaving his father's office. Daniel did a good job of concealing it for her benefit, but once she was out of sight, he edged over to his father's door, pausing to see if he could overhear the discussion.

"Is this a joke?" Conrad exhaled. "I thought Gordon Murphy took care of her decades ago."

"No, Conrad," Victoria leered back, standing above her infamous chair in the living room. "And what's more is your self-serving _twinkie_ hand delivered her!"

"Who?" Conrad was stunned.

"Lydia!" Victoria shouted back. "She dropped her in my lap along with her request we call off the wedding, otherwise she's going to the authorities with everything she knows about David!"

Conrad couldn't help but stifle a dry laugh. "Well doesn't that sound familiar… however calling off the wedding is not an option at this point," he insisted decisively, gesturing as he spoke. "I will deal with Lydia. In the meantime, you've got to get rid of Kara."

"On the contrary," Victoria retorted, baring her teeth. "I've asked her to stay with us."

Conrad was nearly ballistic. "Are you out of your mind? Last I heard, Kara Clarke was a violent psychopath!"

"Yes, and don't you find it interesting that she suddenly reemerged in the Hamptons one day after her daughter took that fall? She and Lydia could be in collusion since this entire barrage on our family began."

"Ah, I hardly accredit _Lydia_ to a scheme like that, regardless of what she said to you," Conrad begged to differ. "She may be petty in her requests but she has no intention of throwing her life away to secure it."

Victoria sighed, crossing an arm. "Dear Conrad, when will you ever learn that hell hath no fire than a woman scorned? Ever since your insistence on this ridiculous charade, Lydia has been on a warpath! She could be the source of Kara's return, the journals, the log-in sheet, everything!" She grew impatient of her betrothed's foolishness and quickly ended the conversation. "I want to see you here in one hour!"

With that, Conrad hung up the phone, tossing it onto his desk as Daniel quickly stepped away from the door, pondering the bits and pieces of what he had heard to determine how he could use the information to his benefit.

 **SCENE**

"Well, well – Papa Porter!"

Jack looked up from where he was holding Carl at Amanda's bedside to see Nolan greeting him at the doorway while he watched with a tender expression. He smiled as he laid his son down to rest and came over to greet his friend.

"Congrats, pal," Nolan offered as he embraced him into a hug and then glanced over at Amanda. "How you holding up?"

"Thanks, buddy," Jack responded, ruffling his own hair and putting a hand on his hip as he took a moment to answer the question. "I'm a little tired but I'll be doing better once Amanda's awake – she's getting better by the minute."

"That's wonderful," Nolan expressed in relief. "I'm sure Mama Mandy can't wait to see the little guy."

"Oh, for certain," Jack agreed, looking at them both. "Him and the rest of the family." He turned back to face Nolan. "Get this – her mother stopped by to see her last night."

Nolan was nearly knocked off his feet. _"You're not serious?"_

"I know, right?" Jack merely took Nolan's surprise as normal for the element it added to the overall situation. "As if things aren't messy enough."

"Messy is right," Nolan agreed, thinking of a way he could get out of the room swiftly without Jack noticing. "Listen, uh, maybe I should give you two a moment—"

"Nolan." His half-turn was interrupted by the presence of Emily behind him. She entered the room, glancing from her flustered friend to Jack and back. "Jack, is it a bad time?"

"No, please," Jack insisted, his face softening at the sight of her. "Having you guys here makes it feel more like home." He reached over to hug Emily, giving her a brief once-over once he separated, while Nolan watched in interest.

A quick glance at Nolan's expression let Emily know she needed to steal a moment alone to bring him up to speed. She quickly checked over Jack's clothes. "Speaking of home – I guess you haven't had a chance to swing by since last night, huh?"

He laughed in return, conscious of his appearance. "I stink?"

Emily laughed and Nolan supported with a chuckle. "Eh, a shower wouldn't kill you," Nolan recommended while Emily allayed his worry. "They won't bring her out for another hour or two, I'm sure you can run home for a bit if you need to. We'll stay nearby."

Jack nodded, appreciating the candor of his friends, which only relaxed him more. "Thanks, you two I appreciate it." He turned back to plant a kiss on Amanda's forehead and on that of his son. "Especially considering the disaster I'm sure I have to go home to." He shook his head as he walked partially out of the room. "The Stowaway's been a mess with all this work we're doing for the inspection."

Emily's protective instinct kicked in, right on cue. "Well you know, Amanda and Carl are welcome to stay when they get released?"

"Are you sure?" Jack felt like such a huge inconvenience. "I feel like you're doing so much already."

"Please," Emily insisted. "Amanda already has a few things there anyway. They can stay as long as you need."

Jack exhaled, overwhelmed with gratitude and his heart swelled at Emily's kindness. "Thanks, Em," he replied, hugging her again and then switching over to hug Nolan. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate you both." Emily and Nolan smiled as he walked out of the room, and paused before immediately going into debrief mode.

"Aw, touching." Nolan dove in first after a sensitive glance from the interchange. "And here I was, thinking I was keeping _you_ out of the loop. Jack told me your mom's back – did you see her?"

"Yes," Emily answered truthfully, relaxing her guard now that Jack was gone. "How's he taking it?"

Nolan crossed his arms. "Um, he's currently registering about a '6' on the freak-o-meter. Me? I'm at a 9, which must put _you_ at Infinity times Infinity."

"Look, you can't be here, Nolan," Emily rushed, brushing over his reference. "My mother could show up here again at any moment and if she recognizes you, our whole cover is blown. I don't have time to explain."

Nolan nodded, a bit disappointed. "Well, assuming you don't have time to check your _messages_ either, otherwise you'd know that, uh… my dad died."

Emily's face immediately fell solemn. "Oh my God. Nolan…"

He glanced away. "Look, I know he wasn't murdered in prison or accused of a crime he didn't commit, still… Turns out he loved me."

Emily immediately regretted the ease to which she pushed him away only moments before, sympathizing from the bottom of her heart. "I should've been there for you. I'm sorry." The sincerity in her eyes confirmed it was the truth.

"It's okay," Nolan forgave her without hesitation and glanced around. "Look I better get going before Kara shows up – but is there anything you can tell me before I slip out the back?"

Emily glanced back at her friend, still unconscious behind her. "All I can tell you is that she thinks Amanda is her daughter and she's currently staying with the Graysons."

Nolan nodded in understanding, gesturing towards Amanda. "Guessing she's the only reason you're not bolting over there to lock her back in her Infinity Lamp?"

Emily nodded. "That and… a memory came back to me last night, Nolan." She took a deep breath. "My father wasn't lying just to keep me in the dark about my mother. It was to protect me. When I was little… she tried to kill me."

Nolan's arms fell limp to his side as he gasped in shock. _"Ems…"_

Emily kept her eyes on Amanda's monitors. "And now that she believes Amanda is me…I have to stay here until she comes to. She's not out of the woods yet."

Overwhelmed with the seriousness, Nolan nodded emphatically, getting the drift. "I'll leave you to it then. Just, Ems – be careful."

"I will."

 **SCENE**

"Thank you for coming in so quickly," Daniel welcomed his visitor into his office as Ashley arrived to show her in. She started to follow a few paces behind, but instead Daniel dissuaded her with a conclusive look. "Thanks, Ash that'll be all. I'll buzz you if I need anything."

Ashley squinted at him briefly in surprise, expecting to be present so she could follow up on the details but tried not to let her concern show. She nodded and showed herself out, remaining poised by the door for a moment to listen in. Despite how much it pained her to do so, she had to hold up her end of the deal she'd made with Conrad.

Meanwhile, on the inside, Daniel introduced himself, extending his hand. "Daniel Grayson."

"Padma Lahari, Nolcorp C.F.O.," she replied, to a suspicious look from Daniel. "I hope everything's okay?"

Daniel stepped around behind his desk. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Padma grinned. "In my experience, when a simple request gets an outsized response, either something's wrong or I've won something," she explained, gesturing forward. "Have I won something?"

Daniel chuckled. "Let's see what we're playing first, shall we? Please, sit." He gestured to the seat in front of him, keeping a close eye on her. "I understand you're looking for information about David Clarke."

"Yes. I need to corroborate his initial terms of employment at Grayson Global."

Daniel nodded. "I hope you can understand the sensitivity we still feel over the unfortunate association this company has with such a man?"

"Yes. I imagine it can be quite tricky," Padma conceded, remaining focused.

Daniel leaned back in his chair. _Tricky was an understatement._ Emily had mentioned no knowledge whatsoever of the inquiry and yet here before him sat the CFO of her best friend's company. Something had to be amiss. "Tell me, what do the terms of Mr. Clarke's employment at a Wall Street investment firm have to do with a tech company like Nolcorp?"

Padma smiled. "I've recently been involved in facilitating a company-wide audit. I wanted to make sure that when Nolcorp invested in Grayson Global years ago that David Clarke wasn't on the account. It wouldn't do to have a terrorist handling our finances, would it?"

 _Invested?_ Daniel's mind was racing. Before he could generate any ideas, a change in shadow from under the door to his office caught his attention, and he faintly realized that someone was still perched outside. Before he could pursue any further, he needed to remove prying eyes and spying ears. "Tell you what, I'll look into it and get back to you by end of day tomorrow."

"I'm much obliged," Padma thanked him appreciatively, and then stood to leave.

Daniel watched as she exited, leaning over to see if there was anyone on the other side of the door once she left, but the hallway was empty. Nevertheless, he couldn't risk anyone overhearing. He slipped out of the office, stopping by Ashley's desk to make sure she was there. "Hey, clear my calls for the afternoon, would you?"

"Sure," Ashley complied, a bit caught off guard. "Something the matter?"

"Family things," he fibbed, holding up his cellular phone and giving her a knowing look. If there was one thing she couldn't argue with, it was that. Even if he was being secretive, there was always plenty bubbling in the Grayson mixing pot.

Once in the parking garage, Daniel finally dialed Emily, who stepped out of Amanda's room briefly to answer.

"You're not going to believe where the inquiry came from on your father," he started. "It's Nolcorp."

"What?" Emily whispered in surprise from the hallway. "Nolan wouldn't pull a string like that, you can count on it."

"Are you sure?" Daniel questioned. "Because I just got out of a meeting with his new CFO, and she seemed very interested in David's stake in the company."

Emily closed her eyes, shaking her head. "No, you don't understand any investigation into my father's past association with Nolcorp would expose Nolan – he's the one who set up the account my father left me from the percentage of the company he owned."

Daniel stopped short in his tracks. "Then that would not only expose him, but you too?"

"I liquidated my holdings years ago, but the initial account still leads back to Nolan for sole ownership. It may not specifically point to me, but it will raise questions around what he did with the funds that were willed to Amanda Clarke," Emily continued, peering into the room through the glass window outside. "Who the world believes is a penniless nomad that just received a big break from your family."

Daniel rubbed his head. "My god, can this get any more convoluted… so if Nolan has nothing to do with it, then what is his CFO doing poking around for information?"

For the first time, Emily did not have an answer for him. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "That's what I'll have to find out." A crowd of doctors suddenly appeared around Amanda's bed, and Emily sensed that the time was nearing to bring her out. "Look I can't talk right now, Amanda will be waking soon and I have to get Jack down here."

Daniel paused at the mention of Jack's name but didn't address it. His driver had arrived where he was waiting at the garage dock and another idea had come to him. "Fine – I'll look into it and talk to you later."

He ended the call and got in the car, a detail firmly fixed in mind that had been bugging him since the meeting with Padma ended. Tyler had tried to land Nolcorp the past summer for the _first_ time, which means they had never invested with Grayson Global. Yet Padma had clearly referred to David's _investment_ in requesting his contract of employment. He pondered on what she could be really looking for as he leaned forward to advise his driver where to go next.

"Personnel," he instructed. "Archives."

 **SCENE**

"Isn't he somethin'?" Amanda asked Emily as she cradled her son in her arms, with Emily standing over her just a few inches away.

"Yeah," Emily observed. "He is."

The room had finally emptied out after Amanda had come to, including Jack who was freshly showered and changed and chatted with the doctors in the hallway to take care of final details around Carl's birth certificate. It was just the two of them in the room with Carl, giving Emily the opportunity she was finally hoping for, to honestly apologize to her dear friend for all she had survived.

"Amanda, I had no right to put you in that situation with Victoria," Emily lamented honestly. "I'm so sorry." She held her head down in regret.

Amanda nodded, her forgiving nature one of her more primary qualities, and merely stared into her son's eyes while she followed up on the cause that had sent them there. "So the hunt for your mother is over?"

Emily grimaced with the truth that still remained. "She's back, Amanda. She showed up last night. But there's a problem –"

"Ms. Clarke?" her nurse interrupted them, followed by Jack a few paces behind. "You ready to come with me for those last few tests?"

Emily watched as Amanda looked to her, as if for permission on the heels of what she was about to divulge. But Emily insisted. "Go, both of you. I can look after Carl."

Amanda turned back to the nurse and nodded, then gently shifted the baby into Emily's open arms while the nurse wheeled her out. Jack hung back a minute to thank Emily, a sweet look coming over his face while he watched her cradling and jiggling his son. "You're a natural at that," he offered, trying to find a way to show appreciation for the endless lengths of generosity it seemed Emily had.

She shrugged it off. "Just practicing to be a good godmother," she answered neatly. Jack smiled again and then followed the nurse and Amanda out, speeding up a notch so he could hold Amanda's hand to comfort her.

Emily made her way into the hallway to settle Carl as he fretted a bit, hoping he would not begin to cry with his mother gone. Yet her attempts were soon interrupted as her own mother suddenly appeared behind her, her voice full of worry as she spoke.

"Where are you taking my grandson?"

Emily turned slowly, immediately recognizing the voice as she came face to face with Kara Clarke. For all her resilience under duress, her response was a bit shaky as she replied. "I was just trying to settle him." She thought quickly, gaining composure. "I'm his godmother."

Kara's face relaxed at the mention, and she came closer. "Oh, of course. I'm Kara, Amanda's actual mother. May I?" She extended her hands, hoping to scoop up Carl into them and Emily hesitated at first, but eventually obliged, keeping her eyes on her the whole time.

"He knows his family," Kara insisted, smiling at the small child in her arms. "Amanda was the same way, always happy to be with Mommy!"

Emily's curiosity got the better of her and she could not resist. "What was Amanda like as a kid?"

Kara smiled reflectively. "She was so gentle. She wouldn't even let me kill a spider, I had to catch it in a glass and set it free outside. She just always had this innate goodness about her…" she paused; clearly feeling motivated to go deeper on subject. "You must be a close friend to her – does she ever talk about me?"

Emily thought how to answer, settling on the truth as the safest for the moment. "Honestly, no," she replied, still watching Kara with Carl closely. Kara's countenance fell a bit, but Emily pushed past it, hoping to get more information. "When was the last time you saw her?"

Kara had no opportunity to answer when another voice suddenly interrupted her.

"Well, now that is a fascinating question."

Emily looked up and recognized immediately – Mason Treadwell, in the flesh. He stood poised with a bouquet of flowers and his unmistakably devilish grin. "Please, allow me to introduce myself – I'm Mason Treadwell. And is it possible that you're Kara Clarke? God, I love the Hamptons."

"Yes?" Kara answered, with the same intensity in her stare that Emily was maintaining beside her. "How do you know Amanda?"

"Ah," Mason took a step closer. "You see I was inexorably drawn back here in pursuit of the truth behind your daughter's recent welcome into the Grayson fold, which makes your appearance – how shall I say it? A revelation."

Kara rolled her eyes, quickly glancing over to Emily for confirmation. "Is this guy for real?"

Emily took the signal as a cue to jump in where she could. "Mason, perhaps you should leave, Amanda's due back from her tests any minute, she won't want to see you."

Mason cocked his head in faux disappointment. "Well, admittedly, I am a crasher, but I promise, one who only brings well wishes." Emily motioned to stand between him and Kara but didn't need to intervene long as within moments, Amanda returned around the corner with Jack just beside her, who sped up to break up the party.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack accosted him, raising his voice. Kara caught sight and slipped away to go back into the room, keeping Carl nestled in her arms. Emily kept her eyes on all as Jack got closer to Mason's face.

"Paying my respects of course," Mason pretended neatly, as he watched a nurse help Amanda up out of her wheelchair. "Please allow me," he offered his help, putting him close enough to her only for a second before Jack grabbed hold of him and shoved him back.

"Dear me!" Mason exclaimed, straightening his glasses. "Your fatherly instincts are quite a force to be reckoned with."

"Jack," Amanda pleaded as the nurse helped her into the room, hoping he would calm down.

"He needs to back off!" Jack insisted, growing in anger by the moment, but before he could explode further, Emily stepped between him, placing a calming hand on his shoulder.

"I think you've done quite enough, Mason," Emily addressed him while keeping Jack at bay. "You need to leave."

"I see," Mason observed, taking a few steps back as he glanced at Jack, still provoked. "I'll come back."

Once he was gone, Emily and Jack exchanged a brief look, while Emily's attention soon found Kara in Amanda's room, after returning baby Carl to her arms.

"Amanda, sweetie. Do you remember me?" Kara asked. Amanda stared at her with big eyes while Jack and Emily looked on, Emily slightly widening her eyes to encourage her against pretending familiarity. Carl's cry sounded as a welcome distraction.

"Uh, I think Carl's hungry," Amanda responded, shifting her son and looking over to Jack for assistance. "Jack?" He came around to her bedside to help her with her gown, so she could begin nursing for the first time.

In the meantime, Emily laid a casual hand on Kara's shoulder. "Perhaps, we should let these two rest?" she offered, looking over at Jack who glanced back appreciatively. "When Amanda's released she'll be staying with me for a few days – perhaps you'd like to come visit in the morning? I can drive you home?"

Kara seemed reluctant at first but after sensing that all eyes were on her to comply, she finally did, following Emily out of the room slowly while looking back to wave at Amanda. Emily allowed her to walk a pace in front and peered back at Amanda and Jack, who both acknowledged her gesture with gratitude, Jack in particular feeling more and more drawn to her kind nature. A twinge of guilt went through him as he glanced over at the mother of his child, nursing beside him, knowing his heart should be inclined towards her, when all he could think about was how perfect her closest friend seemed to be.

 **SCENE**

"How long until high tide?"

Padma smiled across from the ornate little table Nolan had set up for them to have breakfast, literally right on the beach. She watched as the waiter poured them mimosa's and completed their morning date beside the crash of the ocean waves.

"I like living on the edge of the land, the water," Nolan responded merrily, glancing down at his plate. "The honeydew," he added to a chuckle in return from Padma. A moment later his phone rang, and he lifted a pleading finger for her to wait while he took the call.

"Morning, sunshine," he answered, only breaking his no-phone rule for Emily.

"We need to talk," Emily insisted from her outside porch at her beach house. "I've been trying to reach you since you left the hospital yesterday."

"Oh, sorry pumpkin – figured you were busy with 'godmother' duties so I went off the grid," he grinned at Padma, recalling their evening date together. "I was just telling Padma how I'm an Uncle now..." He paused to put a hand over the receiver, addressing Padma in an aside. "Well not a _real_ uncle, one of those 'fake' uncle's like Kracker or Fester…"

Padma laughed, whispering back. "I'm pretty sure Fester was really Gomez' brother."

"Ok, you pass," he scrunched his nose up at her playfully, removing his hand so he could continue the call.

"Padma's there with you?" Emily surmised, trying to be cautious of her wording.

"Yes," he answered, unknowingly being discreet. "Something serious – need my help?"

"No," Emily digressed, shaking her head. "You need mine. I spoke to Daniel yesterday – he had a meeting with someone from your company that asked about my father's investment." She took a breath and closed her eyes. "Nolan, it was Padma."

Nolan did his best to keep a straight face as he eyes slowly fell over his date across from him. "Call you later," he replied in a rush and merely ended the call, while Padma noticed the slight change in disposition.

"You okay?" she asked.

He forced a smile in response, allaying her concerns while he let his phone slip gradually through his fingers into his lap. He reached for his glass, while Padma did the same. "Then drink up before we're both underwater."

 **SCENE**

"Just one night, I promise," Jack addressed Emily as she stopped into Amanda's guest room in her house after ending the phone call with Nolan. She watched as Jack helped Amanda and Carl get settled, having been released from the hospital that morning. She had to admit she was relieved that she had taken care of dropping off Kara at Grayson Manor the day before, and could control whatever visits followed in future. It still bothered her that she hadn't seen nor heard from Daniel since then, but it was likely for the best, since she now had more important company to look after and didn't want to risk him coming by while Jack was still around.

"Not a problem," Emily assured him, smiling over at Amanda and Carl.

Jack clapped his hands together, seeing his work done. "All right," he kissed Amanda on the forehead. "I'm gonna take off and go to The Stowaway, okay?"

"Okay," Amanda smiled back, watching as he brushed past Emily to walk out.

"Thanks again," he repeated sincerely, squeezing her arm. Amanda noticed but quickly looked away, focusing instead on Carl. Emily made light of the affectionate gesture, smiling humbly back at him as he left and then coming over to sit on the bed next to Amanda.

"Is everything okay?" Emily asked her, noting her slight uneasiness.

Amanda did her best to shrug it off, but couldn't hide her feelings long. "Jack seems happy with the baby but with us I just…" she trailed off, unsure of how to express it. "I know he wants to do the right thing but inside he's still struggling with committing to me."

Emily exhaled. "It'll pass," she insisted. "I told you I would help you smooth things over; whatever I can do."

Amanda shook her head. "That's just the thing. Every kind thing you do for us, every word you say, Jack hangs on it. He clings to everything you do." She hung her head, a bit defeated. "I've known it for some time but being this close to you both only makes it more obvious." She looked back up at Emily. "He has feelings for you."

Emily sighed it off, immediately defensive. "Amanda, don't be ridiculous. He loves _you._ Can't you see that?"

"He loves _Amanda Clarke,_ " Amanda replied emphatically, fixing her eyes on her. "Not me."

Emily absorbed what she said, having thought the same herself once a long time ago, but never turning back since. Too much was at stake to even think about revisiting and for all her deep rooted tenderness towards Jack, she was slowly coming to accept that she did not deserve a person like him, and even questioned whether she could bring herself to love at all. Especially considering Daniel's regular attempts to evaluate their relationship and how easily she moved past the subject. But she knew the truth – her mission was safest when her heart was locked away and allowed her to think clearly, something she had to do more so than ever now that her mother was around.

"You _are_ Amanda," Emily insisted back, a hint of emotion in her voice. "To him and to everyone else, now that the Graysons have made it public, and that _includes_ Kara," she added meaningfully. "Which is why we have to deal with her first, before worrying about anything else."

"You're right," Amanda conceded, shifting Carl in her arms. "So what did you need to tell me about her?"

"The truth," Emily answered. "Which is what you're going to tell her too. If she asks, just say you don't know who she is and she has to leave."

"What?" Amanda didn't understand. "You spent all this time, risked my life looking for her and now you just want her to _leave?_ "

Emily braced herself as she explained why. "While you were recovering, a memory came back to me. When I was 5, my mother tried to kill me. She succeeded, actually. She drowned me. My father had to bring me back to life."

Amanda could only shake her head, stunned. "My God… How could a mother do that?"

"I don't know," Emily answered truthfully. "Maybe someday I will, but for now the best thing for us, and especially for Carl, is that she leaves." She gestured to her for confirmation and Amanda agreed wholeheartedly, if not already feeling wary with the weight of her child in her arms as motivation.

Emily reached for the phone on the night table and handed it to Amanda. "Call her."

 **SCENE**

"There may be no sadder sight than a woman attempting to rob her own house."

At the sound of a foreign voice, Victoria lurched up from the floor of Kara's guest room where she was taking advantage of her temporary absence to frantically search underneath her bed. Over the previous day she had done her best to unravel her plot against her family, despite Conrad's insistence that she and Lydia were not working together against him, and since she could get no help from him she was resolved to do it on her own, even if it meant snooping through Kara's things while she was visiting Amanda.

Now as she stood from where she was kneeling, she was face to face with Mason Treadwell, who seemed to live only to sling poetic insults her way as well as make an endless sea of trouble for her wherever possible. "Unless, of course, you misplaced something, like the dead woman who I hear has been sleeping in this bed?" he continued, tilting his head in thought. "Though being dead is 'de rigueur' around here these days."

Victoria managed a sneer despite her outrage at his presence. "You should try it sometime, Mason. And how did you get in here?"

Mason chuckled, glancing toward the hall. "Every maid has her price, especially when grotesquely underpaid," he shot her a scolding stare, as if to say, _Tsk Tsk._ "Anywho, I read your Vanity Fair article and I just had to come over to compliment you on your elegant blend of fact and fiction." He paused. "Including of course the foreshadowing to your upcoming nuptials, an event I'm dying of hope to be invited to…"

"What do you want, Mason?" Victoria straightened out the bed and came around to the other side where he stood, growing impatient.

"What do any of us want?" Mason replied simply. "The truth! I came to unearth it about your ludicrous kidnapping story, but now I've stumbled across something that's far juicier – Kara Clarke. If memory serves, you told me that she was dead?"

"I honestly believed that," Victoria swore, to a stifled laugh from Mason.

"Do you gag a little when you say that? "Honestly"?"

Victoria rolled her eyes in contempt. "I think you've failed to understand the threat Kara poses to all of us. She may know the truth about David, in which case, she will take you down along with us."

"I think I'll be fine," Mason insisted, turning on his heel to let himself out, having enjoyed his rattle with Victoria for the day.

Victoria snorted at his arrogance, waiting for him to be completely out of sight for her to open her palm, revealing the phone she had uncovered from Kara's bed – and possibly the ticket to understanding her sudden appearance.

 **SCENE**

"I can't do this, Emily," Amanda sighed as Emily opened the door to her room, coming to fetch her at Kara's arrival downstairs.

"What?" Emily looked at her in surprise. "Amanda, please – you and Carl's life might depend on it."

Amanda shook her head; glancing over at Carl where he slept in the bassinet Emily had set up for him. "It's not that I don't want to, it's just that it shouldn't be _me_." She took a hold of Emily's hand as she came over to sit on the bed next to her. "She is _your_ mother. I know we made a pact and I promised that I would be your future, but that was before we knew of any of this would happen, right?"

Emily lowered her head momentarily, knowing Amanda was partially right. While she did in fact know that she always intended to avenge her father's betrayal and death, she could not have predicted the change in events. Only a few things could shake her determination to remain hidden behind a false identity, and as she thought back, the completion of her mission and love for Jack had been two of them. The return of a parent she thought to be dead should also be an exception, despite how hard it was for her to endure the aftermath.

"Amanda, I want nothing more than for all of this to be over," Emily insisted. "But my mother isn't stable. She isn't ready to find out the truth about what happened to me – or who I really am."

Amanda shook her head, feeling lost. "Then don't tell her. But please, for your own sake – talk to her yourself. Say I asked you to. This is one thing I can't take from you, Emily." She looked deeply into her friend's eyes, and Emily knew Amanda was thinking of more than just her mother. "Not this. Please?"

Emily nodded, realizing that in spite of her desire to keep things intact, she owed it to herself to face her mother, even if she could not be fully honest. She clasped Amanda's hand in return and made her way down the steps, bracing herself for how to delicately let Kara know the news.

"She's not coming, is she?" Kara immediately guessed, dropping her head as she stood up from the couch and turned around to see Emily by herself. "I knew it. She wants nothing to do with me."

Emily did her best to comfort her. "She's just very overwhelmed right now. She needs time to process it all. But she asked me to come in her place. If there's any message you wanted to give to her," Emily stared at her bravely. "I can do that for you."

Kara nodded. "I understand. So I'll just I'll just say my piece then go."

Emily came over to where she stood over the couch and took a seat, encouraging Kara to do the same. Kara settled, a bit uneasily and fidgeted in her lap. "God, this is so much harder to do than I thought it would be," she muttered awkwardly.

Emily hesitated at first and then reached over and put her hand atop hers, and struggled as a memory from her childhood fought to break through upon the contact. But instead, she remained calm, noticing the touch having a calming influence on Kara as well. She looked up at her and smiled softly. "This might sound crazy, but… would you mind if I spoke to you as if you were Amanda? I think it's the only way I'll ever get my thoughts out straight."

Emily smiled half-heartedly, nodding in agreement.

"Ok," Kara took a deep breath. "Here goes… I just want Amanda to know: Despite all the odds against you, you survived. And you've grown into an amazing, amazing young woman. You're strong. You're independent. You're… you're everything that I could ever have hoped for you to be."

Emily inhaled deeply, doing her best to suppress tears as she felt the moistness welling into her eyes. The moment was simply surreal.

"You need to know that, um, I was very sick for a long time." Kara went on. "And I was not fully in control of my actions. And your father and I made a choice - one that I knew I would have to live with. I told him to tell you… that I died."

Emily flinched as the admission came out of Kara's mouth, but shook the falling tear from her right eye, squeezing her mother's hand tighter to keep her composure.

"I did it for you, Amanda. I knew it would be better for you if you thought I was gone. And somehow," Kara too began to struggle with tears, using the back of her other hand to wipe them away. "Somehow your father found it in his heart to forgive me." Before she could break down any further, she released her hand from Emily's grip and suddenly stood up, finished. "That's all – That's all I wanted to tell her."

Emily breathed deeply, her chest heaving as she watched her mother begin to walk away and fought herself inside, knowing she could not let it end there. "Wait!" she finally called out, and Kara stopped short, turning to face her at the door.

Emily rose slowly and walked over to her, doing her best to mask her emotions. "Please don't leave. Amanda just needs another chance but I know… I'm sure," Emily stammered for the words. "If she were to hear everything you said… If I tell her… I know she'll forgive you too."

Kara exhaled through her nose, smiling at Emily's tender attempt to smooth things between mother and daughter. Instinctively she reached out to hug her. "Thank you, Emily," she replied, and then pulled away. "My daughter is lucky to have a friend like you."

 **SCENE**

"Are you seriously reading a book?" Victoria bellowed at Conrad as she entered the living room, shocked at the complacence to which he rested with ease.

"Yes, it calms me," he replied, closing the novel he had open on his lap and taking note of his frazzled yet stunning companion. "You should try it."

"I'd much rather try prying information out of you with a heated poker," Victoria snapped back as she crossed in front of him to take a seat in her favored chair.

"Oh that won't be necessary my dear," Conrad insisted with a cavalier grin. "I'm happy to share with you anything that you wish – including the details of the conversation I had with Lydia this morning, who I can assure you has no intention of revealing our little secret anytime soon."

"Well, I'm certain we paid dearly for that insurance, or should I even ask?" she levied back, crossing her legs.

"The transaction is still underway, but safe to say with the offer I'm about to make her, the last thing Lydia will be concerned about is our pesky little secret, much less the long-suffering Kara Clarke," Conrad confirmed, watching as Victoria palmed a cellular device in her hand. "A fact, I'm certain the log in that phone also confirms?"

Victoria smiled. "I found this hidden in Kara's room, and yes you're correct. There is but one number on it."

"Let me guess, Gordon Murphy's?"

She nodded in return. "She's made calls out. None came in. But it's safe to say she's been feeding him information." The lingering concern continued to echo in her voice. "Too many people know our secrets, Conrad. And if they surface, the Initiative is going to come after us and worse, our children." She shook her head. "I don't know who to turn to."

"You can turn to me, of course," Conrad insisted, setting his book down on the coffee table to lean closer.

"Oh, please," Victoria ignored him. "You can barely keep your stray dog on her leash."

"Ah, a fact which I intend to pay for with my continued promise of fidelity for as long as I live, my dear," Conrad persisted, taking hold of her hand and dropping to one knee. "Victoria Grayson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? – Again?"

Victoria's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull in annoyance. "What is the matter with you?!" she yelled, just as he held a finger to her mouth.

"Sh- Sh, just let me finish, please." He continued. "To have and to hold, and to be _legally_ bound so that we may never be compelled to testify against each other in a court of law?"

Victoria sat back in her chair, finally catching on to why he was so insistent on the nuptials in the first place. The marriage saved them from ever having to speak a word of their past to another soul, and as much as it revolted her to be complacent – it was indeed, a necessary evil.

 **SCENE**

"I'm sorry for not letting her go, Amanda," Emily offered to her friend as she sat beside her on the porch swing that Jack had repaired, swaying Carl softly in her arms. "I know I only dragged you further into this—"

Amanda cut her short before she could finish. "Emily, please. Don't be. She's your _mother._ " She reached a hand out to place over Emily's next to her. "It's the whole reason why I wanted you to talk to her. And if you feel in heart that she's changed, then that's all that matters. I'll welcome her with open arms." She glanced down at Carl in her arms. "I have you to thank for giving me a family in the first place."

Emily exhaled with appreciation at Amanda's admission, still feeling inadequate to fully receive it when things were still uncertain with Jack. "Jack's going to commit to you Amanda," she offered, strongly feeling there was a good chance she was right. "I'm sure of it."

Amanda stared into the distance. "Maybe," she replied, and then turned to face Emily. "If he does, though - I don't deserve him. I knew you had feelings for Jack when I tricked him into believing I was you." She shook her head, disappointed in herself. "And now I have this incredible family. It's not fair. You deserve better, and Jack deserves the truth about who you are."

Emily would not allow her admission to change how she felt. "Jack deserves happiness," she insisted. "If you tell him the truth now, it'll only break his heart all over again." She clasped her hand for a tender moment and then stood up to go back inside, giving Amanda a confident look while she remained behind, rocking Carl in the swing.

Suddenly a voice interrupted her, coming up the porch steps beyond where she sitting. "Just the woman I was looking for."

Amanda rolled her eyes as she confirmed the presence in front of her, leaning back slightly to see if Emily was still nearby or had noticed her visitor. "What is it now, Mason?"

Mason edged closer to explain himself. "Just finishing up our conversation as I promised. You know, a quick raid of my research confirmed that you had a terrible scar from a burn you had suffered in a foster care fire?" He edged a step closer. "One that I couldn't help but notice at the hospital the other day - is now missing.

"I had it removed." Amanda glared menacingly.

Mason was not quickly deterred. "Did you now? From what part of your body?"

"Why do you care?" Amanda was losing patience quickly.

But the other chuckled, and only took it as a precursor to a future discussion that he knew would garnish much more interest from her than she was currently willing to give at the moment. "I think you and I both know the answer to that question, my dear. You may be many things to many people: the latest, it would seem, a young mother to an infant boy," he gestured towards Carl, while Amanda held him tighter at the reference and with a look of indignation, was stunned into silence by his next words.

"But the daughter of Kara Wallace and David Clarke? That is one thing that you most definitely are _not_."

 **SCENE**

Once inside her house, Emily went upstairs to her bedroom to make an overdue phone call. "Hey – I was wondering when I would hear back from you?" she greeted when the call connected.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Daniel replied nervously, still at his office in the city.

"Where are you?" she inquired.

"Still at the office," Daniel answered honestly. "It's been a long day and I have one last late meeting. Plus I had to do a lot of legwork to draw suspicion away from that inquiry from Nolcorp." His hands instinctively went to the document that sat in front of him, the contract of David Clarke's employment.

Emily nodded, proud of him for working so hard to protect her friend's interests. "I really appreciate you doing that, it means a lot to me." She glanced down. "I barely had a chance to give Nolan the heads up but he hasn't gotten back to me yet."

"Well for right now, you're both safe. Nothing else should come of it," Daniel assured her, as a knock sounded at his door. "Listen, Em I have to go – I'll be in touch later on."

"Bye," Emily let him go, a slight stir of endearment in her heart as she sat back to reflect how much Daniel had changed and she was finally beginning to accept his acts of penance for the things he had overlooked in the past. His efforts to preserve her father's interests in Nolcorp and her own stake had not gone unnoticed, and perhaps now that she had accepted Jack's rightful place with Amanda, it was time for her to let down her guard with Daniel. A sincere thought echoed in her mind as she set the phone down on her night table and went back downstairs. _Over time, we commit acts with intentions, either good or bad, that require forgiveness._

The desire to forgive burned deeply in her heart, a second indicator of the day's events that was slowly convincing her to believe, she might again find ways to love those she formerly did not trust.

Yet little to her knowledge, as Daniel hung up the phone on the other line, he was not only staring at her father's contract before him, but the clear exclusivity clause in it – which he now knew confirmed that David Clarke was working on behalf of Grayson Global years ago, no matter where the capital came from, even from his account. Which meant, Grayson Global had a controlling interest in Nolcorp – a fact that despite his pledge to Emily not to pursue, Daniel planned to uncover to the client that had just arrived at his office. He could only hope that one day she would understand the urgency of what he intended to do, and how it was the only option he had to destabilize the company that had ruined her life since she was a child.

"Come in," he called out, as the door opened and the assistant working the late shift guided him in.

To Daniel's surprise, it was not the face of the client he was expecting and he immediately rose to his feet, walking over to shake his hand. "My apologies, I was under the impression that I was meeting with someone else?"

"Not to worry, Mr. Grayson," the man replied, shaking his hand firmly in return as Daniel detected a thick British accent. "You have the right man. Mr. Takeda would have preferred to attend in person but unfortunately, due to a family emergency, he had to settle for sending his proxy instead. Rest assured I have full authority to speak on his behalf and I was pleasantly surprised to receive your call."

Daniel smiled, relaxing. "Of course, I can imagine why. It's not every day the company you're investing in calls a show of transparency." He returned to sit behind his desk, gesturing for Takeda's proxy to sit before him. "However, I think after you hear what I have to share you'll understand exactly why." He paused. "By the way, I'm sorry – I didn't get your name."

"The name's Mathis," he replied, and with it Daniel felt a sense of intimidation, or perhaps it was just the deliberate way in which he spoke, his emphasis and poise that made it a formidable declaration.

" _Aiden_ Mathis."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: Soooo I expect to get a lot of mixed feedback for this ending! But I'm ready for it! So many of you have expressed wanting for his return so you know I had to concede, but to those who are nervously waiting for the Demily train to take off and worry that this may delay it – I promise there is still plenty of fun to be had and I will work in the Aiden addition surgically! SO please stay tuned and in the meantime give me your thoughts! How did you like the changes in this chapter, there were quite a few! Some of my faves were definitely the conversation btw Daniel/Em in the beginning, and having Kara hand delivered by Lydia! Can't you just imagine her enjoying that? And then towards the end I needed to develop that Kara scene with her real daughter, just to see how it would play out. I always hoped there was an opportunity for an exchange like that in the show, so it was fun to switch it a bit. So what were you thoughts? Are you worried about Daniel's loyalties? Sound off when u can! Thanks for all your diligent reviews and support, much much appreciated! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	7. Chapter 7: Illusion

**Chapter 7: Illusion**

 **Author's Note: Reader beware… there are quite a few enhancements/changes to this chapter/episode that will forever change the direction of the story. I hope you are ready! In addition, I have to apologize for my long hiatus – life leaves little time for me to write when summer comes along! I'll be on vacation next week so I'm posting this in hopes it will carry you over if I can't update in between now and then. In the meantime, enjoy!**

 _Emily's Voiceover: If we choose to, we can live in a world of comforting illusion. We can allow ourselves to be deceived by false realities…Or we can use them to hide our true intentions…_

Daniel stood deep in thought, staring outside of the large window in his father's office, as the tailor fitted them both in their tuxedos for the wedding that afternoon. Despite being revolted by the massive charade his father was putting on, his focus centered only on the cunning plan that was soon to be in motion against him, that kept him noticeably silent when he was in his presence, such as at a moment like this.

Conrad was not oblivious to his son's reserved disposition over the past few days, and despite regularly dispatching Ashley to report back on what he could be up to, each attempt had come up empty handed. The only item of notice was the sudden arrival of Satoshi Takeda's proxy, Aiden Mathis, who had appeared on his behalf with an unprecedented interest in the company's background. While Daniel had been forthright with him regarding his intention to disclose all information and protect the best interests of the company, Conrad could not help but wonder if he was involved in other dealings unbeknownst to him, while his back was turned. As he pondered on the topic, Aiden's presence in the office gave him an opportunity to flesh out his suspicions.

"Ah, Mr. Mathis," Conrad greeted him when he entered, slightly turning his neck to face him while his tailor continued to measure his lengths. "So how is the vetting of my company going? Daniel tells me that you've been provided with everything you need?"

"I'd say we're on track," Aiden responded as he strolled in, sending a guarded look in Daniel's direction. He stopped to take notice of the attention on their apparel. "Are condolences or congratulations in order?"

"Both," Daniel answered in a dry tone, as Ashley stepped into the room to drop off some reporting on Conrad's desk. "My mother and father are remarrying this weekend."

Conrad glossed over Daniel's sly remark and turned his attention to Ashley momentarily. "Thank you, Ms. Davenport. Have you met Mr. Mathis? He's one of our board representatives, visiting on behalf of Mr. Takeda."

Ashley spun around innocently, slightly shrugging her shoulders. "No, I don't believe I've had the pleasure?"

Aiden smiled and extended his hand to greet her, picking up her accent. "The pleasure's all mine, I assure you. Is that a Northern London accent I detect?" he asked brightly.

"Eastern, actually," she clarified with a flirtatious smile, gently shaking his hand in return. "Nice to have a fellow Englishman around - I trust you're enjoying your stay?"

"Immensely," Aiden replied, ending the handshake with a light kiss on her hand. Daniel watched as the introduction unfolded in front of him, keeping his eye on Aiden the entire time.

"Your associate is quite the gentleman," Ashley nodded to Conrad as she stepped towards the door to exit. She paused to acknowledge the other beside him, a bit flatly before she left. "Morning, Daniel."

"Indeed," Conrad agreed with her initial comment, watching Daniel's reaction as an idea churned. He turned his attention back to Aiden. "Might you allow us to reciprocate your kindness by inviting you to join us this afternoon?" he offered. "The affair won't be anything fussy this time around, just a hundred or so at the south lawn of the hunt club."

"I'd be honored," Aiden accepted nobly, peering back over his shoulder towards where Ashley disappeared off to. "May I bring a date?"

"By all means," Conrad responded, pleased that his idea appeared to be taking root. He glanced over in Daniel's direction, observing if he too had picked up on the instant chemistry between Aiden and Ashley. He was preying on Aiden taking an interest in her so that he could manipulate her attentions to _him_ , since his initial plan to have her spy on Daniel had yielded minimal results. But what Conrad didn't know was that in Daniel's previous discussions with Aiden, it had become quite clear where his loyalties remained. He was intent on helping Daniel oust Conrad out of the company, and despite whatever last minute maneuvers his father tried to pull, they would be certain to fall short.

With perfect timing, the fitting session ended just as Daniel's phone rang. "Excuse me," he muttered briefly as he left his father's office, with Aiden staying behind to continue chatting with Conrad.

Once he had entered his own office and secured the door, he answered the now familiar distress call from his partner. "Emily, hey—"

"I have a request for you," she answered immediately, wasting no time with greetings.

Daniel's attention was peaked right away. "I was just about to ask you the same."

Emily took a deep breath on the other side of the line where she stood in her kitchen, conscious Amanda's presence beside her. "I need you swipe a few belongings from your father without him noticing."

The request took caught him off guard. "What's wrong, the orchestration of his takedown in the company not moving fast enough for you?" he guessed, slightly confused. Although he had yet to share his full intentions to facilitate, he knew Emily was fairly aware of his next steps.

Emily kept her eyes on Amanda. "It's not what you think – we have a different problem. Mason Treadwell showed up digging for information. He's going to try to expose Amanda."

Daniel wrinkled his brow in confusion. "How does my father tie in?"

"He's the first step in my contingency plan to keep Mason from going any further," she answered vaguely. "And to protect you from being implicated for murder. So can you do it?"

That got his attention. Emily had to be referring to something to do with Gordon Murphy, though while he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, he trusted her judgment to finish out the rest in due time. At any rate, he didn't have time to figure it all out in one shot, especially when his request for her was just as time sensitive. "Alright, text me what you need," Daniel agreed, walking over to his office door as he felt the conversation come to a close. "I can drop it off after I leave at noon. But you have to do something for me."

"What's that?" Emily asked, nodding a slight acknowledgment of relief to Amanda that Daniel was in to help out on the plan.

He took a breath, feeling a slight flutter in his stomach. "Come with me to the wedding," he insisted, with a touch of nervousness as if it were their first date.

Emily scrunched up her face in surprise. "I thought you were going with Ashley?"

Daniel paused to peer just out of the doorway, and his first sight confirmed just how wrong her guess was. Outside in the hallway, Aiden had left Conrad's office and was engaged in conversation with Ashley. "If my guess is correct, my father's already moved her onto the next victim of his espionage," he filled her in, popping back in his office to keep out of their line of sight. "Which is perfectly fine with me - especially if you want me to run your errands without him noticing."

Emily could not disagree; having Ashley distracted would enable her to work with Daniel more closely and give her the necessary advantage to pull off what she needed to. Not to mention that when it all came to fruition, being Daniel's guest at his parents' wedding would provide a perfect alibi. But something about his description of his father's next step had sparked her interest. "Fine," she replied quickly, sensing she might need to take a peek at the goings on via Conrad's office camera after the conversation ended. "I'll see you shortly then."

With that she ended the call, leaving Daniel with a broad smile on the other line, and twice as much excitement now that plans were not only in motion, but Emily's accompaniment had become an added bonus.

He returned quickly down the hall to stop in his father's office, glancing down at his phone while he entered to review the request Emily texted him. Once inside, he tucked it away, doing his best to make nice, just the two of them. "I'm about to take off. You all set?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Conrad responded, clearing a few items from his desk while he shot Daniel a questionable look. "Are _you_ ready, is the question?" Daniel raised an eyebrow while his father continued, gesturing beyond him. "Looks like you may have lost your friendly feline to the competition..."

Daniel chuckled, catching the reference. "Ashley and I aren't exclusive, Dad – she's free to see whoever she wants."

"Ah, so you're not disappointed?" Conrad tested him. "It's not like you to be so easily distracted."

"No, that's your job." Daniel relaxed his hands in his pockets, unable to resist an easy jab. "Tell me, what kind of bungalow did you stash Lydia in to keep her from showing face at the wedding?"

He merely got a repressed snicker in response, despite the subject triggering his father's interest. "None, as a matter of fact," Conrad answered honestly to his son's candor. "In fact I'll be confirming her silence as a result of our agreement to look after our recent houseguest…not to mention your mother's insufferable ability to deal with her presence like a true lady." He added a fatherly look of suggestion. "A lesson you might keep in mind as you select a future wife."

"Oh, quite the opposite," Daniel countered, straightening up with a bit of pride. "I have no intention of burdening my future wife with the _need_ to be tolerant of a mistress." Daniel glared at his father, hoping to guilt him in the least. "Nevertheless, I'm sure Mother will hardly approve of my choice. I've decided to take Emily as my date."

Conrad's eyes widened with impressed surprise. "Ms. Thorne?" He came around the side of his desk to clap his son on the shoulder. "Well, one thing your mother can't argue is the timing couldn't be more appropriate to rekindle an old flame."

"Just following in your footsteps," Daniel asserted, finding the similarities ironic.

Conrad nodded with a grin and started out of his office, stopping short just before he reached the door. "By the way, what's this I hear about the CEO of Nolcorp stopping through a few days ago?"

Daniel cringed, cursing himself for thinking that he could trust Ashley to keep her mouth shut. Aiden's interest in her could not be better arranged, as he was more than eager to finally cut her loose, though he would need to forewarn him if he was going to prevent any further leaks. He already suspected Emily had tuned in to spy his father's actions and he'd have to answer for this. He turned around to face him. "Ah, potential investment inquiry," Daniel lied, taking his chances that the wedding would keep him from investigating further. "The dust is finally settling after the whole ordeal with Tyler last year and Nolan Ross might be reconsidering."

"Splendid," Conrad exclaimed. "Let's do our best to keep him happy then." A thought appeared to cross his mind. "If I'm not mistaken he's a close comrade of Emily's isn't he?"

"I believe so," Daniel exhaled uneasily, knowing just how much of an understatement that was.

"Perfect. Invite him to the wedding," Conrad suggested. "Perhaps her presence will continue to sway him in our favor, hm?" With a devilish smile, Conrad left the office, leaving Daniel behind to worry that his intentions around going after Nolcorp might soon be exposed after all.

 **SCENE**

Emily closed her laptop with a suspicious look in her eye, after witnessing the brief moments in Conrad's office following ending the call with Daniel. From what she saw, it appeared Conrad was onto the Nolcorp inquiry, which could prove to be bad for Nolan if he continued to dig. She was fairly certain she could rely on Daniel to run defense, but with Nolan invited to the wedding, that might complicate things if Conrad interceded to push for an investment. She would have to make sure that he was otherwise detained somewhat sooner than she originally thought. But at least he had confirmed that her mother was still safe and sound at the Graysons, and would be one less thing she had to worry about during the wedding.

"Everything ok?" Amanda questioned her, leaning on the counter as she watched her friend finish her call with Daniel and then finished using her inside surveillance to monitor his next steps. "Is he going to help us?"

"Yes," Emily confirmed, refocusing. "The second half of the plan is in motion, now for the first." She turned to face Amanda, who was mindlessly browsing the documents she had set before her. "Here's the list of the reconstructive surgeons you consulted with and ultimately Dr. Spencer is the one who removed the scars. You recovered at the Plaza hotel on?"

"September 19th, 2007," Amanda drawled, growing disinterested.

" _2006,_ " Emily corrected her, slightly annoyed. "Amanda, you need to know these details, Mason's gonna try to confuse you with these questions." She added a scolding glare, to which Amanda straightened up, a little unnerved.

"Sorry – this whole interrogation thing is just starting to get old," she lamented honestly.

"Don't worry," Emily assured her. "By the time you're finished meeting with him this afternoon, Mason's attention will be focused on the next trail I'm sending him down."

Amanda flipped some of her long hair over her shoulder and leaned forward. "I think I'd much rather help with that."

"Not a good idea," Emily shut her down.

Amanda huffed in response. "Emily, this man has been targeting me for the past year – I have a right to want him finished off-"

"And he will be," Emily assured her. "As long as you do your part and let me handle the rest."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "You know, you and Jack are starting to sound just alike. You both barely let me go anywhere. I can't even go buy diapers without Jack two steps behind me catering to my every move—"

"Some women would appreciate that attention," Emily interjected meaningfully to a stern look in return. "Not that long ago you were worried about his interest?"

She couldn't argue that and decided to change topic. "All I'm saying is, if I'm going to be a part of this, I want to _really_ be a part of it," she insisted, giving Emily a pleading look. "Come on, if I have to play house with your Mom this whole weekend at least let me in on the plan."

Emily contemplated, uncertain if she wanted to bring Amanda in a level deeper, but also realizing that her next step of the plan would be fairly difficult to accomplish without at least some help. "Alright," she conceded, turning to face her. "How much energy do you have?"

Amanda shrugged. "I'm okay. Why?"

 **SCENE**

When he arrived home at Grayson Manor, Daniel was relieved to find the house empty, with his mother and sister not yet returned from their respective beauty appointments that morning, giving him the opportunity to retrieve the items Emily had asked him to without being seen. He quickly gathered all into a small bag as she had instructed, and was making his way out of his parents' room when he nearly ran into Kara Clarke as he emerged in the hallway.

"Kara!" he exclaimed, a bit caught off guard, as she flinched back in response.

"Sorry," she immediately apologized. "It's easy to get lost here."

"Yes," Daniel tried to half-acknowledge, in a rush. His curiosity however slowed him down, noting that Kara seemed to be headed for his mother's bedroom, with a copy of the wedding invitation in her hand.

"Ah, I take it you're coming to the wedding, then?" he stammered. In some ways it seemed so strange to converse with the woman that was his former fiancé's mother while she had no idea who her daughter truly was.

Kara looked down at the invitation and shook her head. "No. No I was just admiring how lovely it is for your parents to get a second chance at love," she insisted, to a weary look from Daniel. "Actually I was hoping to spend the weekend with my daughter and my grandson."

Daniel did his best not to let his expression show his discomfort at having to listen to her distorted view of the truth, and only played along. "How are they doing, by the way?"

"Good." She nodded. "Considering everything they've been through." After speaking the words she suddenly seemed to change tone. "Though I'm sure that's nothing compared to what your mother endured at the hands of that FBI agent… do you still worry about him coming after her?"

Again a test presented of Daniel's ability to play along. "Not really," he answered in truth. "Something tells me whatever view of him my mother had…" he thought of how to word the rest. "Well, perhaps it wasn't who he really was." He felt satisfied with that answer. In all honesty, his mother _had_ been wrong about him, portraying him as her torturer when really she held the trophy for using him to her advantage, including as an unsuccessful assassin.

Unbeknownst to him, his reply only served to soften Kara's heart, as she mistook it as hopeful that Gordon was in fact a good man. She smiled warmly, grasping Daniel's hand in appreciation, much to his surprise. "Thanks for having me here with your family. It's been nice getting to know you."

"Anytime," Daniel managed, not quite sure of how else to answer her. Thankfully he didn't have to think much longer as she turned to continue down the hall, back to her room. Once she was out of sight he breathed a sigh of relief, one that was interrupted by his phone ringing. He answered it without checking the caller ID as he dashed down the stairs, expecting it was Emily looking for an update.

"Emily, I got it—" he began, but was met with a different yet recently familiar voice.

"Ah, it's Aiden actually," the other replied. Aiden slowed down his steps while he paced the hallways of Grayson Global, his curiosity peaked. "Who is Emily?"

Daniel paused briefly in his tracks to cringe at his near-miss and then smoothly recovered. "Sorry about that – she's a, a friend. You'll meet her this afternoon actually. What can I do for you?"

Aiden shrugged, making a mental note. "Nothing, I was just hoping to catch you before you left. Any luck with your intent to uncover Nolcorp as a subsidiary of Grayson Global?"

"About that," Daniel took a breath as he got into the driver's seat of his car, preparing to swing past Emily's discreetly. She had been on his mind all morning and despite his determination in previous discussions with Aiden, his father's prodding had discouraged his original intent to go after Nolan's company.

"Listen, the contract was the only document Legal could provide me with, but without proof of David Clarke's original investment, we have nothing." Daniel continued to ponder. "As much as it would've proved a lucrative opportunity – I'm afraid it was a long shot. But at least now you know the facts, which I'm sure is all Mr. Takeda needs to pull his funds. We'll respect his decision."

Aiden protested immediately, sensing Daniel backing down from the position he needed him to stay in for his own agenda to take form. "I think you're overestimating his eagerness to withdraw," he insisted, holding onto a string. "Mr. Takeda would much rather invest in a new face of Grayson Global than to simply disengage with a tainted one?"

Daniel sighed, already accepting the inevitable. "Well as certain as I am that my father's stay is limited, I can't speculate on the future," he surmised, suddenly realizing how little he cared about it. His mission was to remove him and that was exactly what was going to happen. Why reach for more?

"Why not?" Aiden asked, as if reading his thoughts. "Especially when it's clear, you're _it_."

Daniel realized Aiden was referring to him. He shook his head. "I have to defer on that one."

"Daniel, give me one week to pool my resources and I can guarantee you, you'll be running the company before your parents return from holiday," Aiden promised, growing desperate. "Not only will Takeda support your cause in a company takeover, he will personally back your qualifications to lead."

Despite how resolute Daniel had felt only moments ago that the pursuit of Nolcorp was a dead one, he couldn't deny the appeal Aiden's words had. Aiden sensed he had gotten to him by his silence and continued while he was ahead. "In fact, I'll even arrange to reach out to Mr. Ross myself to get the ball rolling—"

"That may not be necessary," Daniel interrupted, sharing a piece of knowledge that he knew would be invaluable. "He'll be attending the wedding this afternoon."

"Well that's perfect then," Aiden supported, feeling the conversation start to flow in his favor. "We can discuss the terms of our proposal on neutral ground." There was still one last hesitation, but he could easily push past it. "Don't worry, Daniel – our approach won't be anything like your father's. If we play this right, it not only works out well for you, it can be the best partnership Nolcorp could possibly ask for. Maybe even triple the net worth of the company. What do you say – do we have a deal?"

Aiden's pushing had worked. Daniel felt himself caving in, despite going against his better judgment. But it was already too late – he had started the interest and now he needed to follow through. He glanced down into his palm where he held the bag of items for Emily, and hoped with all his might that his willingness to work in harmony with her schemes would compensate for any fallout from his own. The answer would remain to be seen but at least for the moment, whether he liked it or not, he was officially in business with two partners.

"Alright… we have a deal."

 **SCENE**

"You have the balls to show up here today?"

Lydia greeted Conrad caustically as she opened the door to her apartment to see him standing there; only hours before she knew he had to get ready for his nuptials to Victoria. Despite her writhing anger at him, just one of his pleading looks was enough to get her to relax her guard, stepping aside to let him in the door.

"Ah, Lydia, I hope you understand that regardless of what I am about to do today, none of it changes how I have _always_ felt for you," he declared, planting a kiss on her cheek and walking past her over to the small bar in her living room to pour himself a drink.

"Conrad, I wasn't joking when I told Victoria to call off the ceremony," she insisted, speaking to his back. "I don't make idle threats. You can deposit all the funds you want into my account, but this is your last chance – end this."

"Or you'll do what, my dear?" Conrad retorted, turning around to offer Lydia a glass of the dark liquor he had just poured, to which she declined. He raised an eyebrow in challenge of her threat. "Tell the world about what we did to David – what _you_ did willingly, as I remember?"

Lydia shook her head with a grin. "You don't get it. I could care less if I get implicated, once the truth is out – it's out. I'm done with the lies in my life. And don't think the feds won't be watching your every move if you try to silence me the way you did Victoria."

Conrad wrinkled his brow in confusion, walking over to enclose the space between them. "Last I heard you were holding _her_ accountable for that indiscretion, not me?"

She glared in response. "You always play a hand in anything she does, Conrad. Another reason why today sickens me – no matter how hard the two of you pretend to be better than the other, you always come together for a common evil."

"Such as?" Conrad asked.

"Trying to eliminate Amanda Clarke, for example?" Lydia countered with a flick of her eyebrow. "When I found Kara she was certain her daughter's life hung in the balance from a fall that happened on _your_ property – only days after you and Victoria pretended to warmly welcome her into the fold." She shook her head again, staring into his guilt ridden eyes. "Don't pretend you didn't orchestrate that entire thing. You're nothing but a cold-hearted schemer, only out to save your own skin and _everyone_ knows it."

"Mmm," Conrad absorbed her allegations. "And _you_ appear to be nothing but a bitter woman – desperately trying to seize her best friend's throne. Tell me; what were you doing in the hospital in the first place that you so happened to come across the mysterious Kara Clarke?" He led in, starting his own line of questioning. "Or did you stage that entire coincidence, one of your jealous attempts to blackmail Victoria into submission?" He chuckled, raising his glass to take a sip. "Not that I don't find it flattering, but a bit overplayed, don't you think?"

Lydia exhaled with a repressed smile as she watched him drown the contents, shaking her head at his ignorance. "I'm not bitter, Conrad." She responded. "And I'm not jealous. I'm pregnant."

Conrad froze mid-swallow, his eyes growing as big as saucers as he lowered his eyes to glance at her abdomen briefly before meeting her own eyes in shock. _"What?"_ he gasped.

Lydia merely nodded, cool as could be. "That's right. I was at the hospital that night because I'd had an episode. I thought it was a health scare but it turns out – I'm four months along." She paused again. "It's a boy."

He could only manage a slight shake of his head, still completely incredulous. "That's impossible," he whispered.

She bore her eyes into him, and in that moment her stare was so striking it was if she could pierce his very soul. "It's not impossible. It's a child - _your_ child. And I know the moment you walk down that aisle, he will never have a chance at knowing his father, for the rest of his life."

Conrad shuddered, still unable to process the massive bomb she had just dropped on him. Still in shock, he only managed set the empty glass in his hand on the table, sloppily clanking it against the other bottles, and began stumbling slowly towards the front door, brushing past her.

"I want a paternity test," he whispered as he moved past, not breaking his stride.

"Conrad," she insisted, turning around to face him while he continued, not stopping once. "Conrad, it's _yours! Conrad!"_

But with that, he was gone, slamming the door behind him as if to seal off her fate with it – an act he suddenly realized he wished he had done long ago.

 **SCENE**

"Treadwell went for it," Amanda breathed into her phone as she pushed Carl up the walk in his stroller to the Stowaway, stalling so she could remain out of earshot.

"He took the number?" Emily responded on the other line, walking down the hallway at Nolcorp to Nolan's office.

"He practically ran off with it," Amanda confirmed. "And he seems to think I'm you again for now."

Emily sighed with relief as she neared Nolan's office, pausing just outside. "Thank you, and thanks again for your help with Gordon earlier," she recalled, sincerely appreciating her assistance. With the scene staged and Amanda's conversation with Mason, it would only be a matter of time before he tried to track Gordon down himself – leaving him to find him in a most surprising state. "Trust me, this is all gonna work out," she assured her.

"It better," Amanda huffed, seeing Jack come out of the Stowaway in the distance. He was busy at work, transporting a few things in and out and it reminded her that today was also the day the Stowaway was finally reopening, thanks to Jack's new buyer. The reminder impelled her to quickly end the call so she could be by his side. "Because the next time Mason Treadwell tries to threaten my family, I handle him my way."

With that she hung up, leaving Emily pressured to make sure it all worked out, and slightly concerned that she would soon regret allowing Amanda to be such a central part of the plan. She pushed open the door to Nolan's office, eyeing a tuxedo hanging on the coat hook.

"Mm. Nice tux," she commented to him, placing a hand on her hip as she approached his desk. "Hope you're not planning on wearing it to the Graysons' wedding. You're not going."

Nolan glanced back at her in surprise. "How did you know I was even invited?" His face suddenly relaxed. "Oh, right. Watching your favorite closed-captioned show again?"

Emily leaned forward to rest her hands on the desk. "Conrad only had Daniel invite you because he thinks you're willing to invest in Grayson Global again, an idea Daniel used to cover up the truth –Padma went digging for my father's contract. She knows about his original investment, Nolan."

"Oh, you mean, _this_ investment?" Nolan asked, producing a framed check from his drawer. He held it up to show Emily with a sharp look. "Yeah I looked into it after you accused her of treachery – turns out, _this_ was safe and sound with the rest of my father's belongings. She hasn't done anything with it."

"And she's not going to," Emily affirmed, walking around the desk and extending her hand. "Give it to me."

Nolan complied reluctantly, shaking his head. "You really don't trust her?"

"I don't trust _anyone,_ Nolan." Emily responded firmly as she slipped the frame into her large purse and zipped it shut.

"Except for Danny boy, of course," Nolan shot back to a glare from Emily. Their stare-down was momentarily interrupted by Padma's entrance into the office.

"Padma," Nolan called out to her with a showy smile. "Um, Emily wanted to know if you needed to borrow a dress for the wedding, given the short notice?"

Padma glanced over at her curiously, while Emily put on a curt smile to play along. "I've got it covered, I think." She responded, tapping Nolan lightly on the shoulder as she dropped off a few documents for him to sign. "Thanks."

Once she was out of the room, Emily's temper flared. "You _invited_ her? Nolan, you're risking your company for this."

"What's the risk?" Nolan challenged, rising to his feet to bring him eye level with Emily. "Danny's your inside man, right? Wasn't he the one who tipped you off? As long as he's out front covering pursue, I should have nothing to worry about – not even Connie and the gang." He gave her a lopsided smile, testing to see how strong her confidence was that Daniel would protect her interests.

Emily took a deep breath, realizing she was betting a lot on Daniel's loyalty but still fighting her instincts that there could be danger involved if he suddenly decided to change course. Or, worse yet, if Conrad got to information first and made a play for Nolcorp on his own. "I'm just trying to play it safe," Emily asserted back, staring at him intently.

"Alright," Nolan conceded. "You win with the steely eyes." He sunk back into his desk chair just as his phone began to ring.

"Hello, _Mason,_ " he answered emphatically, glancing up at Emily for explanation. "Of course I can track a cell number to a name and address - child's play." He crossed his eyes nonchalantly and covered the receiver to question her. "Your handiwork I presume?"

"Say you'll do it." Emily insisted with a pleading expression. "Please."

Nolan seized the opportunity and whispered back to her. "So did you want to carpool to the wedding, or should we just meet you there?" Emily rolled her eyes in response and turned away and Nolan knew he'd twisted her arm. He resumed conversation. "Mase, uh, why don't you just text me that number? And I'll get IT right on it." He hung up the phone and then turned back to Emily to explain. "What did I just agree to?"

"The beginning of the end for Mason Treadwell," Emily responded with a sly grin. "Amanda met with him today and set him on a trail that will lead to his demise… along with a few friendly detours along the way that involve the Graysons."

Nolan shook his head in admiration. "And to think you were about to stop me from getting a front row seat to the whole thing." He paused momentarily. "Come to think of it – how do you manage your way into the conga line—wait, don't tell me Daniel's sporting you on his arm?"

Emily gave him an exasperated sigh and started for the door. Even though she expected him to bombard her with comments over her and Daniel's relationship, she didn't have time to really give it a second thought. Especially not after the busy morning she'd had and now needed to get back home in time to get ready. Plus, in addition to that she had one more favor to repay, one that wouldn't take a long amount of time but was important to her nonetheless. She continued walking away with Nolan a step behind, still teasing her over her shoulder.

"Listen; why not just opt for a double wedding, everybody's getting back together in the Hamptons it seems!"

She spun around to set the record straight. "Daniel asked me to go as a favor, after he did one for me – that's all." Her mouth curled into a snide grin. "Besides, _this_ is going to be an event I don't want to miss."

 **SCENE**

"Have you seen the mate to this cufflink?" Conrad asked his wife as he nervously strolled into her bedroom, doing his best to keep composed after Lydia's shattering revelation.

"No." Victoria answered flatly after examining the said accessory. She returned to her task at hand – matching jewelry to her gown now that she had returned from the beauty salon that morning. It seemed odd that Conrad was only just now getting his suit on, but she assumed he had stayed late at the office, requiring less time to prepare. She wondered about the rest of her family, not yet having seen either of her children and hoped they were getting ready as well.

Conrad sighed glumly. "A present from you at our first wedding - I was hoping to wear them today." Victoria did not notice but his mind weighed heavily on how he would be able to continue without cracking from the stress, and the sentimental side of him hoped that reliving their union together would help relieve it in some way.

"Oh. Well then, let's call the whole thing off." Victoria jested, looking at him ruefully. He shot her an annoyed glare in return and started to leave until Victoria did her best to relax him. "Learn to take a joke, Conrad, since we're perpetrating one." If not for the next interruption, she might have noticed his sensitivity and inquired about it, but she wouldn't have the chance.

Just then, Charlotte entered the room, her hair falling down around her shoulders, wearing a simple, but certainly plain dress for the occasion. Victoria balked in surprise when she saw her. "Charlotte, you took your hair down – why aren't you dressed?"

"Here." Charlotte held out a small box that contained a necklace to placate her mother's concerns and joined her on the bed while she sat down to open it. "This is for you for today.  
I thought it could represent something borrowed and blue."

"Thank you." Victoria smiled in appreciation, but maintained her concern. "Now you really have to get ready, the cars will be here soon."

Charlotte took a deep breath as she confessed the truth to her mother. "I'm not going, mom. I can't do it-go out there in front of all those people and fake it for yet another P.R. stunt?" The mere thought revolted her and reassured her of her decision.

"Nobody's faking anything," Conrad interjected to assure her, partially to build his own confidence as well. He walked back over beside her. "Your mother and I wouldn't be doing this if we didn't both want it."

Charlotte shook her head. "The question isn't whether you want it, it's _why_." She stood up firmly, as Victoria and Conrad both hung their heads slightly in affirmation that she was circling the truth. "Kara and I are going to the Stowaway. They're reopening today. She wants to visit Amanda and I'm going to help Declan."

"Oh, not that one again," Victoria complained, although a part of her felt relieved that at least it would keep Kara out of her hair. She still worried that Lydia might make an appearance but was taking Conrad's word that he had handled the situation – a fact she made a mental note to verify when she next had the chance.

"That _one_ , mom," Charlotte asserted, quoting her mother. "Is the only thing that's real in my life." She turned to glance at them both before taking her leave. "Can you two say the same about each other?"

Once Charlotte departed, Conrad and Victoria exchanged glances. Victoria returned to getting ready while Conrad left the room slowly, wondering how he would ever be able to counter their daughter's clear and certainly accurate assessment – especially considering what the future might hold.

 **SCENE**

"Just like parting the Red Sea," Daniel whispered to Emily as they entered arm-in-arm down the center aisle where the ceremony was beginning to fill up. Their presence immediately drew the attention of all in attendance, impelling more than a few guests to take their seats or turn to watch as they passed by, dressed fully to the nines in a sharp black tuxedo for Daniel and a flowing magenta gown for Emily.

Emily kept her head high as he led her, wearing the rehearsed smile that came easily from their public appearances the year before. She was conscious that their showing up together would only fuel up rumors of a reunion but this time it seemed easier to palate. Perhaps it was the knowledge that Daniel knew the truth and had become her ally that comforted her, or even the familiarity she now felt with him that relaxed her in his company. That coupled with the fact that they were all about to witness a takedown of colossal proportions weighed heavily on her mind as they made their way through, pausing once when they reached the row where Nolan and Padma were sitting.

"Mr. Ross," Daniel greeted him formally, to a subtle eye-roll in return.

"Danny," Nolan replied, stepping aside. "I believe you and Padma have already met?"

Daniel nodded respectfully, shaking Padma's hand. "Of course, Ms. Lahari. May I introduce my date—"

"Emily," Padma finished for him, surprising him a little. She smiled innocently. "We've met too."

"Good to see you again, Padma," Emily added, glancing over her cobalt blue gown that perfectly complimented Nolan's tux. "That dress is stunning."

"A moment, please?" Daniel asked aside to Padma after he observed their greeting, and when she stepped aside, Emily slid over next to Nolan to whisper to him privately.

"Mm, lifestyles of the rich and shameless," Nolan quipped aside to her while Daniel and Padma spoke. He nodded in their direction. "Is that the kiss before the betrayal?"

Emily glared back. "If I know Daniel, he's probably making an excuse for why he couldn't come up with the contract. And if Padma's really in your corner as you say she is, she'll drop it."

Nolan raised an eyebrow and tilted his head at the same time. "Guess we'll find out soon."

Meanwhile, Daniel finished his conversation with Padma just as he felt a tap on his shoulder, revealing Aiden and Ashley who had just entered the ceremony area. Padma returned to Nolan's side while Emily still remained with her back to the other three.

"Well look at this smashing couple," Daniel remarked as Aiden and Ashley came close. "Aiden – Ashley." He greeted them both and Aiden nodded his way in return. Ashley smiled curtly, feeling slightly out of her comfort element in Daniel's presence but with a touch of confidence at getting to sport her enigmatic date on her arm.

"Lovely to see everyone still filing in," Ashley replied first. "I was terribly worried we'd be late."

Daniel brushed it off with a grin. "Nah, just like my parents to make a grand entrance, of course." His eyes met with Aiden and immediately reminded him to introduce him to the rest of the group who had yet to meet him. "Mr. Mathis, I'd like to introduce you to some of our guests..."

Daniel turned and stepped a few paces back to where Emily was facing Nolan and Padma, gently tapping her arm to get her attention. She half-turned to follow him, her swept over hairstyle covering half of her face and only lifted her head once she arrived where he was leading her, stopping dead in her tracks as she did.

"This is Takeda's proxy," Daniel introduced them. "Mr. Mathis – meet Ms. Thorne."

It was hard labor for Emily to keep her calm as she locked eyes with Aiden, the contact sending a chill up her spine and rendering her temporarily speechless. Memories seemed to flood through her mind of years and years of history – conflict, loyalty, dangerous training, and unrequited love. The thoughts nearly overwhelmed her as she shuddered at his presence, here, standing before her, watching her reaction. Her lips parted for a moment as she exhaled, and if Daniel had been only an inch closer he would nearly be able to hear her heart beating out of her chest. The awkwardness became noticeable to the foursome, but before it could linger a moment longer, Aiden stepped forward.

"Ms. _Thorpe_ , was it?" Aiden questioned with a knowing glance, as he extended his hand gracefully, buying Emily time. It was exactly what she needed to gain composure.

"Thorne," she corrected him, relaxing her mouth into a fake grin as she placed her hand into his. She glanced over at Daniel who was watching her curiously and quickly fibbed away her reaction. "My apologies, I was expecting Mr. Takeda."

Aiden brought her hand ever so delicately to his lips to plant a kiss and then stood back out of respect. "Ah yes, well unfortunately he had to defer to me in his place."

Daniel relaxed, grinning slightly. "Among one of Emily's many talents is being fluent in Japanese," he explained. "A skill she's had the opportunity to flex in Mr. Takeda's presence."

"A skill indeed," Aiden commented, and Emily's nostrils flared, catching the reference. He thought for a moment. "Ah yes, _Emily_ ," he emphasized to Daniel as he restated her first name. "You thought I was her this morning?"

"Right, on the phone," Daniel confirmed.

Emily's eyes averted, becoming slightly annoyed. She seized the opportunity to give Ashley a hug. "Ashley, I'm so sorry," she apologized for not acknowledging her sooner. "So nice to see you," she added with a smile and then stood back while Ashley nodded in hesitation.

Aiden watched them interact, using it as a bridge to continue stirring the pot. "That's right you're all old friends?" He then glanced at Daniel and Emily specifically. "In fact weren't you two engaged once?"

"Ah, yes," Daniel stammered uneasily, sending Emily a shy look.

She intervened, rescuing him from embarrassment. "Our breakup was amicable," she insisted, reserving a pointed expression for Aiden. "Daniel and I are still good friends."

"Credit Emily for that," Daniel added, appreciative of her stepping in. "Believe it or not, I'm not the easiest guy to date."

It was Ashley's turn to placate. "Well we're just glad we're all able to support you and your family," she piped in, hoping to smooth things over so they could make a clean exit. She slipped her arm through Aiden's to give him a cue to find their seats.

"Indeed," Aiden added, turning to follow her lead. "Look forward to continuing our discussion later on, Grayson." He turned to acknowledge Emily. "Ms. Thorne."

"Enjoy," Daniel added as they excused themselves, while Emily gave a stern nod back. Once they were gone, Daniel escorted Emily to find their seats together, closer towards the front.

"You alright?" he asked, the question burning in his mind since the awkward run-in.

"Fine," Emily quickly covered over with a clever response. "It just got a little awkward there with Ashley – last time I saw her, you two were headed off on a date." They found their seats and sat down, Daniel turning to face her with a solemn expression.

"I went a little far that day to make a point—" Daniel started to explain, feeling remorseful.

Emily waved him off. "Daniel, please we talked about this. You're free to see whoever you like." She kept a careful side eye on the rear of the crowd, not noticing Daniel's flinch in distaste to her comment. She continued searching for where Aiden and Ashley had gone off to, but quickly brought her attention back. "When you said your father pinned her onto the next victim, I just didn't realize it was so close to home – your own client?"

"Yeah, I know," Daniel acknowledged, pondering on the subject himself. He brightened up with a thought. "Ordinarily that would worry me, but I think I can trust him. If not, I'm guessing whatever you've got up your sleeve will tip the scales…I trust you got the items I left for you earlier?"

"Yes." Emily sighed confidently, although a part of her felt a twinge of pity for Daniel, having no idea that his father was soon to be the object of quite a bit of public scandal. "Daniel," she began, pausing for a moment of honesty. "Things are about to happen soon that will alarm you – but I promise I will explain everything in due time."

Daniel nodded, already sensing that she was holding onto information. Despite knowing her real identity, he never ceased to feel like there were layers and layers left beneath the surface of the woman he was sitting next to – some he was certain he would never penetrate. But for his sake, he couldn't say any different – he too felt a measure of guilt for the deal he had made with Mathis, a fact he worried he would soon regret. "Listen, what do you think about making having that conversation sooner than later?"

Emily furrowed her brow in curiosity. "What do you mean?"

Daniel rested a hand on her knee. "I mean a full on heart-to-heart, everything out on the table," he admitted, gesturing. "Nothing held back – no regrets."

Emily was unsure if she could agree to that, especially considering the complication Aiden's presence had added to his terms. But depending on the circumstances she knew her choices would be limited. "Sounds like a confession," she replied, stalling.

His expression suddenly grew serious, and he looked downwards for a second before peering up into her eyes again. "Actually, there is something I need to confess to you…"

A look of concern came over Emily's face, but quickly disappeared as he finished, glancing over her with deep intensity that instantly won her affection.

"You look absolutely beautiful."

 **SCENE**

Mason approached the secluded trailer with suspicion, pausing to verify the address in his hand that Nolan had tracked Gordon Murphy's cell number back to. Indeed, he was in the correct place, and yet something about it seemed so blatantly mysterious.

He approached the door slowly, knocking discreetly at first and then louder when there was no audible response. He grimaced and tried his luck – to his surprise, the door was open. He leaned against it to peer inside slowly, and finally called out. "Gordon?" he uttered into the musky, dank room.

Not a moment later than he said it, did a putrid smell enter his nasal passages, and he quickly retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket to cover his nose, while still proceeding forward. His eyes focused in on a figure sitting across from the television, unmoving. "Gordon?" he called out again, certain this must be him. "Gordon Murphy—"

His cadence dropped as the face slowly came into view – stone cold and slate grey. A clear sign that the man that sat still before him was undeniably deceased, confirmed by the scent he was trying so hard to mask from breathing in. "Oh good God!" he exclaimed with a start, falling back a step to catch his balance. As he did so, a peculiar accessory on the floor caught his eye, and he fumbled in his pocket for a pen to nudge it into view, cleverly avoiding any contact with his hands.

He leaned close enough to get a good look and when he did, it unmistakably grabbed his attention. It was a small cufflink, with a monogrammed inscription. _CG_. He shuddered in realization of the only possible name it could stand for.

Conrad Grayson.

 **SCENE**

"May we have the room, please?"

Conrad briskly entered Victoria's dressing area where attendants were preparing her to make her way to the aisle in moments. She looked up in surprise at his interruption, shocked that he would delay it any further.

"Conrad, there are people waiting for us in the hot sun," she insisted, while he brushed it off and only took a few steps closer once everyone had dispatched.

"Oh, well, just let 'em swelter. This is your day, after all." He stated firmly, working up the courage to say what had been running through his mind since he left Lydia's apartment and suddenly discovered a newfound respect for his bride in spite of her past shortcomings. Even if Victoria had been guilty of the same sin, concealing a lovechild until the final hour, she had stayed by his side. It was an act of loyalty that he intended to repay her for, even if he knew she could not be trusted just the same, it was clear they were bound to each other, if not by necessity, than by fate itself.

"In all seriousness," he began. "I wanted to take a moment before we go out there. I know we've come to this point due to extenuating circumstances, but the fact is, here we are." He looked into her eyes, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And I want you to know just how much I truly, from the bottom of my heart, want to be here."

Victoria nearly grunted in surprise. "Don't tell me you're getting sentimental on me?"

"Well the truth is," Conrad admitted. "I've been feeling a sense of…" he searched for the word. " _Remorse,_ for some of my past misgivings, and after giving you grief for all of your own, I simply can't go on pretending I'm without sin." He took a breath and for a moment felt as if he might even confess to her fully. But his pride got the better of him. "But, if you allow me to I promise I will put my every energy into making _this_ marriage work and keeping you happy."

Victoria stood back, sincerely aghast at the sincerity she detected in his expression. "I'm shocked," she stuttered, her expression softening. "For the first time ever, I do believe you've caught me off guard."

Conrad nodded, pleased his affections came across as intended, and he took the opportunity to hand Victoria the box he was toting behind his back in his other hand. "For you," he prefaced, as she opened it.

"A gun?" she replied in surprise, her enamor feeling somewhat deflated. "How romantic."

"It's a peculiar wedding gift, I know," he explained. "But then we are living under peculiar circumstances. And if ever I can't protect you, I want to know that you can protect yourself – and our children."

The explanation seemed to touch a nerve with Victoria and she swallowed in thought while closing the box, facing Conrad again. "As much as I was hoping you were offering me a way out of this – I must confess I'm thankful that you've always had the protective instincts you do about our family."

Conrad nodded, feeling the surge of a breakthrough between them and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek, then continued whispering in her ear. "I will never stop caring for you, Victoria. Nor for them."

He pulled away with a smile, leaving her in thought while he exited the room, having purged both his seared conscience and his guilt with a gift and an eloquent speech.

Victoria remained behind, allowing his words to marinate, and deeply considering just how much weight they held in her heart, if there was any room left to let them in. Before she had much time to mull it over, her phone was ringing, interrupting her thoughts. She glanced at the caller and rolled her eyes as she answered him. "Mason," she breathed. "Your timing is terrible, as usual."

"On the contrary," Mason replied on the other line. "I think you'll find my timing quite canny." He stood back and watched as the police officers he had contacted swept through trailer while he stood aside, waiting patiently to assist where needed. "I've just stumbled on a way for you to reap all the benefits of your pending nuptials without spending a single gruesome night with the groom."

His proposal caught her attention, despite the momentary endearment she felt towards Conrad and she couldn't resist listening further, if nothing else than to hear what he had to say.

 **SCENE**

"And now, ladies and gentlemen- Conrad and Victoria Grayson!"

The assembly of guests watched and clapped in excitement as Conrad and Victoria entered the reception area and took the floor for their first dance as a married couple. Among them were Aiden and Ashley and a few paces over, Daniel and Emily, who stayed close by each other, watching intently with the occasional commentary.

"So," Emily prodded Daniel, taking advantage of their opportunity to converse post-ceremony to pose a few careful questions. Her peripheral vision stayed on Aiden the entire time, while Daniel's attention remained half-fixed on his parents. "You said your father orchestrated Ashley's tagging along with," she paused intentionally. "Mr. _Mathis_ , is it?"

"Aiden." Daniel clarified, laughing through his nose. "And yeah it was pretty obvious when he invited him this morning – and told him he could bring a date."

"I'm surprised she didn't assume the two of you would be going together?" Emily posed.

Daniel shrugged. "I guess she was waiting until the last minute." He knew why he had held off asking her, but Ashley would've been invited regardless. Still, it was rather convenient for her to accept Aiden's request so quickly. He turned to follow Emily's thinking. "Why do you ask?"

"Seems rather convenient for _him_ , as well," she offered. "What do you know about Aiden?"

Daniel recollected pensively. "He's got no attachment to my father, that's for sure," he shared. "And he's faithful to Takeda."

"Undoubtedly," Emily muttered under her breath, snapping back to attention. "Has he tried to steer you in any particular direction with the company?"

Daniel swallowed. He should have known better than to expect he could keep his intentions a secret but so long. He took a breath and turned from watching his father and mother dance to face her. "Actually he has – but it's the reason why I trust him. Em—"

She didn't allow him to finish, her focus falling too heavily on the urgency of the current situation. "Daniel, this is going to sound crazy but I think you need to keep Ashley away from him."

Daniel lost his train of thought with Emily's proposal. "What?"

She pulled him closer. "It's obvious that she's working to get him to align to your father instead of you. Takeda sending his proxy is too much of a coincidence – it's an opportunity."

Daniel considered she might be right, wondering if that was perhaps the reason that Aiden had pushed so hard to get him to take control of the company and continue the Nolcorp acquisition. Perhaps he didn't have to go through with it after all, even if he had made a deal. Emily had placed a seed of doubt in his mind and maybe he had been too trusting. They both glanced over in Aiden's direction discreetly, catching him whispering into Ashley's ear while she chuckled in return.

"Alright," Daniel conceded. "How do you propose I find out the truth?"

"Simple," Emily replied, already thinking that part through. "Distract her." He gave her a suspecting look and she met it with her own. He was challenging her again, clearly not on board for making a play for her attention. "You don't have to _seduce_ her, Daniel – just use what you know to your advantage."

It was his turn to perk up with an inkling of how to handle it. He turned back towards the dance floor. "I've got an idea for that." As Emily watched, he walked out onto the floor, tapping his father's shoulder to cut in so that he could dance with Victoria. Emily observed as Conrad nobly stepped aside and then exited the dance floor to the outer perimeter, pausing just shy of where Ashley stood so he could speak with her privately. Emily smiled to herself and then glanced to Daniel, who sent a soft nod in her direction. His plan had worked – Ashley was distracted, leaving Aiden alone for her to investigate. Perhaps Daniel was picking up a few skills of his own.

Once Daniel and Victoria continued to spin on the floor, Emily edged her way over to Aiden and stood beside him, facing forward as he noted her presence and did the same. She smiled broadly for the sake of onlookers and then whispered through clenched teeth. "What the hell are you doing here? Did Takeda send you?"

Aiden smiled in return, expecting her interrogation, and leaned forward to answer. "He's rather sentimental – you haven't called nor written."

"I don't need a nanny," she retorted, shooting him a glare.

"No, but perhaps a chaperone?" Aiden quipped back, keeping his eyes on Daniel while he twirled with Victoria. "Didn't your feelings for Grayson complicate your judgment last year?"

"That was then," Emily replied. "I've learned much since, my focus won't be broken. As a matter of fact, I'm moments away from drawing out the Initiative."

Aiden chuckled to himself. "So am I." He peered over his shoulder where Ashley and Conrad were chatting in the corner. "Daniel took an immediate liking to me once I offered him the chance at usurping his father's position in the company."

Emily allowed his comment to digest. So that's what Daniel was hiding – Aiden was pushing him to oust Conrad so he could lead. It all seemed to come together now; even the sudden inquiry into Nolcorp that Conrad had spurred Daniel to pursue. If Daniel was going to have any chance at getting the upper hand on his father, he would need a sizable stake in Nolcorp as his trump card – a detail he had conveniently left out despite insisting he would protect their interests. Instinctively, her mind went to the investment evidence that she had retrieved from Nolan that morning and pieced it all together. That was the power play that Aiden was trying to facilitate.

"Daniel doesn't want to become his father, Aiden – he wants to destroy him," Emily insisted, hoping it would impel him to counter with further information.

"So you think," he shot back with a smirk. "But either way, his road to success leads right to the Initiative – and I'm going to be there at the finish."

She finally turned to face him, her patience running thin. "Is everything always a race to you?"

"Not everything," he replied calmly, eyeing her lips. "But I do enjoy winning."

Emily leaned in to whisper into his ear, recalling a distant memory of their first years together, training under Takeda. "Just remember you won the last race by _cheating._ " She leaned back, satisfied with her assessment, and watched as Daniel and Victoria finally ended their dance together, and Daniel began to return to where they stood.

"If you're reminding me that I won because I exposed your weakness for compassion," Aiden added under his breath before Daniel got close. "Then, yes – I'll keep that in mind."

Emily glared at him but quickly brightened up once Daniel came over. "Might I reclaim my date?" he asked Aiden with an innocent smile.

"Perfectly charming," Aiden replied in description and stepped aside. "Now if you'll excuse me I've been missing mine quite a bit." He nodded their way and took off to look for Ashley, who had now disappeared along with Conrad.

"So," Daniel started in once he was gone, checking in with Emily for an update. "What'd you find out?"

"He may be interested in Ashley but he's loyal to you, that's for sure," Emily neatly replied in truth.

"Good, I'm going to need his help."

She looked at him intently, seeing that Aiden's assumptions about him were not unfounded. "So that's your play now, isn't it? You're taking over the company?"

Daniel gave her a slightly caught look but rushed to explain. "I know it wasn't originally the plan, but trust me, I'm going to change the face of Grayson Global, and I'm going to right every wrong they've ever made."

His naiveté nauseated Emily, but a part of her sympathized with him. "Not with the Initiative still backing it," she continued.

Her challenge didn't worry him; instead he extended a hand to pull her into frame on the dance floor, where others had begun to fill the open gaps. She accepted, slipping effortlessly into his grasp and allowed him to counter back. "Emily, I'm not afraid of them with you by my side," he finally responded. "I know this wasn't what you expected, but it's the only way. We can take them down _together_ , as a team."

Emily watched his expression closely, and didn't doubt he meant it, despite knowing he was still keeping his intentions towards Nolcorp a secret. She sighed and dropped her head slightly, pondering over how complicated the entire situation had quickly become, without even a chance for the final act to take place. "Daniel… I don't know."

"Hey, come on," Daniel urged her; tapping underneath her chin with is forefinger for her to look him in the eye. "We still make a strong team, right?"

"I won't argue with that," she obliged, still unsure of how long-lived their partnership was.

He looked around, suddenly becoming conscious of the setting with her in his arms, swaying gently to the music. "This was almost us, after all… wasn't it?"

She followed his glance, taking a deep breath and nodding. "It was. Almost."

"Do you ever think about it – what it would've been like?" He caught himself. "I mean, before- before everything changed that is."

"I try not to," Emily replied, following his reference. "I'm not that person, remember?" She glanced over her shoulder protectively. "Sometimes I wonder if you wish I still was."

"Well, that's where you're wrong," Daniel corrected her, staring clear into her eyes, passion building in his heart. "Ever since I learned the truth about you I've only wanted to be closer… to find out who you really are… to get a chance to see the girl behind those guarded eyes."

She stared back at him. "And?"

He paused for a moment and extended his arm to spin her out, and when he brought her back in, he pulled her even closer than before, only inches away from his face. "And now… I think I'm at risk of being more addicted to you than ever."

They both paused, with his words resounding in her ears like the bass of a drum, tantalizing her into his spell, drawing her closer and closer until they were only inches apart. The moment captured them and they lowered their eyes, leaning in until they were barely touching—

-When suddenly a barrage of officers burst into the reception area, interrupting the assembly and immediately breaking the moment. Daniel snapped to attention as Emily did the same, taking a breath as she anticipated what was about to happen. "Daniel," she began, but he was barely able to hear her over the loud voice that bellowed from the lead detective.

They watched as they made their way onto the patio where Conrad was no longer conversing with Ashley but instead with a few other colleagues, and called out to him in urgency. "Conrad Grayson?"

He spun around with interest and his face fell as he quickly understood. "What in God's name—"

Moments later Victoria came running out onto the patio, shocked at the sight before her. "What's happened! What has he done!"

"Conrad Grayson," the lead detective addressed him while two other officers suppressed him in cuffs. "You are under arrest for the murder of Gordon Murphy."

 **SCENE**

"Declan, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you letting me spend the evening with you," Charlotte spilled over in delight, swiveling in her bar stool while Declan stood beside her, wiping down as the customers slowly started to trail out.

"Are you kidding, I should be thanking you," he insisted, looking around. "You were such a huge help for our opening night." He glanced over in the corner where Jack and Kara were still talking and gestured towards them. "Not to mention making my brother's day by bringing Amanda's mother with you. He's never seen her so happy to have her family around."

Charlotte smiled, admiring how well everything had worked out. "Anything for my sister, she deserves the best after all she's been through." She rolled her eyes slightly. " _Especially_ after having to deal with my horrible family..."

Declan finally took a rest leaning up against the chair next to her. "Ah, they're not so bad, right? They made you, didn't they?" She turned to give him another appreciative smile. He leaned forward to tap her on the cheek. "That's a blessing in itself."

Charlotte laughed at his sweet remark and nearly leaned in to kiss him when the news report suddenly caught her attention.

 _"New details emerging regarding the arrest of Conrad Grayson on murder charges just hours ago—"_ the television flashed.

"Oh my God," Charlotte gasped and Declan frantically searched for the remote, quickly turning up the volume as soon as he found it. Jack and Kara paused mid-conversation to look over and several other customers stopped to watch.

 _"The victim is the same man authorities were searching for in Victoria Grayson's kidnapping case,"_ the news feed went on. _"Of course, we'll have much more on this story as it develops.  
Again, live news- Conrad Grayson of Grayson global has been taken into custody—"_

Charlotte just shook her head in shock, and bolted out of her seat, taking off for the door.

"Charlotte, wait!" Declan called out to her, barely able to get a hold of her arm to stop her.

"'Family's not so bad', huh?" she whispered back at him, her countenance falling into deep disappointment. She turned her head before the tears could flow. "I have to go," she muttered in embarrassment, shaking free and taking off out of the front door.

Declan shot a look over to Jack, who immediately met his in understanding. "Go head, Dec," he yelled over to him, giving him the okay to chase after her. Within moments Declan was out of the door, leaving Jack behind to handle closing down the rest of the bar. He excused himself from Kara and got to work, never noticing the look of intrigue that had come over her face after hearing the news. She stood in a trance, watching with disgust and resentment as Conrad's face continued to be plastered on the news – beside that of her husband and true love, who was now confirmed to be dead.

 **SCENE**

"Well, well, well - having Conrad arrested for murder at his own wedding," Nolan drawled as he posted up next to Emily by the entrance doors, as the crowd began to dissipate and guests cleared out. "Now that's a revenge all-star opportunity."

She smirked, keeping an eye on Victoria who was still speaking with the police, with Ashley beside her at her service. Aiden was hanging back with Daniel a few paces away from them both, clearly doing his best to offer his support during the family scandal after watching Conrad publicly carted away.

"Still," Nolan went on. "I don't see how it solves your more pressing problem with Mason Treadwell?"

"You will." Emily assured him, proud of her triumph in the eleventh hour. She caught Daniel's cautious eye on her and rushed to finish filling Nolan in on the rest before she missed her chance. "In the meantime we have another priority." She turned to face him. "How willing are you to relinquish control of your company?"

Nolan looked over his shoulder cautiously; making sure his date was still in the restroom. "Ah, if this is another dig at Padma, I'm already on it – I'm going to speak with her when I leave."

"Don't bother," Emily countered, with an apologetic look. "I hate to say this but we may need a merge to happen after all."

Nolan was nearly beside himself at her change of course. "Feeling sympathy for Connie?"

"The opposite," she clarified. "His arrest won't last long - the Initiative is on his side. No, taking down Conrad for good will be easier for Daniel to do if he has a trump card to swing the board vote—"

"A-K-A, a stake in my _company_ ," Nolan lamented, realizing the Revenge plan encompassed one of his prized possessions.

"Nolan I'm so sorry, I know how hard you worked for this—" Emily began, but he stopped her with a finger.

"Ems please," he insisted. "I've been waiting for this ball to drop for a while now, and don't worry, when it does? I've got a plan of my own. Besides," his signature smirk returned. "You've got the trump card in your possession anyway."

Emily rolled her eyes. "You know I would never use it without your permission, Nolan."

"Aw—sweet," he cooed at her, putting his hands in his pockets. They both turned to watch the remainder of the Grayson clan, and Nolan picked up on the close proximity Ashley was currently standing by Daniel. "So shouldn't you be over there romancing Danny instead of letting Ash get her claws in?"

Emily sighed. "Actually, it's better that she's distracted. Her date is Takeda's proxy – he's the one pushing Daniel to take over the company." She paused. "And he's a former student of his."

Nolan scrunched up his face in surprise. "Wait, Mathis is a Revenge _alumni?!_ " he could barely believe his ears. "Too scandalous! You called in backup?"

"No," Emily asserted firmly. "Daniel thinks he's here on Takeda's behalf which is how it needs to stay, but I know him better than that. Aiden's only checking up on me as an excuse – he has his own agenda."

"Which is?" Nolan remained intrigued.

She turned slightly to face him. "Exactly what I'm going to find out."

 **SCENE**

"Daniel, I'm going to go." Emily approached him apprehensively, conscious of Victoria and Ashley's watchful eyes only a few feet away from where he stood, still outside the reception hall handling questions from police. He turned immediately to face her and took hold of her hands, desperately not wanting her to leave. "You need to be with your family."

He nodded and leaned close to whisper knowingly to her. "Your plan worked."

She paused to whisper back. "It's not over for him yet." When she pulled away she gave him a knowing glance, ending their interlude.

Ashley watched their interaction with a look of yearning and then flinched as Victoria beckoned her. "Ashley," she called out and both Daniel and Emily looked over.

Ashley shrugged before joining her side. "The queen calls."

Once she was gone, Daniel looked back into Emily's eyes, hoping it would afford them more time to discuss but Emily knew better. "I'll only upset your mother with my presence." She looked at him meaningfully, not forgetting the last few moments before the arrest had happened and the connection they had made, followed by an almost-kiss.

"Do you need me to take you home?" Daniel offered, but an officer had approached behind him.

"Ah, Mr. Grayson – Daniel? We still have a few more questions before you can return to the Manor." He stood at attention and Daniel turned back to face Emily, wishing he wasn't so detained.

"I can catch a ride with Nolan," she assured him, but it was her turn to be interrupted by another presence.

"Or I could escort you?" Aiden arrived behind her, sending a pulse through her blood. She turned to glance at him hesitantly, but Daniel only nodded at her, seeing it as an opportunity for her to continue fleshing him out, and keep him out of Ashley and his father's grasp.

"Sure," Emily managed, pretending to be a bit unnerved. "Thank you."

"No problem at all," Aiden obliged, looking back towards Victoria and Ashley while addressing Daniel. "My date seems to be preoccupied with your mother's peace of mind – God help her. I can't imagine what a charade like this is doing to her, and on her wedding day?"

"She's survived worse," Daniel assured him, knowing far better. "Thanks for looking after Emily for me."

"Same to you for Ms. Davenport," Aiden nodded back. "We seem to have swapped haven't we?" He chuckled and then extended an arm to Emily. "Shall we, then?"

Daniel watched as Emily reluctantly put her arm into his and then cast a lingering look back at him. "I'll see you later, Daniel." She pressed her lips together firmly and nodded his way, promising him with her eyes that they would revisit their conversation. But despite Daniel's nod in return of acceptance and knowing that it made sense for Aiden to escort her home – he couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of jealousy creep into his heart as he watched the two of them stroll away into the night.

 **SCENE**

"Got your note."

Amanda held up the said item as she walked slowly down to the docks where Jack appeared hard at work, lighting a few decorative lights on the _Amanda._ She paused as she got close, shifting Carl in his sling over her chest to keep him secure.

"Just in time." Jack replied, relaxed at the sight of her. "How's our boy?"

"All bundled up nice and warm." Amanda replied, rubbing him with her free hand while she yawned and hopped over to the seat Jack gestured for her to sit in. She realized with a shiver that her exhaustion was from her busy morning and rushed to explain. "I am so sorry we slept through the reopening. Who would've thought a noisy bar would do the trick?"

Jack laughed. "Well, here's to you guys sleeping soundly from here on out." He raised a wine glass he had already poured full of cider and then handed her one of her own, nestling close to her as she settled into the cushion he laid out.

"So what's going on here?" she finally asked, starting to wonder at the elaborate setting he had all fixed up.

Jack took a deep breath. "Amanda, I've been talking to the people that love you the most today." He smiled as he reflected. "First Emily earlier… and then your mom tonight…"

Amanda flinched slightly at the mention of Emily's name, not realizing they had spoken but only listened closer as he went on.

"And each time I did, it occurred to me that I haven't been doing everything I can to convince you that none of this is going anywhere - no _one's_ going anywhere. Not them and certainly not me." He took hold of her hands, sincerely determined.

"Of course you have," Amanda countered, not seeing how he could feel he hadn't shown her just how he felt. Despite her doubts in him not that long ago, she had to admit he'd been dedicated to her, even more than she had expected. For a moment she felt guilty, recalling how she had nearly complained about it that morning to Emily, and regretted ever doubting him before. "You've been here," she continued. "And that's all that matters. Anything else is just words. They can be pretty meaningless."

"Not all of 'em." Jack begged to disagree, reaching into his back pocket. "Sometimes one word can change everything. Take "yes," for example."

"Yes?" Amanda repeated in confusion, and then suddenly her eyes widened as Jack removed his hand from his pocket to reveal a small box, and suddenly dropped to his knees as he propped it open. "Oh, my God." She gasped, barely able to take her eyes off of him to look at the magnificent diamond that sparkled before her.

"Amanda Clarke," Jack began, taking the deepest breath he ever could.

"Will you marry me?"

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte, sweetheart, I assure you; your father had nothing to do with this." Victoria did her best to placate her daughter's earnest concerns in the foyer of Grayson Manor, amidst several police officers still combing the premises for evidence. She began to rub her temples in hopes of working out the headache that was quickly turning to a migraine from the days' events.

"Nothing? Oh, dear." A voice interrupted them from behind before Charlotte could protest. Both women turned to see Mason Treadwell, strolling over with a reprimanding look. "Well, whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Get out of my house, Mason!" Victoria belted at him, but he stayed put. She could wring his neck for whatever hand he played in Conrad's demise, only moments after she felt herself finally beginning to feel at peace with him. Had she known the charade was going to go this public she would've never taken the call.

Behind Mason, Daniel and Ashley walked in together, only a few minutes behind in the cars that had brought them back. They came over to where Victoria and Charlotte stood facing off with Mason and caught the tail of the conversation.

"And speaking of sleep, were you and Connie tossing and turning, knowing your accomplice in that kidnapping fiasco was still out there, or has he been dead this whole time?" Mason continued to brood, annoying Victoria all the more despite their earlier agreement to use the knowledge to her favor.

"Charlotte, go upstairs." Victoria instructed her daughter, who complied with a sulk, still feeling betrayed and disappointed. "I'll join you in a minute."

Mason was on a roll and wouldn't stop. "See, I'd say that it doesn't seem like Conrad to get his hands dirty, but I guess when you need to eliminate the very man you'd normally call for the job…" he paused, allowing Victoria a moment to give him her signature glare, to which he smiled in return. Daniel listened quietly as Mason went on, keeping his head down as he tried to fully understand the outworking of Emily's plan. "Oh and when I fully expose that kidnapping story for the compelling fiction that it was, the authorities will not only have evidence, they'll have very concrete motive."

Suddenly Daniel's mind clicked. Despite Mason's threats, he was the endgame in this scenario, not his mother or father. It took him a moment to figure it out but the more he thought it through it was clear – Emily had used his father's belongings to frame him for Gordon's murder, only to use Mason to discover it. She had specifically chosen him to find Gordon's body purely to bait him into the mix, an opportunity she knew well enough that he couldn't resist, especially given his own vendetta against the family. And as Mason stood before them, knee deep in the core of the investigation, it didn't take a genius to figure out that the situation would soon turn on its heels. Daniel had to admit it was a clever plot, but he suddenly felt less forgiving than Emily. He had no desire to see either of his parents fully exonerated from blame.

While Ashley comforted his mother, he stepped forward to cross examine her. "Mom, maybe you can explain that motive - since you knew about dad's arrest hours ago?"

Both his mother and Ashley looked up at him in surprise, shocked that he was supporting Mason's theory. Before they could react, Daniel continued. "Your little pep talk on the dance floor about me being ready to take over the company? Couldn't have been more obvious." He glared at both of them before storming out of the room, leaving his heavy accusations behind to marinate.

Mason raised an eyebrow in near admiration. "I didn't realize your son had such a backbone. I suppose he learned a few things in the Penn after all," he jested, referring to Daniel's previous murder charges the year before. Victoria continued to glare at him, fuming at the onslaught she seemed to be forced to endure. Mason brushed past her deathly looks. "He's quite the role model isn't he – escaping his murky past, making an impression on his father's multi-billion dollar company," he paused to think, recalling the gossip reports from the wedding attendance. "And even rekindling a flame with the astute Miss Emily Thorne? Impressive comeback."

Victoria had had enough. "That just goes to show, Mason, if you knew anything at all, you would know that _Emily Thorne_ , despite her sizeable pocketbook, is nothing but a juvie girl herself, who cleaned up nicely." She leaned on Ashley for support, who did her best to comfort her.

"Juvie girl?" Mason responded in surprise.

"Officers," Victoria called out behind him to a few stray uniforms circling the door area. "Escort this man off my property. And if he returns, have him arrested for trespassing."

Mason held up a hand in surrender before they could do so, a mysterious connection brewing in his mind. "I assure you that won't be necessary. I've suddenly got some work to do."

 **SCENE**

"You know that drive down from the reception hall reminded me of the Himeji castle." Aiden remarked casually as he walked Emily to the rear door of her beach house. "Remember that simulation we did there? What were we training for?"

"Clandestine ops." Emily answered flatly, turning to face him. His question had been one of so many others like it on the drive home, and while it gave her time to ponder on his sudden presence, it hadn't helped her defiance towards him being there.

"Ah, so you haven't lost your memory," Aiden accosted her with a smile that curled up the right side of his face. She tilted her head as if to regard his question as ridiculous and he gestured towards the door. "So are you off to bed then, or shall I come in for a nightcap?"

Emily sniffed through her nose and turned to unlock the door, pushing it open for him to walk inside without uttering a word. Aiden turned down his lips in surprise and waltzed inside. "Nightcap, it is, then."

Before he was nearly an inch in the front door, Emily slammed it shut behind him and kicked him from behind, sending him flying forward. He spun around and drove an arm her way that she dodged, elbowing him first in the gut and then squarely punching him in the face. He lunged forward to grip her but she blocked his attempt with another kick, pushing off of him to fly back against the counter while sending him flying against the wall.

"Actually, I'm a bit exhausted," she gasped in between blows. "But a nightcap sounds perfect!"

With that they were at each other's throats again, a blur of kicks, hits and spins as they matched each other in skill, though Emily seemed to take the lead in direct hits. She used a chair for balance to bash over his head, which he dodged, twisting her legs beneath her to send her falling to the floor, as she pulled her large purse from the table down with her. He pulled her into a chokehold, gripping his elbow around her neck, while her free hand fumbled for the contents of the purse as she gasped for air.

"I don't want trouble, Emily," Aiden insisted in her ear as she wriggled beneath him on the floor. "I promise I won't get in your way!"

"Good," Emily barely managed to gasp out as her hands finally found what they were feeling for and she lifted it – the frame that she had taken from Nolan earlier that day, and smashed it over Aiden's head to release his grasp.

He fell back flat onto the ground as the shards of glass cracked around him, and she rose to her feet, dropping the frame onto the floor beside him. "Then stay out of it," she panted heavily, wiping a small drip of blood from her mouth.

Aiden coughed and did his best to pull himself forward, his eye catching a peculiar sight on the floor. He reached out to grab hold of it, while at the same time, bracing his hand to lift his weight so he could flip onto his back. Emily was ready for him when he did, and placed a foot on his neck, blocking him from getting up as he held up his hands in surrender, having tucked away the item in his coat pocket already.

"You can hate me all you want Emily," Aiden breathed, staring up at her. "But I'm the only ally you truly have. You may think I deserted you but I'm fighting for the same cause – taking down the Graysons." He paused to catch his breath. "Something you seem to forget Daniel still is."

His comment only infuriated Emily and she raised her foot to stomp on his neck, giving him just enough time to roll out of her way and jump to his feet, rushing her to push her back against the wall, using his forearm to keep her pinned. She broke free from the hold with ease, twisting his arm back to reverse places so she now had him pinned face to face.

"You so much as lay a hand on him and I'll kill you myself," she spat in his face.

He sighed, nearly laughing in response at her intensity. "Ah there it is," he breathed.

"There _what_ is?" she insisted, leaning in closer, and the distraction bought him a moment. He leaned forward and planted a firm kiss square on her lips for not nearly a second before she lurched back and punched him in the jaw, releasing him to let him slip down to the floor.

He laughed again, clutching his jaw with his hand and then used all his strength to lift himself to his feet as he backed away, stumbling towards the door. "Your weakness," he answered her, sneering in return. He continued backwards until he finally reached the doorknob and twisted it open to let himself out into the night. "Goodbye Emily."

She clenched her teeth in anger as she watched him go, turning away from the door after he shut it behind him, and paused to catch her breath. She closed her eyes, doing her best to meditate on the sense of calm and focus that Takeda had taught her, seeing it more important than ever now that another of his students was here with her, and none other than one she had once loved, so many years ago. She shook the sensitive thoughts from her mind, raising her head in defiance towards them and then glanced down at the cracked glass on the floor that signified her first won battle against him. As the second of her two victims for the day – he had taken the bait, just like Mason had. Yet, Aiden for his sake had lifted the only remaining proof of her father's investment from her…

…Just as she had intended for him to.

 **MONTAGE**

 **(Audio Readers: Accompany scenes below with the song Paradise Circus by Massive Attack)**

Victoria stirred in her sleep, and snapped her eyes open, feeling certain that she'd heard a noise in the bedroom. She lifted her head slowly; half-praying that it wasn't Kara Clarke leering around in the night, with her penchant for antagonizing her. As the noise increased, she grew even more concerned and slipped her hand underneath her pillow, reaching for the gun that Conrad had only just given her that afternoon…

SCENE

Mason stood back from the large bulletin set up in his den, covered with several photos from the past year of the many faces and events that seemed to define the Hamptons. He took a single string of yarn and began running it between the ones that were connected, starting first with a photo of the Grayson clan, and stretching it out to the subject of his first meeting for the day – Amanda Clarke…

SCENE

Emily opened the door to her washing machine, tossing in a load of clothing that contained both her soiled dress from the fight with Aiden, and the black hoodie and pants that she had worn that morning. She slammed the door shut and leaned her back against it to take a breath, pausing to replay the day's events in her mind. As usual, her thoughts often ran together as she reflected on the past, resulting in the narrative of her own subconscious. _To successfully create illusion, the first thing you need is trust._

Trust had been essential for her to depend on Amanda's help that morning, as they suited up and both transported Gordon Murphy's iced corpse to the location where Mason later found him that evening. She was careful to wipe down the entire trailer to disguise their presence, and planted his phone on the table as the beacon to draw Mason in. Amanda had watched as Emily removed one last touch from her pocket – the bag of items that Daniel had dropped off from his father's belongings: stray fabric from one of his suits, and one of his cufflinks, with the engraving _CG._ They had left the scene without being seen and parted ways so Amanda could discreetly return to the Stowaway, change clothes and then take Carl for a stroll before she met up with Mason and planted the seeds of doubt. Little did she know that during this time, Emily had shown her sincere appreciation for her sacrifice by calling Jack, emphasizing how she admired all he was doing to care for them both. She didn't know it at the time, but her words had planted the seed in his heart to finally solidify their union, an event that Emily knew her friend deserved. _But to perfect an illusion, the false reality must appear as authentic as the one it hides._

Lastly, Emily had finished the final part of her task – wiping down the gun that Daniel had used to off Gordon and sneaking it into the trunk of Conrad's vehicle after the family had already departed for the ceremony. She used her arrival at Daniel's house as the opportunity for that, removing her gloves and then arriving at his door seconds later to accompany him to the wedding. Her warm smile at the entrance to Grayson Manor had distracted him from what she had just finished doing, despite the fact that he would soon figure it all out in due time. But that was a risk that she had been willing to take, feeling more confident each day that Daniel's loyalties remained solely with her.

She smiled to herself in reflection of all this and walked slowly over to her bedside, stopping to pull a photo frame out of her top drawer from her nightstand – in it, an old engagement picture from the summer before: her and Daniel. She thought deeply – to counter Aiden's attempts to capitalize on her weakness, she would need to fully commit if her alliance with Daniel was to work. She delicately set the frame back on her nightstand where it once stood, signifying her intent to intensify their relationship with the next progressive step. _Careful attention must be paid to every detail…_

SCENE

Victoria finally lurched to sit up straight as her bedroom door pried open, and she began to aim the gun directly until the moonlight revealed who it was.

"Conrad?!" she gasped in shock.

"Oh, don't let me stop you." He replied flatly, a strange calm overtaking him as he began to strip off the remains of his tuxedo. "Go ahead. Pull the trigger if you're going to. It'll certainly make things simpler for me."

Victoria tossed the gun aside, still shocked by his presence. "They said it would take an act of _congress_ to get you out on bail tonight!" Her surprise was underwhelmed by Conrad's blasé response, before strolling back towards his closet, while Victoria watched after him.

"No, no. No, all it really took was the initiative."

Her face fell in despair. "What did you promise them?"

His expression barely changed, if not just to show a wrinkle of fear. "I don't think I'll know until it's too late." He glanced back at her and made his way out of her room, content to stay on his own for the night while leaving her with her own thoughts to haunt her. "Sleep well, darling."

SCENE

Mason leaned forward, still studying the faces on his wall of scandal, and his eyes zoned in on the photo from Amanda's juvenile detention center – Allenwood. Victoria's words that night had sparked an interest, after learning Emily Thorne too shared a stint in a correctional facility. With clarity, he placed a string of yarn over Emily's photo and linked it to the same Allenwood photo, corroborating her face with another girl's in the picture. Before his mind could churn any further, his ears were distracted and he turned ever so slightly to listen as the blaring television reported an interesting turn of events.

 _"Conrad Grayson released on bail hours after being arrested for murder…"_

SCENE

"You were right. They let him out."

Daniel's voice echoed into the receiving end of Emily's phone as she sat in bed, finally bringing her night to an end with a final conversation with him.

"The initiative's pulling strings for him," she assessed. "Just a question now of how he'll show his gratitude."

Daniel nodded on the other side of the line in agreement, starting to doze at his desk in the pool house, as he scanned through his computer files. "Well, once I have full access to the company, I'm sure we'll get our answer and more." He paused to take a breath. "First thing Monday morning, I'm assembling the board for a vote of no confidence on my father."

Emily pressed her lips together, expecting as much. She glanced over at the photo on her night stand, wondering if he would be forthright with her about Nolcorp, despite knowing she already intended it to be a part of the plan. "Monday?" she asked innocently. "What's wrong with tomorrow?"

Daniel held a breath, reserved. He so sincerely wanted to tell her what he was waiting on from Aiden, wanted to have the conversation that he promised her they would, but a part of him worried that once everything lay open and exposed, she would have no further use for him. He minimized his screen and instinctively pulled up an old gallery – one containing the photos from their engagement. Unbeknownst to them both, they each were staring into the same photo of each other. He allowed the memory to mesmerize him only briefly and finally responded. "Because – I can still be aggressive without seeming desperate."

The double meaning resounded, and Emily sensed his emotions played a part, but allowed him that much. "I understand," she agreed, ready to turn in. "Well goodnight, Daniel. I'm sure you'll be in touch soon."

He bit his lip in approval, restraining his desire for the moment. "Goodnight, Em."

Emily nestled her head into her pillow with the call ended, hoping with one final thought before she drifted off to sleep. _But the slightest of imperfections can, like a pin to a balloon, burst the illusion. And the truth behind the illusion becomes revealed…_

 **SCENE**

Mason stood back a step to examine the final result of the photos he had connected together, and spoke his assessments aloud. "Allenwood…" he glanced at Emily's photo from the previous year's gala event. "…Emily Thorne?" He paused and started again. "Emily Thorne…"

And then suddenly it all came together as the photo beneath it seemed to stand out in undeniable association.

"…Amanda Clarke?"

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: WHEW! Hope I didn't overdo it on this one guys. I know there were a LOT of changes, and a LOT of content but I needed it all so much! And I'm hoping you enjoyed the inclusions and that they all came together to really amp up the final climax. What did you think of Lydia's big news? How'd you like the revised wedding scenes? And our first fight of the season! Aiden vs Emily has always been a favorite of mine, even if the two of them aren't involved, their "angry" chemistry is pretty awesome! I was excited to include a new part especially with the subject of the fight revolving around her true love – Daniel! So stay tuned for more intrigue and more revelations! Are you excited to see what happens once Daniel makes a play for Nolcorp? And how does Emily plan to use her knowledge to get the inside scoop? Will the two of them ever be truly honest with each other? Answers await in the next chapter – stay tuned! Please comment/review and tell me what you liked, didn't like, loved and nearly jumped at! I so sincerely appreciate any and all of your sincere comments, you guys are the BEST! ~ Love and Revenge ~ MothToANewFlame**


	8. Chapter 8: Penance

**Chapter 8: Penance**

 _Penance is a sacrifice… a voluntary punishment to show remorse for a sin. The more grievous the sin? The greater the self-inflicted suffering… For some, the ultimate penance is death. But for others, it is simply a means to an end—_

Emily's ever pervasive thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door while she stood over her laptop monitor in the kitchen of her beach house. She quickly closed the screen that displayed her portal into the Grayson's home and stashed the computer under the counter before walking over to answer the door. After pulling back the wispy sheers suspiciously, she responded by cocking her head in anticipation of her mystery guest.

"Mason," she greeted, opening the door and stepping aside. She had been expecting him to appear ever since Conrad's arrest and true to form, he did not disappoint, showing up the morning after. "Come on in."

"Ahh, the David Clarke house," Mason sighed as he entered, immediately signaling Emily that her suspicions about him were correct. "Now was it coincidence, serendipity or strategy that brought you here?" he asked, turning to face her.

"Location," she answered truthfully, looking forward to their standoff as she faced him on the opposite side of the counter. "You're up early for a writer?"

"Who can sleep when there are so many irksome questions?" he shot back. "Take the in time nature of your friendship with Amanda Clarke for example." He watched as Emily pursed her lips in preparation. "You _are_ on antipodal ends of the social strata, after all."

"I don't choose my friends based on their net worth," Emily retorted with a glare.

"Then by what criteria? A shared history perhaps?"

Emily was growing tired of his quips sooner than she expected. "As much as we both enjoy the sound of your voice, Mason, why don't you just get to the point?"

Mason obliged, reaching into his pocket to do exactly as she asked and produced a small photo which he laid on the counter for her to see. "You know it's amazing what you can find when you know what you're looking for."

"An Allenwood photo," Emily stated, unimpressed. "I've never denied my time in juvie."

"Mm," Mason half acknowledged, shifting to a more accusatory stance. "And yet you pretend to have only met Amanda Clarke last year, which leads me to conclude that your paramour and your former cell mate are one and the same?"

Emily could barely stifle a laugh. Perhaps she had given Mason too much credit, he was still off target. "You think that Amanda and I were _lovers_?" She shook her head incredulously, finding it hilarious how blind he was to the truth.

But Mason was insistent on his theory. "How else to explain living in her childhood home, bankrolling her exorbitant crusade?" He glanced off into the distance, fantasizing. "Ah I can just picture America devouring the salacious tale now – felonious Sapphic blondes and their vendetta against one of the wealthiest families on the planet…"

"Mm, to say nothing of the epic libel suit that will follow," Emily replied, still not fazed by his threats.

"Not if I write the truth," Mason insisted.

"Then _do_ ," Emily commanded him, pushing the photo back his way. "And we won't have a problem." She gave him her best repressed smile as he took the photo back and stepped away from her challenge, seeing himself out the door.

Once he was gone, Emily reopened her laptop, setting it back on her counter. She scanned through the displays at Grayson Manor until she found what she was looking for and watched the screens closely to plot her next move.

 **SCENE**

Victoria removed her hand from where she felt around under her bedroom pillow; retrieving the gun that Conrad had given her as a wedding gift, which she had nearly turned on him following his reentry the night before. She studied it briefly before moving it to a secure place in her handbag. Once satisfied with its new location, she exited her room, securing the door behind her as she entered the hallway. The past 24 hours had certainly been a whirlwind – with the wedding, Conrad's arrest, and his shocking release. No doubt the day ahead would bring its own trials. Apprehensive, her mind immediately went to Daniel, recalling his clear opposition to her the night before and how quickly he had sniffed out her foreknowledge of his father's situation. Despite what he thought, she longed to convince him otherwise, but just like his father, he could be decidedly stubborn when he wanted to be. Both of the afore mentioned had disappeared from the house early in the morning hours, and with Charlotte making a beeline for the Stowaway it made for a lonely house, leave for her recent guest—

"Victoria!"

-A guest whose appearance never ceased to startle and shake her. "Kara!" Victoria exclaimed, jumping slightly at the other's entrance in the hallway as she turned to face her.

"Sorry," Kara slowed her step with a somewhat sympathetic look. "I seem to keep scaring you."

"It's all right," Victoria assured her, thinking about the recent ordeal with Gordon Murphy's murder. "We've all had good reason to be on edge lately."

Kara nodded, despite feeling a drop at the pit of her stomach that her entire reason for lingering so long in the Hamptons was now no more, along with the Grayson's need to be on edge. She lifted her head, resolute. "With everything being the way it is, Victoria… I think it's best if I go."

Victoria breathed an inner sigh of relief, knowing it would not only be a source of comfort for her but would also remove the shroud of blackmail from Lydia's grasp. Even though she had been noticeably quiet since the wedding, she was half expecting her to pop up at any time to remind her of their agreement. But if Kara left of her own accord, she had nothing to hold over them. "Oh, dear – I understand," Victoria pretended to lament.

Kara turned slightly flushed. "I booked a flight for this afternoon. It's embarrassing but I need a credit card number to confirm it," she looked up insistently. "I have cash—"

"Nonsense," Victoria interrupted her, all too eager to see her go. "Please let me take care of it for you."

It was enough to make Kara smile, even if Victoria could not be certain what was behind her steely grin. "You're too kind."

 **SCENE**

"This is a nice spot for a romantic breakfast," Daniel commented as he followed a step behind where Emily had asked him to meet suddenly that morning. The invitation was not only a welcome surprise but a perfectly timed one – he had been thinking about their conversation all night and hoped this might be the chance to have the long talk they discussed. Perhaps he might even draw the courage to be truly honest with her about his plans to acquire Nolcorp with Aiden's help, although he knew deep inside that was a subject he wanted to avoid. He much favored instead an open forum about their feelings for one another, his becoming more evident as each night went by. But as they sat down at the open table, one look at Emily's face told him she was preoccupied with something else. "Unless this is strictly business?" he questioned.

Her answer confirmed it. "I have some intel for you," she replied solemnly, lowering her voice to a whisper as she looked around cautiously. "You're not out of the clear yet with Gordon."

Daniel furrowed his brow in concern. "What do you mean? My father's being arraigned on his murder charges in 24 hours."

"The prosecutors are going to drop the case," Emily offered, to which Daniel gave her an inquisitive look.

"You seem very sure of that, considering the lengths you went to – along with _my_ help – to frame him?" He thought back clearly to the cufflinks he swiped the morning of the wedding along with the fibers of his father's jacket.

"I know," Emily admitted. "But the Initiative didn't get him out of jail for nothing," she reminded him, causing him to remember the focal point of her recent investigating. "He's of more use to them free on the outside where they can assert their next set of demands."

Daniel took a breath, digesting. "Well it's just as well," he nodded and Emily peered closer at his reflective change in demeanor. "As much as I loathe my father I'm not sure I could watch him take the brunt for something _I'm_ guilty of." Emily felt her heart soften slightly at his admission, remaining attentive. However, his sensitivity was short lived. "But that doesn't mean I still don't want to cut his legs from under him in the company," he asserted.

She was glad he remained on target. "That's exactly what you need to do then," she affirmed.

"But what about Gordon – where are the police going to look next if they let my father off?"

"Leave that to me," Emily insisted, already having that part under control. "In the meantime, you need to capitalize on the unrest around your father's capacity to run the company while it's still a live topic. Now."

Daniel thought quickly. "We have an investor's lunch scheduled at the Manor today," he offered. "Another attempt at a PR by my parents but it might be our only opportunity to sway all the board members while they're under the same roof."

Emily agreed, following his thinking. "Then you need to move on that – and be on guard. There's a good chance the Initiative will dispatch an envoy to Conrad now that he's back in their sights."

Daniel thought it over, she was likely right. "I'll be there to intercept it." He pulled out his cellphone, his mind running. "But if I'm going to get the investors' trust, I'm going to need some help first." He paused, realizing Emily was still present before dialing the contact he needed most to complete his plan of operation, and glanced up into her eyes. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"All for right now," Emily answered deftly, already aware that his next step would be to reach out to Aiden for a follow-up on the Nolcorp trump card, a seed she had already carefully planted. "That and," she started anew. "You won't have to worry about my mother being in your company much longer. She booked a flight to Colorado Springs this morning."

He gave her a slightly surprised but knowing glance, sympathizing as he put his cellphone down. "And you're okay with that; you're just going to let her go without saying goodbye?"

Emily shook her head, not really having the time to explain. "She doesn't know me, Daniel – and it's better for everyone that she stays away. She's not stable – you know that."

Daniel did his best to comprehend, knowing that his simple notions of familial relationships weren't much to compare with. "No I know, it's just – I can't imagine what it's like to be so detached from the only parent you have left..."

Emily exhaled, glancing down at him as she stood to her feet. "Perhaps you will someday," she countered, impelling him to rethink that statement. He was doing all but the same to his father – pushing him away at maximum speed because of the danger he brought with him. "But until then, be thankful for what you have."

Something about her tone gave Daniel the impression that she was disappointed in him slightly, and he couldn't let her leave on a sour note, even if she was single-handedly saving him from certain prosecution and inching him closer to acquiring an entire company by the information she had passed along. "Em," he called out to her, and she paused to turn slightly. "Thanks for the help."

She nodded, feeling a more renewed sense of obligation than desire, a sudden change from the feelings that had motivated her to help him in the past.

He continued with a smirk, a thought crossing his mind. "And I'm sure anything I miss, you'll be watching."

Emily sidestepped his insinuation that she was still spying on his family's affairs, not ashamed of it in the least. Her diligence could potentially be saving his life. She smiled back, not denying her intent to do so with a half nod in return, before striding away out of his sight.

 **SCENE**

Conrad sat in near silence on the crest of the private shore beyond Grayson Manor, staring out into the waves as he perused the folded paper on his lap. It contained the confirmation that he hoped would not come to pass but now had to accept – Lydia was carrying his child, and there was nothing he could do to refute it.

He refolded the papers and returned them to the envelope they came in, slipping them in the side of his chair as he laid his head back to ponder what he should do next. His life seemed to be closing in around him, as if every possible skeleton from the past and present had teamed up to hold him down underwater until he finally drowned. His arraignment was the next day, the Initiative once again had their grips in him, he was at risk of potentially losing everything he had ever fought for, and now he had just added one liability to the total loss. Before he could get too deeply absorbed in the impending danger, a voice appeared behind him, one that never ceased to bring him calm no matter how much he often despised the source.

"Conrad," she breathed in surprise. She had sought to find him to inform him of Kara's impending departure, hoping it would be just the news he wanted to here, but instead found him in a much more depressing state. "Last time I found you here was four years ago after the market crash?"

Victoria's voice never ceased to betray exactly how uneasy she felt when in Conrad's presence, especially when he appeared to be losing control. He chuckled under his breath before responding. "It's my little spot at the end of the world," he confessed in agreement.

"You contemplating wading out to sea and never coming back?" she suggested, sauntering down to sit beside him in the open chair.

"Hell, no," he retorted, garnishing a laugh. He clutched the envelope tightly beside him to ensure it was out of her view. "Why go to the trouble of killing myself when there are so many others lining up to do it for me?"

Victoria's sharpness exceeded his at the moment, as she perceived quite the opposite. "Conrad, you're worth far more to these fiends alive."

He nodded, annoyed by the stinging reality of that fact. "As long as I nurture and hide their assets within my company, yes. By the way, I've been informed that they're sending an attaché to the investor luncheon to deliver my marching orders."

That unnerved Victoria, even more so than anything else that had transpired in the past day. "The Initiative is coming to our home?"

"Yes, and once they cross the threshold; they're free to stay forever, just like the undead."

Victoria would not have it. "I will be _damned_ if I let those people write the final word on us," she insisted. "Kara Clarke just booked a flight for Colorado, Conrad. With her goes Lydia's hand over us, and I won't have any other liabilities taking their place."

Conrad grimaced, knowing just how untrue that statement was. But for the moment he focused on Victoria's renewed zeal. "Don't tell me you're planning to go toe-to-toe with the Initiative?"  
"Why not?" she defied him. "You and I are already doomed. Let them think we're lying down, and when the time comes," she paused for dramatic emphasis, drawing in his attention.

"I say we drag them to hell with us."

 **SCENE**

"Ems, I don't get it?"

Nolan lamented as he followed Emily back into the rear door of her beach house, having arrived per her request about the same time she had returned home also from morning activities. "Why didn't you just hand over the investment check to Daniel yourself? Why bother letting Aiden think he swiped it from you?"

"Because Daniel thinks I don't know anything about his plans to take the controlling interest in Nolcorp, and I want it to stay that way," she answered flatly. "He promised me he wasn't going after it but it's clearly too big of a conquest for him to resist."

Nolan checked his ears, was he sensing a rift forming between them? "Well, hate to say I told ya so but," he shrugged his hands in his pockets. "He _is_ a Grayson, after all."

Emily whipped around, apologetically. "Nolan, I want you to know I'm not going to let him get the upper hand on this—"

"Hey, hey," he calmed her, unworried. "I could care less about Danny's delusions of grandeur, I just want to make sure _you_ are safe – it's what I promised your father, remember?" A thought crossed his mind. "Although, now that Daniel's slipped into Rogue Mode, don't you think it's still a risk that _he_ knows who you are?"

Emily shook her head. "He won't betray my identity as long as I remain close," she ascertained. "His ambition may have peaked but he isn't completely off course. He still wants to destroy the Initiative. Just like Aiden."

"Oh, right – speaking of Mr. _Bond_ himself, how does he play into all of this?"

"Aiden came here with his own agenda, and the more he thinks he's accomplishing it, the quicker he'll be out of our way," she turned to face him. "He's a protégé' of Takeda's which means his MO is to complete the mission and get out. My only concern is he's doing it for personal reasons which could compromise his judgment."

"Hm, I just got the strangest feeling of déjà vu?" Nolan added, to a glare back from Emily. "What, you might've mentioned that fact the other night, Ems? 'This one time, at Revenge Camp, a fellow Revenger took his mission a bit too personal and uh… well ya know, the rest is Infinity'…"

Emily brushed past his clever jests. "Aiden is more dangerous – he acts impulsively."

Nolan still was not fazed by her insistence, not finding it a foreign trait. "Not a far cry from Danny boy then, is he?" His reference quickly brought back to mind two summers of shootings at the hand of Daniel. Nolan's mind went to another of Emily's triad of love interests. "Or Jack for that matter," he mumbled under his breath.

She squinted curiously. "What do you mean?"

Nolan was shocked there was something he could actually know before her, assuming that she got the same call he did that morning. "You didn't hear? He proposed to Amanda last night." He braced himself for her reaction, knowing how much she still nurtured a soft spot for Jack in her heart and his expression dropped to slightly downcast to match her own. "When's the last time you talked to her?"

Emily just swallowed, not allowing the somewhat alarming news to shock her too deeply. "Actually I'm planning on speaking to her today – I have a feeling Mason will be paying her a visit and I want to make sure she follows the plan." She looked intently at him, a request behind her glance. "I may need your help too."

He grinned, shaking a stray bang out of his face. "Just like old times," he eagerly responded with a pause. "Except there were a lot less people in the inner circle back then…"

"I know," Emily acknowledged, picking up her phone to call Amanda. "But hopefully if Aiden stays on target with helping Daniel assimilate Conrad's position we can leave him out of the equation for good. He's one person I don't want to bring back in."

"Well just remember," Nolan reminded her, edging close as he prepared to walk past her and get started on whatever she had planned for him. "There was once a time when you thought you could do this all alone, and now look at you – a whole team of Revengers. Kind of poetic, don't you think?"

Emily glared as he walked by, thinking just the opposite. "That's what scares me."

 **SCENE**

Daniel paused mid-walk from the poolside entrance to the Manor as his phone went off, stopping in his tracks to keep out of earshot once he recognized who it was. "Aiden," he answered, holding his phone to his ear. "I been trying to reach you all morning – where the hell are you?"

Aiden glanced in his rear view mirror at his wounds from his fight with Emily the night before, checking to make sure they were patched up as best as possible while he returned his eyes to the road. "On my way to you with David Clarke's original check to Nolan Ross for Nolcorp's start-up funds."

Daniel could barely believe his ears; it was exactly the break he needed. "Are you serious – you were able to get a hold of it? I thought the government seized all his financials?"

"Only the ones that they could find," he replied assertively, recalling the lengths he had went to in order to retrieve it. "I promised you I would deliver. The players are lined up, Danny. Now, it's time to strike. Are you in?"

Daniel replied emphatically before hanging up the phone. "I'm in."

His response was the last words heard from his onlooker, who he did not realize was perched, just a few paces behind him. "In for what, Daniel?" she spoke, and he whirled around to see Ashley, hot on the tail end of his conversation.

"Ashley," he breathed, shook from concern that his cover was blown. He glanced around to pull her to the side, worried that he was taking for granted that this would all go off without a hitch. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping plan the investor's luncheon," she answered innocently, looking at him in surprise. He barely noticed her anymore and even after they ended up nearly switching dates the previous night, it was clear there was something else on his mind. She looked down at his phone still in his hand and studied the anxious look on his face. "What's happening?"

He thought for a moment, wondering if he could trust her to do what he was about to ask. But with Emily's insistent deadline he had little choice. He took a deep breath. "We're taking over the company."

Her face nearly turned to stone in shock. "Who?"

"Me and Mathis," he answered honestly while she gasped Aiden's name in surprise. He did his best to redirect her attention, placing his hands on her shoulders to calm her down. He hoped this one time he could trust her not to run back to his father with information, and quickly decided he needed to tag that hope with insurance. "Now listen, if you want any chance at being protected when this all goes down, I'm gonna need your help or else I can't guarantee your safety."

Her expression told him he'd hit the jackpot. The one thing Ashley was loyal to was saving her own skin, and he knew it. And while she had half a mind to keep loyal to Daniel for all the feelings she struggled with repressing around him, both were enough to keep her tethered. "Of course – what do you want me to do?"

"I need you to keep my father occupied while I assemble the power players this afternoon," he requested. "Just keep him in the spotlight after his speech and away from the library. Can you do that?"

She nodded emphatically and he nodded back in appreciation, dismissing her quickly while he headed back into the house so as not to arouse further suspicion. Midway through the foyer he stopped short, and it was his turn to be surprised. There stood Emily, a wrapped box in her possession, having just walked through the door. She was face to face with Kara, who appeared to be packed and ready to depart.

"Emily?" he spoke aloud and she caught him with a definitive glance that warned him to follow her lead.

"Daniel, Kara," she addressed them both. "I'm so sorry to interrupt." She extended the box towards Daniel. "But I wanted to leave this at your parents' wedding before…" she trailed off.

"The whole thing went to hell?" Kara answered for her, fully aware of the outturn of events. Emily chuckled slightly at her wry response and Daniel suddenly put it all together. Their discussion that morning had gotten to her and she had found a way to stage a goodbye of sorts with her mother.

He took the gift from her hands, affording her the chance. "Mom and Dad will be very touched," he played along. "Assuming it's not ticking," he couldn't resist slipping in.

She shot him a careful look but then kept her attention on Kara who was beginning to head towards the door, briskly muttering over her shoulder. "I'm gonna be late for my flight."

Emily whirled around to follow in step with her and Daniel watched them interact. "Amanda didn't tell me that you were leaving, Kara," she extended, doing her best to remain aloof.

Kara glanced back with a touch of sorrow in her eyes. "No," she answered. "I'm sorry; I've never done well with goodbyes." She thought for a moment, something in Emily's expression catching her attention. "I seem to be always speaking to her through you," she observed.

Emily gave a small grin in response, conscious of the underlying meaning that existed in her words. "Well I'm sure she'd want me to tell you she appreciated getting the chance to see you again." She thought for a moment. "And she'll miss you."

The interchange became a bit much for Daniel to bear watching, but fortunately his mother broke up the party, returning from the beach side with Conrad. "Have I missed a bon-voyage party?" she asked.

"No," Kara insisted first. "I was just heading out. I didn't want to bother you again."

"Oh, well, I'll take you to your car," Victoria insisted, a part of her wanting to physically confirm she was gone. She glanced over at Emily, not expecting her to be standing at attention in her foyer. "Hello, Emily."

"Victoria," she greeted her back, signaling Daniel to give her the gift with her eyes. "For you."

"Oh, a wedding gift," Victoria surmised with a forced smile. "How thoughtful." She gestured for one of her maids to take it upstairs with the rest of the other gifts and brushed past Emily to see Kara to her car.

Once they were both gone, Daniel glanced around carefully, to make sure they would not be heard as he approached her. "Well that was hard to watch," he commented.

She snorted. "My mother or yours?"

He took her comment in stride. "Both." The tension that filled the air when both Emily and Victoria were in each other's presence was thick enough to cut with a knife and made him all the more uncomfortable when he had to bear it and play along. But on the other hand, her interaction with her own mother just made him solemn. "Hey, I know that was hard for you to do – but I'm glad you got a chance to say goodbye."

Emily did her best not to show emotion regarding her mother. "Hm." She nodded, not wanting to go into too much detail about it. Out of the corner of her eye she spied Ashley in the study with Conrad, appearing to finalize some sort of arrangements, likely the investor luncheon. She changed the subject before leaving, lowering her voice even more than it already was. "Anyway – are you ready?"

Daniel nodded, feeling more confident since his discussion with Aiden. "I think so – Aiden's proving to be a trusted ally. With his help I think I can do this."

Emily gave him a grin in acknowledgement, but again that sinking feeling entered her stomach. As much as she wanted to root for him, and knew he was doing what he thought he had to in order to succeed, she couldn't denied it pained her to see him act so ruthlessly against Nolan's company – and still not breathe a word of it to her. Did he think she wouldn't find out eventually?

"Well, I'll leave you to it, then," she breathed, ready to be out of there. "Take care, Daniel."

 **SCENE**

"So now you're stalking me? Not to mention breaking and entering."

Amanda accosted Mason Treadwell at the bar of the Stowaway, furious that after following Emily's orders to insist he leave her alone, he still remained an ever shadowing presence.

"Through an unlocked door?" he questioned, not understanding exactly where she got the 'B&E' claim from. He glanced in the direction of the open door to the Stowaway, signaling that business hours had begun, despite how early in the day it was.

"Whatever." Amanda ignored his valid point and came around his other side to stare him down. She wished Emily had not been so adamant about her keeping her calm, since she had a much better way of dealing with Mason in mind. But once again, her friend had gone secretive, as if by clockwork. Despite the assistance she had lended her in setting up Gordon Murphy's body for framed murder, Emily seemed to have a mental censor that prevented her from sharing too much at once, and it was beginning to make her fed up – especially now that she had the prospect of a real future ahead.

"I meant what I said about a restraining order," she insisted, but he merely waved her off, focusing on his drink and staring straight ahead through the window.

"Well, I'm not here to see you, my dear. I'm here waiting for your betrothed." He gestured towards where Jack was jiggling baby Carl on the walkway, nuzzling his face in the wind. "I thought he might like to include this in the family scrapbook." Again he produced the Allenwood photo, and Amanda sighed in exasperation.

"It's not what you think, Mason." She thought quickly on her feet, hoping to find a way to corner him the way Emily would under the same type of duress. "And I'll tell you the whole truth, but you have to promise to help me."

"Help you?" his face wrinkled up in concern. "Of course. But whatever do you mean?"

Amanda took a deep breath. "Look, none of this was my idea - Emily masterminded the whole thing. She's obsessed with me. Has been ever since the first day at Allenwood." She continued to glance around nervously, implying that she couldn't speak at length with others nearby. "She's using me in her sick game."

Mason followed closely, watching every change in her face with earnest attention. "Using you to what?"

"Please." Amanda insisted, hoping to get him out of the bar before Jack came running over to apprehend him on his own. "We can't do this here. I'll follow you to your place. Emily would destroy us both if she knew I was talking to you."

Mason smirked, certain he had found just the key to what he was looking for and became determined not to let it go. "Rest assured, Amanda – she never will."

 **SCENE**

At the sight of Helen Crowley's entrance into the luncheon, Conrad immediately skulked into a corner, her presence making it all the more clear that he had little time to protect the interests of the second family he was beginning to accept, given the recent confirmation. He slipped past the crowds filling the courtyard to make a quick phone call.

Lydia answered on the first ring. "Conrad?" she sighed as she took a seat in her small apartment. "I didn't think I would hear from you."

"I received your message," he replied to her, referring to the results from that morning. "And despite how I reacted yesterday and even my decision to go through with the wedding – I want to assure you that I am committed to our child."

She breathed a heavy sigh of relief on the other line. His words could not have held more meaning if he scrawled them all over the wall. She remained on edge, still uncertain of what to expect. "I heard about the murder charges, Conrad. Look, I'm not going to make any more trouble for you," she put her head down slightly. "I know I threatened to but you already have enough on your plate. I just wanted to make sure you didn't abandon me again."

He closed his eyes in understanding and sighed. "I know, Lydia. And when I tell you what I'm about to, you have to trust me that it's not thoughts of escape but only those of your safety that motivate my decision." He paused and glanced back around. "I need you to get far, far away from here."

"What?" Lydia could barely believe her ears. Was he really testing her willingness to follow through on her threats now that he had her complacence? "Conrad, I'm not going anywhere—"

"Lydia," he insisted, strengthening his tone. " _Trust me,_ it's for the best. The people that helped orchestrate framing David Clarke have resurfaced and are in my home as we speak!" His whisper was elevating. "For _your_ safety and for that of our child, you have to stay away – I will wire you whatever you need for you to find a safe haven to go to and will contact you when you can return—"

"Conrad, you're looking well," an eerie voice suddenly resonated over his shoulder. Conrad froze, despite Lydia's protests on the other line and quickly ended the call while simultaneously turning around to face his leading contact for Americon Initiative, Helen Crowley.

"Ms. Crowley," he stammered, wondering how much she had overheard. "It's – a pleasure."

"Likewise," she replied back, tongue-in-cheek. "We're all sending good thoughts your way regarding the arraignment tomorrow." She peered down at his phone. "Although I couldn't help but overhearing you sounded as if you were wishing someone off on that call, don't tell me your lovely wife won't be in attendance today?"

Conrad shook his head innocently, catching sight of Victoria just in time to make his point. "On the contrary," he reached out to her as she approached nervously, keeping her eyes on the two of them and turned to face the other. "Helen Crowley – please meet my wife, Victoria." He turned slightly to Victoria. "Helen is one of our largest shareholders."

Victoria caught his inference and gave Helen a sincere nod in greeting after shaking her hand. "Pleasure."

"For me as well," Helen echoed. "I've heard so many things. Excuse me."

Helen took a step forward to move past Conrad and paused to whisper in his direction. "We'll speak privately before I go and I am looking forward to meeting your recent houseguest."

Conrad shivered slightly as she exited and breathed a sigh of relief after narrowly escaping the prying ears and eyes of not one but three devious women all in a matter of seconds. With the sharpest of the three remaining, he eyed her meaningfully.

"She's one of them, isn't she?" Victoria asked with keen interest.

"In the flesh."

 **SCENE**

"Looks like our favorite show is starting," Nolan commented as Emily reentered the beach house and joined him on the couch where he had the laptop monitor up and running. On it were the rear camera displays – showing guests trailing into the Grayson Manor courtyard, filling up quickly.

Emily scanned through the displays once she sat down, more interested in the goings on throughout the rest of the house. She stopped once she found the one she was looking for and sat back to watch Daniel in a private room, just as Aiden entered to discuss their takeover strategy.

"Ugh," Nolan lamented. "Do I really have to _watch_ this happen live? Can't we fast forward?"

"Shh," Emily shushed him softly, turning up the volume so she could hear their dialogue.

 _"The golden ticket," Aiden prefaced his greeting to Daniel as he forked over the investment check. "As promised."_

 _Daniel's face lit up excitedly as he took it into his hands, feeling a surge of confidence in their alliance. "You're a good man Mathis I'm going to make sure that we are a hundred percent partnered when this all come to fruition."_

 _Aiden glanced over his shoulder. "Which should be in the next few moments if I'm not mistaken? This is our chance – it's really happening. Are you ready?"_

 _"Absolutely," Daniel said without a doubt. "I've got Ashley running defense to keep my dad occupied while we assemble the investors in the library." He grinned to himself. "He'll never know what hit him."_

Something in Daniel's determination caught Emily's attention and Nolan glanced over to see how she would react but for his benefit she only continued to watch, intrigued.

 _"I'll say," Aiden did his best to agree, despite being a bit surprised by Daniel's fervor. "So I take it you trust Ms. Davenport then?"_

 _Daniel thought of how to answer. "For this, yes," he conceded. It occurred to him that Aiden might have a continued interest in her after taking her as his date to the wedding. "By the way, how'd it go after you parted ways last night – still plan to keep in touch?"_

 _"I'm not sure actually – it was a lovely time, but in all honesty I think she has eyes for you," he hinted, bowing his head a bit bashfully. Daniel turned up his nose in mock surprise. "Oh, come on mate – you and I both know she seemed all too happy to stay behind after your father's ordeal." His curiosity could not help but keep going. "That is if you weren't too preoccupied with the beguiling Ms. Thorne."_

 _Daniel brushed it off. "Emily is just used to my family, that's all. It makes it easier to take someone to these functions who understand them," he assured him, pausing to tuck away the investment check into an open file he had on the desk in the private room. He poured himself into the small task to distract him from the reality he was about to admit. "But despite with the gossip mills are running she and I have not reconciled."_

 _Aiden perked up. "So then you're saying it's open season – she's on the market?"_

 _"I guess you could say that," Daniel admitted, immediately unnerved by the direction his questions were headed. "Why - are you interested?"_

 _Aiden was too smart to feed into the bait, he shook his head and clapped his business partner on the back. "No, just making sure your head is in the game. Let's get down to business, shall we?"_

Emily and Nolan both leaned back as they exited the room, Nolan letting out a low whistle in response before the inevitable side comment. "Well, that was quite the interchange. So… how serious was it between you and Aiden?"

"I'm not going to talk to you about Aiden, Nolan," Emily shut him down quickly. She could not be sure of what to make of it herself, and the last thing she wanted to do was pour out her uncertainties for Nolan to dissect and hypothesize on.

"Hm, then I guess may the best man win," Nolan tossed out one last comment before switching subjects. "Let's talk about your mom, then. Are you really ready to let her disappear again after everything both you _and_ I went through to find her?"

"It's safer for her this way," Emily replied, closing out the monitor screen to switch over to an online banking module that she'd found a way to decrypt. "I've been tracking Victoria's online transactions – she used her credit card to book a flight to Colorado Springs. When everything settles down, I should know where to find her."

"Hm. Peachy," Nolan said aside dryly as Emily's phone rang. He watched as she answered it, a look of concern coming over her face.

"Jack?" she said. "Hi – I uh, I hear congratulations are in order." Nolan pouted out his lip, realizing it was her first time discussing the news with him.

Jack managed a half smile on the other side of the line, walking slowly up the dock with Carl in tow just ahead of him in his stroller. "Yeah," he answered a bit uneasily. "Yeah usually you have the wedding before the baby, but…" He trailed off.

Emily did her best to smooth it forward. "Well, sometimes its best when things just 'happen'. I'm sure you two will be very happy." She did her best to be sincere, despite Nolan turning up his face in the background.

"It's three," he corrected her, the third being a reminder of how the union seemed to come about in the first place. "But thanks, Emily – listen I have a weird question. Do you… do you happen to have Mason Treadwell's phone number?" At the mention of Mason's name, Emily's look of concern only intensified. "Amanda went over to his place earlier for lunch but she should be back by now to take over baby duty. I gotta get behind the bar."

"Ah, no," Emily answered coyly, her mind already spinning out of control. "No, I don't but if I hear from her, I'll let her know you called."

"All right – thanks, Emily,"

Once she ended the call, she sprung immediately into action mode. "Amanda's went off script," she informed Nolan, heading for the door. "If I don't get back here in time, stick to the plan."

He jumped to his feet. "Uh, at your service, but what are _you_ going to do?"

"I'm going to stop her from throwing her life away," Emily answered him before bolting out of the back door, letting it slam behind her.

 **SCENE**

"So this is it." Amanda stepped down into the den of Mason Treadwell's home, staring ahead at the bulletin full of photos and clippings, with intricate red yarn lines connecting them all together, signifying his diligence in exposing Emily's vendetta against the Graysons. "All your research."

"Amanda, I want you to know that I deeply regret the role I played in your father's demise," Mason replied to her, coming over to step close to the bulletin, with her just a pace behind. He referenced the lower section of the board, where a fresh storyline was being mapped out. "This next book will not only clear his name, but also portray _you_ as a victim of your stalker Ms.  
Emily Thorne, the sociopathic socialite."

Amanda let out a sigh behind her smile, playing along without missing a beat. "It's a relief to finally tell someone."

Mason gave her a comforting nod. "Confession, they say is good for the soul," he acknowledged, adding under his breath, "And for book sales." He turned his attention back to a particular point in the timeline he was tracking. "Now, uh, getting back to your days working at that descriptively named gentleman's club, I couldn't help noticing that your last spin on the dance pole coincided with the murder of Frank Stevens."

At the mention of Frank's name, Amanda's skin began to crawl and she knew she had to act fast. She stepped a pace back from him while he continued bantering. "Now my theory is that Emily alerted you to the danger, then had someone dispatch him?"

"She's unhinged." Amanda responded just enough to keep him at bay, while using his turned attention as an opportunity to reach into the backpack she had brought along; revealing the very same long iron object that she had used to take out the man Mason spoke of. "You have no idea what she might do when her back's up against the wall—" she started, raising the iron back over her head in Mason's direction.

Mason remained facing the board in confusion. "Including bashing in a man's skull?"

"She'll do whatever it takes!" Amanda yelled out at last, and this time Mason turned to see the weapon coming at him and ducked out of her reach, just as Emily burst through the front door and called out to stop her crazed friend.

"Amanda, no!" she screamed, as Amanda brought it down, missing Mason and scraping his elaborate bulletin board instead. Emily ran over to restrain her with her own grasp. "Give it to me!" she bellowed in her face, and Amanda complied hesitantly, angered that she'd managed to stop her. "Now go home," Emily finally instructed, panting for breath.

"He knows everything!" Amanda insisted back at her face. "Don't you see? We don't have a choice!"

"Choose your family!" Emily hissed at her and Amanda finally calmed down, taking a moment to stare into Emily's pleading eyes and finally began to walk away. "You're making a huge mistake," she insisted and slowly edged towards the door.

"So I was right!" Mason declared as he watched the former begin to exit out of the room and averted his attention to Emily. "You really are the brains in this Machiavellian scheme?"

Emily turned to face him. "You were this close, Mason," she divulged, gesturing with the pinch of her fingers to demonstrate. Amanda remained behind at the door, just watching as the entire ordeal unfolded and her eyes fell over a small marble statue that sat atop the rail leading down to the den stairs. She watched as Emily walked towards Mason, inadvertently switching places with him so that he began backing up towards the stairs.

"But you missed the one thing that's been right under your nose the whole time," Emily continued, glancing up at her friend. "She's not Amanda Clarke."

Mason heaved as the full realization finally came into view, and he breathed the answer. "You are."

"Hmm." Emily allowed a coy smirk to cross her lips as he finally figured it out but before she could do anything to stop it, Amanda was behind him in an instant with the marble statue in her hand and angrily brought it down over the back of his head, knocking him unconscious as he fell to the ground.

"AMANDA!" Emily yelled at her in shock, watching as Mason's eyes closed shut, and a small pool of blood formed around the back of his head wound. She stared up at her in angst. "I told you to LEAVE!"

"He was never going to give up the truth!" Amanda yelled back, coming down the steps to pull at Emily who was on her knees beside him. "It's safer this way – now he can't destroy us!"

Emily ripped herself from Amanda's grasp. "You don't understand, this wasn't part of the plan, we still needed him!"

"What the hell for?" Amanda could not, for the life of her, comprehend why Emily would not just say what she was planning instead of leaving her in the dark. She only continued to shake her head, leaning close to hear if he was still breathing. Suddenly her expression softened with a hint of relief.

"He's still alive," Emily gasped, thankful that all was not lost. She fumbled for her phone in her pocket, rising to her feet and grabbing Amanda by the arm. "Don't go near him – and don't move," she instructed her, while Amanda looked on in confusion, glancing down at what she had done while Emily made her call.

"Nolan?" she addressed her friend when he picked up. "There's been a slight hiccup in the plan – are you close?"

"Hiccup?" Nolan repeated back to her, shuffling down the stairs of her house after having changed and gathered all the items he needed. "I'm on my way, but I've got some bad news, I think. Guess who just ditched her flight at J.F.K. and just rented a car on Victoria's credit card." Emily grimaced – this day could not possibly be going any worse. "Your mother's gone rogue."

"Damn it!" Emily exclaimed, turning to look at Mason's body on the ground and then to Amanda. She did her best to focus on how she could improvise.

"Do you want me to stay here or stick to the plan?" Nolan asked.

Her quick thinking remained sharp. "Stick to the plan," Emily instructed him. "But you have to move fast – Mason is here unconscious, you need to get in and out before he wakes up."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, _what?"_ Nolan replied in frenzy. "When did this happen?"

She looked at Amanda, who wore a guilty look on her face. "I'll explain later," she instructed him. "Just be careful and don't forget to wipe the place down before you leave. This may end up working out for the better." She hung up before he could ask any further questions, to an immediate response from Amanda, the call giving her time to rethink her actions.

"Emily, I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do—" she pleaded.

"Never mind that now," Emily shushed her, pulling her out of the house. "When he comes to, he'll have other things to deal with. You're gonna help me with something else right now." She reached in Amanda's bag for her phone as she rushed her out of the door, ensuring no one saw them exit. "Here – call Jack, tell him you got word that your mother's leaving town and you needed to see her off at the airport. Tell him you'll be late."

Amanda looked down at the phone in shock but complied, already frightened that she had caused irreparable damage. "Fine, but why am I telling him all of this?"

"Because," Emily affirmed to her, already planning to use her to get Kara back on track. "It's the truth."

 **SCENE**

"Amanda!" Kara cried out to her daughter as she wrapped her in an embrace in the waiting lot of the airport. She pulled away after a moment, ready to ask her all the things she wanted to over the phone. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I left – I don't do well with goodbyes." She looked down at her feet. "I didn't expect you'd care to see me off anyway."

Amanda did her best to act along, all the while hearing Emily's voice in her ear guiding her what to say while she watched from the car a few yards away. "I just couldn't let you go without saying a few things," she began.

Kara tried to reassure her. "That's the thing, sweetheart." She placed her hands over hers. "I decided to come back because of you. I don't think I can be apart from you again."

Amanda's heart softened at Kara's sincere expression, and she couldn't help but cast a glance Emily's way, hoping she would reconsider. But Emily was intent. "Give her the pocket watch, Amanda."

Amanda sighed and wiped a stray tear from her eye, before pulling her hand out of Kara's grasp. "Kara," she started and then revised herself. " _Mom_ ," she said. "The truth is, I think you're safer the farther away you go." As Kara's face wrinkled up in confusion, she reached into her purse and produced the pocket watch. "A police friend of Jack's found this at the scene of Gordon Murphy's death."

Kara looked at her in shock as she handed over the watch, prying it open to reveal her own picture beside the timepiece.

"You loved him didn't you?" she asked, and watched as Kara stared at her daughter uneasily and then nodded. "Then if you want to honor his memory you have to stay away from these people – as far as possible. It's what he would've wanted for you, isn't it?"

Kara was moved to tears and shook her head to wipe them away, clutching the watch in her hand as she stared back at Amanda. "And leave you here behind with them?"

Amanda sighed. "I'm here because of Jack – I can't leave him. We're going to be married." Kara's face lit up in surprise at the news and she cracked a proud smile. "But I promise one day… when we're ready. We'll come find you."

Kara nodded, overwhelmed with her daughter's innate ability to forgive so freely – promising her more than she could have ever imagined. She reached out to hug her close once again. "My little girl," she sighed over her shoulder. "I'm so proud of you."

Emily breathed in relief as she listened from the car. "Well done, Amanda," she whispered through the ear bug, content that it was over.

They separated and Kara stood to her feet to say a final goodbye as Amanda did the same. "Just be careful, Amanda," Kara advised her, looking again at the locket in her hand. "The Graysons are responsible for what happened to Gordon – you can't trust them."

Amanda agreed with a nod. "Don't worry; I can handle myself with them. They won't do to me what they did to Gordon." She assured her with a squeeze of her hand and then added, "Or my father."

Emily could feel her heart sink as Amanda spoke those last three words and turned to walk away. For a moment she prayed that Kara had not heard them, but her own mother was too sharp for that.

"Wait, what do you say?" Kara questioned her, causing Amanda to stop short in her tracks.

She turned around to answer, assuming she already knew. "My father – the Graysons, they framed him for everything," she answered innocently. "You-you know that right, Mom?"

"Amanda, what are you doing?!" Emily exclaimed, disappointed in her friend for the second consecutive time that day. "Kara doesn't know what happened to him, she's off her meds – she isn't stable!"

Amanda rushed to cover it over. "I mean, it's just a rumor the conspiracy theorists cooked up, it may not even be true—"

It was too late. Kara turned away as the realization slowly came to mind. "No – no you're right. My God, I can't believe I didn't see this before," she looked at the locket and then up at her daughter. "If they did this to Gordon they surely are the ones who did this to your father. Amanda – you stay right here, stay _right here_ , you hear me?"

And with that Kara was off and running, with Amanda stuck in the lot to turn back towards Emily at a loss, unable to control what she had inadvertently just done. Emily slammed her hands against the steering wheel, ripping the bug out of her ear and bolting out of the car to come over to where Kara just was and Amanda remained. "Amanda, what were you thinking, you should've stopped her!"

"Emily, that's it!" Amanda fought back this time, her eyes welling up with tears. She tore her own ear bug from her ear and threw it to the ground. "You know what I am sick of playing your puppet while you play God with everyone who's ever set foot in the Hamptons! I may be impulsive but at least I know when to let well enough alone—"

"Amanda, don't you see she's going to go after them?" Emily was livid. "Mason could wake up at any moment and foil the entire plan; meanwhile my sociopathic mother is on warpath – why couldn't you just listen to me?"

"Because, Emily, whether I listen to you or not, you are _never_ going to stop this!" Amanda shot back and it was one statement Emily had no response for. She threw her hands up in the air. "And you know what I am done trying to offer penance for my mistakes – things I would have _never_ had to do if not for you." She shook her head as she began walking away, backing up. "Goodbye, Emily."

Emily sighed, realizing she was losing control over too much in too quick of a short range of time. "Amanda," she called out to her but she would hear nothing of it, only continued marching away towards the bus depot. Emily shook her head, running short on time and decided just to return to the car, slumping into her seat to figure out how she could handle Kara's pending arrival.

She quickly got a hold of her phone and dialed Daniel, hoping that he would answer despite knowing he was likely in the midst of his investor rush. Her suspicions were confirmed as it went to voicemail after three rings. Again she slammed the wheel, trying to figure out what she could do. There was no way she could make an excuse to be at the Manor, and regardless, Kara likely had a lead on her already. She needed to contact someone else who was only there.

Her mind quickly went to the only other option she had, the one she wanted to involve the least but realized she had no other choice but to turn to.

 **SCENE**

Daniel swiftly made his way to the library, entering last after having tapped a handful of the investors he needed and sending them there ahead while his father gave an elaborate speech in the courtyard. Once inside he closed the doors personally and then made his way to the head of the room, while his father continued an open forum outside, with Ashley at the helm leading the Q&A as planned.

Daniel took a deep breath and made eye contact with Aiden at the back of the room, who nodded him on confidently before he began speaking to the small audience. "As our most important clients, I know that many of you, if not all, are planning to pull your investment in Grayson Global tomorrow. But I know something the rest of the world does not.  
Our firm is actually undervalued by as much as 50%."

The investors all began leaning forward in intrigue, as Daniel continued, gesturing to make his point clear. "As I've recently discovered, Grayson Global has an _indisputable_ multi-billion-dollar stake in Nolcorp software and electronics – a fact my father has either been couching or oblivious to for the past twenty years."

As Daniel took a pause, Aiden felt his phone go off in his pocket and something told him to at least look to see who it was, despite the urgency of the moment at hand. He glanced down and saw it was Emily calling, just as the door he was leaning against creaked open and Victoria slowly entered. She looked around in puzzlement, having observed the disappearance of many of their guests and clearly seeing Daniel as the source. She met eyes with him and he averted focus onto her, but did not let it stop him from his brazen proposal.

While Victoria looked on in shock, Daniel continued, placing his palms together as if in a praying stance to the audience. "If you'll consider _me_ as a replacement to my father as C.E.O., I will guarantee this company's solvency, and under my leadership, we will move on Nolcorp and _triple_ our net worth inside a year. The choice is yours." The audience appeared fascinated by his proposal and began whispering amongst themselves, while Victoria cocked her head in disappointment, unable to fathom the treason that she was witnessing.

Meanwhile Aiden took advantage of the distraction and slipped out of the door that was still slightly ajar behind Victoria. Once out of clear earshot he answered in surprise. "I've been expecting to hear from you, but before you ream me out for stealing, I'm afraid it's too late – I've already given Daniel the investment check—"

"Aiden," Emily cut him off on the other line, breathing rapidly as she sped towards her house and careened into the driveway. "Never mind about that, I need your help! My mother is coming for the Graysons, you have to stop her!"

"Your _mother_?" Aiden was having a hard time following, despite being vaguely aware that Kara Clarke had been staying with the Graysons for the past few days. He whirled around quickly, surveying his surroundings. "You mean Kara? Hasn't she been staying here all along?"

Emily sighed and brought her car to a stop, realizing she needed to bring him up to speed. "She was supposed to board a plane this morning out of town but she found out about what the Graysons did to my father and she's coming back for them. Aiden," she continued, intense with worry. "She's not stable – she could do something drastic!"

"Bloody hell," Aiden replied, immediately coming to terms with the magnitude of what Emily was saying. He continued glancing around; still somewhat unsure of what he was looking for. "Alright, keep calm I'll do my best to find her," he stole another peek outside on the dais where Conrad appeared to be finally ending the Q&A. "Although I haven't the slightest what she looks like."

"You'll know her when you see her," Emily assured him. "She stands out like a sore thumb."

Aiden was at work already, taking hold of his briefcase and opening it in a secluded corner to reveal the chloroform bottle and cloth he'd brought along for the other mission he planned, that would seemingly need to wait. "Well that makes two of them, then," he replied, his mind racing to other things.

"What?" Emily answered in confusion as she twisted the keys into the back door of her house and then raced over to the living room to open her laptop monitor. "What are you talking about?"

"The Initiative, Emily – I've made contact," he gasped under his breath, staring back towards the room where Daniel was shaking hands with the investors as they trailed out. He watched as Helen Crowley made her way to Daniel and seized his hand with a gesture of approval, and then turned around to lower his voice as Victoria suddenly emerged from the room and began heading for the upstairs. "Her name is Helen Crowley and she's about ten feet away from me."

Emily shook her head, closing her eyes slightly as she pulled up the monitoring system. "Congratulations, Aiden, you got to them first—"

"No, that's not what I meant—" he interjected, but her focus was still on Kara.

"I'm hacked into the Grayson security cameras, but about half a dozen of them have been disabled," she continued, ignoring him as she clicked through each display until she eventually spied Aiden at the bottom of the stairs. She went through once again until she realized the vicinity of the ones that were offline. "Wait – she must be in Victoria's bedroom. Second floor, end of the hall."

Aiden glanced upwards and took hold of his briefcase, closing it swiftly and dashing up the stairs before he could be seen by anyone. "Switch the rest of them off," he ordered her.

She sighed in protest. "Aiden—"

" _Trust me,_ " he insisted, and Emily realized she had no other choice. She watched as he eyed the last camera at the top of the steps directly and then hit the command on her keyboard to disable them all, sitting back in wait of what would happen while she was unable to see.

 **SCENE**

"Kara," Victoria whispered in between shaky breaths as she slowly put her hands in the air in a surrender position. Before her stood Conrad, mirroring her position, while Kara was but a few paces behind him, holding him still at gunpoint. She kept her eyes on them both, using the gun in hand to gesture them to move away from the door and deeper into the room, towards Victoria's walk-in closet.

"Kara, please," Victoria insisted, doing her best to sound sincere. "Whatever demons you're struggling with we can get you the best help possible—"

Kara cut her off without hesitation. "The only demons I'm struggling with are standing right in front of me. I want," she began, leaning closer. "A confession." She glanced from Victoria to Conrad and back, unable to decide in the moment which one she loathed more. "You can start by telling me what you did to David."

Conrad tried to interject, hoping he could placate things by protecting Victoria. "Kara, listen to me, Victoria had nothing to do with what happened to David. It was all _me._ " He insisted.

Victoria turned to look at him in surprise, never once expecting the man she knew to be a tyrant to sacrifice for her. "Conrad, no—"

But he continued on. "I made a deal with some nefarious people who had every intention of framing me for that plane going down—"

"So you blamed it on _David!_ " Kara nearly exploded. Meanwhile, Victoria took advantage of their interchange to glance over towards her vanity chair where her purse still sat from that morning.

"The man was stealing my _wife_ ," Conrad explained, feeling justified. "I wanted him to feel the same level of pain that he'd inflicted on me – you of all people should understand that!"

Kara clenched her teeth, his words serving no other purpose than to irritate her further. While she shook her head and looked upwards, Victoria seized the moment to slip an inch closer to her purse, reaching her hand down to clutch what she was looking for – but she came up empty.

Just then Kara looked over, catching her with her eyes. She pulled her shirt up over her beltline to reveal the very gun that Victoria was searching for. "Looking for this?" she taunted her, and then her anger increased. "Get on your knees, both of you!" She bellowed at them and tossed them a set of blindfolds while they complied out of fear. "Put the blindfolds on!"

"Wait, Kara!" Victoria took a turn at trying to negotiate with her, as she sensed their imminent execution. "Please make no mistake, after David's arrest there was no relief – there was only guilt."

She was only incensed at the suggestion. "What, so you want me to believe that it would be too merciful to kill you?"

"She's right, Kara," Conrad jumped in. "There are far more insidious forces at work here. The people who blew up Flight 197 – _they_ killed David." He thought again. "To be more specific, Gordon did."

"Shut up!" Kara retorted fiercely, beginning to pace back and forth. "Liar!"

"It's true!" Victoria insisted. Her eyes fell on her jewelry box, reminding her that proof still existed. "Look at the inside lining of my jewelry box – Gordon was there the day he died!"

Kara paused for the first time since she had set out to eliminate them, and then reluctantly followed Victoria's direction, pulling apart the box she was referring to until she found the said picture. But it changed little in her determination. Either way both men she had once loved were dead, and even if she had unknowingly fallen for her husband's killer, she had nothing left all because of the two people that kneeled before her. Unsatisfied, she tossed the picture aside, smashing the jewelry box to the ground. "Turn around!" she yelled back at Conrad and Victoria, still set on wiping them from the face of the earth. "The blindfolds – put them on!"

They exhaled, digesting that they had nothing left to bargain with and complied, leaving Kara behind them by the door while the awaited their fates in front of her. As the seconds dragged on like hours, Conrad reached over slightly to grace Victoria's hand, his life flashing before them in a wave of remorse and regret for all the wrongs he had done that brought them to this moment – some Victoria knew nothing of. "I'm sorry, Victoria," he whispered as they both held their breath and waited for the shots to fire—

But the only thing that came next was silence, as Aiden suddenly appeared from behind Kara, hot on Emily's tip of where to find her and wrapped her up in a strong grasp, placing the chloroform soaked cloth over her mouth to muffle her scream and send her spiraling into a world of darkness…

 **SCENE**

"Mr. Treadwell?"

Mason stirred and opened his eyes, barely being able to see past the lingering blurriness in his vision to the figure that loomed over him, calling out his name. He stared for a few moments before trying to place his surroundings, and doing his best to lift his head, but that was of little use. He was weak and unable to move. And where was he? He could not make out a single familiar sight.

"Mr. Treadwell?" a voice continued to call over him, and finally Mason was able to make out the figure of a middle aged man, African-American, wearing an overcoat and holding a pen and pad. His memory pieced together this as being a police detective of some sort but that was all it could register. Who was this 'Mr. Treadwell' he continued to ask for? _Wait,_ his brain halted. _Was that him?_ With sudden shock, he realized not only was he unaware of what had happened, who was over him and where he was – he also did not know _who_ he was, himself!

"Where am I?" he whispered aloud, and again the detective tried his name.

"Mr. Treadwell, you're in your home. I'm Detective Gunther," he informed him, staring intently. "I'm here to speak with you about the murder of Gordon Murphy as well as a conspiracy to frame Conrad Grayson."

"Murder?" That was the only word that Mason could make out that seemed to hold any meaning. As he tried to lift himself up from the floor he suddenly took note of a large bulletin board ahead of him, covered in papers, clippings and photos that looked to be the work of a mad scientist. He braced himself to get up and walk over to it, hoping it would help him fill in the gaping holes that seemed to exist all throughout his mind. "What is all this?" He turned around to look at the other officers that stood nearby. "What are you all doing here?"

Detective Gunther raised to his feet from where he was kneeling, immediately suspicious. It was not the first time a victim had played dumb to escape arrest. But this particular one seemed sincere. "As I mentioned," he answered. "I'm a Detective with Southampton PD – and I have a warrant to search your house for any evidence related to the murder of Gordon Murphy." He glanced at his head, where the paramedics had bandaged him up. "You appeared to have taken a nasty fall – do you remember anything that happened before that, Mr. Treadwell?"

Mason stood at attention, wishing and hoping that he could answer right away, but despite how hard his mind tried to search through his memory banks, it was as if nothing was there. He shook his head, flustered and frightened and was suddenly interrupted by another officer, who arrived in the room holding up a large device.

"Hey," he yelled out. "Look what I found."

Detective Gunther looked over, making sense of it without a moment's hesitation and then glanced back at Mason. "Do you recognize that, Mr. Treadwell?"

Mason shook his head emphatically. "No – no I don't," he turned back to face the bulletin, struggling to put the pieces together. "I don't recognize… anything?" He turned back around in despair. "I don't even know who I am?"

Detective Gunther nodded, deciding that he didn't buy his act after all but that regardless, it didn't change what he had to do next. He raised a hand to gesture. "Well, _that,_ " he emphasized, "Is the flight recorder from the plane that crashed last summer, killing innocent victims and several authorities on board." He turned his attention back to him. "And _you,_ sir, are Mason Treadwell—" he reached into his coat pocket and took a few steps over to where Mason stood, sliding on a pair of handcuffs as Mason watched in shock while he finished his sentence.

"-And you are officially under arrest."

 **SCENE**

Kara lurched forward and suddenly snapped awake, instinctively thrashing out in fear at what had happened to her. To her surprise she was in the passenger seat of a car, and before she could lunge out at the person next to her, the person reached over quickly to calm her down.

"It's okay," Emily consoled, and Kara recognized her familiar voice and soothing tone. She didn't realize how much her company seemed to immediately lower her anxiety and while she still feared what had happened, a part of her relaxed a bit. "You're safe," Emily insisted.

Kara looked her over in surprise. "What, you? Y _ou_ grabbed me?"

"No," Emily answered honestly, gesturing with her head towards Kara's passenger window, where Aiden was partially leaning in. "Agent Mathis did. He's been following you for some time now ever since the story broke of Gordon's murder."

Kara snapped to look at him in alarm, and it was Aiden's turn to explain. "I've been investigating the group that Gordon worked for. Apparently they still have ties to the Graysons, which is how I came to be at the Manor today. But had you followed through with your plans, you would've blown the entire mission – and possibly my cover." He paused for emphasis. "I couldn't let you do that."

"I wasn't really going to kill them," Kara insisted once he was finished, looking down in her lap. "My only plan for the Graysons was to scare them into telling me the truth." She shook her head and then looked over at Emily. "Amanda told me they framed her father. I just couldn't believe all this time, I never knew. I could have done something – I could have tried to save her from everything she went through."

Emily nodded slowly, sympathizing with her mother's helplessness as her heart went out to her. She glanced up at Aiden and despite the moment being a difficult one, she knew she had to do what was best. "Well there still may be a chance to save her future. Now that the Graysons know you found out the truth, the only way you can save her is to leave and never return – or risk the people that went after David coming after her too."

Kara was shocked and looked nervously up at Aiden. "So you're not taking me in?"

Aiden leaned forward. "The bureau is willing to let you go as long as you agree to these terms." He gestured towards the distance. "There's a car, a full tank of gas, and some money to get you started. Consider it our way of thanking you for working with _us_ for a greater good."

It was all a bit much for Kara to take in, but she could not argue it. She glanced from Aiden to Emily and finally rested her eyes on the latter. "I don't know how to thank you." She reached over and surprised her, bringing her into a warm hug that once again tugged at Emily's heartstrings just as their morning exchange, if not more.

"Just keep yourself safe," she whispered over her shoulder before letting her go, watching as Kara got out of the car and left from her sight, possibly for the last time ever.

Aiden watched as Emily stared straight ahead, trying her best to be strong, and slipped into the car, filling Kara's empty seat. He offered a hand to put over Emily's but she flinched and pulled away, and once again he knew it was likely too soon for comfort. But that wouldn't stop him from trying.

"Amanda—" he began.

"Don't call me that," she interrupted him briskly, wiping away a stray tear and sniffling once, before her face turned back to stone.

Aiden complied with an understanding sigh. "Fine," he added. "Emily – I'm sorry about how everything worked out today."

"Why?" she challenged him with a smirk. "You got what you wanted didn't you? Partnership with Daniel, a contract on Nolcorp – and contact with the Initiative. Mission accomplished." She turned to face him. "I'd say you had a good day."

He tilted his head in protest. "That's not what I came here for." He gave her a moment to digest. "Look, I know the business with Daniel looks one way but I did it so I could protect _you._ Takeda knew he was already onto Nolcorp, the longer he went on digging he would have found out the truth, and I couldn't have you exposed—"

"I knew about the transaction, Aiden," Emily interrupted him before he could go on any further. She squinted at him meaningfully. "How do you think you came into possession of the investment check so easily?"

Aiden paused in shock, replaying the events of the previous day in his mind. She never ceased to amaze and surprise him. "You wanted me to turn it over? Why?"

She shrugged. "Like you said – it was a necessary evil." Her mind drifted to Daniel and how his new position would now provide the perfect vantage point to hunt down the Initiative. "The first of many."

Aiden shook his head, absorbing defeat but not letting it deflate him. "I should've known better. Even when you're working with me – you're still working alone." His statement lingered in the air, defining her. "Well regardless of that, I want you to know the reason why I came back was not just for the Initiative, Emily. But to repay you for the pain that I've caused."

She breathed in, facing him again and pondered on how to reply. Neither Aiden nor Daniel knew about the other's involvement and she knew it was the safest way to keep things. Despite both their clear attempts to repay the mistakes of the other, her attachment to them in the past would only shake her judgment. And yet, she could not deny in this moment that it touched her heart to have Aiden sitting her beside her, confessing almost the same loyalty to her that Daniel had at the beginning of the summer. But how could she tell who was real, and who she could believe?

Aiden became conscious that her mind was heavy at work, and assumed her mother's departure was to blame for her sensitivity. "Listen, I can I can stay if you want," he offered, desperately hoping to smooth things over. "It's not a problem."

Emily was still undecided on the future but for the present she knew she was not ready. "No," she answered, but without her usual dryness. "You go. I have one more loose end to tie up."

 **SCENE**

"Emily?"

Jack opened the back door of the upstairs apartment to the Stowaway to let his visitor in, surprised to see her at such a late hour. "Is everything ok?" he asked.

"Jack, I'm sorry to drop by so late," Emily answered, conscious of the hour. She held in her hand the second of two gifts she had brought to someone that day. Only this one, had meaning. Jack watched in awe as she handed him a small wrapped box. "I just wanted to give you this engagement gift and wish you and Amanda congratulations – in person."

"Wow," he breathed, with his usual reverence and admiration for Emily's kindhearted spirit. "Em, this is—" he was at a loss for words. "You're too kind."

"It was a family heirloom," she explained, not wanting him to get too overly impressed. "I hope you don't mind. It's just that Amanda told me that she's always wished she had something from her father's collection and, well, this was something my father left to me. I know it's not the same but – I want her to have it."

Jack just shook his head, incredulous at her generosity. He expected it was some piece of jewelry or something of the nature, but at the moment he didn't care, could only focus on how much he appreciated Emily's friendship. He extended a warm hug back her way. "This is too much, really." He suddenly placed the box back in Emily's hand. "But you know what – I can't be the one to give it to her. It has to come from you."

Emily glanced nervously around the front area of the apartment as Jack doubled back a few steps to retrieve her from the nursery. Moments later Amanda emerged in the hallway, a hand on her hip. She exchanged a knowing glance with Jack before he disappeared into the room, leaving her to slowly walk over to Emily.

"What are you doing here?" Her greeting emphasized the resentment that still existed in her heart from their last interchange, and she peered over her shoulder to ensure Jack was out of earshot before continuing conversation.

Emily took a breath. "Making amends," she replied and extended the gift to Amanda.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Penance," Emily answered to a surprised look in return. "Turns out – the situation with Mason worked out in our favor. He came to with acute amnesia and confessed to the entire thing, certain that the evidence left in his home was enough to convince even _him_ that he must have done it."

Amanda chuckled to herself as she opened the gift. "Serves him right. About time he started living all the stories he's been so desperate to write about."

"Amanda," Emily continued. "I was wrong to compromise you when I shouldn't have." She glanced towards the nursery behind them while Amanda stopped midway through opening the gift just to listen. "You have a family, a _fiancé_." She shook her head. "I don't blame you for how you reacted – I had no right to put you in that situation. I'll never do it again."

Amanda quickly softened, and her long-suffering forgiveness for Emily surfaced. She digressed. "Look I don't mind helping you – I just want you to be honest with me."

Emily agreed. "Then from here on out, I will." She nodded towards the box and Amanda finished opening it just as Emily narrated what it was. "That ring belonged to my father. Once, when Jack and I were young playing on the beach – we buried my dad in the sand." She laughed lightly as Amanda smiled, opening the box to examine the ring and listened. "Not long after we helped unbury him, he realized he had lost it. We dug all afternoon for it but couldn't find it. So later on that night, while he was asleep, me and Sammy slipped outside and went to the same spot on the beach – and we found it."

Amanda looked up intently at Emily, watching the raw emotion fill her face as she finished recalling the memory. "I was so happy we had found it but I was so scared that if I told my dad, I'd get in trouble for going out to the beach alone." She grinned. "So I slipped it back on his nightstand, and when he woke up the next day, he simply assumed he had never put it on – that it was there the whole time."

Emily blinked as she finished the story and Amanda reached out to touch her face, gently wiping away a stray tear. "It's beautiful," she whispered. "And it was a beautiful story." She glanced down at it, fully realizing the deep meaning. "I know you would've wanted Jack to have this. I promise it will be a symbol – that I will always take care of him." Emily nodded back at her and before she knew it, Amanda was pulling her into a warm embrace, confirming her forgiveness over her shoulder. "Thank you Emily – thank you for everything."

Emily let out a sigh, feeling the great surge of relief to be forgiven and echoed the same. "Thank _you._ "

 **SCENE**

"So I just spoke to our so-called security detail, and the cameras went black for about five minutes today," Conrad addressed Victoria as he waltzed into her bedroom where she reclined on the bed, sipping at a glass of wine. "During which time - Kara Clarke Murphy vanished."

Victoria looked up at him, still definitively shaken by the ordeal, but even more so by who seemed to be responsible for administering it. "The Initiative," she sighed resolutely, shaking her head. "You'd think they would've simply let her kill us."

"I don't think the word "simply" is even in their vocabulary," Conrad countered, removing his tie and tossing his jacket over the side of the hassock in front of the bed. "And as you so astutely pointed out, our value to them is in our ability to serve, for the moment."

He couldn't deny that fact was reassuring, although he wondered that if the Initiative could access his own security with such ease, then certainly they could easily uncover his indiscretion with Lydia. It was a fact he hoped would never come to surface, despite how keen Helen Crowley appeared to be. A quick glance at his phone was enough for him to confirm that Lydia was at least safely out of town following his instructions, but he knew he couldn't get off quite that easy. He needed to see to it that she was protected.

"Conrad, there's something I have to tell you," Victoria began, remembering the secret meeting she had stumbled upon with Daniel at the helm but her husband was too preoccupied to listen.

"Whatever it is," Conrad countered; eager to handle his plans uninterrupted. "It can wait until morning." He came over to peck her with a kiss on the forehead, hoping it would allay her concerns and quiet her for the rest of the night. "A morning I truly believed we would never see," he added. "Sleep well, sweetheart. I'll be right outside your door."

Victoria began to protest then thought better of it. As much as Conrad had demonstrated a much more sensitive side than most that day, he was still the same man and would eventually get what was coming to him sooner or later. She had not expected it to be Daniel that would turn so resolutely but in her defense, she would rather have it that way than for her favored child to turn on her instead.

 **SCENE**

"Hey, where have you been? I've been trying to reach you all evening."

Emily received Daniel's call just as she was trudging up the steps to her beach house, worn thin from the past two days' rigorous activities. So when she answered, she decided to just rest a moment on her father's porch swing, taking a load off before she responded.

"Daniel," she answered, feeling herself return to a regular rhythm of being secretive when speaking to him. "Sorry, it's just handling the cover-up for Gordon just took a lot longer than I expected."

"I'll say," Daniel sighed, still with a hint of excitement in his voice. "I saw the news reports on Mason Treadwell – tough break for him. But well played for you."

Emily smothered a grin, feeling anxious to move on. "And you," she added, wondering if Daniel was becoming a bit too spoiled by having her handle his dirty work. Although there was one element he seemed content to get his hands filthy with. "So, I take it the investor luncheon was a success?"

He snickered. "I've got to hand it to you – we couldn't have struck at a better time. The investors are all in to push for a vote of no confidence this _week._ Now all I need is to push the key holders, get a little inside persuasion… and we're home free. I could sure use your help on that part."

"Of course," Emily muttered, annoyed at herself for being such an asset in that department. She couldn't hold back and finally pushed the subject. "So how did you get them to follow your lead so quickly? I'm sure half of the board was ready to pull out…"

Daniel took a breath. He knew this moment would come eventually, and it would hurt for her to know the truth but perhaps she would understand. After all, when he became CEO he could orchestrate the deal as much as he wanted to, and ensure that nothing affected her adversely. He decided it was time to come clean. "Emily," he began. "Listen this going to be hard for you to hear, but I need you to trust me – it was my only option."

She stared straight ahead, something catching her attention in the distance. "I'm listening," she replied quietly.

He grimaced. "I had to use your father's investment in Nolcorp," he divulged. At last, it was finally out. "Em, I'm sorry it was the only thing worth any value to get the investors to side with me. But I _promise,_ I will make sure Nolan keeps control of his company – in fact I'm going to mandate that he remain CEO as a part of our controlling interest deal."

Emily exhaled, and suddenly felt slightly proud of him for finally telling her the truth. It had taken long enough but alas, he had done it. And yet, she still could not decide whether it made her feel closer to him to hear it from his mouth or whether that knowledge worried her that he was diving deeper into vindication, and losing his innocence. "It's alright, Daniel," she assured him. "I know you did your best to avoid that becoming an option."

"Believe me, Em – I did," he insisted. "But Aiden nearly gave me the check on a silver platter. I don't know how he got a hold of it, the guy must have connections. I think he's really going to be a useful ally to us once we takeover Grayson Global and then make headway on the Initiative."

"Useful, indeed," Emily added, her eyes still fixed on something in the distance that appeared to be nearing closer. She changed tone. "Well, we all have to make sacrifices. It's worth it knowing what you're willing to do to protect me – and my father's legacy."

"That's all I care about," Daniel insisted, growing a bit anxious on the phone, wishing he could see her face. "Listen, Em are you home—"

"Daniel, I'm really tired," Emily cut him off before he finished the last word, sensing he was about to suggest they get together, a thought she could not entertain at the moment. "But I'm happy for everything you accomplished today. I'll talk to you in the morning, alright?"

"Yeah," he replied, a bit deflated, putting his head down a bit. "Yeah, sure. Goodnight Em." He hung up the phone, staring at it for another moment to ponder over what had just happened. Something seemed amiss, though he couldn't put his finger on it just yet.

On her end, Emily ended the call and raised her head, allowing her thoughts to summarize the many events throughout the day. _To properly do penance, one must express contrition for one's sins,_ she thought, replaying Daniel's words in her mind as she measured them against his actions. _And perform acts to repair the damage caused by those transgressions._ She considered what acts had been performed – her attempt to make peace with her mother before her departure, and her gift to Amanda at the end of the night. But beyond that, the only other acts she could recall outside of her own seemed to keep coming back to Aiden, and his willingness to come to her aid with her mother. As much as she wanted to see the same willingness in Daniel, she could not deny he seemed distracted – as if he was too caught up in the chase for Conrad's throne, than the endgame, despite what he said.

 _It is only when those acts are complete that the slate can truly be wiped clean…_

As her mind debated the difference between the two, the distinct figure she was staring towards before suddenly came closer into view, manifesting itself in the footsteps onto her back porch, as she turned to start for the back door. She caught herself in her tracks and stared ahead – it was Aiden.

He put his hands in the air immediately, simulating surrender so she did not lash out. "It's just me," he whispered. "I just thought I'd come check on you."

Emily only stared blankly back at him, her brow furrowing in concentration. Was this the difference between them? Was it that Daniel had to be coaxed and pushedinto a path of penance, with a blurred line between what he was doing for her and for his own benefit? Was it that Aiden had made it his own choice? Perhaps it was the exhaustion of the day or the sudden rift that was forming between her and Daniel that convinced Emily that the latter was the one to trust.

"It's been a rough day," Aiden continued when she didn't respond, edging closer. "Are you alright?"

… _And amnesty gives way to a new beginning._

Before she knew what she was doing, Emily denied him an answer and instead was rushing over to Aiden in a blur of emotion, throwing her arms around his tall form to pull him into a deep, enraptured kiss, full of release from the pain and anguish that seemed to haunt her eternally. He met her embrace with his own matched fervor, hastily claiming her lips in return, wondering just how far he had allowed her to pull him into her tangled web of revenge, and whether he would ever find his way out.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **Author's Note: hello again my Revengers! Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, vacation was so sweet but I'm finally back again with my favorite guilty pleasure! And yes, I feel quite guilty about this installment, after pulling at some rather heavy threads to unravel the Daniel/Emily while intertwining the first Aiden/Emily into the fic! But fear not, as in the series, there are always roadblocks, and you need not give up hope for our faves! Many of you requested I slow down the Daniel/Emily progression, so this is in response to those requests. But of course, more is to come and especially now that Aiden is in the mix, jealousies and rivalries will abound, making it all the more fun! In the meantime, how did you like the newer elements of this chapter? Lydia/Conrad? The switch with Amanda being the one to push Kara to the edge? And the spin on Mason's confession? I wanted to include some good Emily/Kara and Emily/Amanda moments too in this installment, so I hoped you like those! Please do me a grand and leave me a comment/review and let me know what you thought, I so enjoy reading your feedback! AND let me know if u want to see a whole 'Lineage' ep or if you think it makes more sense to skip that episode since its basically all flashback. I'm ready for more of hardcore S2 if you are! Have a great week! ~ Much Love and Revenge ~ MothToANewFlame**


	9. Chapter 9: Revelations

**Chapter 9: Revelations**

 **A/N: Hello again all! First I have to say thank you so much for all your feedback and your endurance as this story continues to weave the Daniel/Emily endgame. I so appreciate your understanding of some big events in the last chapter and I have taken all your suggestions to heart! So to begin, the following chapter happily skips over the "Lineage" episode per your recommendations, so please disregard that episode altogether – including the little 5-second 'present day' piece that occurred at the end. May I emphasize, that does NOT occur in this story lol. The chapter below will pick up right after the previous one, and you will note some specific differences in how it all works out… so please enjoy reading and look forward to hearing how you like the adjustments!**

 _For the righteous, a revelation is a joyous event, the realization of a divine truth.  
But for the wicked, revelations can be far more terrifying, when dark secrets are exposed and sinners are punished for their trespasses…_

Emily awoke with a start on her living room couch, to the faint sound of knocking at her back door. She glanced around quickly, getting her bearings and slowly became aware that she was still in the previous day's clothes, her hair slightly tousled. It was rare for her to awake so disoriented, and in the seconds it took her to stand up and scan the room, she realized she had little recollection of what had happened the night before, leave for the single memory of a passionate encounter with Aiden on her porch. Beyond that was a void in her mind, and she did her best to keep composed, hoping she would get an explanation after letting him in—

But to her surprise when she pulled back the sheer curtain, it was Ashley on the other side instead. Her face showed her unexpected expression as she unlocked and opened the door, looking back nervously. "Ashley," she greeted her, not budging from where she stood. "It's been a while since you've dropped by?"

"I know," Ashley echoed back, and took note of her unwillingness to step aside. "Sorry, to just show up like this but I needed to talk to you. Is this a bad time?"

Emily thought carefully, gambling as to whether she should keep her where she stood in the event that Aiden made an untimely entrance or allay her suspicions that anything was even amiss by letting her in. She took a chance, hoping if Aiden was still there he would hear Ashley's voice and use discretion, although her intuition told her the quiet stillness of the house they were alone. "No, I was just about to get up. Please, come in."

Ashley nodded appreciatively as Emily led her over to the kitchen. Once settled into the new area, Emily glimpsed Ashley's elegant and somewhat provocative attire. "That's a beautiful dress," she commented, beginning to fix them some coffee.

"Thank you," Ashley replied a bit bashfully, glancing down. "Hoping to make an impression on the Grayson Global investors during the skeet shoot later this morning..."

Emily nodded as she brought over two mugs for them, remembering. "Ah, yes, that's today," she commented, her wheels turning as she became more alert. "Anyone in particular you have your sights on?"

Ashley hesitated uneasily. "Actually, that's what I came here to talk to you about." She looked down for a moment before peering up at Emily's expecting eyes. "Listen, I know we've discussed this once before but… well ever since the wedding there's been something nagging at me and," she interrupted herself, conscious that she was dragging it out. "Bloody hell, I'm just going to come out and say it – are you and Daniel back on or not?"

Emily took a long sip at her cup that bought her time to mull over her response. There was a clear answer she could give Ashley but something told her there was more value in holding onto the truth. "That's a bit of a personal question, Ashley," she stalled, bringing the cup down from her lips.

Her evasiveness worked and Ashley confided further. "I know," she admitted. "And I usually wouldn't be so forward it's just that – well lately he's been difficult to figure out?" She played with the handle on her mug. "One moment he's inviting me out to lunch and asking me to help him distract his father and the other," she paused to look up at Emily. "He's taking you as his date to his parents' wedding."

Emily sighed, following her implication. She was partly to blame for Daniel's vacillating emotions and she felt guilty that it had led to him stringing Ashley along. But after the previous night and still being unsure where she stood with Aiden, she hardly had any freedom of speech in that regard. Besides that, she was unsure how she felt about Daniel's choices on the whole – which had made one particular item stand out that Ashley had shared.

"You're right," Emily confessed in an understanding tone, hoping to gain her trust. "Daniel's given us both reasons to question how he really feels." She thought carefully and finally decided on the best way to approach the situation. "I don't know what the future holds, but honestly I can't think about being in a relationship right now," she divulged. "I accompanied him to the wedding as a friend, but our history…" She trailed off, looking into the distance before meeting eyes with Ashley again. "It's complicated. Especially when it comes to the rest of his family."

Ashley exhaled. "Tell me about it."

Emily watched her expression. "I'm sure you know that better than I do. You mentioned something about distracting his father?"

"Right," Ashley confessed, eager to be able to tell someone about it. "Yesterday, he and Aiden decided to move on the company – they're hoping to stage a vote of no confidence with all of the investors on the board this week. And guess who got the lucky task of keeping Conrad distracted while they called a secret meeting?" Emily mirrored the sarcastic look on Ashley's face as she went on. "Though I can't say I mind, Conrad can be proper dreadful himself. Whatever that man gets, he deserves." She pondered for a moment. "And the Queen, for that matter."

Emily snickered, enjoying hearing another person come to see the Graysons for who they truly were. Their banter was beginning to remind her of their friendship the previous year, and clearly, as it was true then, Ashley's intel always proved useful. "You've come a long way from the girl that was at their beck and call last summer?" she observed.

Ashley straightened up. "I've just become fed up of being played by one against the other, while they're at each other's throats, it's exhausting," she whined.

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me something. Why are you wasting your time with Daniel?" She alluded to her earlier question. "If you're certain that he's just as erratic as the rest of his family, why not move on altogether?"

She stifled a laugh. "I tried that – as you recall my date, Mr. Mathis ended up taking _you_ home that night?" She shot her a pointed glance. "Another victim to your boundless charm?"

Emily brushed over it, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the mention. Ashley's insecurities were rearing and she needed to reassure her. She shook her head emphatically. "Hardly," she deflected. "He just dropped me off and left," she assured her, despite how great of an understatement it so happened to be. She cleverly redirected her. "The trouble with Daniel and Aiden is they're too alike – young, ambitious, headstrong, desperate to make a name for themselves. Setting your sights on either one of them will only string you along for a ride that's just getting started."

Ashley agreed with a nod, appreciating the girl talk, and listened as Emily explained further.

"Not that I don't support what they're trying to do with Grayson Global, because I do. I think it's for the best actually," she continued and then gave her once friend a meaningful look. "But if _you_ plan to stay for the long haul, you need to find someone who's settled – who's ready to set his roots in."

"That's good advice, Emily. I think I'll take it." Ashley conceded after thinking on it for a moment, and realized what a gesture it was that Emily had not only been open to her forward questions, but also honestly shared her wisdom. "Thank you," she added, sincerely appreciative.

Emily opened her palms. "Anytime." She watched as Ashley smiled and stood to her feet.

"Well I better get going," she headed towards the door and half-turned when she was partway there. "Emily?"

"Yes?"

She gave her a genuine look. "If there's anything I can do for you in return, please just let me know."

Emily nearly let her go, considering whether she would spend the day regrouping with Aiden and following up on his contact with the Initiative when she felt a tugging at the back of her mind to change plans.

"Actually," she called out to Ashley, and she turned back, ready to assist. "There is something."

 **SCENE**

"Pull! Pull!"

Victoria lowered her gun to inspect her handiwork after the machine fired off its final round of clay pigeons, leaving the last one in perfect aim for her to discharge with precision. Nearby, one of the foremost investors on the board of Grayson Global, Salvador Grobet, took note of her shot and came over to where her and Conrad stood to commend her.

"Excelente, Victoria," he commented with a broad smile through his thick South American accent.

She tucked away a proud grin. "Well, after my kidnapping, I developed a fondness for firearms."

Salvador chuckled, glancing over at Conrad. "You better not cross this one, Conrad."

"You have no idea," he agreed, and then aimed for a much less successful shot. "I, on the other hand am out of practice, but once I'm clear of this absurd no-confidence vote Daniel's launched against me, rest assured, my marksmanship will return."

Victoria shifted instinctively at the mention of his name, glancing over towards where her son stood under the refreshments tent, entertaining the other investors in conversation. It was quite a mixed crowd of Grayson Global's finest, and despite her attempt to inform Conrad of his plans to throw him over, nothing held more weight than the visual confirmation in the flesh. Even as they stood at attention to guests from the company she had known for years, she got the distinct feeling that they were on the outside, while Daniel continued to manipulate his way through the company without their help. As one of their biggest investors, Salvador's vote would be the determining factor in who would win the vote, and for the time, he already seemed persuaded.

"Daniel's talk of delivering Nolcorp is a persuasive argument," Salvador continued, echoing Victoria's thoughts.

Conrad was too proud to concede. "Oh, please," he waved him off. "Come on. Even if Daniel's correct and Nolcorp is Grayson property, Nolan Ross and his people are gonna drag this through the courts for years. Trust me, this is not the game changer my son believes it to be."

Salvador seemed intent. "Still, some are listening."

"Well, some isn't enough," Victoria spoke up, to her husband's defense. "They need a two-thirds majority to oust Conrad. Which, assuming your influence over the core members of the board remains absolute, should prove pretty much impossible?" She smiled his way, hoping he was still on their side.

"My block will vote with me, whichever way I choose to go," Salvador confirmed, still without making a firm promise in either direction. He took hold of his firearm and stepped forward, asking Conrad's assistance with the gun racks. "Do me the honor?"

Conrad complied, if not symbolically pledging his allegiance to his only remaining chance at running Grayson Global. "With pleasure, Salvador," he answered and faced the open field. "Pull!"

 **SCENE**

"Well, well, just in time."

Aiden approached Emily from behind as he spied her at the entrance of the refreshments tent, just a few yards away from the skeet shoot. She turned at the sound of his voice, ignoring his once-over of her in her shooting outfit, perfectly dressed to match the rest of the company.

"In time for you to start your attack on the Initiative without me," Emily responded cleverly right back at him. "Or to explain what happened last night?"

He stood over her closely, a look of surprise forming in his eyes. "You really don't remember?"

Emily glared at him and then inched away as her eyes caught sight of Daniel from afar, careful not to betray too much familiarity. "All I remember is waking up this morning on the couch, with you gone—"

"You certainly didn't waste any energy trying to look for me," Aiden observed with a smirk. "I don't have a single missed call from you."

"That's because I had an early visitor," she whispered back, glancing over her shoulder to make brief eye contact with Ashley from a distance. Ashley waved back and nodded in the direction of an investor, to which Emily returned a nod, catching the insinuation.

Aiden watched the whole thing transpire, intrigued. "What was that all about?"

Emily took a breath. " _That_ was how I managed to get on the list."

"Ah, resorting to asking the help for assistance?" he teased her, getting a stern look in return. "You could've saved yourself the trouble and simply come along on my arm?"

"Thanks," Emily rebuffed him, getting slightly irritated at his arrogance. She silently cursed herself for giving into a weak moment the night before, knowing it would only intensify his arrogance at having a hold over her. "But I can make my own way."

Aiden folded his arms in challenge. "Well, if you want to be like that then I guess you'll never know what happened the night before," he asserted. "I'll keep the memories all to myself."

Emily smirked back at him. "Save it for another time, Aiden, you need _my_ help more than I need yours today." She gestured with her chin towards the man that Ashley was now chatting with, flashing a bright smile while he stared at her pretty form with fascination.

"Salvador Grobet," Emily narrated, beginning to walk over slowly while Aiden followed in step. "Brazil's answer to Richard Branson. Only rather than building his fortune business by business, he married into it."

Aiden looked on, interested. "He and Ms. Davenport certainly appear cozy."

"Mm," she agreed, applauding Ashley's attempt to follow her suggestion without hesitation. "Considering the fact that his wife recently passed and it's been known he has a taste for exotic women, that works out perfectly in our favor."

"How so?"

"Grobet has voted Conrad's interest in every major decision since his appointment to the board in '99," Emily explained, demonstrating her thorough skills in research. "But when it comes to women, his lust matches his greed. With his sights on Ashley, she can tip the scales in Daniel's favor," she turned to face Aiden. "And sway him in the vote."

Aiden was not completely sold. "You're certain you can trust her with the task?"

"Undoubtedly," Emily affirmed, glancing over. She continued to scan and saw Daniel down by the gun racks, speaking with another investor not far from where Conrad and Victoria looked on. "And if there's any concern, we still have insurance to sweeten Salvador's interests."

Aiden furrowed his brow in anticipation of what Emily meant, but the answer soon arrived in the form of Nolan's appearance, just a few feet behind them. "Sacrificial lamb reporting for the slaughter," he announced with a wry look at them both, and then inhaled sharply at the sight of the gun racks below. "I wasn't expecting an actual firing squad?"

Emily turned to acknowledge him, stepping a pace over so that she was closer to his side than to Aiden's. "Thank you for coming, Nolan. I needed Salvador Grobet to see that Daniel's acquisition of Nolcorp isn't just a pipe dream," she glanced at him more directly. "Your being here makes it credible."

Nolan couldn't resist rolling his eyes. "Oh, it's more than credible. It's inevitable."

Emily was still sensitive. "I'm sorry about your company, Nolan. I know how much it means to you."

"Hey," he stopped her short, brushing off his early sarcasm in favor of his true feelings. "I already told you its water under the 'London' bridge." He glanced over at Aiden with his remark, ever aware of his presence. "Whatever keeps it from 'falling down', right?"

Aiden jumped in to assure him. "Once Daniel gets the vote, I should be able to secure a seat on the board by his side. Not only will that give us an inroad to the Initiative, but it will help me orchestrate whatever it takes to keep Nolcorp protected."

"Mm," Nolan perked up at his insistence and nudged Emily. "Have to say, I like the new guy."

But she was too distracted by something else he had said to notice. "A seat on the board?" she questioned Aiden, unaware of that being part of his plan. "Did Takeda authorize that?"

"No," Aiden answered truthfully. "But it's clearly the best option." He stared her down while she matched his look, and Nolan watched them both, slightly uncomfortable in between. "Come on, Emily, I was Daniel's ticket to this acquisition – a partnership was expected. Once I'm in, who better to lead us to the Initiative from the inside?"

Nolan pressed his lips together firmly, already knowing there was a definitive alternate possibility to that question, but not wanting to oust his friend. He glanced at Emily cautiously and she caught herself from pressing the issue any harder, realizing that Aiden still was not aware of how much Daniel knew. As much as he called her out for using him, he assumed that Daniel was still in the dark, and saw himself as a much better contact. And considering Emily still wasn't sure just how much had happened between them, she had to tread carefully in that regard.

"Who better indeed," she replied, backing down, but the concern still remained on her face.

Aiden came closer to her, and with the closure of the space between them, Nolan backed up a step. "Listen – I know you were intent on handling this yourself but you remember who we're dealing with? It's the Graysons we're talking about. It could be dangerous."

Emily glanced over again in Daniel's direction, letting her eyes linger on him for a moment. She knew what Aiden really meant – letting her continue to use Daniel as a contact was what he _really_ thought was dangerous. Especially now that they had become… involved, for lack of a better word. But even if he was right, she still relished the option to choose how to handle the next move. She turned away and finally nodded back at Aiden, who gave her a reassuring look before kissing her on the forehead, stunning her a bit at the public display. He squeezed her shoulders and then left her and Nolan alone, heading down to speak with Daniel personally.

Once he was gone, Nolan approached her slowly. "Did I… miss something?" He took another step forward so he was right in her ear. "Since when do _you_ take orders?"

Emily couldn't decide if it was better to answer him and vent all of her frustrations or keep them bottled up inside and allow them to churn. Despite not knowing to what extent, she _had_ , on some level, began an emotional affair with Aiden the previous night. And while it seemed a good idea at the time, it appeared now it only served to empower him with more control over her mission than she intended or liked. Beyond that remained the fact that his plan to usurp a role beside Daniel almost matched the same avenue Daniel was headed down himself, that which had raked up discomfort in her in the first place. Perhaps the advice she had given to Ashley earlier was true – they were more alike than she realized. Regardless, she had made a choice and she needed to stick to that. But no one was going to tell her how to go about the rest of her mission.

"I don't," she finally replied to Nolan, gathering up enough confidence to push her thoughts aside and march down to the gun racks. She turned to leave him with a final comment before heading off. "But I don't have time to explain the rest. Just keep your eyes open. Now that the plans in motion things are going to start changing around here – Fast."

 **SCENE**

"That's Dad's address book." Declan observed as Jack leaned over the bar, going through an old leather book with tattered pages.

"Yeah, I'm inviting, uh, some of his old crew to baby Carl's christening," Jack explained, reminding Declan of just how much his older brother's life had changed. His main events had gone from bar brawls and happy hours to diaper runs and christenings, in such a short amount of time.

"That's nice," Declan commented, lifting a large box of supplies onto the table and stopping to look over Jack's shoulder.

"Actually, it was Kenny's idea," Jack added, nodding in the former's direction as he entered the bar space from the back room. Jack was ever grateful to his business partner, who had not only helped him get the bar back on its feet with the grand opening just two nights ago, but was already instrumental in nearly doubling their first profits. It was a fact Jack was sincerely appreciative of knowing he and Amanda had a son to support, and now a wedding to plan.

Kenny smiled. "Well, mine and Nate's father died suddenly, too."

"Nate?" Jack asked, unfamiliar.

"Oh, my older brother," he explained, nodding towards the docks. "He's dropping in today, hoping to get some work for the summer. I told him we could use the help," he gestured towards Jack. "Especially if you want to keep that lady of yours happy with all her wedding plans."

Jack chuckled, and didn't even think twice about saying yes. "Tell me about it – the more the merrier."

Kenny gave him an appreciative grin. "Thanks, partner." He returned to his train of thought. "Anyway, we miss our dad every day. So we certainly understand what it's like to keep his friends close to heart."

Jack agreed. "Well, at least little Carl's godfather will be there - in the flesh." He turned his attention towards Declan and realized he had caught his brother off guard.

"Oh, is that me?" Declan replied, flustered. "I thought you were waiting for Bull to say yes," he joked. 

Jack gripped him up in a big hug, laughing heartily. "Don't be a dipstick."

Kenny looked on and smiled at their brotherly interchange just as the door swung open and his brother walked in.

"Whoa," he greeted them. "What did I interrupt? Sorry, I can come back if you two need a minute?" He eyed them both sarcastically.

Jack and Declan broke away with a few more laughs and Kenny jumped in to introduce him. "Jack, Declan – meet my brother, Nate Ryan."

Both Porter brothers leaned in and shook hands, while shaking off the tender moment. Jack spoke up first. "Glad to meet you. Actually, I'm glad you're here," he began, looking more directly at Kenny. "Kenny, you really saved our hides with this place, and I was hoping you'd come to my son's christening tomorrow." He looked back over at his new acquaintance. "That goes for you too, Nate."

"Yeah, we'd be honored to." Kenny answered immediately. "Looking forward to meeting some of your dad's old pals, get a sense of the history of this place." He shot a cautious look over at his brother, as if checking for his confirmation. "Right, Nate?"

Nate glanced at them all and his answer appeared to be uncertain until he finally replied. "Absolutely," he grinned and then looked back at his brother. "In fact why not make it an open bar for all Jack's guests after the ceremony, on us?"

Jack shook his head, nearly floored by the generous offer, but Nate merely put his hands up in insistence. "Please, it's the least I can do to thank you in return for letting me come on board in such short notice."

Jack looked at Declan and couldn't resist. "Thanks, man," he replied, clasping his hand again in an appreciative shake. The kindness they had extended was almost too good to be true.

 **SCENE**

"Mr. Grobet, this is Aiden Mathis," Daniel introduced, as Aiden made his way over to where they were conversing by the gun racks. "Satoshi Takeda's liaison to our company," he went on. "He's been spearheading the Nolcorp acquisition with me."

Salvador nodded in interest, shaking Aiden's hand. "Despite what Conrad says, I assume negotiations are going well?" He gestured up towards the tent where Nolan was still lurking around, a bit awkwardly. "I spotted you speaking with Mr. Ross earlier."

Aiden nodded in affirmative, seeing how neatly Emily's plan had worked. "Yes, I, uh, invited him last minute," he lied smoothly. "A little glad-handing never hurt a negotiation."

"Mr. Takeda taught you well," Daniel acknowledged, pausing for a moment to wonder why he hadn't thought of the same thing. It was obvious he had been somewhat distracted since his abruptly ended conversation with Emily the night before and hoped to make things right. He assumed she was put off by his admission but couldn't know for sure until he had time with her alone. Instinctively, he glanced around the guest assembly, hoping she might have showed up, and Salvador caught his wandering eye.

"Would you like to take a turn, Daniel?" He suggested, assuming he was looking for the gun rack.

Daniel relaxed quickly. "Sure, why not?" He cocked his firearm and began to aim, shouting a loud, "Pull!" when suddenly the clay pigeon released and was smashed into pieces in the air before he could even fire. He looked over in surprise to his right, and there stood the guilty party – Emily.

"Sorry," she responded to her preemptive action, giving him a sweet smile that he returned in kind almost immediately. "Bad etiquette."

"But an impressive shot," Salvador commented. "I should come to the Hamptons more often," he laughed. "Beautiful women seem to fall from the skies."

"Oh you're too kind," Emily replied, sending a glare Aiden's way while Daniel came over to her side.

"I'm glad you're here," Daniel thanked her under his breath. "I was hoping we could talk?"

Emily did her best to nod without a hint of promise. "Later," she hinted back uneasily, but her intent to be discreet was short lived, as Aiden was beside her in seconds, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, while Daniel watched in surprise.

"You'll have to show me some of those smashing marksmen skills later on, Ms. Thorne," he addressed her, making Emily flinch slightly beneath his touch.

Before Daniel had a chance to decipher what was going on, Salvador had edged closer, hoping for an introduction. "Ah, Salvador Grobet - Emily Thorne," he stammered, not sure of how to introduce her. His mind flashed quickly to business. "Ms. Thorne is, ah… considering a sizable investment in Grayson Global." He did his best to smooth it over, getting an appreciative look from Emily in return.

"And what is your hesitation?" Salvador questioned.

"I'm a cautious person," she explained. "And after Conrad Grayson's assorted public embarrassments, I'd rather see someone a little less burdened at the helm before I open my checkbook," her eyes fell on Daniel, pleading with intensity. "Namely Daniel."

"Ah, beautiful and pragmatic," Salvador commented, a broad smile crossing his face. "A splendid combination."

"I tend to agree," Aiden couldn't resist adding, once again, drawing a suspicious look from Daniel. Again he studied the close proximity between the two of them, increasing the tension.

"Here's a cold drink for you, Mr. Grobet," Ashley announced, coming up behind Salvador with an attractive looking cocktail and a smile to match.

"Thank you, my belleza," he addressed her, aptly interested. "You're quite the charmer."

Emily cut through the awkwardness over on her end to volunteer an assist to Ashley. "Mr. Grobet if you're looking for a tour guide during your stay here in the Hamptons, may I recommend Ashley Davenport? She's an expert in the planning field."

"Is that so?" he asked, intrigued by Emily's recommendation. He turned to look at her more intently while Ashley blushed and pursed her lips. "Well, I would love that, Ms. Davenport. I can't tell you how lonely it is to travel ever since my dear Magda passed away."

"Well, I certainly sympathize with you," she replied smoothly. "Please allow me to make your stay here in the Hamptons as comfortable as possible. I would be happy to organize activities to fill your time." She extended an arm to link into his while he obliged happily, and with a wave of his glass she escorted him away, tossing a subtle glance over to her shoulder to Emily, as if to say 'thank you', once again.

Pleased with her work, Emily took a step forward, hoping also to escape the awkwardness amongst her, Daniel and Aiden, but Daniel would not allow it. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he accosted her, glancing between her and Aiden. "Both of you."

"Oh but of course, Daniel," Aiden jumped in before Emily could speak. "You're going to make a fine leader for the company once the board sees it as well." He glanced over at Emily. "In fact I was just telling Emily as much before I asked her to dinner this evening," he brooded, peering over at Daniel for response. "I hope you'll join us, of course?"

Daniel took a breath, studying Emily's face while her mouth parted in protest, her eyes conveying that she wanted to explain but could not. He bit his lip to suppress the feelings that erupted beneath his skin, growing hot with each second that went on, and did his best to keep calm. So this was why she had been distant. How did he not see it before?

"No thanks," he muttered softly, nodding his way. "I've still got a lot of work to get done to prepare for tomorrow. You two go ahead and enjoy."

With that he managed a tight grin on his face as he took hold of his firearm and left to return it to the gun racks and then poured himself back into greeting the rest of the guests, hoping it would clear his mind and distract his troubled heart.

 **SCENE**

"You want to explain what that was all about?" Emily started right into Aiden as she reentered her home and began removing her shooting vest, with him a few steps behind her.

Aiden wore a frown in confusion. "What exactly do you want me to explain, I was making nice with Daniel—"

"You were rubbing his face in it, Aiden," she corrected him.

He stiffened up, taking exception. "Oh, I see I must have misunderstood your actions last night – I was under the impression that you _wanted_ to be with me. How did I ever get that idea?"

Emily grimaced, turning around to face him. "I _do_ want to be with you," she insisted, trying to calm him down. "But that isn't what this is about. We still need Daniel's trust for this to be successful, something he's not going to be willing to give to you if you flaunt our relationship under his nose—"

"What, because I asked the bloke out for dinner and he blew me off?" He shook his head. "Think, Emily, I practically giftwrapped him the deal with Nolcorp, he needs me to finish it through."

"Until he starts to suspect you're after every aspect of his life," Emily countered. "Believe me, he's dealt with his share of dream-chasers, he's hip to the game by now—"

"So what would you have me do, then?" he fired back, nearly yelling. "Run around this silly arena pretending, faking smiles?" He leaned closer. "Or is all this just for your benefit, to throw off poor Danny's scent?" She bore a stinging glare back into his eyes at that comment, which only fueled him to go further. "Yes, that's it, isn't it? Don't think I've forgotten your sensitivity for the enemy—"

Emily cut him off, addressing him with a dead calm in her voice that was more fearful than any yelling. "I don't expect you to forget anything, Aiden, just like I haven't forgotten what happened the last time I trusted you." Her words penetrated his fury and for a moment he was finally silenced, forced to listen while she asserted her feelings. "But don't think for a second that while I've put that aside to work together, that this isn't still _my_ mission." She shook her head at him. "You've been here for what, three days? I've had to bottle my feelings for the Graysons for an entire year! So save me your judgment and your platitudes – if you don't like the way I operate then you can get the hell _out!_ "

She stormed away, bounding up the stairs, while Aiden realized the depth of his mistake, calling out to her. "Emily," he said aloud. "Emily, wait—"

But she had closed him off once again, slamming the door to her bedroom in response, leaving him to contemplate her words and if he had in fact nearly ruined her mission after all.

 **SCENE**

"Nolan, Ms. Lahari," Daniel greeted the others as he emerged from the large conference room at Grayson Global while an administrative assistant ushered them to the doors. He extended a hand in greeting, more sternly than usual. "Thanks for agreeing to this meeting."

"Certainly," Nolan answered back, preserving a little coyness to break the ice. "It's always been my dream to give over to a hostile conglomerate—" he stopped himself, letting his eyes fall on Daniel specifically. "Or his innovative son, I should say? In whom I have all the faith and confidence in the world to guard my life's work!" He playfully fake-punched Daniel's shoulder, and smiled broadly, but Daniel did not quickly go along with his ruse.

Instead, a serious look came over his face as he took a deep breath. "Actually, new details have emerged that alter those terms." He averted his glance meaningfully to Padma, who looked on curiously. Daniel flicked his eyes back to Nolan. "As a courtesy to you, I thought you might want to discuss this in private."

"Um, alright," Nolan conceded, growing nervous. He stole a peek into the conference room behind Daniel, coming up empty in expectation. "Where's Aiden Mathis? He's the one I've been dealing with."

Daniel stiffened up. "Aiden doesn't work for the company, not in any official capacity," he explained. "But if I know you as well as I think you do, I'm assuming you'll want this meeting to proceed without his assistance."

Nolan's curiosity was only more stoked at that mention, knowing just how much Aiden's intent hinged on remaining close to Daniel and wondered if the unspoken change in atmosphere between him and Emily had anything to do with Daniel's altered course. But as he valued Emily's protection foremost, and sensed the conversation would center around her somehow, he knew better than to push for Padma's presence. He turned to her and tactfully asked her to wait aside and she nodded, while he left and followed Daniel into the room.

Once the door was closed, Nolan pushed for explanation. "So, what's the skinny, Wall Street?"

Daniel took a seat across from Nolan, staring intently as he studied Emily's close friend and folded his hands together. "I'd say this conversation is long overdue. Let's face it – you and I both contain knowledge about a certain recipient of your company's funds." He paused for emphasis. "And you and I both know just how large of a dent that made in Nolcorp's solvency."

Nolan did his best to play dumb, testing Daniel's knowledge. "Um, no – humor me?"

Daniel rolled his eyes and lifted his chin. "$500 million," he answered flatly, continuing to expound. "All in a singular bank account, set up offshore as a tax shelter back in 2002 –drained a week before Nolcorp went public."

Nolan clapped his hands together in mock bravado. "Bravo," he leered, leaning closer. "You did your homework. But I was under the impression you and I both held _loyalties_ to said recipient – loyalties that couldn't be broken by a matter of zeroes?"

Daniel sighed. "We do." He decided to drop the mystique and speak plainly. "Nolan, I don't want anything to happen to Emily. I promised her I would keep her safe." Nolan noted the sincerity in Daniel's voice as he spoke honestly about their shared interest, flinching slightly when he openly said her name. "But as you can see, if it was that easy for me to obtain the information I just shared with you, what's to prevent an army of forensic accountants from hunting down every penny of that $500 million?"

At that Nolan chuckled. "Funny, I thought _you_ could?" he suggested sarcastically. "You are, after all, leading this million man march on Conrad's position as CEO aren't you?"

Again Daniel clasped his hands together. "That's yet to be decided. If I lose the vote, you think my father won't pick up where I left off and come after Nolcorp twice as hard?"

Nolan had to agree, snorting. "Guess not. Who wants to leave free money on the table…" He trailed off, realizing Daniel's dilemma.

"Exactly," he replied. "I'm not willing to take that chance."

A thought occurred to Nolan that Daniel was currently unaware of but he watched his words in protest. "What if there was a way we could guarantee the vote in your favor?"

It was Daniel's turn to laugh dryly. "I'm looking at it." He shook his head. "You're the key, Nolan. To even stand a fighting chance, I have to make this deal. And to ensure Emily's safety and your own, we have to handle this my way. And trust me," he gave him an assuring look. "You want to do this with me – not my father."

"I think we can agree on that much," Nolan gave in, realizing it did him no benefit to push back at this point. Daniel was right and even if Emily could come up with another angle to take, it was in her best interest that things flow smoothly and happen fast before Conrad could sink his teeth in. In spite of the pressure to conform, however, it was reassuring to him to witness Daniel's allegiance to her for the first time. It gave Nolan relief to know that even in the most tempting of situations, his aim was to keep her protected. "Alright," he moved forward. "So enlighten me on the _revised_ terms?"

Daniel nodded, appreciative of his cooperation. "51% controlling interest in Nolcorp and your continued good faith services as its CEO and visionary," he divulged, feeling content it was an extremely fair agreement. "That'll be enough to keep accounting at bay and protect any further investigation on the assets."

Nolan accepted with a nondescript nod of his own. "Looks like I work for Grayson Global now," he sighed, standing to his feet. "Well-played, boss."

Daniel stopped him before he could exit the room. "Nolan," he called out. "I did everything I could—"

Nolan stopped him with a hand. "Save it, Danny," he calmed him. "It's not you I'm worried about." He cast a glance back towards the hall where Padma was standing, desperately waiting for an update. "It's how I'm going to tell my CEO that she's officially out of a job."

Daniel took a step forward. "We can find a place for her in the company," he insisted. "It's not a problem."

He grinned. "Maybe not for you – but _I,_ on the other hand, was really fond of the job she had." He shrugged, feeling there might be a reason why all the chips were falling where they did. "But, not the first time I've had to make a choice between two people I cared about. And certainly not the last."

Daniel absorbed his words, assuming he was referring to previous decisions he made in favor of Emily, and a part of him wanted to ask Nolan so much more about their relationship, having barely scratched the surface. But it was clear that from the get-go, Nolan had been loyal to his initial investor, the man that believed in him and swore he would always protect his interests – David Clarke. And that also included protecting the daughter he left behind, until the very end. As his thoughts continued to center on Emily, a swelling of emotion built up in his heart, compounded only by the suspicion that crept in afterwards, as his mind recalled memories of her interaction with Aiden that morning. As usual, his feelings got the better of him, impelling him to make one last request before Nolan left.

"Ah, Nolan," he breathed, his voice a bit raspy, and Nolan paused in the doorway to look back.

"Yes, boss?" he entertained him.

Daniel rubbed his chin once and looked him in the eye. "One additional condition to our agreement," he added. "Since I'm the only one that can protect your interests, its exclusive now between you and I. Aiden Mathis is officially removed from any future proceedings. Otherwise," he took a deep breath, confirming his resoluteness. "No deal."

Nolan furrowed his brow in surprise and concern, but knew better than to question it. "No problem," he complied, the easiest response he'd given Daniel yet, and then left without another word, pondering on just how Emily was going to handle her team of allies when it was clear a declaration of war between them was imminent.

 **SCENE**

"Mr. Grobet?"

Victoria guessed into the hallway as she came around the corridor to the foyer, where Salvador indeed stood at the door, just coming in. She smiled warmly at his presence, holding back her desperation for his favor to fall upon her husband so she could preserve her son from the vicious grips of the Initiative. "I thought I heard your voice. You must be looking for Conrad?"

"Yes," he answered, a bit briskly. "I'm sorry that I dropped in unannounced. Is he home?"

"He is," she replied eagerly, taking his arm to escort him in the appropriate direction, not in the least worried by his sudden appearance but rather glad instead. "He's in his study. He'll be thrilled to see you. We're still on track, I presume?"

But Salvador's tone and uncertain expression began to lead her to think otherwise. He lowered his head. "I should speak to your husband," he confessed.

Before Victoria could make out anything further of his evasive answers, she was interrupted by another entrance into her home just behind Salvador. She turned around to address it and was surprised by who followed. "Ms. Davenport? I don't recall sending for your presence today?"

Ashley sauntered over with a superior smirk. "You didn't," she confirmed before taking hold of Salvador's other open arm. "I'm here with Mr. Grobet."

While Victoria pondered the meaning of her presence, Conrad emerged from the study at the sound of the voices and immediately welcomed Salvador. Salvador greeted him about as coolly as he just had Victoria and turned to his companion. "I won't be long, do you mind?"

"Certainly not," Ashley smiled back as they disappeared behind closed doors. Seeing she had a choice of either waiting in company with Victoria or taking a brief stroll along the premises, Ashley chose the latter, giving Victoria a side-eyed look of disdain as she walked off.

Victoria had just placed a hand on her hip at the suspicious exchange when suddenly her cell phone chimed. When she answered it, she was shocked to see that the greatest of surprises still had yet to reveal itself in the display that played on her screen. As she stood in disgust, footage from a clearly hidden camera played, revealing the very girl that was just standing in her presence, moaning in ecstasy as she was lifted onto a bed and began unspeakable acts with none other than Victoria's husband – Conrad.

Unable to watch the rest of it transpire, Victoria angrily shut off the screen, biting her lip to decide what she would do with the clear evidence of treachery in her hands – and before she could allow her anger to overcome her cleverness, a thought came to her.

 **SCENE**

Aiden watched the monitor on Emily's laptop intently as Victoria opened the digital message sent to her and then played back a somewhat explicit video. From the look on Victoria's face and the faint noises picked up on the audio playback, Aiden could sense immediately that it was something outrageous. He did his best to enhance the monitoring feature, attempting to zoom in so he could see it more clearly, but he was met with difficulty. As if on cue, a knock on Emily's back door afforded him with just the technical savvy he needed to get a closer look.

"I'm glad you're here," Aiden greeted him, opening the door and gesturing to where he was sitting in the kitchen. "I may need your help with something."

"Top of the morning to you too, _Mathis,_ " Nolan replied in his best satirical tone. "Not the first time you needed my help today, but alas, most likely will be the only time I can guarantee it."

Aiden was confused by Nolan's word puzzles. He stopped mid-walk back over to the kitchen, settling a stern hand on his hip. "What are you talking about?"

Nolan gave him a surprised look in return. "You don't know? Daniel held his terms and agreement meeting with me this morning – for the acquisition of Nolcorp."

"What?" Aiden was nearly floored. "No that's impossible, I was supposed to be included each step of the way—"

"Yeah, well, looks like Danny's wised up and your inside tip on the deal is officially," Nolan paused for dramatic emphasis. " _Expired._ He cut you out just as I was signing the dotted line." He watched as Aiden took the news hard, placing his hands at the bridge of his nose to take it in. and then took note of Emily's absence from the company. "But thankfully, his interests appear to still be…" he thought of how to word it, glancing up the stairs. " _Common_? At least for Em's sake. Where _is_ said interest, by the way?"

"She's upstairs," Aiden answered roughly, storming back over to the kitchen to continue keeping an eye on the Graysons. It was where she had been for most of the day and he nearly expected her not to emerge until the evening, but with this news it was inevitable they would need to talk sooner than that. "She's going to be furious when she hears; she tried to warn me of this but –"

"You didn't listen," Nolan finished for him, already doing the math. "Rookie mistake," he added with a smirk, remembering a similar feeling the summer before. He rested his hands in his pockets and came over not far from where Aiden was sitting. "No foul – Danny's not doing any digging into the past and his terms for Nolcorp so far have been… palatable."

Aiden shook his head, not convinced. "No, that's not enough assurance, without an insider on the board, there's no telling what he can do." Again, Nolan kept his thoughts to himself, still uneasy about how much each so-called "insider" knew about the other, but certain that Emily was keeping them both in the dark for a distinct reason. Instead he only listened as Aiden went on, racking his brain while he tabbed through the monitors on Emily's laptop. "I need to get back into Daniel's good graces."

"Then you need to start doing things my way," Emily's voice carried from the top of the steps as she finally made her entry into the main area, clearly overhearing the banter. Nolan and Aiden turned to her attention, watching as she approached, dressed semi-formally in a white sheath dress.

Aiden attempted to steal a moment alone with her, rushing over despite being temporarily distracted by her attire. "Emily," he graced her arms with his hands while she turned slightly away from him, despite the desperation in his gesture. "About what I said earlier—"

"Not now," she plowed past his apology, stepping away from him to come over to where Nolan stood in the kitchen, settling in her usual stance across him with both hands firmly planted on the counter. "Sounds like we have more important things to take care of?"

Nolan met her glance with a look of his own, gesturing his eyebrows in Aiden's direction as if to say she needed to 'take care' of him first – keep him in line before anything worse happened. She caught the reference but continued anyway. "I'm assuming Daniel's insistence on keeping Aiden occurred as an afterthought to negotiations," she suggested to Nolan who confirmed her thinking with a nod. "Which likely means his next step will be to remove you from the pitch to the board tomorrow. So between now and then we need to remind him of your value and the role you played in helping him win the vote."

"Ah, we may have a problem there," Nolan interrupted, his eyes on the monitor the entire time Emily was ascertaining the situation. He gestured for them to watch and both Aiden and Emily peered over while he turned the screen towards them, showing a besotted Victoria confronting Ashley in a private room with her cell phone in her hands, making what appeared to be a convincing threat.

"What does she have?" Emily questioned, looking to Nolan for answer, who in turn looked to the present sentry on watch, Aiden.

"That's what I was about to tell you when you came in," Aiden explained. "Moments ago, Victoria received a message with footage of Ashley and Conrad clearly engaging in an affair."

"What?!" Emily breathed in shock, unaware that pairing had even existed.

"Shame on _you_ , Ash!" Nolan echoed simultaneously, thrown back as well.

"So neither of you knew about this?" Aiden asked, surprised that the incident was clearly orchestrated outside of their circle. "Here, wait I recorded it." He stepped between them to pull up the downloaded version. Once loaded, Emily pushed him aside to man the computer herself.

"This morning Ashley was confessing lingering feelings for Daniel and looking for advice on how to move _on_ from the Graysons," Emily snapped frantically rewinding back the footage she'd missed and then stopping the playback once she found the moment Aiden was referring to.

"Looks like she's moved on to… yet another Grayson?" Nolan quipped in the background.

Emily watched intently as Victoria received the message, and figured out the zoom feature that Aiden previously could not locate, bringing the video into clearer view. She squinted thoughtfully, noticing something.

"This wasn't taken in Grayson Manor," she observed, and then quickly switched back out of the recording to the present moment, where it appeared Victoria had the upper hand in the heated discussion between her and Ashley, who was nearly in tears. Emily turned up the volume as the three of them watched and listened.

 _"Please, Victoria – it was a terrible mistake. It happened once – you had just fired me! Don't use it to destroy me – Mr. Grobet wouldn't even allow me in his sight if he knew—"_

 _"On the contrary," Victoria cut her short, feeling invigorated by the positioning the piece of information on Ashley afforded her. "I want nothing more than for things to go smoothly with you and Mr. Grobet."_

 _Ashley's face wrinkled in uneasy surprise. "You do?"_

 _"Absolutely," Victoria answered._

 _Ashley exhaled; thinking herself at least partially pardoned and took a step closer to Victoria. "Please, I swear I will do anything to put this right."_

 _Victoria nodded with a sinister smile. "I'm counting on it. And when you leave here with Mr. Grobet – you're going to do a little something for me."_

 __Emily pulled back from the monitor as the two women exited the room, already following where Victoria's twisted mind was headed. "Victoria's going to exploit Ashley's plot to her advantage," she surmised.

Aiden looked up for explanation. "How?"

"By sending her to Salvador's bed," Emily went on, already being too familiar with her estranged friend's predisposal to sink to incredible lows just to save her soul for the moment. "To persuade him to vote in favor of Conrad."

The panic from earlier returned to Aiden's face and he stood up straight. "If Conrad wins the vote, we lose our link to the Initiative—"

"That's not an option," Emily interjected sternly, walking away from them to get her clutch purse.

"Right then," Aiden admired her confidence but continued to persist. "What are we going to do?"

"Well, _we,_ " Nolan began, glancing at his phone and heading in the direction of the door. "Have to be at the chapel in half an hour. Jack and _Faux_ manda are expecting us," he looked over at Emily who had plugged her cell phone into the computer and was quickly downloading something.

"What's this?" Aiden was a beat off, unfamiliar with the first name but caught the reference to the second. "In the midst of a maelstrom you have time to attend your decoy's wedding?" he guessed.

"It's a christening, not a wedding," Emily corrected him, before looking up to make eye contact. "And Jack Porter is a friend. I'm the baby's godmother."

"Oh," Aiden mumbled, doing his best to conceal his ever-present curiosity. He knew better this time not to push his luck invading her privacy. "Charming."

"Coming, Ems?" Nolan beckoned from the door.

"Yes," she answered, finished with her task. She stopped to tap out a quick text message on her phone before finally slipping it neatly into her purse. She looked up at Aiden meaningfully. "At least for the ceremony. After which I'm going to try to secure your position back on the board." With that she turned away to follow Nolan out, saving the rest of her and Aiden's unfinished discussion for her return.

But, naturally Aiden would not let it become but so postponed. "Emily," he called out to her, and she paused only enough to hear him out.

He sighed sincerely. "What happened today was beyond regrettable. I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."

Despite her leftover uneasiness towards him, Emily did her best to graciously accept his apology, offering him a serious nod before continuing out of the door. It may have seemed a quick acceptance considering her tendency to hold onto things, but she knew her next steps would even the scales. And Aiden knew it too, an unspoken understanding between them. As her last ditch effort to thwart Victoria's plans, Emily would need to stage an intervention – one she could only possibly pull off by meeting with Daniel.

 **SCENE**

"Well," Conrad sighed as he closed the front door behind Salvador Grobet's departure. He swallowed in defeat, walking slowly towards his wife down the foyer steps. "He's going with Daniel."

Victoria remained aloof. "Not if your pathetic lack of impulse control has anything to say about it," she countered, drawing his immediate interest and confusion.

"A clue, perhaps, as to what the hell you're talking about?" he asked, slightly worried.

"Just another constant reminder of our sham of a marriage and your descent into the very nadir of repugnance," she shot back, extending her cellular device for him to look at. "See for yourself."

Conrad took a deep breath as he imagined one of the worst of his fears to become exposed, and prepared himself to see either some confirmation of his continued relationship with Lydia or an expose' of her pregnancy. Instead, he was met with a similar but decidedly less severe indiscretion in the large scheme of things. He watched only for a moment as the video showed his one night stand with Ashley Davenport – something he had nearly forgotten as time and recent events had greatly overshadowed it.

"Where did you get this?" he asked mechanically, despite being relieved it wasn't what he suspected.

"From whoever seems to be circling this family with an endless catalog of our sins!" Victoria belted, annoyed that he had the audacity to even question the source when the content was what mattered. She snatched the phone back from him, beginning a path of storming away. "Sex with _Ashley_?! Really, Conrad?"

He began to follow behind, insistent that she give him an opportunity to explain. "It was one night, Victoria, you and I were _divorced_ at the time—"

"Oh, so you both say," Victoria chided him, recalling Ashley's similar response. "It could've happened this morning for all I know!"

Conrad nearly laughed at her. "Oh, what are you suggesting that fidelity is one of your strong points?" When Victoria finally half whipped around to address his accusation he moved on, not eager to stay on the topic lest more uncovered secrets come forth. "Right now we have more pressing problems, in case you didn't hear me it's nearly certain that Grobet is going with Daniel. And in the meantime, I just got word that our upwardly mobile son not only closed the Nolcorp deal, he managed to wrest a controlling interest in that company, seemingly without impediment, which brings us to this little video that was so conveniently dispatched to you right in the midst of our current crisis."

"Convenient, indeed," Victoria agreed, willing to momentarily put her disgust aside to discuss her attempt to fight back. "It's clear that the Initiative are behind this."

Conrad nodded, relieved that she saw through the charade. "The one entity with the only real ability to make and the motive to use this recording—"

"Not the only," Victoria refuted him, drawing his interest. She held up the phone in her hand. "Despite its foul nature, I've already taken precaution to redirect it's intent. I spoke with Ashley moments before you dismissed Salvador."

"And?" Conrad was intrigued by Victoria's resourcefulness.

She grinned ruefully. "She's agreed to my proposal – that she parley her newfound interest from Salvador into a favorable swing of the vote tomorrow, or else suffer this recording's exposure not only to him but to every media outlet in the Hamptons – rendering her career and reputation effectively demolished."

Conrad was impressed but a bit underwhelmed by his own involvement that her threat implied. "Well clearly you took no mercy on my _own_ reputation in your attempt at blackmail."

"Certainly not," Victoria concurred, feeling well within her right.

"That's just as well," he glossed over it, willing to take the gamble. "Let's hope your considerable powers have helped us rescue our son," he paused to take a sip of a strong cocktail. "After I've successfully retained the vote, you may unload your usual rain of hellfire on me once this ordeal is over."

Victoria gave him another sinister smile before leaving the room. "Oh, with pleasure."

 **SCENE**

"Emily, wait up!"

It took nearly all of Amanda's energy to keep up with her evasive friend that had slipped out of the back of the reception of the Stowaway after the christening that afternoon. She finally caught her attention and Emily half-turned, a bit reluctantly to hear what Amanda had to say. "You're just taking off without telling anyone?"

Emily sighed, doing her best to remain calm, knowing she had little time to spare if she was going to restore the inside contact to the Initiative. "You were surrounded by family," she fibbed smoothly. "I didn't want to break it up."

"Hey," Amanda reached out to her, grabbing gentle hold of her arm before Emily could slip away again. "You're my family, too," she reminded her. She took a breath, recollecting something she'd noticed earlier on and wanted to address. "I saw you at church – how you looked at Jack and me. You're wrong. You deserve something like what we have."

Emily put her head down slightly, surprised that Amanda had caught the forlorn look she cast her way when she watched her and Jack celebrate the life they had created together. She had hardly realized the expression she must have been wearing, but wouldn't deny it, knowing after her recent conflicts with Aiden and lingering uncertainties with Daniel, it was true she doubted whether her own happiness would ever manifest. "Maybe," she entertained her. "But it's not my time. Not yet."

"Why, 'cause your off on another mission to destroy someone else's life?" Amanda ventured directly, growing irritated at Emily's stubbornness. She should have known better than to believe that after the stunt they pulled with Mason Treadwell and her mother that things would be over. They clearly still were not.

"I'm not destroying lives, Amanda," Emily corrected her quickly, getting exasperated fast. "I'm righting wrongs." The reminder spoken aloud was all she needed to motivate her to get going before she was late, and she turned away again, free of Amanda's grasp.

Amanda rolled her eyes as she watched her friend walk away. "Tell yourself whatever you have to, but when will enough be enough?"

Emily silenced her with a hand. "Look, just say good-bye to Jack for me. Alright?" And with that she was gone, leaving Amanda behind to wonder if Emily would ever realize just how entrenched with her quest for justice she had become.

 **SCENE**

"Thank you for coming on short notice." Emily approached Daniel where he sat waiting for her in the lower café of the posh Hamptons hotel she requested him to meet her at. He half-stood when she arrived, gesturing for her to sit and took note of her dress before straightening his tie and sitting back down.

"I was surprised to get your call," he confessed, keeping a careful eye on her. "Although I should have known better that Nolan would inform you we closed the deal this morning."

Emily grinned to herself, looking down for a pause at the table. "Actually that's not why I'm here." She met eyes with him again. "Although I want you to know I sincerely appreciate the lengths you went to, to protect me. And to protect Nolan."

Daniel accepted her gratitude with a nod, still uneasy. "It's the least I could do," he offered, still thinking. He raised a drink that Emily noticed he had been nursing for the first time since she sat down. "Especially if our partnership is coming to an end, it seems."

Emily closed her eyes, anticipating the assumption. "If you're referring to this morning's run-in with Aiden, that was… unexpected."

Daniel shrugged, turning down his lips. "Not really. Considering his interest in you from your first meeting and a few other hints he dropped – I should've known you two would soon be…" he trailed off, looking at her now for explanation. "Whatever you _are_." He paused to smirk. "In fact weren't you supposed to be at dinner with him right now?"

"Something more important has come up," Emily explained, thankful for an opportunity to change topic, and anxious to share her intel. "It's about the vote tomorrow."

"Don't tell me you're pulling your support, too?" His cadence was starting to show concern.

"No, of course not," she assured him. "I'm here to help you secure it." She glanced towards the direction of the lobby, confirming a detail she had checked on when she first walked in. "As we speak, your leading investor Salvador Grobet is just upstairs, about to take his newfound relationship with Ashley to the next level."

Daniel scrunched his face up in partial disgust, unaware they were in the actual hotel where he was staying. "A bit more information than I needed, though I'm not sure why that's of any interest to me," he replied. "Last I checked, Ashley severed her collusion with my father when she helped us draw the board investors?"

"That was before _this_ surfaced," Emily explained, handing over her phone for Daniel to watch the recording she captured from her laptop. Daniel watched, seeing only a faint image of his mother handing her phone over to Ashley to watch a recording. He couldn't make out the image but the moans and gasps were clearly audible. Emily continued on, sparing Daniel the disgust of having to watch the rest. "It's a recording of Ashley with… your father."

Daniel looked up in shock. " _What?_ "

Emily swallowed, aiming to be tactful. "I'm sorry, Daniel. Apparently it happened back when your parents were divorced. I knew nothing about it until today. But unfortunately for you both, your mother has found a way to manipulate it into an assurance that Salvador will change his vote to Conrad –"

"By getting Ashley to sleep with him," Daniel finished, only able to shake his head in abhorrence, returning the phone back to Emily while he spoke through clenched teeth. "I don't know which treachery surprises me more – my father's or my mother's capitalizing on it."

Emily received it back, sympathizing. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Daniel." She glanced around, conscious of their surroundings.

"So this is why you asked me to meet here?" Daniel brushed past it, sickened the longer he thought about his gullibility in not seeing his parents' wretchedness sooner.

Emily nodded. "You can stop this, Daniel." She discreetly passed Daniel a key card from her purse. "1604," she prefaced it with a suggestive look. "All you have to do is tell Mr. Grobet you found out the truth – he'll have no other choice than to vote in your favor or risk being exposed."

Daniel palmed the key card, already accustomed to how easily Emily was able to obtain such things. Instead his mind was preoccupied. He tapped it twice and set it down on the table. "I'm not sure I really see the point," he finally admitted.

Emily was amazed at his lack of interest. She leaned forward, raising the volume of her cautious whisper. "Daniel, this is your only chance, you need Salvador's support to _win—_ "

"What about _your_ support?" He stopped her momentum.

She couldn't follow what he meant. "You have it," she replied in an obvious tone.

"Then why Aiden?" Daniel asked quietly, still at a loss. "Is that why you wanted me with Ashley? Were you planning on being with him all along?" He glanced down at the key, his mind only continuing to brew further. "So now I'm supposed to what, rescue Ashley from Salvador – head off into the sunset, while you and Aiden do the same?" Again his instincts kicked in. "Emily, is there something I don't know—"

"Daniel," she cut him off, unwilling to allow him to prod any further for fear of actually stumbling across the truth. "That's not what this is," she insisted, rewinding to his earlier comments as she took a moment to digest. "Ashley came to me and _I_ suggested she find someone else to latch onto." She straightened her posture as Daniel gave her a questioning look. "She had just confessed how she felt about you and wanted to know what was really going on between us—"

"Well I can't fault her for that," Daniel interjected. "I've been wondering the same thing."

Emily licked her lips, still struggling with how she felt and how to break it to him. "The truth is, I couldn't give her a definite answer. Because I don't know either," she looked up at him and Daniel exhaled softly as he sensed the honesty in her eyes. "I thought I wanted one thing but… ever since you started after your father's position, I just… I don't know."

"So you want me to give it up?" Daniel offered, leaning in with pleading eyes. "Emily, I know it's been hard for you to see this but all of this has been for you, every battle I win at Grayson Global is because I'm _fighting_ for your cause—"

"It's not just about me, Daniel," Emily insisted, cautiously glancing around. "It's about what's _right._ I wasn't the only one that suffered because of what your family did – other lives were taken, and the Initiative is still out there, planning the next tragedy—"

"So then let me _stop_ them!" Daniel retorted, not seeing how his actions didn't completely fall in line with that. "What, are you afraid that I'm not going to come through for you? That once I'm in, I won't be able to prevent another Flight 197 from happening again?"

She stared back at him intently, allowing his pleas to marinate and pondered on her answer. "I'm _afraid,_ " she emphasized, having never used the word to remotely describe her feelings. "That eventually… you won't have a choice." She pinched her eyes closed, knowing it would hurt him to hear her distrust. "I'm sorry."

Daniel leaned back, squinting at her assumption, not expecting her to own up so adamantly to a lack of faith in him. But as he allowed it all to digest, he realized it was not surprising. Emily had seen power consume him the summer before, back when he had no idea of the damage it had caused to her and many others, and had watched him unknowingly be transformed by his family's manipulation. She had every right to be uncertain of what to expect, especially as he began to invest his interests deeper into the corporate world. Despite his proving loyalty to her, how much different was that really from his father's loyalty to his own family? If only his loved ones came in the way of making an ultimately catastrophic choice to sacrifice the lives of others, it made him no better. Emily was testing his _moral_ integrity more than anything else. She wanted him to prove his honor, not to her, but to himself.

His instincts kicked in to take advantage of the prospect. Nodding in acceptance of her last statement, he rose to his feet, taking the key in hand. Emily watched him, assuming he was upset by her confession and spoke up to clarify. "Daniel, where are you going?"

He turned around, looking back at her with renewed motivation, that suddenly did not care whether she was with Aiden or not, and gave her his answer.

"To fight for what's right."

 **SCENE**

"Salvador, I trust last night left Conrad in good standing with you?"

Victoria stood at attention in the hallway of Grayson Global the following morning, arriving by her husband's side bright and early to get an advance pulse on the outcome of the vote. While Conrad stood at the end of the hall speaking to an investor, Victoria was hovering for Salvador's entrance only; aiming to confirm her agreement with Ashley had been effective. To her interest, Daniel had not returned home the previous night, and while Conrad had hopes that it meant he was distracted from his focus, Victoria wanted to be certain.

Salvador gave her a sympathetic look, reserving an air of loathing for Conrad in the distance. "Unfortunately for your husband, it's quite the opposite." Victoria's face fell as she listened to him continue. "It seems his ruthlessness has been his undoing – and your own. To think I have supported your family faithfully all these years only to be used as a pawn to further your own schemes—"

Victoria began to protest, incredulous that her plan had not worked. "Whatever are you implying, Salvador?"

"I'm saying, I'll side with the boy, and those loyal to me will follow." He asserted, looking down at her in pity before briskly walking away. He shook his head reprehensibly. "Tudo bem."

Conrad finally made his way over as Victoria watched him go, a grim expression falling over her face. "He's won, hasn't he?" he asked, sensing his wife's ploy had failed.

"Yes," Victoria sighed, unable to mask the defeated tone after her flattened exchange with Salvador. "I don't know how but… We have one card left to play." She turned and Conrad followed her glance as they both allowed their sights to fall on Daniel further down the hallway, escorting Salvador to the board room. Their son glanced back towards them only momentarily before shaking hands with his prime investor and then swiftly moving on to greet the rest of the company as they made their way in.

"What tell him the truth?" Conrad was shocked she was even suggesting it. "It'd be like signing his death warrant."

But Victoria was too determined to stop. She quickly approached Daniel as the last of the investors entered the room, desperately pulling him aside. "Daniel, before you go in there, please give us five minutes."

Daniel did his best to mask his annoyance for the sake of the onlookers in the other room and complied, stepping away to follow his parents into Conrad's office and securing the door. Once they were safely alone, he glared at them both, restraining his anger. "I've known you two to be capable of some pretty vile things, but you've outdone yourselves this time. Did you really think I wouldn't find out about your little stunt to compromise Salvador?"

Victoria attempted to placate him. "Daniel, the truth is—"

"The truth?" He stopped her short. "Coming from _you?_ " The very thought enraged him, causing him to clench his teeth while he reserved a pointed look of indignation for his father. "The truth is, _you disgust me._ Just how long were you going to wait to tell me you slept with Ashley, Dad?"

Conrad felt the air go out of him, closing his eyes as he tried to calm his enraged prodigy. "Son," he began but Daniel kept going.

"Oh let me guess, on our 3rd or 4th date? Or how about around the same time you were gonna tell Mom you're still having an affair with Lydia?" He continued to glare back, and this time Victoria flinched and followed his glance.

"Is that true?" asked in surprise, calling him on Daniel's allegations.

"Of course it is," Daniel cut in. "What else would you expect from a compulsive addict—"

Conrad put his hands up in the air defensively. "Daniel, please, this is neither the time nor the place—"

"It's the _perfect_ time and place," Daniel insisted looking around the office. "Here in the very crux of it all where you began your attack on David Clarke, your descent into a manipulative bloodsucking criminal, and just minutes shy of when you lose every last ounce of control over this company." Daniel just shook his head, resting his hands on his hips. "This has turned out to be quite the day of reckoning hasn't it?"

"Daniel, _please,_ " Victoria insisted, willing to forgo his revelations in favor of her real concern. "You may have every reason to stand against your father for his past sins, but as your mother I am begging you not to assimilate his place in the company—"

"Oh, don't worry I'm not going to," Daniel assured her, relaxing his hands into his pockets. "No, I'm going to make certain that history doesn't repeat itself. I have no intention of being your replacement, Dad – if I have it my way, Grayson Global won't even be the same company once I'm through ridding it of all its corrupt conglomerates—"

"Well good luck with doing that, considering they are the very _pillars_ upon which Grayson Global stands," Conrad asserted, inching closer towards his son. "Daniel, I recognize that you're ambitious, but you are young, and while you may currently be repulsed by my presence, I am still your father and I still know a great deal more about the powers that be than _you_ do!"

Daniel bit his lip, forcing himself to stay calm while Conrad breathed his heavy whispers into his face. "That's what you think," he leered back, hinting while not showing his entire hand. "I know more than you realize."

"Oh, really?" Conrad humored him. "Well are you aware that just by keeping the vote today you are unwillingly putting yourself, as well as anyone close to you, in unspeakable danger?"

Daniel had to chuckle half-heartedly, laughing at his father's arrogance. "Dad, I've been in danger since the day I was born a Grayson," he retorted, causing Victoria to wince a bit in emotional pain. He glanced over at her, unfazed. "Or haven't you noticed?"

Both Conrad and Victoria remained at a loss for words, affording Daniel to stage a smooth exit. He shook his head again, slipping past them both as he made his way out of the room, uttering a last condemnation before closing the door on them once and for all. "Just as I expected - the depths you'll go to stay in power are shameless."

 **SCENE**

"So it's official. He's the new C.E.O."

Aiden chimed the update into Emily's ear as she entered the hallway of Grayson Global where the board meeting had just let out. Emily nodded at him discreetly, already expecting the outcome before she arrived. She smiled to herself, proud of the events that had aligned just right for it to come into place – from her conversation with Daniel the evening before, to the exchange she had this morning with one of the key involved parties. It was at the moment that said party arrived that Emily stepped away from Aiden's side, and walked over to greet her.

"Ashley," Emily sighed with a hint of relief, giving her a quick embrace. Ashley returned the gesture, leaning forward in her conservative dress to hug her back and then parted with a grateful look on her face.

"Emily, I can't thank you enough," she whispered to her, glancing around. "If Daniel hadn't showed up when he did I would be ruined right now—"

"Nevermind that," Emily shushed her, catching sight of Victoria in the corner of her eye. "You don't deserve to be anyone's footstool ever again."

Ashley nodded, looking downwards as she shook her head. "It's not the first time I nearly degraded myself just to keep my head above water. Thankfully I can say, each time I've been rescued." She looked up and something in Emily's expression held understanding, as if she knew exactly what she meant. "Despite everything we've been through, the truth is – you've been a good friend to me."

Emily grinned, exhaling through her nose and took hold of her friend's hands. "I'm glad you gave me the chance," she replied.

Ashley continued. "I mean it, Em. In more ways than you know." She gave an aside look to Salvador, who was still speaking with Daniel at the doorway of the board room. "Not only was Mr. Grobet appreciative of Daniel's warning about his parents' conspiracy to blackmail, but he graciously invited me to accompany him back to Brazil – to start over. I know it may seem sudden, but with all that's happened… well, we're leaving today."

"Wow, Ashley that's," Emily's eyes widened as she searched for words. "Sudden. But it's what you want?"

Ashley nodded sincerely. "It is. He's been extremely kind and understanding about the whole thing. And to be honest," again she glanced back in his direction. "I'm rather fond of him. More than I realized."

Emily could only bow her head in approval, pleased that in the very least Ashley was finally making a decision for herself, based on what she wanted. She continued to glance in Salvador's direction, and her sights became focused on Daniel this time, distracting her temporarily.

Ashley followed her gaze, smirking in response. "And something tells me it's for the best – seeing as you and Daniel clearly have unfinished chapters in your story."

"Ash—" Emily began but her friend quieted her with a resolved look.

"Enjoy the rest of your summer, Emily Thorne," she insisted with a smile, and Emily left the subject alone, allowing them to part respectfully as Ashley trotted over to Salvador to take his arm, and they turned to exit. Emily watched approvingly as they walked past, admiring the last two people they passed at the end of the hall, a seemingly disturbed Conrad and Victoria. Conscious that they were in view, she decided not to return to Aiden's side just yet, and instead walked over to Daniel.

"I hear congratulations are in order," she greeted him, extending a hand to formalize their interaction.

Daniel managed a smile, despite still being uneasy of how to act in Emily's presence. "I have you to thank for that," he redirected the credit to her, giving her a knowing look.

"No, Daniel," she insisted looking back towards the direction of where Ashley and Salvador had walked off. "When it came to the final hour, you made your own choice. You could have used what you knew to destroy Ashley and still secure the vote – but you saved her instead." She put her head down momentarily. "She told me what you did for her."

"Eh, Salvador's the real hero," Daniel continued to forward the recognition. "He took pity on her situation. I only convinced him she was an innocent that got caught in between a war."

Emily nodded in agreement, still thoroughly impressed. "Still, you stood up for the right side." She bit her lip, slightly embarrassed. "I should have known you would."

Daniel stared ahead, to where Victoria was anxiously still looking their way. "The way I see it now, standing up for what's right isn't just a one-time thing," he elaborated pensively, returning his gaze to Emily. "It's just the beginning. But thankfully I don't have to go it alone."

"Hm," Emily reverberated, feeling a sudden rush well up in her heart as she envisioned what he meant. But before she could pursue it, the moment was once again, interrupted.

"Top marks, mate," Aiden congratulated Daniel as he stepped over to Emily's side, outstretching his hand for a firm shake. "I couldn't be happier for you."

"I appreciate it," Daniel thanked him favorably and then took a deep breath. "I couldn't have done it without you. Which makes this bit of news all the more difficult to deliver…"

Aiden narrowed his eyes in confusion as Daniel pulled him to the side. "Excuse me, Emily I just need him for two seconds and then he's your man."

She nodded, a bit concerned as she watched them walk off, but soon had her own distraction as Victoria approached not a moment later in their place.

"Ms. Thorne, what brings you here?" she asked curiously.

Emily pinched a fake grin and gestured towards where Daniel and Aiden had walked off. "Just wanted to offer my congratulations, to Daniel, and to you too of course." Victoria stewed on Emily's thinly veiled intent, doing her best to keep composed. "And also, to say goodbye to Ashley," Emily continued, finding it an opportune time to twist the knife in.

"Ah, yes," Victoria prodded. "Do share, what's come of Ms. Davenport, she left in such a hurry?"

"Oh, I'm sorry I thought you'd heard?" Emily feigned an apology. "Mr. Grobet's asked her to accompany him to Brazil. I'm sure you'll be receiving word of her departure from your services soon. But what an opportunity!" She smiled again, tilting her head. "A son moved onto CEO of a company and your former assistant on the arm of its premier investor. You must be incredibly proud."

With that, Emily allowed the bite of her patronizing to hang in the air, relishing how delightfully angry Victoria seemed to grow with each word, and excused herself, exiting down the hallway to savor the moment and bask in the success of a mission accomplished.

 **SCENE**

"So, I heard there was a little incident earlier?"

Jack flinched at Nate Ryan's familiar voice when he heard him over his shoulder, turning around from where he was nearly tearing apart the bar at the Stowaway, searching for his father's address book that went missing. He raised his head slowly, cautiously on guard ever since the events that had followed the Christening reception, when Charlotte had stumbled across the bloodied, beaten body of one his father's closest friends – Matt Duncan. After closing up the Stowaway early and spending a few hours with Matt in the emergency room, Jack had returned not only exhausted, but stunned at the information Matt had shared with him. Nate Ryan was not to be trusted – it was well known that he wanted payback for his father's death years ago that Matt was guilty of. But what worried Jack the most was the additional fact Matt implied. He confessed that Nate wouldn't stop until he took the Stowaway back, which meant eliminating any obstacle in his way – including Jack and his family.

"Yeah." Jack replied cautiously, not wanting to give away his recently acquired knowledge. "A friend of my dad's got hurt," he continued, watching Nate's expression for any semblance of guilt. "Luckily I got him to the hospital in time."

Nate was cool as could be, and Jack cursed himself in his head for letting him into their close company the day before, without ever thinking to check on his background. "Yeah, lucky for him," Nate leered. "You're a good Samaritan, Jack. Most people wouldn't get involved. Did he say who did it?"

Jack had to bite his tongue to restrain himself. So this was the game that Nate planned to play. "No," he lied reluctantly. "Never saw 'em. He got jumped from behind."

"Guess we should all keep our eyes open then," Nate affirmed, the deceptive tone in his voice intensifying. He suddenly looked at where Jack had been moving things about on the bar and then reached into his pocket. "Speaking of which, I accidentally picked up your pop's black book off the bar today." He came over and placed it into Jack's hands, laughing softly. "My mistake."

Again Jack swallowed his anger, gripping the book in hand as Nate stood over him. "No problem," he replied, adding, "You're new right? Still learning the ropes."

Nate nodded, spreading a sinister smile across his face. "Yeah fortunate for me I've got the whole summer to get used to things," he hinted deviously and Jack knew what it meant. Nate glanced upwards towards where Amanda and Carl were resting in the above apartment and continued. "By the way that was a nice christening yesterday. Sleep tight."

He patted Jack on the shoulder, who tightened up at the contact and watched him grin and walk out of the door, seething at every step. It was only moments before Amanda appeared at the top of the steps, nearly scaring Jack to death and inciting his response to be more firm than usual.

"Jack, what's going on?" Amanda asked.

"Nothing," he insisted flatly. "Go back to bed. Lock the doors – I'll be up in a minute."

Amanda complied reluctantly; clearly concerned by Jack's change in demeanor and choice of instructions, but it was Jack who held the greatest concerns of all. Taking a deep breath, he finished closing down the rest of the bar and then took a look at the address book, a chill going up his spine as he turned to the page that was earmarked. There, where it had been written years ago was Matt Duncan's name and address, only this time two distinct red lines were marked through it, as if to send a very specific message: He was only the first casualty on the Ryan brothers' list of revenge.

 **SCENE**

 _Revelations can help us accept the things we need the most…expose the secrets we so desperately try to hide In the middle of the night…and illuminate the dangers all around us._

Emily padded down the stairs of her beach house, switching on a hallway light as she answered the knocking at her back door, certain it could only be one person at the late hour. Pulling back the sheer curtain confirmed her guess as she undid the latch and let her visitor in.

"Locking me out, then?" Aiden commented as he walked through, passing Emily.

She sighed and secured the door behind him, folding her arms. "You never got back to me this afternoon; I thought you were busy working your way back in with Daniel."

"On the contrary," Aiden replied, stripping off his jacket and loosening his tie before settling down onto her couch. "Daniel made it unquestionably clear that I won't be working side by side with him anytime soon. He's released me from the board."

Emily rolled her eyes and shook her head, expecting it. She came around to sit beside him on the couch. "What reason did he give you?"

Aiden shrugged. "The company's closing ranks during transition… little chance of any investors willingly leaving for me to replace… all that bureaucratic nonsense." He turned slightly to watch her expression, expecting to be scolded again for his earlier missteps.

Emily merely opened her palms but remained calm. "Can't say I didn't warn you."

He nodded, aware it was his fault but still uncertain of what was to come next. "So where do we go from here? I assume you're going to continue with your original direction of warming up to Daniel?"

She did not respond, only flicked her eyes over in his direction.

"Just as well," Aiden resigned himself, looking around. His observations were easily building a clear picture of how she felt about him – her distance earlier, the locked door, and her unusual silence. Despite the barrier they seemed to have just breached only two nights ago, it was clear that she was drawing away from him. He began to stand up, taking his jacket in hand as he sensed she likely didn't want him there. "I should leave you to it. I'm sure your next move will be met with success."

"Aiden—" she called out, stopping him, and when he turned something in her face had softened. "I owe you an apology."

He was shocked, not expecting anything close to what she had just said to come from her. "Whatever for - I thought it was clear this one was on me?"

She stood up to his eye level, and edged a bit closer. "I played a part too," she confessed, looking down at her feet as she dared to discuss the real issue. "The other night I was… well I was impulsive. I acted without thinking." She tensed up as she made eye contact with him, knowing her retraction would hurt more than anything else. "The truth is, I'm not sure what I'm feeling right now. What I do know is I don't think I can handle a relationship —" she paused, attempting to be tactful. "—with anyone."

Aiden nodded, thinking it a fair assessment. He tilted his head pensively. "Do you think it's possible for people like us to ever be … happy?"

It was Emily's turn to shrug and shake her head slowly. "Maybe not completely," she offered, adding a bright spot to her follow up. "But if we can at least feel peace – maybe that's enough?"

"Perhaps," he acknowledged, staring into her eyes. Something in them gave him hope and for the moment it was enough to keep him content, coupled with her next request.

"That doesn't mean I want you to leave," she continued, thinking back. "What happened with Daniel… the recording Victoria received… it's all evidence that the Initiative is out there, behind the scenes. I could still use your help finding them – that is, if you're willing to stay?"

Aiden allowed himself a smirk. "You already know the answer to that." He glanced behind Emily towards the direction of Grayson Manor. "If that recording is any indication that someone with an even greater vendetta against the Graysons exists… you're going to need my help."

Emily agreed with a firm press of her lips together, and as if on cue she followed him to the door to see him out. But before he could leave, his conscience tugged at him, impelling him to turn around first to share a final revelation.

"Emily, before I go there's something you need to know," he confessed, pausing in the doorway as she listened attentively. "About the other night—" he glanced over at the porch and down at where they stood, as if remembering exactly where they were in their moment of passion. Emily started to beg off in embarrassment, but Aiden continued, certain she would want to know the truth. "Trust me; you'll want to hear this."

He waited for her to relax again and then continued. "You said you didn't remember what happened between us? Well that's because in all your fervor, things got a bit," he searched for a tactful word, recalling the memory of Emily hastily tugging at his clothing and pushing him against the wall in a whirl of passion. "Aggressive," he finally settled on.

Again Emily shifted uncomfortably in her stance by the door but she continued to listen.

"I could sense it was a bit out of character for you so I stopped you," he admitted, thinking back. "I made up something just to get away for a moment." As he kept talking, the memories indeed flashed back into mind and Emily recalled him leaning over her as she pulled him to the couch, and then him placing a finger to her lips asking her to wait while he went to move his car out of sight outside.

"When I came back," he finished. "You were fast asleep – no doubt exhausted from the emotionally draining day you'd just had. So I didn't wake you. I slipped out a few hours later and just let you rest."

Emily released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, letting her thoughts echo into her mind. _More than anything, revelations are windows into our true selves. Both the good and the evil… and those wavering somewhere in between…_

"Thank you, Aiden," she spoke aloud, meaning it sincerely. His act had not only been one of kindness but had also saved her from a crossing a line, pushed by the conflicted emotions that clearly plagued her inside, as if at war with one another. She wanted to say more but her thanks had been enough and Aiden merely nodded in acknowledgment and turned to leave, slipping quickly down the steps so he would not be seen exiting her house.

Once he was gone, Emily stepped out onto the porch to ponder her thoughts, leaning over the railing as her heart reignited the clash inside: two distinct, intensely strong sets of feelings for two very different people. A part of her found it ironic to be in such a constant state of uncertainty, and she reminded herself to try to spend more time with Nolan over the next few days, if only to get a break from the back and forth. And ultimately, to ensure she did not lose focus from her mission. Both the revealing deeds of Aiden and Daniel had made her see them in a new light that day, yet unfortunately they would only serve to bring her to a crossroads, as the voice in her head assured her – _each with the ultimate power to destroy all that we cherish most._

 **SCENE**

"Well, we certainly appreciate your assistance in constructing Daniel Grayson's succession to Grayson Global today."

Helen Crowley's unmistakable intonation filled her darkened office with an eerie ambiance, as she peered across her desk towards the visitor she was addressing. With the guise of a printed scarf wrapped around her head and dark sunglasses, the woman was barely recognizable, but Helen had no concerns over her visitor's mystique. She had already done her research and knew full well who it was and her purpose, but rather enjoyed testing out the waters to see how much information her newly acquired ally was willing to share.

"I'll admit I expected the fallout from that recording to take a decidedly different turn," Helen continued. "But how intuitive to predict it working to our advantage – while still exposing Victoria's continued intent to rebel against our cause," she added, with a nod of approval. "We find that information _extremely_ valuable."

The woman continued to sit in silence, nodding graciously as Helen continued to extol her support, finally prodding her with a question. "Explain to me again how this benefits you?" She paused, and when she got no reply, decided to take the logical angle. "Are you harboring some sort of personal vendetta against the Graysons?"

Finally, a response came from the concealed woman. "Just Conrad," she stated flatly.

Helen nodded, expecting as much. "Well, as of this afternoon he's no longer a concern of ours, though we continue to keep our eyes on Victoria. But as far as our interests as a group - we'll be dealing directly with Daniel from now on." With a hint of dismissal, Helen turned halfway in her chair to face away from her visitor, impelling her to rise to her feet. But to Helen's surprise, rather than leave as discreetly as she had arrived, the woman edged down her scarf and removed her sunglasses, so that her face was clearly seen.

"Perfect," she replied, taking Helen's word as a confirmation that her ruse was no longer necessary. "That leaves Conrad all to me."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Ok lets hear your guesses Revengers? Who was Helen's mystery guest with a penchant for Conrad's head on a platter? I guess it's pretty obvious, but still – I so enjoy leaving an "episode" with a nice cliffhanger-y ending, especially on one titled as such, Revelations! SO how did you find the reveals? Were they satisfying? Surprising? I know I made some more positive changes as far as the ending met to Ashley (yes, she is gone for now) and even some strides in the Demily/Aimily situation (yes, Emily is officially single again! Despite being conflicted), but I'm curious what you thought! Please take a moment to leave me feedback and let me know if this was an enjoyable read for you! It took me a lot longer than planned to post but I wanted to make sure I got it right. Stay tuned for more, I'm super excited to keep the revelations coming and inch closer towards some big explosions once the truth is out regarding a few secrets lingering around… Hope you're looking forward to it too! Till next time, thanks a million for all your support and 60 follows! Means so much that you like this story and makes me only want to keep writing more! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	10. Chapter 10: Power

**Chapter 10: Power**

 _Power. Born out of nature, coveted by man. Wars rage on, and victors are crowned... but true power can never be lost or won. True power comes from within._

Daniel remained deep in meditative thought, reviewing notes for the morning board meeting in the backseat of his premier car service on the way into the office. The car pulled up to a red light in the city, not a few blocks away, and it gave him just the still moment he needed to digest it all. It was really happening – he was the Chief Executive Officer of a multi-billion dollar company and in addition to the expected responsibilities that came with the job, the added layer of determination to root out its evils was already giving him anxiety. He had just taken his attention off of the portfolio on his lap to gaze out of the tinted window beside him when suddenly the rear door across from him, that he previously assumed was locked, swung open. He watched in surprise as Emily's slender form stepped in, dressed for the cover of a magazine, and scooted over beside him. In one motion she quickly shut the open door and leaned forward to whisper ahead to the driver. "Take a lap around the block."

The driver immediately complied with a nod and Emily leaned back in the seat to finally address Daniel with a breezy greeting and a smile. "Good morning."

Despite keeping composed during the entire surprise entrance, Daniel could not prevent a smirk from crossing his lips. He watched the road ahead through the partition as the car turned the corner.

"I'd say 'good' is an understatement if I didn't know you better," he quipped back, wondering since when did Emily have the means to override his car service. He couldn't resist another friendly once-over when she crossed her legs beside him, but knew there was a reason behind her visit. "To what do I owe this… visit?"

"To _whom,_ actually," Emily answered back without a beat, crossing her hands over the clutch on her lap. "Your mother reached out to me this morning."

Daniel chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I can only imagine what for."

Emily inhaled a breath. "What she asked is barely worth mentioning," she replied, keeping her thoughts on the matter to herself. "But it's the _why_ and the _when_ that concerns me. By the desperation in her request its clear she knows that the Initiative is closing in. The CEO announcement yesterday all but sealed the deal."

Daniel was unfazed. "I think we both expected that to happen next." He peered closely at his unexpected companion. "Isn't that what we want?"

"It is," she conceded, growing more serious. "But how you handle the next few minutes will be extremely crucial to keeping yourself protected and earning their trust." She glanced down at her clutch and then opened it to produce a black and white photo. "This was taken by surveillance from a hotel I own about a block away from your office."

Daniel looked intently at the picture of a woman on a cell phone, standing street side. "Helen Crowley?"

"She's one of them," Emily explained, introducing Daniel to the concept for the first time. "She'll be waiting for you to arrive in moments and when you do; my guess is she's going to make her first in a series of requests." She took a deep breath to emphasize her next statement. "Daniel, whatever she asks you to do – you need to say yes."

He glanced up from the photo, puzzled. "I thought you were _against_ compromising my stance to the Initiative?"

"I am," Emily confirmed, recalling their previous discussion. She shifted uneasily. "But with everything that's happened in the past 24 hours I couldn't have you risking your life just to prove a point."

Again his brow furrowed, feeling lost and behind the ball. "What do you mean, risking my life?"

Emily sighed as the car slowed to a halt on the other side of the block, and the driver waited for further instruction. "Your mother feared telling you the truth would put a target on your head… but if the Initiative senses any resistance from you, or that you've been made aware of their presence, they have orders to take you out – something even _I_ may not be able to stop before it happens."

Daniel finally exhaled a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and pondered on Emily's words while she allowed him time to digest. She watched him respectfully for a moment, and then continued.

"Obviously your mother isn't aware that you know the background on them, but I am – and I needed to warn you first." She continued to watch him cautiously, her eyes flicking back and forth between his. "Daniel, I've _trained_ for this, I can prepare you for what you need to do. As long as you give off the illusion of complacence you can keep them in your control—"

"So my mother put you up to this?" he questioned, interrupting her train of thought.

She shook her head. "Not exactly. She wanted me to dissuade you from the position – I decided to use the information to help you instead."

Daniel glanced down again at the photo of Helen, formulating just how he wanted to handle said information. He finally turned to face Emily directly. "Helen Crowley - she's the key to the Initiative?"

Emily nodded, uncertain if his confirmation was a sign he would follow her suggestion or not. It likely seemed crazy for her to show up unannounced, demanding that he follow her lead, but after what he had done for Ashley's sake, she couldn't risk him turning down a request and putting himself in danger just to prove that he couldn't be swayed. If anything, now was the time to keep a poker face and hide his intent, and hopefully allow her to handle the rest.

Daniel handed the photo back, looking around swiftly out of the window. "Alright then," he agreed. "I'll work with her for now – I'll let you know what comes from our first encounter when it happens." Emily nodded appreciatively, returning the picture to her purse. Daniel watched her, still nursing a thought in the back of his mind. "But what about my mother?"

"I'll deal with Victoria," she responded, leaning forward to tap the driver and then turning back over her shoulder to watch him. "You just be careful."

And with that she was gone, shutting the door behind her and stepping up onto the curb to disappear from Daniel's sight within seconds. He shook his head, admiring her spontaneity and determination and was still in a bit of a trance when he reached ahead to tap the partition, spurring the driver to take off again, heading towards the office. This time he kept a careful eye out of the window and then rolled it down when he noted, just as Emily had predicted, Helen Crowley waiting on the corner for him about a few feet away from Grayson Global.

"Morning, early riser," Helen extended her greeting, leering over him as he glanced out of the open window.

Daniel smiled broadly, carefully concealing his hand. "Being C.E.O. of a global investment firm isn't exactly a 9-to-5 commitment."

Helen grinned back, noting the ambitious tone in his voice. "Then I promise, I'll only take a moment of your time."

Daniel nodded, swiftly moving to exit the vehicle so he could walk and talk with Helen. Before he could emerge, he turned to thank the driver. "Hey, thanks for the—" he began, and for the first time noticed a significant difference in his regular employed. As he watched in his second bout of surprise for that morning the driver glanced over his shoulder, and despite being inconspicuously dressed in uniform, Daniel clearly recognized him – as Nolan Ross.

"Have a good day, _boss_ ," Nolan jibed with one of his signature looks and then saved another for Helen's direction. "Hope your meeting goes well." He couldn't help sneaking another grin as he turned back to face the road and pulled off, leaving Daniel behind to finally put together the entire charade of Emily's surprise appearance.

Conscious of Helen still waiting a few paces behind him, Daniel could only shake it off while he joined her on his way up the building steps.

"Ms. Crowley – you have my undivided attention."

 **SCENE**

Victoria did her best to contain her annoyance as she walked through the hallway of Grayson Manor, while hearing a cell phone persistently ring from the living room. Following the noise, she stopped short when she spied Conrad sitting only a few feet away from the ringing device, clearly ignoring it as he spread open the morning newspaper.

"Are you going to answer that?" she accosted him briskly.

Conrad paused, lowering the paper only long enough to let the last ring finish, and when it finally stopped he smirked and put the paper back up to cover his face, satisfied not to pay the phone any mind.

Rather than let his ignorance get to her, Victoria swiftly snatched the paper from his hands, forcing him to look her way. "As much as I'm certain you're enjoying this temporary holiday, need I remind you that Daniel is having his coffee in your _former_ office right now?"

Conrad rolled his eyes, already expecting the browbeating. "Yes, an office he's vastly unprepared for. Why do you think the phone keeps ringing? The investors are probably in a panic."

"They're not the only ones," Victoria insisted, tossing the paper back in his direction to take a seat in her favorite chair. "The longer Daniel remains in power, the more likely the Initiative is to use him the way they used us all those years ago. And don't think for a second I've forgotten what he divulged about your ongoing relationship with Lydia Davis –"

"Ah, so that's the source of your increased contention this morning?" Conrad deciphered, zoning in on the topic to make sense of Victoria's prickliness.

"Take your pick," she shot back, not having forgotten his transgression with Ashley either. "Though your sins take a back seat to my concerns over Daniel's safety," she added. Victoria then glanced over his casual form, dressed down in cargo shorts and a polo shirt, with his feet crossed on the table. "Only rather than lounge around aimlessly, I've decided to actually _do_ something about it."

He did his best to deflect again. "Pray tell, what that is my dear? Short of telling Daniel the truth and sealing his doom, we've done everything we could to get through to him."

Victoria scoffed at his blanket assumption. "Not everything." She leaned back to begin sharing her latest work. "I've made two very important phone calls this morning. The first was to Patricia Barnes - she and her husband are going to be spending the weekend with us." She glanced over to the large clock on the mantelpiece. "They're due within the hour."

"Patricia and _Judge_ Barnes?" Conrad sat straight up in surprise, setting down his paper to lean forward. "The man's weeks away from a Supreme Court confirmation – you'd think our home would be the _last_ place he'd want to be seen."

"Oh, but not Patricia," Victoria asserted. "I just bought us the head table at her annual Liberty Project benefit. Her organization is dedicated to helping the falsely convicted appeal their unjust verdicts. And as a man wrongly accused of a crime yourself, this benefit is the perfect venue for you to begin rehabilitating your image."

Conrad could not help but to laugh. "Well, if they sold stock in irony, I would be richer than the sultan of Brunei."

Victoria sneered. "When Daniel inevitably falters as the head of Grayson Global, your renewed image will ensure the board's welcome to have you back with open arms." Again she glanced down at his attire. "That is, if you can get yourself into something half-decent by noon tea."

Conrad ignored her affront and nodded, slowly seeing the benefits to Victoria's plan and even began to start his own wheels turning. "Well then, the only question that remains - how do we convince Daniel to abdicate?"

The doorbell sounded, just as Victoria spread a wide smile across her face in response to Conrad's question. "That leads me to my second phone call," she answered, standing up to follow Marta halfway to the entrance of the room. She turned back to face him. "We don't convince Daniel – _she_ does."

Conrad watched as seconds later, Victoria's guest arrived, notably familiar and in timely fashion – Emily Thorne.

 **SCENE**

"What a lovely view of my beach house."

Emily tested the waters between her and Victoria as she stood alone for a moment, looking out over the balcony while Victoria brought set down the tea tray behind her.

"I hardly noticed," Victoria lied sweetly, thinly disguising her intent while Emily turned to sit down. She moved on from the subject without hesitation. "I hope I didn't disturb you with my call this morning."

Emily shrugged off her observation in favor of playing nice for the moment. "No, not all," she assured her, taking her glass in hand. "I rather appreciated getting your call _early_." She smirked to herself, knowing it afforded her the opportunity to catch up to Daniel before he made it into work that morning.

"Yes, well when it's a matter of life and death-" Victoria continued, stopping herself short. Emily caught the reference and Victoria decided to get straight to the point. "Emily, I may have been rather blunt in my request but you must understand my reasoning."

Emily nodded, offering what she already knew thus far. "You mentioned Daniel's gotten himself in over his head. Obviously I want to do anything I can to help." She arched an eyebrow in concern. "I'm just not exactly wherein the threat lies on his life?"

Victoria raised her chin with a knowing gaze, staring away for a moment. "Running a company like Grayson Global requires a ruthless temperament, and that's not a quality that comes naturally to Daniel." She sipped at her glass. "There are people that would take advantage of that, and use it to his detriment."

"What kind of people?" Emily tried her.

Victoria tightened a grin. "The kind that operate in secrecy," was all she would divulge. "Emily, ever since your engagement ended, I've witnessed some disturbing changes in Daniel's behavior."

Emily's interest was piqued, despite sensing it was a technique to distract her. "Oh?"

"He's become secretive and distant," Victoria went on, and again Emily soon felt a sense of pride over the confirmation of Daniel's stance against her arch nemesis. Victoria zoned out for a moment, concentrating on a thought in the distance. "Almost as if…"

Emily waited, half expecting an accusation to follow, but Victoria found her way back to reality, disregarding it. "Unfortunately, my son has walled himself off from me completely, but I believe that you still have the power to reach him."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Because, in spite of my interference and your transgression last winter, I'm of the opinion that my son is very much in love with you," she replied with a meaningful look. "And assuming that you ever loved him, too, I'm asking you to step in and help stem the tide before it's too late."

Emily had thought it for some time, that Daniel's devotion to aiding her in her mission and insistence on being involved was a result of continued feelings for her. And despite how clear the evidence was, she had done her best not to focus on it, especially with the complication of Aiden's presence in recent weeks. But her heart always reminded her at the most random of times: the night of Gordon Murphy's murder when he slept across her lap in the downstairs couch, dancing in his arms at his parents' wedding, and even in his eyes at the gun club when he first realized that she might be falling for someone else. The truth always seemed to shine through with Daniel, likely the reason why he appeared so vulnerable to people like his mother. His transparency was one of his strongest traits but could easily be played as a serious weakness. Emily tightened up, recognizing that if she were going to continue to work with him, she needed to help him conquer that weakness and teach him how to bury his feelings. And yet, how could she ask him to do so when she was the very object of his affection?

Victoria watched Emily in thought carefully, curious if she had struck a nerve or rather, incited guilt. "Unless of course," she tested her. "Your feelings for him were less than genuine all along?"

Emily snapped back to attention. "Of course not," she answered, and before she could even think about it the words were pouring out of her mouth. "I loved him very much."

Victoria remained pleased. "Then remind him of the man that he aspired to be when he was with you. Persuade him to drop his interest in Grayson Global, and I will stand behind you every step of the way, come what may." Victoria studied Emily's look of acceptance with satisfaction, and then turned when she heard Marta beckon from the doorway. "Ah," she perked up. "My guests are here. Emily, if you don't mind I'll need to see you out so I may attend to them? I trust you don't need any further discussion."

"Of course," Emily obliged and stood up to follow her down, all the while replaying their conversation in her mind, wondering how she would be able to balance Victoria's request against her mission with Daniel that ran quite the opposite. But when they reached the foyer and Emily caught sight of who had arrived, her attention was soon redirected.

"Robert, Patricia," Victoria eagerly greeted them with kisses, next to a redressed Conrad, who was now presentable. "It's so lovely to see you both."

"Hello, Victoria," they both greeted her back, and Emily watched them closely as she made her way down the stairs.

Victoria turned to let her through. "I'd like to introduce a very _dear_ family friend and neighbor," she announced emphatically. "Emily Thorne."

Emily leaned forward to shake their hands and exchange greetings. "Very nice to meet you," she held her gaze over Judge Barnes, a hint of intrigue filling her face. "Judge Barnes, this must be a thrilling time for you?"

"Indeed," he replied, noting her awareness of his upcoming confirmation for Supreme Court.

Patricia leaned in to accompany him. "Pleasure, Ms. Thorne," she added and then turned to address Victoria. "Victoria, we are so grateful to you for offering to host us while we're in town.  
It's a much-welcomed respite from the hearings."

Conrad began to edge past the welcoming party, making his excuses as he did. "I apologize, I've been called to an important luncheon that I need to attend but I leave you in Victoria's well-equipped hands until my return." Judge Barnes and Patricia nodded graciously while Victoria sent him a much more suspicious look.

"Luncheon, Conrad?" she questioned.

"Yes, dear," he nodded her way. "It seems our son would appreciate a transitional discussion," he explained, glancing over at the Barnes. "Some might call it a 'rite of passage'."

"Just don't give too much away at once, Conrad," Judge Barnes echoed back, brooding.

Conrad chuckled. "Believe me, I won't," he added, while Victoria gave her look of approval as he left.

Emily saw it as an opportunity to leave as well; having already gained the information she needed. "I'll leave you two to get settled," she exited with a smile, tapping Victoria lightly as she went. "Victoria, thank you for the lemonade."

"Ms. Thorne, I hope to see you again?" Judge Barnes kindly addressed her, and she turned with a sinister look in her eye that only those closest to her would understand.

"Oh, you will," she smiled sweetly, insinuating.

Victoria stopped her before she was through the front door. "Oh, Emily, you _are_ coming to dinner tonight, aren't you?" She waited in expectation of an affirmative reply.

Emily did not disappoint, seeing it as the perfect venue for her next takedown. She turned around, with a pleasantly innocent grin, including the others in her response. "Who can say "no" to Victoria?"

 **SCENE**

"Don't you think my mother should pay for Jack and Amanda's wedding, considering Amanda never even called a lawyer after cartwheeling off the second-floor balcony? They'd be stupid not to offer," Charlotte brainstormed, swinging her legs back and forth atop the bar of the _Stowaway_ while Declan paced nearby, not hearing a word. It wasn't the first time her boyfriend had been in a daze in the past few days, changing noticeably in demeanor ever since the christening of baby Carl. She wondered if he felt a bit neglected with all the hoopla going on for Jack and Amanda, and being familiar with the feeling, had devoted the bulk of her time and energy to spending it with him for the summer, hoping to be a comfort. But at the moment, he seemed fairly unaware of her intention.

She leaned forward, anxious for him at least give some semblance of a response. "Earth to Declan! Come in, Declan."

He finally snapped back, after concentrating for a few minutes on something in the distance. "I'm sorry Char, but listen, I need you to do something for me."

Charlotte quickly grew serious, slipping off the countertop. "Sure, anything."

He leaned in to whisper. "You remember that guy you found outside nearly beaten to death?"

"It's not exactly something I can forget, despite trying to," she replied in obvious tone. It had taken her some time to put the image out of her mind, despite Declan's attempts to calm her shortly thereafter.

"Well he was one of my dad's closest friends, and I think Nate and Kenny had something to do with it," he explained, still in a low whisper. "They're dad and mine used to be rivals. Jack thinks they've been plotting against us this whole time to get revenge for what happened to him years ago."

"That's terrible! What happened?" Charlotte couldn't help but ask.

Declan kept his eyes on the window outside, certain he was short on time. "I don't have time to explain but right now I need you to buy me some time, I have a hunch on something these guys are planning—" he quickly dodged away, gesturing for her to stay put. "Stall as long as you can, ok?"

Charlotte turned back to find her place where Declan instructed her to go and after minutes passed, both Kenny and Nate returned inside, leading her to strike up conversation right away to keep them occupied.

"So get this," she attempted, making a big spectacle of her story. "My mom's latest charity case? Ex-convicts. Wrongfully accused, of course, but still – they all seem so damaged. Prison seems like hell." She paused as both Nate and Kenny stopped what they were doing to look over at her, before exchanging meaningful glances with each other. "What?" she asked in a simple tone. "Did I say something wrong?"

Nate began to start in, but Kenny stopped him with a hand. "Don't, little brother. She doesn't want to hear about that." Instead Kenny glanced around the bar, looking for Declan. "Where'd your boyfriend go to get more bourbon, Kentucky?"

Nate caught on, wondering the same. "Yeah, you know what? I'll go check on him."

He turned to head for the back room but Charlotte quickly stepped into his path, stopping him with a tug at his arm that he noticed with surprise. "Wait!" she insisted, playing coy. "What? You don't want me to hear?"

Nate looked over at Kenny who finally digressed, and decided he might as well divulge. "Okay.  
Well, back when I was young and dumb, I used to live with a bunch of guys who were, uh, what? Purveyors of recreational curiosities, shall we say?"

Meanwhile, Declan could faintly hear their conversation exchange as he rustled through the bags in the back that Nate had stashed back there that morning, hoping he would quickly be able to make something of them. As he did, he noticed a suspicious looking satchel sitting on the inside of a stash of coffee beans and pulled at it – only to inadvertently spill the contents of the bag all over the floor. Frantic, he dove towards the mess, hurriedly trying to put everything back in the bag as he heard the voices begin to dwindle down out by the bar.

"… So the D.E.A. busts in and raids the place," Nate was finishing. "And guess who's the only sucker at home?"

"You," Charlotte guessed innocently, feigning sympathy. "Oh, my God. So you went to jail for something you had nothing to do with?"

"Five years," Nate answered back with a resigned look. He leaned in closer to Charlotte, unnerving her slightly. "And I'll tell you something else. It isn't _like_ hell. It _is_ hell."

He began to step away and Charlotte sensed she still couldn't let him go just yet. "Seriously, I never would've guessed!" she added, hoping a compliment would keep him around.

"Yeah, well, I guess I clean up nice," Nate brushed it off, becoming increasingly suspicious of her sudden flattery. He glanced towards the back room. "Obviously, your boyfriend did get lost. I'll be right back."

Again he turned to leave and Charlotte reached out to him, this time actually grazing his stomach with her hand, which only made Nate more suspicious. "Wait!" she insisted, offering herself instead. "I'll go get him."

Nate chuckled, looking up at Kenny to see if he noticed the young girl's tendency to be a little too affectionate with her please. He tucked a devious thought about testing her spunk later on into the back of his mind, and rested a hand on her shoulder to push her back. " _No,_ " he declared forcefully, and this time Charlotte shrunk back. "I'll tell you what, _you_ stay here, and _I'll_ go get him. Okay?"

As Charlotte shrugged away nervously, Nate started for the back room, pushing open the door just as Declan tucked away the last of the stray beans into the large satchel and lifted a pack of bottles beside it, coming up with the armful as Nate walked in. "What the hell is taking you so long?" he asked.

"Nothing," Declan replied innocently, doing his best not to show any signs of concern on his face. "It's just really hard to find stuff with all your junk in the way," he added, deflecting. He glanced over, wondering if he could get a pulse from Nate by asking. "What is it anyway?"

"Wholesale coffee beans," Nate answered gruffly, ushering him out with an arm. "It's a side business, and it's none of yours."

Declan nodded and moved out of his way, leaving Nate alone in the storage room to look around, ensuring that nothing was out of place. Once he was satisfied that the space had went untouched he finally left the room, never once noticing the stray coffee bean that lay in the corner of the floor from where Declan spilled open the bag.

 **SCENE**

Emily arrived at her beach house to a feeling of déjà vu, seeing Nolan at the kitchen counter still donning his driver uniform from that morning while he perused her laptop, monitoring Grayson Manor.

"I take it traffic was light coming back from the city?" Emily teased him playfully, setting down her heels as she padded over to him barefoot.

"Delightfully so," he joked back, sliding his driver's hat down the counter where she picked it up with a chuckle. " _And,_ " he continued, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I can now add limo driver to my list of Hampton's occupations – along with FBI agent, personal butler and let's see, oh yeah – subsidiary of _Grayson Global._ " He turned to her for the obligatory eye roll. "What's next, a beat cop? A few more costumes and I could start my own strip club."

"Thanks for your help this morning," Emily sighed, giving him the gratitude she knew he was looking for. Despite his sarcastic little quips, it was nice having his presence back now that Aiden was gone, and Nolan made a much easier companion to work with, at least for the moment. "You'll be back to your day job soon – Daniel just gave me the scoop on Helen. She wants him to dig into Grayson Global."

"And by 'him' she means _me,_ "Nolan shrugged, still keeping eyes on the computer screen. "Well at least I'm back to my usual playground," he digressed, facing her. "Seems like you are too – who's the new guest star on the Grayson Chronicles?"

"Judge Robert Barnes," Emily sighed, catching his reference to the surveillance. She came around the counter to retrieve her Infinity Box from her blue dresser. "He was the overseeing judge on my father's trial—"

"Which, translated means the red sharpie is _back,_ " Nolan inserted, feeling a little giddy at the prospect. He looked on when Emily returned, reading from a folded up letter.

" _'Dear Mr. Clarke,'_ " Emily read. " _'As Dr. King once said, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and I'm afraid you've suffered a grave injustice. My position during your trial afforded me an inside access to the system, a system I truly believed in until I witnessed a man charged with upholding the law act outside of it. Judge Barnes has failed you, as have I.'_ "

Nolan peered closely. "It isn't signed?"

"Yeah, but I'm almost certain that James Palmer wrote it."

"And James Palmer is—?" Nolan continued.

"The courtroom clerk," Emily answered, still with the letter in hand. "My father's theory was that Palmer alerted Judge Barnes to the one member of the jury who still believed my father was innocent. And then Barnes passed that juror's name—"

"To the Graysons," Nolan finished, understanding.

"Exactly." Emily reached over to the laptop and clicked a few keys on the keyboard to pull up saved footage she had kept from her research and allowed it to play. Judge Barnes' face appeared on screen, making a statement at the front of the courthouse, surrounded by press.

 _"I've expressed the court's heartfelt condolences to juror number seven and his family, and have recused him from service. An alternate juror has been added to the panel. The trial will proceed without delay. Thank you."_

Emily froze the frame and leveled a finger at the screen. "That's Palmer, right next to Barnes," she pointed out, holding up the letter. "He was killed in a subway accident three days after this was postmarked."

"They got to him," Nolan realized, disgusted at the corruption.

"But if I can position myself in front of Barnes and raise the specter of James, maybe I can trip him up?" She shook her head, still brainstorming. "I don't know."

Nolan did his best to be optimistic for her behalf. "Well, sure seems like you've got your opportunity? Victoria looked only too happy to have you for dinner later on," he remarked, recalling Emily's exit.

Emily rolled her eyes, packing up the Infinity Box to put it back. "She still thinks she can get me to dissuade Daniel from being CEO. But instead it gives me just the presence I need to bring up Palmer."

"Hate to say it, but – for once the dragon lady is right."

She glared back at him. "That's not the plan, Nolan. You know that."

"Mm, you're missing the point," Nolan clarified. "It's not _what_ you can get Prince Danny to do, it's the fact that she knows, just like everyone else does, that you _can._ " He looked at her meaningfully, finally addressing the elephant in the room. "He still has feelings for you, Ems."

"I know that," she said in a rushed tone, locking away the box and turning to head into the other room. Nolan persisted, following right behind her.

" _And,_ " he pushed, leading. "How do you feel about it?"

"That's not important," she continued to deflect, but her friend was too sharp and sped up to come around in front of her, barring her from the rear porch door she was heading for.

"Sooner or later, you're going to have to come to grips with your feelings," he insisted, knowing he was probably crossing the line but feeling entitled. She tried not to look at him but he stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Unless, you're still figuring things out with the London fog?"

Emily sighed, still trying to look away. "I haven't heard from Aiden since Daniel released him from the board, my guess is he went back to Takeda."

"Better off right? You never _did_ tell him the truth about your feelings for Danny, or that he knows you're Amanda Clarke for that matter—"

"No, and I don't intend to," Emily shot back, stepping in to impress her point on Nolan. He edged back as she entered his personal space. "And neither are you, it's _safer_ this way."

"Safer for him?" Nolan questioned, unable to resist pushing one last button before Emily steamed him. "Or for _you_?"

But she kept her calm, acknowledging that it wasn't the first time she had thought about it. "Look, what Aiden and I had it was complicated," she admitted. "I care about him. But he doesn't listen – he always finds a way to make things harder." Nolan listened, appreciating in the least her willingness to open up about it. "In the end, Aiden can take care of himself. He's a survivor, like me." She contemplated. "We wanted each other but… we didn't _need_ each other."

Nolan nodded, following her reasoning as he expected her to say the converse in answer to his next question. "And Daniel?" he asked, as if to question whether he did, in fact, need her.

Emily stared off. "Daniel wants to do the right thing, but he isn't prepared for any of this. Once we make contact with the Initiative things may take a turn – he's going to need help."

"So, then," Nolan assessed, trying to make sense of Emily's dilemma. "Despite how obvious it is how he feels – you're his _mentor_ , now?" he posed his question slowly, implying there was more to it.

Emily paused for a beat. "I can help Daniel focus on Helen. I know how to play her. And he can help me get to Barnes – and protect Nolcorp." She stared him in the eye, trying to regain direction. "The mission hasn't changed, Nolan. I can't think about anything else until I finish what I came here to do."

Nolan shrugged, realizing his interrogation had ended and slipped ever so slightly out of her way. "Alright, have it your way, boss." He stepped aside, allowing her to continue towards the back door where she was headed. He turned around for one last proverbial comment.

"Just remember, Ems – with great power… comes great responsibility."

 **SCENE**

"Let's make this quick, shall we?"

Conrad greeted his companion for lunch, glancing around the corner of café where they were seated to ensure there were no familiar faces in the company. "I have another appointment within the hour, and I'd rather not arouse suspicion by being late."

His companion looked up, and to anyone that assumed Conrad was telling the truth when he left home, they would be shocked to see it was not Daniel, but Lydia Davis that sat across from him.

"Considering that you no longer hold any position of import with Grayson Global, I can see why you'd be expected on time," Lydia answered back coolly. "It's not like you have anything _else_ on your plate?"

Conrad snorted at her insinuation. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves – while my succession was regrettable, I still hold a seat on the board." Lydia tilted her head in indignation, but Conrad continued on, leaning forward. "But, in light of my first offspring's ease of betrayal, I must say it comforts me to know I have yet another on the way."

Lydia softened at the mention, keeping her eyes locked onto his. "Does it?"

Conrad took hold of her hands into his to assure her. "And, while Daniel remains their key target, it seems both you and our child may be safe from the clutches of the people I've been working to protect you from – the very reason I even agreed to seeing you in person today."

Lydia instinctively shirked away, pulling her hand back as she realized her recent alliance with Helen Crowley may have accomplished the opposite. "Well, now the danger is gone, right?"

"For the time," Conrad sighed, truly uncertain. "These kinds of things always unfold in ways we cannot anticipate in advance. But it is my hope that Daniel's attempt at running a company far above his level of being equipped will dissuade any outside interest, and they will move on."

Lydia nodded, a bit relieved. "Good. With the Initiative moved on, you'll finally be able to focus on your _new_ family."

Something in Conrad's countenance changed noticeably and suddenly Lydia was aware of her overshare. "How do you know about… _the Initiative_?" he questioned, having never mentioned the specific name of the conglomerate to her before.

Lydia decided it was worth putting her cards on the table. "You're not the only one with connections, Conrad. When you used them as your reason for casting me aside once again – this time I did my research."

Conrad replied in a vehement whisper. "Lydia, do you have any _idea_ how powerful these people are – what were you thinking seeking them out?"

She leaned forward, unafraid. "I needed to know I could trust your excuse. You haven't exactly been honest with me!"

"I see," he nodded back in irritation. "Well now that you have solid evidence of their existence, can I presume you're willing to actually _cooperate_ when I tell you that you need to be discreet?"

"Actually, you're going to cooperate with _me_ instead," she asserted, to a raised eyebrow from Conrad. "Up until now I've kept quiet – concealed my identity from the Initiative and kept your secret safe," she lamented, grazing the slight bump in her abdominal area. "But now I have a few demands of my own."

"Naturally," Conrad jibbed dryly, folding his hands in anticipation. "I take it your apartment on the east end and the steady flow of transfer to your account isn't enough?"

Lydia attempted to be honest, pleading to his sigh of exasperation. "I thought it would be – but it isn't. Conrad, it's not just about the money, I'm tired of hiding in shadows, meeting you in places like these," she glanced around at their surroundings.

Conrad, for his sake, had had enough and was willing to offer no more. He removed his napkin from his lap, tossing it on the table. "I'm afraid your expectations greatly exceed the current reality, my dear—" he started to get up but hesitated with Lydia's next comment.

"Either you reconsider," she leered. "Or I make sure that video Victoria received is only the first in a series of messages – that not only incriminate the transgressions in your bed but those you conducted right on Grayson Global property."

Conrad stopped short in his tracks, his attention immediately stoked. "That was _you?_ " he asked in shock, realizing Lydia was referring to the mysterious footage of he and Ashley that surfaced only days prior.

She smiled in return. "I told you I had connections. Though that particular recording pales in comparison to what other evidence exists revealing the true nature of the Americon Initiative – and your affiliation with it."

Conrad could barely contain his overwhelming sense of defeat at her threats, and finally sunk back down into his seat to catch his breath, much to Lydia's satisfaction. At last, her exchanged information with Helen Crowley was going to pay off, and in a big way. It was the only card left she had to play, but she was desperate – and it had worked.

"So," she continued, straightening up in triumph. "Now do you have more time?"

 **SCENE**

Daniel checked his watch for the third time in the past fifteen minutes and finally gave up on waiting for his father, certain that he had blown him off. Instead of trying him on the phone he decided his time was better spent on his next order of business – following Helen's admonition to dig into Grayson Global.

"Nolan?" he spoke into his cell phone as the number he dialed connected.

"At your service," Nolan answered from his office, reporting in to his makeshift mission control at Emily's suggestion. "How can I be of assistance?"

Daniel took a moment to chuckle. "I see you're taking that role literally," he remarked, thinking back to that morning. "That was a clever trick you two pulled off."

Nolan grinned to himself. "Eh, not the first, and certainly… not the last."

Daniel took it in stride, wondering how often they planned to use him as the guinea pig. He moved past it, getting an eerie feeling at the thought. "Right – well let's see how clever you are at your field of expertise. I'm sure Emily already told you this, but I'm working with Helen Crowley now. Her first request is for me to dig up Grayson Global's company secrets."

"Ooh, watch your language," Nolan scolded him in jest, flinching slightly when Daniel said 'Helen Crowley'. "Mentioning the enemy's name for probing ears to hear? That's just asking for trouble."

"This is a safe line," Daniel insisted.

"Mm, I was more or less referring to your location at the Rider House – a.k.a. _Grand Central_ for Hamptons' richest, including some of your key investors," Nolan clarified, tapping away on his keyboard.

Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing around. "How did you know where I was?"

"Don't worry," Nolan assured him. "That one was light detective work – your new secretary is all too happy to share your whereabouts. Keep an eye on that one."

Daniel licked his bottom lip, catching on. Since Ashley's departure he worried that any replacement would be susceptible to infiltration, but until Nolan had mentioned it he hadn't given it a second thought. Associating with the Thorne/Ross pairing was certainly making him keener on his surroundings, if nothing else.

"I'll do that," he replied, slightly exasperated. "In the meantime, can you just look into what I asked?"

"Yes, sir," Nolan complied, ending the call so he could focus.

After hanging up, Daniel left to go back to the office, somewhat unnerved. Nolan's tendency to talk down to him was getting under his skin, and while he still felt in control of the situation, he was beginning to see how easy it was for Emily to shift that dynamic.

Yet despite his focus on affirming his control, Nolan's notions on prying eyes and inquisitive ears were proved right. Unbeknownst to Daniel, while he exited the Rider House, an onlooker remained behind who had overhead the entire conversation and was just a step ahead towards his own pursuit of the Initiative – Aiden Mathis.

 **SCENE**

Nolan did his best to concentrate while his software searching program ran in the background on his monitor, but it was easy to get distracted when it came to a request of this elementary level. He had no real qualm with it, with the exception of the boredom it mandated, forcing him to stay past normal business hours just to keep the program running. To fill the time, he reached out to Padma, who had been noticeably distant ever since her discharge as CEO, despite Nolan's attempts to offer her another position. He perked up when the notification on his phone chimed, signaling her text reply.But not a second later than he could look down to read it, he felt the strong grip of an arm around his neck, followed by a menacing whisper in his ear.

"If you value the person on the other side of that conversation, you'll keep very quiet when I release you, and don't even think of running off," the voice insisted, and Nolan's eyes widened in shock while he nodded emphatically. The grip released from his neck, allowing him to exhale in relief and Aiden emerged from behind him.

" _Aiden?_ " Nolan gasped. "Seriously, was that necessary? I've already been traumatized enough by surprise attacks at _home,_ let alone the workplace—" he cut himself short to cough a bit, clearing his throat and shaking his head in contempt at his forceful approach. Once calmed he observed, "I thought you were gone?"

Aiden came around to lean on Nolan's desk, glancing over at his computer. "Emily may no longer have any use for me but I haven't given up on the Initiative. When my discharge from Grayson Global banned me from the premises, I had to come up with another way in."

Nolan followed his explanation nervously, noticing for the first time that Aiden was dressed like a janitorial worker. Still, much was left unexplained. "Wait – _banned_ from premises?" Nolan emphasized. "I thought Daniel just excused you from the board; Takeda is still an investor?"

Aiden looked down a bit sheepishly, while not dropping his steely façade. "Takeda's not aware I've extended my mission. And I need to keep it that way." His expression intensified. "With your help."

"Hah, so sorry," Nolan lamented sarcastically, shaking his head with conviction. "You're not getting me in trouble with the boss—"

"Daniel's position is short-lived, I assure you," Aiden interjected, his negative thoughts about the young Grayson CEO already churning.

"Uh, not _that_ boss," Nolan clarified. " _Emily_ already has her own plan of action, which in no way or form involves me helpingyou." He begged off, but Aiden only got closer. Nolan reached for his phone, sensing he might need to actually call Emily for back up but he was a second too late for Aiden, who snatched it up off of his desk before he could grab it.

"Does it involve continuing to keep in contact with the enemy?" he taunted, holding it up. "Because I'm almost certain that's a _clear_ violation."

Nolan stood in reach for it but Aiden swatted him away, waiting for an explanation. "Padma is _not_ the enemy," he insisted, growing impatient. "She has _nothing_ to do with this—"

"Oh I beg to differ," Aiden countered, glancing at the open message. "As a matter of fact I have concrete evidence linking her to the Initiative for quite some time now. Information that I would share with you as a friendly courtesy – that is if you'd be willing to do something for me in return?"

"Mm, _blackmail_?" Nolan surmised with an eye roll. "Are you trying to reach some kind of quota for clichés in one day?"

Aiden relaxed slightly, deciding to rely on good faith rather than intimidation. "Listen, my intention was not to threaten you—"

"Coulda fooled me—" Nolan mumbled, but allowed him to finish.

"The truth is my family was affected by that bombing too, and this may be my only chance at finding out what happened to my sister. So while I understand your obligation to Emily, I am _asking_ you to do this for me, Nolan." He paused to clearly emphasize his sincerity. "As a personal favor."

Nolan continued to eye him carefully, strolling over to where Aiden stood. "And if I don't?" he verified, glancing down at the gloves on his hands. "Do I become another casualty of your war on the Graysons?"

"No," Aiden insisted, realizing he should have gone about his requests more diplomatically to begin with. He looked down at the phone, realizing Padma was perhaps the best reference he could use as common ground. "But clearly you know what it's like to have someone you care about not always understand your reasons for what you do. Well that's what it's like for me." He took a breath, feeling a sense of guilt towards the estranged family that he had left behind, and the secrets of which even Emily did not fully know. "Turn me down and they never will," he finished.

Again Nolan pondered, allowing Aiden at last one more chance to plead sincerely, as he handed his phone back over. "Please," he insisted. "Help me this once and I will never ask for your assistance again."

Nolan took a deep breath as he considered carefully what he did next.

 **SCENE**

"Evening Emily, you look terrific as always."

Emily did her best to put on a gracious smile as Daniel welcomed her into Grayson Manor, conscious of the nearby ears of the family. She attempted to take his compliments in stride, not wanting to give off any overly noticeable signs of familiarity.

"Thank you Daniel," she obliged him as she stepped into the foyer, eyeing his formal dinner attire. "As do you. It's lovely of your parents to have me this evening."

With a disbelieving smirk, he leaned in, for a moment making her think he was about to plant a kiss on her cheek. But instead, he moved over a few inches to her ear to whisper. "No need to play sweet for my sake. My parents have already gone in with the rest of the dinner party."

When he pulled away, Emily stiffened a bit; realizing Daniel was in effect telling her to cut the act. She relaxed, despite sensing an air of irritation. "Of course," she replied, easing back into natural interaction. "I take it your mother informed you of my coming?"

"Waiting for me when I returned to my office, in fact," Daniel answered in a dry tone, narrowing his eyes at her. "But I'm sure you already knew that," he added, while Emily cocked an eyebrow. He kept on going. "Just like you knew where I would be this morning _,_ where I went to lunch this afternoon, and likely what time I'm going to bed tonight—"

Emily stepped in, closing the space between them while she spoke in a low voice. "Daniel, is there something wrong?"

He stared back, and Emily sensed he was restraining frustration. "It's just that lately," he confessed. "I've been feeling a bit 'handled'. I know you mean well and I understand we're working together, but it's a little unsettling to have someone ahead of my every move, that's all."

She relaxed back onto her heels, nodding her head down in acceptance. He had a point - perhaps she had been somewhat overbearing in all her planning. But something told her there was more to it. "Is that all that's bothering you?" she asked.

He sighed. "That and… Aiden." Emily began to huff in exasperation but Daniel continued, clarifying his meaning. "No, it's not what you think. He hasn't shown up to work in a few days – since I cut him from the board in fact. Granted, he may be sore about the decision but he's still a representative for Takeda Industries," he paused, watching her facial expression for an answer. "I was wondering if you knew anything about that?"

Emily resisted the urge to look down again, sensing how closely Daniel was circling the truth. It was only a matter of time before he discovered the connection. But instead, she stayed true to her decision to keep it in confidence. "If you must know, I haven't heard from Aiden since I ended things." She stared intently at him, and it was the truth. "I'm not seeing him – or anyone."

He was still uneasy. "Not for my mother's lack of trying though, right?" he guessed, sensing that a push at reconciliation was rather coincidental. Emily's silence answered him so he moved on. "Well, then," he continued, looking her over. "What's on the agenda for tonight? You show up in yet another traffic stopping dress. But Judge Barnes is here so let me guess, still business?"

"Daniel—" Emily began to protest but this time he surprised her with what he already knew.

"I know, he presided over your father's trial," he finished with a grin, while Emily's face tremored in surprise. Though his irritation still loomed under the surface, something about her reaction relaxed him, as if a silent victory. "Yeah I did my homework after you left last year. It's fine, Em. I just…" he trailed off. "I just wanted to know what to expect. And now I do."

A glint of light in Emily's eyes signaled the guilt she felt knowing Daniel had genuine feelings for her. She thought momentarily about aborting the entire evening, but it was all she could do to stand firmly in place, watching Daniel to ensure he was up to continuing.

"Are you sure?" she asked, a loaded question that encompassed both her regret for involving him so deeply and her determination to avenge her father's persecutors. Daniel sensed it.

"I'm sure," he insisted, extending an arm to escort her. "Shall we?"

 **SCENE**

"I actually audited a torts class when I was considering law school as an undergrad back in 2002," Emily offered conversationally over dinner, as she, three of four Graysons and the two Barnes all assembled around the grand table.

"Really?" Daniel interposed with a well-crafted look of surprise her way. "I didn't know that."

Emily sensed the sarcasm in his tone and hoped her decision to stay would not turn out to be for the worst in his current state. While she wasn't overly fearful of his candor, she did worry that his behavior could arouse suspicion. But thankfully, Conrad offered a distraction.

"Daniel, it seems that your tendency to overlook critical detail is not just exclusive to business," Conrad jabbed his way, inciting Daniel to witty comeback.

"The occasional oversight is far less damaging than willful ignorance," he shot back with a pompous look, and Emily sipped her water to keep calm.

"Oh, enough, you two," Victoria broke it up, glancing over at the Barnes. "We have guests."

"A little competition between men is healthy, Victoria," Judge Barnes supported the banter with a hearty grin. "After all, it's the foundation of our great nation, huh?" While he laughed, Emily seized the opportunity.

"That's what my professor said," she replied softly, averting back to the subject. "In fact, Judge Barnes, I believe you knew him. James Palmer?"

The table fell silent, including Daniel, who could only look over at the judge for his response to Emily's bold question.

"Yes." Judge Barnes answered cautiously, turning his attention more fully to Emily. "Yes, of course I knew James. He was a clerk in my court for a time." He began fiddling with his napkin, and Emily picked up on the detail as a sign of uneasiness. "His accident that winter shook up the entire campus."

Patricia piped in next. "He was a good man. His passion for justice was unparalleled."

Emily genuinely raised an eyebrow, not expecting the support. "Patricia, you knew him, too?"

She glanced back up at her and then around the table, a bit self-conscious at her comment. "Only in legacy," she quickly diverted, hoping the topic would pass.

"Which, if I'm not mistaken, includes the infamous David Clarke trial?" Emily continued to push, and both Conrad and Victoria lifted their heads from their plates at the mention. Daniel turned rigid beside her, not realizing just how boldly she planned to breach the subject.

"Emily owns David's house," he found himself speaking up on her behalf, turning slightly to meet eyes with her and then glance back at the judge and his wife. "Naturally, she's developed something of a _historical_ interest in the story." Judge Barnes and Patricia both nodded in understanding, making the connection, while Emily looked over appreciatively to Daniel at the smoothness of his assist.

"Conspiracy theorists show up on my doorstep all the time," she added, sensing an air of relatability might allow for a more favorable response.

Yet, Victoria could always be counted on for divulgence. "To say nothing of David's own daughter Amanda," she added coyly. "She and Emily have become quite friendly lately." Emily grimaced, hoping that Victoria's bold admission would not deflate her momentum.

"Well, no disrespect to your friend, Ms. Thorne," Judge Barnes replied. "But when it comes to that contemptible father of hers, believe me, justice was well served."

Daniel felt the sting of his response in Emily's heart beside him as if it was his own. He watched her sympathetically, but she barely flinched, only stared straight ahead at Judge Barnes. "Sounds like your certainty gives you great comfort?" she suggested.

"I haven't lost a night of sleep over the man, if that's what you're asking," Judge Barnes retorted.

"No, that would be my job," Patricia added, stirring up a nervous laugh from all at the table. With the distraction, Daniel reached over under the table to graze Emily's knee, and squeezed gently in comfort. But his gesture could not stop the fire that had been sparked.

"But, Patricia," Emily continued with passion. "Surely the Liberty Project has been approached countless times about an appeal?"

"No. Actually, it hasn't. None of my husband's verdicts have ever been second-guessed by the organization," she added nervously, resting a hand on the table while her emotions hinted through. "His opinions are above reproach," she finished, and despite her conviction, it was clear she was saying just the opposite.

As Emily watched intently, Judge Barnes reached over to squeeze Patricia's hand, and Emily was certain her wince in pain the moment thereafter was an indicator of more lurking beneath. Daniel too observed the subtle exchange and once again gently tapped Emily beneath the table, as if to warn her not to push further. This time, she listened.

"Hence the Supreme Court nomination," Conrad tacked on, breaking up the slight solemn tone with a raised glass. "Hear, hear," he added, drawing the rest of the company to toast in agreement. Emily raised her glass, but then paused once she noticed Patricia toss her napkin onto the table and rise up.

"Victoria, thank you for the lovely dinner," Patricia announced. "But there's much work to be done before tomorrow's benefit. I'm coming down with a bit of a headache."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Victoria responded. "Should I have something sent to you?"

Patricia nodded, quickly turning to leave. "Thank you."

"I think I'll join you, darling," Judge Barnes declared, not a second behind her, and again Patricia flinched as he rose from the table beside where she stood. She waited submissively for him while he bid farewell to the rest. "Good night, all. Pleasure, Daniel," he added, glancing Daniel's way and then finally to Emily. "Ms. Thorne."

Emily nodded, her eyes smoldering as she watched him walk away.

 **SCENE**

"So what were you able to find out?"

Aiden's entrance to Nolan's personal office at Nolcorp the following afternoon differed greatly from his visit to Grayson Global the night before. Not only was he in business attire but he was much calmed since their discussion, as was Nolan, who rather liked the Takeda alum when he wasn't threatening his life.

"Very little," Nolan replied from his desk as Aiden walked over. "That is, until I stumbled across this gem."

Aiden leaned behind him to watch Nolan's monitor. "What's this?"

"Conrad has his surveillance system backed up and archived," Nolan explained, accessing the footage for Aiden to see and zoning on the find of interest. "This one's from the investor's lunch."

As he cued up the screen, Aiden watched as Helen Crowley stepped into out of sight into a corner of the mansion and spoke privately into her phone. "I enhanced the image and I figured out the number she was calling," Nolan added, clicking over to a closer-up image and then sliding him a slip of paper with the number written out.

"Is it still working?" Aiden asked, stepping back to examine it while he pulled out his phone.

"Sort of," Nolan replied, letting the image play. They watched as Helen mouthed a word into the receiver on screen. "It's voice-activated access. Problem is, I can't read lips. I've tried everything from "integrity" to "Interpol"—"

"Ingredi," Aiden interrupted him, deciphering the image with a keen eye. "She's saying "Ingredi". It's Latin for –"

"Entry," Nolan finished, finally making sense of it. Despite being slightly crazed, he had to admit that Aiden was sharp.

"Very good," Aiden echoed back, dialing the number into his phone and then waiting for the prompt. After the first ring a beep sounded and he cleared his throat. "Ingredi," he spoke clearly, while Nolan looked on.

Almost immediately after, the prompt transferred to a live line and much to his surprise, Helen's voice answered Aiden back. "Mr. Mathis, I presume?"

Aiden's face turned rigid as he answered. "Yes."

"I've been expecting your call," Helen purred back. "I think it's time we meet."

His resolve intensified, Aiden straightened up, ready for the next phase in his own mission to finally take place.

"I couldn't agree more."

 **SCENE**

"You're treading on dangerous waters," Daniel's voice signaled his entry into Emily's beach house as he slipped past the sheers through the open back door. His dress shoes clattered on the wood floor while he walked over in his black tie best, showing up early to escort her to the benefit. After the interest-garnishing display the night before, he could only wonder what she had in store for the upcoming event.

Emily barely moved from where she stood in her backless gown at the kitchen counter, despite being aware of Daniel's presence. She continued clicking through images on her computer screen, responding only once he got close. "You didn't seem so worried last night when you chimed in about my father's house?"

Daniel stopped short, spying an unhooked loop at the top of her garment. He reached over to fasten it for her while he replied, drawing Emily to stiffen slightly at his touch. "Just trying to save you from getting exposed," he replied, a bit symbolically after the helpful gesture. Once he closed the hook he stepped around so he could face her. "Unless that's what you want?"

Emily glanced back with a wry look that said the opposite. "The only person getting exposed tonight is Robert Barnes." She turned the laptop so he could see, and Daniel's face contorted in shock at the graphic images – x-rays of bruises, contusions, and even broken bones.

"What is all of this?" he asked, leaning forward onto the counter.

"Photos of Patricia Barnes' injuries," Emily explained, watching his expression change to one of intrigue. "I'm guessing you noticed that gesture of silence he gave her during the evening?"

"Right before I tapped you?" Daniel recalled, placing the moment.

"Mm, well _his_ grasp appears to be less than affectionate," Emily continued, reading off some of the reports. "Broken collar bone, fractured wrist…"

"You think he's abusing her?" Daniel shook his head in disgust while his eyes fell to the letter sitting on the counter and he began reading the first few lines. _"Dear Mr. Clarke –"_ he paused to look up at Emily at the mention of her father's name and tried to make the connection to Patricia. "Did _she_ write this?"

"I'm beginning to wonder," Emily answered openly. She continued to type, switching over to the other set of records showing on Patricia's file. "It says here, she had a criminal record."

Daniel chuckled to himself, feeling a sense of common ground after his past two summers and Emily's presence beside him. "Yeah, join the club."

Emily acknowledged it with a glance. "Only _her_ judgment was expunged, just like mine," she added, again turning the screen so he could see. "Likely a favor Judge Barnes won't soon let her forget." Additional images of Patricia flicked onto the screen from years ago, showing her in a sea of crowd, clearly an activist.

Daniel exchanged a look of surprise with her. "Not exactly the conservative stately wife we saw last night," he commented.

"No," Emily agreed, then stopped short to double back on a photo that she passed. "Wait, I don't believe this," she exclaimed, zooming in and pointing to a man in the picture. "That's _James Palmer_ next to her!"

Daniel zoned in, following her lead. "That was the court clerk you mentioned – the one that died?" Emily nodded as his expression deepened in recollection. "That's when Judge Barnes seemed to tense up last night."

"No wonder," Emily resolved, putting it together. "He and Patricia were friends. Which means if she did write the letter, whoever killed Palmer believed _he_ wrote it, not her." They both straightened up in simultaneity. "That would scare anyone into silence."

Daniel agreed with a serious look. "Especially if the threat lives under the same roof," he added, recognizing the implication of Judge Barnes' cruelty with a renewed respect for the gravity of Emily's mission. "We should get going," he stated, as if to give her his own vote of confidence in proceeding with her plan.

While he turned and walked towards the back door, waiting for her to join, Emily closed her laptop and grabbed her small purse on the counter, exhaling in anticipation at the take down ahead.

 **SCENE**

"You're in the deep end now, Mr. Mathis – I hope you know how to swim."

Helen's raspy voice barely made it out of her throat before Aiden's strong hands were around it, gripping her from behind similar to how he accosted Nolan the night before, although much more forcefully in this instance. He had waited patiently in hiding for Helen to arrive in the parking garage where they had arranged, desperate more than ever to make her pay for the havoc her organization had wrecked on his family. Nolan had pleaded for him to be careful, but the moment he saw Helen emerge from her car it was a promise he knew he couldn't keep.

Despite his sudden attack she didn't fight him, only remained very still in his grasp, so much so that it scared him, though he didn't let it show. "So it's true," he breathed into her ear instead. "You're with the Initiative. You destroyed my family."

"Nothing personal," Helen assured him calmly, and Aiden only tightened his grip.

"You realize I'm three moves away from snapping your neck?!" he bellowed, but she only smiled back.

"Well, if you do that, how will you ever reunite with your sister?"

 _That_ got his attention. Reluctantly, he released her, setting her free to whirl around while he drew the weapon he had concealed, pointing it in her direction. "Colleen's dead," he informed her.

"Actually, no," Helen insisted in a monotone, readjusting her suit back into place. "When you murdered her kidnapper back in 2006, we realized keeping her alive might someday prove useful." She eyed him over, unfazed by the barrel levied at the center of her head. "Seems someday is upon us."

Aiden could only shake his head in response, never expecting for a moment that his sister could in fact be alive. His arm shook with intensity, and sweat beads began to form on his face, but as Helen inched a step closer he raised his gun again, warning her.

"So tell me, where have you been these last six years?" she pried anyway, to no response in return. "Hmm? Ah, strong and silent. Good for you. Bad for Colleen." She took another step and this time Aiden replied angrily.

"Where is she, bitch?!" He cocked the gun menacingly. "One more step and it's all over."

But despite his threats, Helen knew better that he needed her alive if he were to ensure his sister's interests were safe and she played it to her advantage. Behind her, her car service appeared from around the corner and she half-turned, leave for a commandeering remark. "Next time we meet, you bring your manners, and I'll bring an offer."

With that, she left Aiden stunned into submission as she got into the back seat, rolling down the window for one final threat that outweighed any weapon he could raise to her face. "You mention this meeting to anyone, and you'll never see your sister alive again." She smiled to end the conversation, leaving Aiden to ponder in silence while her car sped away.

"Good-bye, Mr. Mathis."

 **SCENE**

"Well, seeing how you've already mastered the links, Grayson, how do you plan to spend the rest of your retirement?" Judge Barnes prodded Conrad, to laughs in return. They were joined by Daniel and Victoria at the benefit table, while the noise of jazz music and light conversation filled in the background, and guests filtered through to take their seats.

"Retirement is a long way off, Robert," Conrad assured him in response with a careful eye towards Daniel. "This is but a respite from my stewardship of the company."

"Well, it's just one man's opinion, but I think a man of your acumen, wealth, and guile belongs in politics," Judge Barnes flattered him, to strong objection from Victoria.

"Oh, don't go putting ideas in his head, Robert," she pleaded. "It's the last thing this family needs." More laughter followed, with the exception of Daniel, whose silence quickly drew Victoria's interest. She watched him, seeing he was noticeably scanning the room and leaned over to whisper in his direction. "Try not to wear your disinterest so prominently on your sleeve, dear."

Daniel snorted in response, caring little about his father's delusions of grandeur. "Just waiting for my date to return, that's all," he answered back, secretly hoping Emily hadn't ran into any trouble during her attempt to corner Patricia in the ladies room. While Victoria was pleased at the apparent spark between Emily and her son that fit her current intentions, the empty seat only reminded her of Patricia's absence.

"Speaking of," Victoria went on, turning her attention back to Conrad and the judge. "Can we assume Patricia is making the introduction this evening? I take it she's preparing to take the stage."

"Oh, I'm afraid my wife's migraine has not subsided," Judge Barnes replied firmly. "She'd prefer to stay out of the spotlight if she can. Conrad will have the honor of introducing himself tonight," he added, turning back to him.

"Happily," Conrad replied with a toothy grin, taking a final sip of his glass before standing. "Which means, I ought to be getting onstage before we begin."

His arrogance sickened Daniel as he watched him go, but at the same time he was relieved in what he saw in the distance – Emily emerging from the upstairs quarters with a confident look, with Patricia only a few steps behind. Feeling motivated, Daniel instead turned his attention to the Judge and his last remark. "Judge Barnes," he addressed him. "You said your wife was still feeling unwell?"

"Yes," the Judge answered affirmatively. "Afraid she has these bouts more often as we both get older."

Daniel exhaled through his nose and turned up his lip. "Perhaps she's feeling a bit better this time?" he suggested, gesturing with his eyes towards the stage.

As Judge Barnes turned to take note, Patricia confidently stepped onto the platform a few paces behind Conrad, apparently nodding that she was comfortable to proceed. The judge suppressed an irritated look, just as Emily found her way back to the table and nodded discreetly at Daniel while she took her seat.

"It would appear so," the Judge replied with a curious look, slowly rising to his feet. "Excuse me," he addressed them, and turned to take his place up on stage just as the room fell silent while the lights dimmed.

Daniel kept his eyes on him as the audience opened with a round of applause, and from the corner of his eye he spied a smirk ever so slightly cross Emily's face as the proceedings began.

 **SCENE**

"Are you ready for this?"

Declan inquired of his brother timidly, as they stood in close company behind the bar at the Stowaway, waiting for the impending arrest. After sharing his discovery with Jack, he had insisted they seize the opportunity to act, and get them out of unwilling cahoots with the Ryan bothers once and for all. But until all was exposed, they had to be cautious not to give away their intent. Jack glanced over his shoulder to make sure Nate and Kenny were otherwise occupied before nodding back at him, lowering his voice in response.

"I told Amanda to take Carl to my grandmother's for the evening," Jack explained, removing the towel from his shoulder to toss it onto the bar, a nervous habit. "Just in case things get a little out of hand." Again he looked around, checking that the coast was clear. "But my buddy on the force assured me this would be quick – thank goodness you found what you did before they noticed."

"Yeah, well I have Charlotte to thank for that," Declan added, nodding in her direction where she sat with a few of her friends at a table in the back, merely keeping occupied while she waited for a lone moment with Declan. "She's the one who kept them distracted the other day. If not for her I wouldn't have found the drugs—"

"Shh," Jack cut him off, still on edge. Declan remained silent and Jack glanced over at the table. "You really should get her to go home too, Dec, I don't want her here when it happens."

"You don't think I tried already?" Declan shot back with an obvious look. "She won't go. She's already mad as it is that I've hardly spent any time with her the past few days." He glanced over at Kenny, who had just made his way back to the bar but still hadn't looked in their direction. "Can't say I blame her."

Jack nodded, knowing he should let his brother go before it aroused suspicion. "That's not a bad idea. Look, why don't you take her out on the _Amanda_ for a bit—"

"What? Jack, you need me here," Declan insisted, leaning in, but Jack stopped him with a hand, careful to keep his voice low.

"I don't need you here _,_ I need you _safe,_ " Jack insisted with a meaningful look. "Alright? Head out there as soon as you get a chance, hopefully the cops will come and go before you get back. Go."

Declan obeyed his brother hesitantly, perking up a bit once he finally made his way over to Charlotte's table and extended a hand to her. Her face lit up with a bright smile at his invitation and Jack watched in relief from behind the bar as the two of them slipped out the back, headed for the docks.

"Off to make summer love," Kenny's voice crept up behind him, giving him a startle. He watched Jack flinch in response, not realizing that he was watching so intently and then added, "Don't tell me you were keeping an eye on them just now, big brother?"

Jack did his best to play cool, forcing a laugh. "Just making sure he doesn't get into trouble, that's all," he commented, turning to wipe down the bar.

Kenny laughed back, clapping Jack on the back as he made another pass, this time with the bottle he needed. "Nah, but kids gotta have fun – it's summer!" he countered with a smile. "Besides," he added. "He's a smart guy and I'm sure you've already had a talk with him about being safe. How much trouble can he get into, right?"

Jack barely cracked a grin, hoping his inner thoughts didn't show through. "Yeah. Right."

 **SCENE**

"To be falsely accused is a gut-ripping experience. And that's why I plan to redouble my efforts to help the wrongfully accused by donating not only my finances but my time to the Liberty Project, with the hope that someday we may truly live in a world of liberty and justice for all."

Conrad ended his speech with a grand gesture as the crowd erupted in applause and Judge Barnes came up behind him with a proud smile, clapping him on the back before shaking his hand. "Thank you, Conrad," the judge nodded his way and then looked back over his shoulder towards where his wife stood, waiting on the sideline. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce my wife, Patricia Barnes."

Emily watched intently from the crowd as Patricia slowly approached the podium, assuring her with a confident nod. She glanced over at Daniel as if to say, _this is it,_ and he too observed closely as the welcoming applause died down and Patricia began to speak.

"Thank you," she began, taking a deep breath. She assembled her notes in front of her but made clear contact with the crowd, not needing them. "A man far wiser and braver than I once said, 'there may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but let there never be a time when we fail to protest.'"

Her eyes fell on Emily in the crowd as she inhaled sharply before pushing herself to continue. "When I was in law school, I met a man named James Palmer. He was young and bright-eyed, full of hope and integrity. Robert hired James to be his court clerk during the trial of David Clarke. For years after the trial James had wanted to come forward with information that, at the very least, would've resulted in a mistrial."

The crowd began to murmur at her divulgence, and Judge Barnes leaned forward from his seat just beyond her in concern. Patricia turned back slightly to face him but kept going. "But out of concern for my safety, he kept that dark secret hidden. Three days before his death, that secret came out in a letter written to Mr. Clarke in federal prison."

At that she held up the letter in her hand, while Emily nodded anxiously in the audience, clearly having been the one to give it to her during their meeting. It was the last straw to rattle Judge Barnes, and as the crowd watched he rose to his feet to stop her.

" _'Dear Mr. Clarke, I'm afraid you have suffered a grave injustice_ —" Patricia began to read from it anyway, when the Judge placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Patricia _,_ " he urged her forcefully, but she shook free from his grasp in return.

" _Robert,_ " she echoed his name back, just as vehemently and with a look of resignation at what she was doing he let her go, conscious of the crowd of onlookers. He stepped away and she proceeded to continue while cameras shuttered in the background and the guest continued to murmur.

"' _My position has provided me unparalleled access to the system_ ,'" she read on. " _Judge Barnes has failed you, Mr. Clarke, as have I.'_ " She straightened up as she finished it and set it down before her. "You see, what James knew is what Judge Barnes knew, which is that the verdict rendered in the David Clarke trial came from a tainted jury. I believe that this letter cost James the ultimate price. But James didn't write it." She paused for emphasis, staring out at the flashing lights of the ruffled crowd before her. "I did."

The audience gasped at her admission, while estranged looks came over both Conrad's face up on stage and Victoria's in the crowd. At the table, both Daniel and Emily held their heads high with pride over Patricia's confession, fully aware of the courage it took for her to finally tell the truth. But she didn't stop there. As Judge Barnes watched in obvious protest, Patricia turned to face him once again.

"And today my husband, Robert Barnes, stands to inherit a great deal more power. And the greater the power," she concluded, a bit emotionally as she unbuttoned the jacket she wore, her hands shaking. "The greater the potential for abuse."

With that, the crowd erupted in even more camera flashes and murmuring as Patricia stood before them, covered in deep bruises all over her arms, neck and chest. She wore her wounds for the first time without shame, leaving that expression for her husband to experience while he exited the stage with his head down.

Victoria gasped beside Daniel at the table, glancing around at the many others who were shocked and alarmed by the sight before them and the clear exposition of corruption in an esteemed place. But for Emily, it was quite no surprise. Rather, it was confirmation – an invigorating reminder that no level of power was too great for her to breach in her quest for revenge.

 **SCENE**

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're closing _The Stowaway_ early this evening by order of the Montauk P.D.!"

Despite knowing they were coming, the sudden arrival of the Montauk police still startled Jack when they burst through the doors, entering in a group of four or five officers and a canine from the narcotics unit. Immediately customers looked over at the commotion, which was more than enough to send Nate and Kenny into frenzy where they were taking orders behind the bar.

"Put your drinks down, people, and head for the exits!" the head officer commanded, singling out a few trailing customers. "That means you! Drinks down!" he emphasized, and the patrons immediately complied.

Jack did his best to be discreet, wearing a look of surprise while the officers escorted everyone off the premises and then immediately turned for the supply room to begin the search. He came over to where Nate and Kenny were inching over in protest and watched for their reaction.

"Hey, is there a problem, officer?" Nate questioned, doing his best to block the door to the supply room with his body.

"Step aside, son," the head officer commanded him, plowing forward as his canine let out a menacing bark and began sniffing in the general direction.

Nate put his hands up defensively and shot a knowing glance over at Jack, who could only manage to look away, realizing he was onto him. Somewhat out of the loop, Kenny stepped in between them to try to sort out what was happening. "What's going on here?" he asked, but Nate only shook his head angrily. He turned next to Jack. "Jack, do you know anything about this?"

Jack toughened up, still not divulging, but seeing no point in playing dumb. "Hey, I been here for 10 years and never once got closed down on a search. You're the new guys," he leered towards them. "You tell me?"

Nate bit his bottom lip menacingly, already putting together what was about to happen and their silent standoff only lasted a few more minutes before the police emerged, the dog barking wildly as they held up their first find – a hefty sized bag of cocaine, concealed in the coffee grains.

Simultaneously, two officers broke off from the search party and gripped both Nate and Kenny before they even knew what was happening to them, shoving them face-forward against the bar to begin putting cuffs on.

"Nate Ryan, Kenneth Ryan, you are both under arrest—" the officer began.

"Hey, come on, that stuff's not mine!" Nate insisted over his shoulder, now throwing a death glare at Jack.

"—for possession and distribution of narcotics—" the officer continued on, reading them their rights as another detective came over to Jack with a clipboard.

"Jack Porter," he addressed him. "As of right now, everything in that back room is officially closed off for the duration of investigation. Can you cooperate while we ask a few questions?"

Jack looked over again from Nate to Kenny, who were both wriggling while the cops finished restraining them, but presently weren't resisting arrest other than shouting out a few complaints.

"You don't understand, I had nothing to do with this!" Kenny insisted, looking over at his brother. "Nate, what the hell did you get us into?"

The officers began to escort them off the property to the police car while Jack watched and listened to one last outcry from Nate. "This isn't over, Porter!" he sneered at him, puffing out his chest. "I'll be out in no time, and then you are gonna pay—"

"That's enough!" the arresting officers pushed them on through and Jack winced as Kenny looked back at him in surprise and disbelief that he had turned them in after everything they did for him.

"Mr. Porter?" the detective was still waiting on an answer.

Jack finally snapped back to attention. "Yeah," he rushed quickly, running a hand through his hair. "Absolutely, if we could just make this as quick as possible my wife and brother should be home soon."

"Trust me, this will be fast," the detective assured him, giving him a few papers to begin signing. Jack leaned forward and began to help proceed with the investigation, feeling satisfied that it soon be all over. But as he scribbled his name at the bottom of his page, a small part of him wondered had he truly spared his family from the threat at present, or had he only sealed their fate for the future?

 **SCENE**

"The truth was bound to come out."

Emily's voice greeted Daniel as he came around the corner of the benefit entrance. Guests were still exiting and his father was currently seizing the opportunity to court the media, but true to form, Emily had dipped off into a safe haven from it all just outside. He turned back as soon as he heard her and walked over, anxious to catch up.

"Apparently so," Daniel agreed, strutting over. He gave her a half grin that both acknowledged her expertise at orchestrating Patricia's public admission and his own admiration for her desire to. "There's no chance Judge Barnes will make it to Supreme Court now, much less sit on another stand for the rest of his career. This is a triumph for you."

Emily stared ahead. "It's a triumph for Patricia," she stated, in partial correction. She turned to meet eyes with him. "And for my father. One step closer to the rest of the truth coming forward."

Daniel nodded, the topic suddenly bringing a different subject to mind. "Speaking of truth, have you seen Charlotte lately?"

Emily shook her head, none suspecting. "Not really," she answered, thinking. "Although Amanda mentioned she's been spending a lot of time at the Stowaway. Why?"

"Just curious when you plan to tell her who you really are," Daniel replied honestly. He glanced back towards the benefit. "For a second, I imagined what it would be like if it were _you_ up there." Emily furrowed her brow and he explained further. "You know, once this is all over and your father's name is cleared. Telling the world who you really are?"

Emily inhaled a deep breath. "I think I'm still a ways off from that—"

"That is what you plan to do though, isn't it?" Daniel continued, cutting her off with an intense look. He softened when her face grew rigid at the question. "I mean, at least Charlotte deserves to know who you really are. Who her _sister_ is – while she gets closer to someone she thinks is _you._ "

Emily straightened up. "You know Charlotte is still healing."

"You think this will help?" Daniel countered.

"I do actually," she reinforced, becoming faintly perturbed at the implication.

Daniel nodded, not expecting much less and instead preceded with his own opinion. "Well for your information, Charlotte found a man nearly beaten to a pulp the other day," he informed her, to a look of surprise in return. For once he was sharing something she didn't already know. "Yeah apparently hanging around Jack's bar isn't quite the best for her either," he added meaningfully.

Emily looked off into the distance, ready for the discussion to end as she spied his mother and Conrad coming through the doors a few feet away. "I'll talk to her," she promised, and there was finality in her tone.

Daniel glanced in the direction of where she kept watching and realized her discretion was due to his parents' emergence, particularly his father who was followed by a sea of press. "He's talking like he's running for office," Daniel observed, changing the topic. He turned back to Emily. "Just when I thought I took him down he grows back two heads."

"It does seem rather aggressive," Emily agreed, looking on. "But nothing a conversation with your new friend shouldn't help shed light on."

It was Daniel's turn to wrinkle his brow. "Helen?" he asked, guessing correctly. "I thought the Initiative cut ties when I replaced him?"

"Maybe," Emily held an open expression. "Maybe not," she added. As her eye caught Victoria looking in their direction she suddenly pecked Daniel on the cheek, surprising him with the gesture while using it to whisper in his ear, much like he had done at dinner the night before. "Find out."

She stood back and prepared to walk away, turning the affectionate sign into a farewell. "In the meantime, I'll talk to Charlotte."

Daniel nodded as she walked away, enjoying a sense of pride of what had just transpired, the first time he felt he might have actually influenced _her_ for a change. He turned to watch her leave and that's when he caught his mother in the distance, smiling back at him, clearly having seen the whole exchange and Emily's departure. But despite his foreknowledge that her presence might have also influenced Emily's friendly exit, it would not dispel the evening's success. In that moment their connection had felt real and Daniel decided that rather than let the spark dwindle and burn out as it already had so many times this summer, he would act on it before it had the chance.

 **SCENE**

"Jack?"

Emily called out nervously as she entered the unusually dark and empty _Stowaway_ , making her conscious of the hour. She checked her watch and realized it still wasn't as late as the appearance suggested, but something told her more was afoot than an early night off. Jack was down the stairs in seconds and she knew she would soon have answers.

"Hey," she greeted him as he walked up, letting go a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She allowed the door to shut behind her and walked halfway through the bar to meet him. "Is everything alright, I saw patrol cars leaving?"

"Yeah," Jack lamented with a tired look that spoke volumes. "They're just leaving. We…. sort of had a bust."

Emily's eyes widened. "Oh my goodness. Is everything okay?"

Jack shrugged, resting against the bar. "Ah, turns out – our great new partners, Nate and Kenny? Not so great after all. Nate was using the _Stowaway_ as a cover for trafficking and it's pretty likely that Kenny knew the entire time. Even set the whole thing up from the start of the summer."

"My God, that's horrible," Emily sighed in response, folding her arms. She stole a quick glance around. "How's Amanda and Carl? And Declan?"

"They're fine," Jack assured her with a smile. "Declan actually helped me figure it out, he was smart enough to see through their schemes. He and Charlotte actually distracted the two of them so they could find out what they were into. I just called a buddy of mine to make the search happen…" he trailed off, a bit uneasily and Emily could sense that there was more to the story that he wasn't just yet ready to reveal. But rather than force him, she did her best to be comforting.

"Well thankfully your family is safe now," she supplemented. "That's all that matters."

"It is," Jack agreed, folding his arms contentedly. "It is." His eyes seemed to drift before falling on her again, and there was sweetness in them that reminded her of the night almost exactly a year ago, when he confessed his feelings. Emily stirred for a moment, unsure why just the gentlest of looks from Jack could make her feel so uneasy and looked away, self-consciously.

"Speaking of family," she continued on. "Ah, _Daniel_ ," she emphasized, covering her own indirect reference. "He's a bit worried about Charlotte. So am I, actually – I guess we have reason to be."

"Charlotte's doing okay," Jack assured her again with a hand. "Don't worry, I made sure her and Declan weren't around for the arrest, she's been through enough with what happened to Matt Duncan last week."

Emily pursed her lips. "I heard."

Jack gestured with a hand towards the steps. "She's actually in the nursery with Carl, she wanted to help out and let Amanda get some sleep." Emily smiled at her thoughtfulness and Jack stepped aside a nod. "Go 'head, you can go right up."

"Thanks, Jack," Emily smiled again at him and then stepped past, slipping up the steps while Jack watched her from below.

 **SCENE**

 **"** Charlotte?"

As Emily poked her head into the room, her sister looked up from where she was cradling Carl, swaying softly in the rocking chair. Her face lit up at the sight of her, and she mouthed Emily's name in return, conscious not to speak too loudly as Carl slept in her arms. She gently rose from the seat and moved to return him to the crib while Emily watched; admiring her sister's ginger placement of the sleeping infant and the tender way she covered him over in his crib. She stepped back so they could slip out of the room quietly and then followed her over to the back deck of the upstairs room where they could talk.

"So are you alright?" Emily asked once they were able to speak normally.

"Emily, it was unbelievable, did Jack tell you?" Charlotte replied with bright eyes, securing the door.

"Yes, everything," Emily replied. "Even how you helped out beforehand, apparently?"

"Ugh, it was nerve-wracking!" Charlotte gushed, recalling the other day. "I can only imagine what would've happened if Nate caught Declan when he found the drugs by himself!"

"Well thank goodness they didn't," Emily added, relieved. The mention of drugs from Charlotte's mouth unnerved her a bit. "Your family is a little worried about you. I was with them this evening – I think they hope you haven't deserted them all together?"

Charlotte laughed it off. "Oh, in between parading from party to party they actually have time to think about me?" She grinned to a knowing look from Emily. "That's rich." She shook her head, staring out over the railing. "Don't worry, I could never forget about Danny. It's just being here with Declan… and Amanda and little Carl? It just feels more like home, somehow?"

Emily nodded graciously. "I understand." She recalled how familiar Charlotte seemed to be with Carl just a few moments ago and fought feelings of guilt, knowing they were not the real family she thought them to be. She pondered how she could possibly word the truth, but before even an inkling crossed her mind, Charlotte went on.

"And there's something else," she began, turning to face Emily eye-to-eye. "Tonight after Nate and Kenny got taken away, I got this strange rush?"

Emily furrowed her brow in concern. "What do you mean?"

Charlotte searched for how to describe. "It was like I _helped_ right a wrong, you know? I mean I thought I would be scared but I was actually excited by it." Emily appeared to be a bit taken back, so Charlotte leaned in to make her point. "I mean Emily, if you saw what they did to Matt Duncan – it was horrible! But now they get to pay for their actions. I guess it just… it just feels good to be a part of something… good. It's like a natural high," she looked at her, hoping she understood. "Does that make any sense?"

Emily sighed meaningfully, knowing there was no way she could intimate to her just how much sense that made. It awoke a sharp jolt of reality – they were related after all. It was only natural that Charlotte eventually inherit the same sense of justice. Although Emily worried over her sister's struggle with addiction, a part of her could relate when it came to getting revenge. And naturally, it was a much safer vice.

"Of course it does," was all Emily could answer back.

"That being said," Charlotte continued. "I don't know if I can ever be around my parents again." She knew it was a final thing to say but she felt determined. "It's just now that I know about some of the things they've done – I'm just ashamed of who they are? I thought they were good but," she paused for confirmation from Emily. "I'm not so sure anymore."

Emily swallowed, closing her eyes at her admission, like hearing music to her ears. But it was all she could do not to capitalize on Charlotte's moment of vulnerability. Regardless of what Daniel said, she was in a fragile state. Emily knew it well, as she had been there before herself. So rather than test her limits, she knew better that only time would allow for her to find the strength to face the truth.

"I know how you feel," Emily assured her, relating. "And thankfully, you have somewhere you _do_ feel safe right now, with people you can trust, that love you." An image of Jack, the way she left him at the bottom of the stairwell crossed her mind. "Good people," she added. "But just know, your brother and I – we care about you too."

Charlotte wrinkled up her face in desperation to clarify. "Oh, Emily, in no way does this have anything to do with you or Daniel! You know how much I care about you!" She suddenly threw her arms around her, pulling her into a hug, and again Emily's guilt showed on her face as she squeezed her back.

"In fact," Charlotte added, pulling away. "I've been kind of hoping you and Danny would… get back together." She watched her nervously, knowing she was hoping for a lot, but couldn't help but want a woman she respected and looked up to for her brother. "You said you were with him tonight, didn't you? So, is there any chance?"

Emily suppressed a small chuckle, putting her head down. "Time will tell."

 **SCENE**

"Guard says you asked to see me?" Detective Fuller took a seat in the interrogation room across from Nate Ryan, who despite his restraints and a few beads of sweat from being held in the sweltering cell for a few hours, appeared calm and collected.

"That's right," Nate answered, his cuffs clattering on the table as he folded his hands. "I've got some information that I think you'll find valuable."

Detective Fuller sniffed a laugh, glancing over at his partner who stood in the corner. "That so?" he tried him.

Nate smoldered but continued. "I'm sure it looks like this is just a plea to get off, but trust me. What I know is bigger than some lightweight drug bust."

The other detective laughed aloud from the corner of the room while Detective Fuller smiled in addition, but Nate stayed focused on him, intensifying his expression. "I don't know about that, buddy," Detective Fuller replied finally. "Today's bust wasn't exactly a misdemeanor. Neither was it your first run-in with this business. You're lookin' at some heavy time."

Nate raised his eyebrows, hinting. "You could be looking at a promotion after you hear what I have to offer."

Detective Fuller finally leaned forward before his partner could break into hysterics. "Alright, enough of the gag," he sighed. "Say what you've got or you can save it for story time in the penn."

Nate leaned forward also, matching him. "Murder," he stated plainly. "First degree. With the weapon sitting right under your nose."

"Where's that?"

"Right where you boys were today," Nate replied with a grin, leaning back. "You were too busy worrying about me to notice your informant isn't as innocent as he looks."

Detective Fuller huffed. "Jack Porter? He's as clean as a whistle."

Nate leaned in again. "Yeah, well dig deeper. Cause the only reason my brother and I even _got_ into business with him is because we knew he was desperate for a cover." He nodded, drawing in Detective Fuller's attention. "That's right. Only we had no idea just how close to home it hit. The guy's been covering up for years. Our theory is, soon as he found out we made him? He tried to shut us up by getting us pinned for _his_ crimes."

Detective Fuller sighed again, incredulous. "So you're telling me that not only are those substances confiscated _not_ yours, but they're _Jack Porter's_ , and he was covering up because you were going to pull the plug on him for _murder_?" He shifted in his seat, interested but still partially disbelieving. "Oh and, you claim to know where the murder weapon is?"

"That's exactly right, Detective," Nate stared him down.

"Well murder's not much of a claim without a victim," Detective Fuller went on, goading him into talking more. "Since you know so much, I take it you've got that information too?"

"Of course I do," Nate continued, taking a deep breath and squinting in the overhead light as he prepared to complete his incrimination. "How could I ever forget that? It was Joe Ryan. My father."

 **SCENE**

"How'd it go with Charlotte?"

Daniel's voice welcomed Emily as she slowly walked up the steps, only just feeling the day's exhaustion as she arrived at home. She expected him to be there after they parted ways at the benefit, but the relief of seeing him seemed to resonate from a place that was unrelated to her mission. With a guarded smile to herself she realized she missed having someone there to come home to. After Nolan moved out and things with her and Aiden ended abruptly, she had barely any time to recognize how much she enjoyed having a companion. It was a rare selfish thought that she normally would disregard as quickly as it came, but tonight she allowed herself the pleasure as she joined Daniel on her porch.

"There was a detour," she replied, leaning over on the railing next to him. "Trouble with Jack's partners at the Stowaway."

Daniel shook his head, as if to say, _I told you so,_ but instead tried to be more sympathetic. "Is everyone alright?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "As it turns out, Charlotte aided in getting Jack and Declan out of a deal with some pretty manipulative people. The cops arrested the perps and took them in." She turned to face him, her hair blowing in the gentle evening breeze. "She helped save the day."

"Following in her sister's footsteps," Daniel observed, peering at her through his eyelashes and she had to submit a look in return, already having pondered the subject.

"At any rate, it just wasn't the right time. But someday… I will tell her." She stared out towards the sea, watching the infinite waves rush in and retract, wondering if she truly could fulfill that promise. "How'd it go with Helen?" she asked, not in a hurry to dwell on it.

"No mention of my father but that doesn't mean anything," Daniel answered wisely. "She is however, still on the prowl for intel. Just not for Grayson Global anymore. I reported back what Nolan's program ran and after I told her it was basically a dead end – she shifted her attention to Nolcorp."

"Nolcorp?" Emily intensified in curiosity. "Hm. I need to get with Nolan." She straightened back up and Daniel noticed the clasp at the top of the back of her gown had opened again, just as it had earlier.

"Wait," he gestured softly, attempting to fix it. But when Emily realized what he was doing she reached a hand over her shoulder to tap his hand.

"Leave it," she replied gently. "I'm turning in anyway." Something made her glance upwards while Daniel was still behind her and in an instant she thought she spied Victoria looking down from her balcony, observing them from a distance. But just as quickly, she disappeared and Emily had a split second to think before turning around. "I appreciate you telling me."

"About the clasp?" Daniel guessed with a laugh.

Emily chuckled back, putting her head down for a moment. "No, about Nolcorp." She looked back up. "You know, we've worked well together these last two days."

"We have," Daniel agreed, thinking something. "In fact I was hoping to extend that sentiment…" Emily raised an eyebrow, unsure of his meaning, but his explanation cleared it up. "After hearing about my father's interest in politics tonight, I decided I can't just clean up the image he left behind with Grayson Global – I need to replace it with a new one."

"What did you have in mind?"

"A department you'd be more familiar with than I," he replied. "Charitable foundations."

Emily smiled back, understanding. "Your turn to use _me_?"

Daniel laughed. "Is that a problem?" he challenged her lightly, glancing over her form. "Strictly business, right?"

Emily only held her smile while she shook her head at his fair request, unable to put a few stray thoughts out of her mind. _Power can be hoarded by the mighty or stolen from the innocent,_ she thought. _But power provides the ability to choose._ An instinct that had been tugging in her since she sensed a more independent spirit over the past few days now signaled that perhaps Daniel was making the right choice. And while she had vacillated over her confidence in him in the past, it was hard not to feel more encouraged now. His support of Patricia Barnes' revelation, his clear determination to rebuild Grayson Global's image, and even his concern over Charlotte all amounted into a new person evolving before her. In a word, he was refreshing.

Daniel watched the light flicker in her eyes, and while he felt confident that she would support him, he didn't want to push his luck. "You don't have to answer now," he added, squeezing her hand and preparing to walk away. "Just think about it."

But before he was but a few steps off, Emily realized just how foolish she was being at even letting him think there was any decision to make, especially considering how boldly she had been commandeering his decisions of recent. She stepped forward to catch him, reaching out a hand to pull him back by the arm. "Daniel," she breathed. "You know I don't need to think about it. My answer's 'yes'."

In parallel, the next thing that happened also required very little thought. Daniel only needed to stare back into her full brown eyes for a moment before his lips made the decision his mind had been thinking for some time. He leaned towards her in response and kissed her – first softly with dearness of appreciation, and then passionately with intensity of desire. He cupped her face gently with a hand and leaned in closer, pushing her back a step so that she steadied her balance by wrapping an arm around him in return.

Emily's mind went blank for a moment, allowing her to enjoy the indulgence yet even further than the companionship she initially envisioned when she returned home. The tiny semblance of guilt that rested in her soul reminded her of the last time she gave in to selfish feelings, but something between this time and the last felt different, though she couldn't immediately pinpoint what it was. Perhaps it had something to do with seeing Victoria just moments before; serving as a reminder of the power she knew she had over Daniel's heart. Knowing that truth somehow served as a protection, saved her from going too far but also endeared him to her, preserving the image of innocence he seemed to hold in her own heart. Yet her mind was still quite aware of the clear danger. _The use of power is not to be taken lightly,_ she thought. _For it is never without consequence…_

Her thoughts could be no more proved true than by the onlooker that watched the two kissing, unbeknownst to them both. There, lurking in the shadows of the home Emily had not yet walked into, waited Aiden Mathis– anxious to tell her of the news he had discovered, but now enraged by the scene he had happened upon instead.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: You guys! Omg it feels like it's been forever! Please tell me if you even still care about this story lol… Sorry I've gotten away from regular updates but with much longer chapters and it being summer, time is just not on my side! =( My apologies, but I do hope you enjoyed and would LOVE to hear your feedback on the major advancements in this chapter. I know some have commented that they still want some jealousy/interchange with Aimily before we go full throttle with Demily, and I promise just bc the ending was happy doesn't mean that's not in store. Especially if you can anticipate how Aiden will react in this alternate universe! But for the hardcore Demily shippers that need regular 'feels' – this was for you! ;) So I hope you liked it and had fun reading some of the other changes with Lydia/Conrad and the Ryan brothers. That was pure fun! And it will have some repercussions that I bet u can guess ;) I also felt Charlotte/Emily were in need of some sister time. So all that was packaged up for you loyal readers! SOOO your turn! Pls let me know if u DO want this story to continue and what you thought! Thanks for the feedback and hoping to update soon – faster this time! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	11. Chapter 11: Sabotage

**Chapter 11: Sabotage**

 _They say the best-laid plans often go awry. Because no matter how detailed the preparation a plan will always have a weak point. And there will always be those looking to exploit it - to doom a plan to failure, and the perpetrator along with it…_

Despite the euphoric sensation that still lingered on her lips from the kiss, as soon as Daniel departed and Emily turned to enter her house, she immediately felt a sense of uneasiness. Her trained perception picked up on danger nearby and she slipped off her heels in a quick motion, leaning gently up against the front table to retrieve her gun from the drawer. But when her hand grazed the inside, it came up empty. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for what assailant could be waiting with her weapon in hand. But before she could think, he emerged from the shadows, drawing her to spin around in anticipation, throwing an elbow to his face. Instead, he caught her arm with a swift move, twisting her about to face him in a sliver of moonlight. "Looking for this?" Aiden asked, and taunted her with the gun in hand.

Relieved it was him and no one else, Emily relaxed as he released her and snatched it from his hand. He merely shook his head while she glared back at him in anger. "Where have you been?!" She removed and re-secured the clip, tossing it back in the drawer. "I thought you went back to Takeda!"

"You thought or you _wanted_?" Aiden leered, inching closer. He glanced towards the direction of the porch. "Seeing as how convenient that makes it for you to fall back in with Daniel?"

Emily heaved a sigh, not having enough time to calculate a response given how fresh their moment was. "Look I'm sorry you had to see that," was all she could manage, becoming businesslike. "But we had a deal, Aiden. And then you disappeared, what was I supposed to do?" She shook her head at him, knowing that despite her strong point, he was already zoning in on her evident feelings. "Like it or not, Daniel is the best remaining link to the people who destroyed our families."

"You keep telling yourself that, don't you?" Aiden retorted, glancing down his nose at her. He eventually brushed past, heading for the kitchen. He knew she was right – on their last meeting she had pledged her continued support despite ending their relationship together. It was him that chose to go his own way, whether out of spite or indignation. And he could not complain now that Emily had moved forward with the plan. He watched as she followed behind him in expectation. "Regardless, I didn't come here to keep tabs on you and Daniel. I came to tell you that Helen Crowley made contact with me. Or more accurately, she allowed me to make contact with her."

Emily's eyes narrowed in concern. "The Initiative knows who you are?"

"Not entirely. Takeda's security measures seem to have held up," Aiden assured her with a direct look. He already expected her to fear for her privacy. "They don't appear to know anything about you or our deeper connection."

"What did she want from you?" Emily continued to pry, leaning on the counter.

"My complicity," he answered. A rigid calm came over his face. "She told me that Colleen was still alive."

Emily sympathized without hesitation, but her instincts knew better. "Did she offer you proof?"

Aiden's eyes remained set ahead, stern. "No."

"Then there's no reason to believe them," she insisted. "They will say _anything_ to manipulate you—"

"I understand that, but look," Aiden plowed ahead, turning to face her. "If she thinks I'm under their thumb then we've got a direct line to the Initiative. This could be exactly the contact we need without you having to get close to Daniel." He studied her eyes, waiting for acceptance of his proposal, but rather than eagerly fall in line, Emily hesitated, looking down. Aiden watched her reaction and it only reaffirmed what he was thinking. "Unless that's what you want?"

Emily started to explain but it was to no avail. "Aiden—"

"Right then, I'll handle it myself." He cut her short, not wanting her to finish as he started for the door.

"Aiden wait, that could be dangerous—" Emily protested.

He half turned before throwing it open. "Well I don't have much of a choice, do I?" He paused to take in her elegant form, still in that night's evening gown and it only confirmed the conflict he felt inside. "I'll be sure to keep in touch this time," he added and slammed the door shut behind him.

With Aiden gone, Emily was finally alone in her home to think. She instinctively retrieved her Infinity Box and set it on the kitchen counter, perusing through for a photo of Judge Barnes and Patricia while she replayed the evening in her head. With photo in hand, she removed the cap on her red Sharpie marker and crossed two bold lines over Judge Barnes' face, and then cut the photo down the middle. As she stared at Patricia's face on the other half, she thought back to the benefit – to the moment of revelation and to Daniel's comment shortly thereafter. His words echoed in her mind. _What would it be like if it were you up there? Once this is all over and your father's name is cleared. Telling the world who you really are?_

She shook the thought from mind but it was hard enough to shake the feelings that accompanied it. In the short time that they had spent working in tandem, the bond with Daniel had deepened, no doubt culminating in the passionate expression only minutes ago. But as Aiden's presence often served to reveal, it was a weakness, one that she knew could not be afforded at this critical hour. Yes, she needed Daniel, but there had to be a way to keep him close without allowing her feelings to cloud her judgment. The only problem that remained was she had still not yet figured out how…

 **SCENE**

"Something told me you'd be stopping by this morning."

Nolan could always be counted on for a blasé greeting during a surprise appearance, especially of Emily showing up to his second office at Grayson Global. He had developed an inner timeline of when to expect her, and after not touching base within the past 24 hours he knew she would not disappoint.

"We need to talk," she started right away. "Aiden's back."

"You know, it's always nice to hear yesterday's news – today," Nolan replied dryly, prompting Emily to turn her nose up in surprise. "He already showed up here – looking for a way to get to Helen Crowley," he confessed, facing her.

Emily leaned forward onto his desk. "And you _helped_ him?"

"I didn't have much of a choice," he replied simply, coming over to where she stood. "While you were out dallying with darling Danny, Master Mathis was being more than persuasive." He folded his arms as Emily rolled her eyes in unison.

"This is just what I was worried about. I'm not sure we can trust him – especially now that he thinks his sister is still alive."

Nolan was intrigued. "You really think she is?"

"I'm not convinced until I see evidence," Emily stood her ground firmly.

Nolan shrugged with the signature upturn of his lips. "Well in the meantime, I think we can officially add Padma to the list of loose ends that need tying – while Aiden was sneaking his way onto Grayson Global property he overheard her making a suspicious phone call. I tracked it and he's right – she's been in contact with the same number Helen used to call him."

"Nolan," Emily closed her eyes in confirmation. "I tried to tell you…"

"I know, I know," Nolan obliged his friend's sharp tendency to be right with a wave of his hand, still hopeful. "So now my only question is – is she working for them? Or, is she on her _own_ mission to take them down?"

Emily shook her head at his naiveté. "Nolan, I know it's hard for you to face it but she had to have been involved since the beginning. Not to mention what Daniel told me last night." He tilted his head in expectation. "Helen reached out to him. That wild goose chase she sent you on through Grayson Global? It was just a ploy that led to what she really wanted – Nolcorp."

This time his resignation at the betrayal was more solid. " _What?"_ he gasped.

"Padma helped orchestrate the Nolcorp acquisition from the first day you two met, Nolan." Emily glanced around the room, searching with her eyes aimlessly. "This could be what the Initiative's been after all along – there must be something of value that only your company has and they knew exactly what to do to get it."

Nolan stepped away as the reality came crashing down. "There is," he muttered. "Carrion."

Emily watched him walk off, and followed behind, headed for the door. "Look you can explain later, but in the meantime you can't let on to Padma that you know. If she is in contact with the Initiative they'll be watching her every move."

"Right," Nolan digressed, still stunned.

Emily placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder before going out. "I'll catch up with you after my meeting with Daniel."

 **SCENE**

"Glad to see you could make it."

Nate stared through the glass window pane at the frightened face that gaped back at him. It was not an unexpected one, despite being the first allowed visit of the day at the correctional facility. And while Nate was certain it was his visitor's first time at a prison, he also knew the eerie surroundings were not the only reason behind the fear in the eyes across from him.

There sat Charlotte, nervously pressing the phone receiver to her mouth to respond. "I only came because you said it involved Declan," she breathed, her voice trembling as it echoed back to the other side into Nate's ear. She had a sudden surge of confidence. "But I'm here to tell you that your days of torturing him and Jack are over."

"Is that so?" Nate challenged her, wondering if it was a mistake to trust Charlotte with his phone call. But a closer look at her uneasy demeanor assured him he had made a clever choice. No matter how determined she appeared to remain loyal to her boyfriend and his family, there was no doubt in his mind that he could still exploit that trait to his favor.

"I remember the story you told me," Charlotte braved on. "And I'm sure you weren't just 'stuck' with the drugs back then. So I have no problem testifying to what you did now." She took a deep breath, hoping her conviction would end his vendetta.

Nate was not so easily shaken. "But you only know half the story," he alleged. He played her knowledge against her. "I know why you think me and Kenny are so bad; it's because you found Matt Duncan and Declan has you convinced we had something to do with it. But why don't you ask him, or better yet ask _Jack_ the truth about what Matt did to our father, and how he's been helping him cover it up?"

Charlotte's eyes narrowed. "That's a lie, Jack would never do that."

"If you're so sure, why not ask him?" Nate sneered, exhaling a chuckle through his nose. "And while you're at it, look under the boards on the _Amanda_. I think what you find might surprise you." He watched closely as Charlotte's eyes averted downwards, betraying the slightest shadow of a doubt. Nate leaned in closer to the glass. "And when you do? Come back to see me and I'll tell you how you can help save your boyfriend and his brother from landing in the cell next to mine."

With that he hung up the phone, standing up so his guard could escort him out, while Charlotte sat in deep thought, the fate of her world seemingly resting on her shoulders.

 **SCENE**

"Your 9:00 am, Emily Thorne, is here."

At the announcement from reception, Daniel's face lit up noticeably and he rose from his desk, switching on his intercom to respond. "Thank you, Grace. Send her in."

In Emily walked, somewhat flustered as she turned to close the door behind her and spun around to meet Daniel's enthusiastic greeting. "Good morning," he welcomed, planting a kiss squarely on her unsuspecting mouth and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Oh!" she mumbled, jolting back slightly. "Ah, morning," she returned, shrinking away slightly.

Daniel stood back, observing her disjointedness at his gesture. "I'm sorry," he shrunk back, worrying he had become comfortable too soon. "Was that not okay—" he began.

"No, it's, uh—" Emily stammered, touching her lips reflexively.

"I just thought after last night," Daniel explained. "We - we did kiss, right? I didn't dream that?"

Emily chuckled, trying to soothe him with a smile. "Yes, and please don't get me wrong, it was – it was great I just um," she searched for words.

Daniel guessed them, knowing her better than she realized. "You just want to make sure we take this slow," he offered, watching her eyes.

"Yes." She sighed gratefully. "That and," she fumbled, uncertain of whether it was even worth it to address Aiden's return openly. "It's just been a hectic morning."

Daniel nodded in understanding, leaning back on his desk to cross his arms. "Same here," he went on; glancing towards the door and then his next words rattled her. "Your, ah, your ex is back."

Emily's head jerked up in surprise, bewildered how he already knew. Her reaction in turn pleased Daniel, as he mistook her shock as a sign the former lovers were no longer in contact. "Aiden's here?" she asked cautiously.

"Yeah, he finally showed up to continue his duties standing in for Takeda," Daniel explained. "I take it he's done sulking over not being on the board and ready to work."

"Mm," Emily surmised, keeping her thoughts private as a knock sounded at the door and Daniel's receptionist, Grace, walked through.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt," Grace apologized as she peeked in and handed over a package to Daniel. "But this came for you. Hand delivered with a note marked 'urgent'."

"Thank you," Daniel accepted it, slipping open the envelope to peer at the contents. " _Stonehaven United Solutions_ ," he read aloud, and then glanced back up at her. "Who sent this?"

"Helen Crowley?" Grace answered, and Emily immediately stiffened in response, her eyes darting around the room. "She's holding on line two."

Daniel looked at Emily for confirmation and she put up an understanding hand. "Take the call, please," she insisted, knowing it might be dangerous for her to linger. Something about the convenience to which both the call and the package arrived just after her mention of Aiden was unnerving her, as if the office might be bugged. "I'll wait outside," she assured him and stepped out, following Grace through.

Daniel nodded, issuing one last request. "Um, Grace, can you give Ms. Thorne my confidential client list? She needs it for a charity event we discussed previously."

"Sure," Grace answered, leading Emily out to her desk just outside Daniel's office. "I'll be right back with that list," Grace addressed Emily, and then disappeared down the hall.

While she was out of sight, Emily slipped over to Grace's desk and picked up her phone, placing it on mute before tuning in to Daniel's open line. Her eyes narrowed as she listened in closely to the conversation.

"Do you have the _Stonehaven_ prospectus in front of you?" Helen inquired.

"Yeah, I'm looking at it right now," Daniel answered smoothly. "The question is, why?"

"Consider it a gift," Helen continued, still vague in her descriptions. "This time next quarter, that company is poised to triple its revenues, only they don't know it yet."

"Oh, but you do?" Daniel's concern was building.

"Why else would I recommend you acquire it? Have the same killer instinct you showed in assimilating Nolcorp before someone else beats you to it," Helen commanded him. "Speaking of, have you followed up on our previous discussion?"

"Nolcorp's early R&D?" Daniel asked, nervous about the subject. "Yes, but unfortunately I still haven't found anything."

"Keep looking," Helen instructed him. "Contact me when you do."

Emily was unable to catch Daniel's response as Aiden turned the corner just at that moment and snuck up from behind her. "That's called eavesdropping," he scolded, as she turned to glare at him. "Listening in to another's conversation without their knowledge?" he continued in his thick English accent, adding a sinister smile. He stuck both hands in his pockets, sizing her up.

"Is it now," she retorted, nostrils flaring as she hung up the receiver and came around the side of Grace's desk to face him. "What do you call _spying_ on someone from a distance without their knowledge?" she fired back in reference to the night before.

Aiden glowered. "Torture."

Just then Grace returned, interrupting their banter. "Here you go," she extended the client list to Emily, with a careful eye on Aiden. "Are you waiting on Mr. Grayson?"

Aiden thought carefully on how to answer, seeing an opportunity for hidden meaning. "Certainly seems that way of late," he replied, getting a dirty look from Emily. "But as it turns, I'm just seeing Ms. Thorne out." Grace nodded as she went back to work and both Aiden and Emily took another few steps forward to stay out of earshot. "So what's this?" Aiden questioned, eyeing the list.

Emily sighed. "Prospective donors," she explained. "I'm hosting a charity wine auction tomorrow and to boost Daniel's new image for Grayson Global, I'm extending the invitation to some of his clients."

"Good strategy," Aiden observed, scanning the page. "Ah, well I can RSVP in advance for our shared mentor," he assumed, pointing to where Takeda Industries was listed. "I'll be there. And since I will, might I recommend adding Helen Crowley to the list?"

"Your return came at a convenient time," Emily quieted him with a look, glancing back towards Daniel's office. "Anyway that was the plan – just be careful. I think she has his office wired."

"Not a problem," Aiden continued. "What I've got planned for Helen will occur out of sight and earshot from the rest of your guests—"

"Aiden, you have to tell me what you're up to," Emily cut in, worried.

"You just worry about Daniel," Aiden mockingly coddled her, tapping the list twice. "Let me worry about Helen."

After that he was off and gone down the hall before Emily could follow up again, and the timing only perfectly coincided with Daniel emerging from his office. Seeing her a few steps away, as if ready to leave, he came over. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "But I thought you'd prefer she not know you were present during that call."

"No, that was good thinking," Emily supported him, shaking off the concern from her encounter. "So, what did she want with _Stonehaven_?"

"I'm not sure yet," Daniel replied. "She implied a purchase would be in Grayson Global's best interests, but she led me to believe the payoff would be a ways off – almost a year from now."

Emily narrowed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "What could they be planning...?"

"Whatever it is, it sounds pretty big," Daniel replied. "I think I'm going to need another pass at her to find out."

Emily agreed. "I think you're right. I'll come by later to plan the wine auction, see if we can invite her to come." She took a deep breath while Daniel nodded in agreement. "In the meantime, I think there's only one other person who would know more about what they might have in store…"

Daniel squinted in curiosity, and Emily raised her head to proudly give him the answer. It was one she knew would not only provide deeper insights but would also appreciate the inside tip as a further step to her own benefit.

"Your mother."

 **SCENE**

"Conrad, may I have a word alone with you?"

Victoria tugged assertively at her husband's folded arms while he stood facing off his longtime rival, Jason Prosser, in the living room of Grayson Manor. "Gladly," Conrad answered, relieved for the break from Jason's chidings, not to mention the overt flirting with Victoria that he always remembered to do when he was near.

"Jason, please excuse us," Victoria begged off as they walked away. "Lovely to see you again."

"I know. I know. The man is an ogre," Conrad digressed once they were safely alone in the study, assuming Victoria was just as annoyed with Jason as he was. "Bringing by a box of Cubans to celebrate my 'retirement'? That's what I get for opening my own door."

"I could care less about your petty rivalry with Jason Prosser," Victoria asserted, moving on to more important things. She set her hands firmly on her hips to divulge her latest info. "I am concerned with Helen Crowley. Apparently, she directed our son to acquire a company called _Stonehaven United Solutions_. Does that mean anything to you?"

Conrad furrowed his brow, taking a moment to ponder the familiar name. " _Stonehaven_ is a disaster recovery firm, if memory serves." He exhaled, making sense of it quickly. "This, dear, is what the Initiative does. They influence upheaval and then profit in the aftermath."

Victoria's eyes nearly bulged in outrage. "Aftermath of what, another flight 197?"

Conrad was already moved on from the tender subject, more concerned with the source of Victoria's interest. "How did you happen upon this little morsel?"

She smirked, thinking fondly on her new alliance with Emily that led to the phone call she received only moments prior. "While you're busy debating your bid for political office, I have been securing alliances close to Daniel that will help ensure the future of this family. And if you're not going to do anything to thwart these devils, I will."

"And how do you intend to do that?" Conrad countered her arrogance with a touch of his own.

Victoria only offered a menacing smile in return, glancing out of the large bay window.

"Sabotage."

 **SCENE**

"Had enough time away?"

Nolan's voice startled the beautiful intruder in his office when he returned from lunch in the late afternoon. Padma whirled around from where she stood over his desk, eliciting Nolan to peer closely at the folder that lay open for her to see. But instead of addressing it, he paused, allowing her to approach him with a sincere expression.

"I've been thinking," she confessed. "And I was never qualified to be your C.F.O."

Nolan watched her closely, hoping her words were the introduction to a confession. A part of him dearly wanted that to be the case, if only so he could forgive her and a find a way to still keep her in his life. Despite Emily's narrow assessment of her intentions, a part of him just could not fathom that Padma was truly orchestrating a master plan on behalf of the Initiative, and relished an opportunity for her to explain herself.

"Oh no?" he questioned carefully, not exposing his hand. "Is that an honest admission or a shot at your recruiter?" He grinned, referring to himself, and Padma mirrored in return.

"I don't care about losing my position," she exhaled through a smile. "But I do care about you."

Nolan took a breath, her smile already weakening his defenses. It was so hard not to sympathize with her gentle face and intent looks of admiration. He tensed up a bit as she edged closer.

"And if you'll have me," she added. "I'd like to come back to work."

There it was. Just as quickly as Nolan could be lulled into thinking perhaps she was not as dangerous as Emily implied, her intentions revealed themselves. He stepped aside, striding over to his desk to hopefully avoid confronting the reality head-on.

"Padma," he sighed. "You're smart, driven…" He stole another glance. "Beautiful. There are so many better opportunities out there?"

She followed him over to his desk to insist on her point. "Unless those opportunities have an office down the hall with you in it, I'm not interested." She leaned into his space again, and this time Nolan could not find a distraction.

"Okay," he finally conceded with an easy-going grin. "You're hired."

She relaxed in triumph and moved in to pay him thanks with a kiss. This time, Nolan found a way to slip out of it. He skimmed the edge of his desk to lift up an invitation into view, holding it squarely over his mouth as if to block her affectionate gesture. "Ah, first task back in the fold?"

Her eyes dropped to the textured card in front of her, reading the heading. "A wine auction?"

Nolan bobbed his head back and forth. "Sort of a business meeting," he explained. "Emily is hosting it tomorrow and well, your replacement Heir Grayson is hoping a few familiar faces will help the company's new charitable incentive." She nodded, as he handed the rest of it to her to read. "Would you… like to join me?"

He waited, desperately hoping she would say no, or at least give him a sign that any intention to say yes was actually genuine. But for all his hoping either way, the joy in Padma's face was the only thing he noticed when she spoke her response, making it all the more harder for him to face any disappointment that could follow in future.

"I'd love to!"

 **SCENE**

With both Victoria and Jason Prosser gone from the house, Conrad was hopeful that the ring of the doorbell yet again in the early evening could not possibly add more stress to a slightly murky day. Yet learning his lesson from before, he was content to let the staff answer and remained in the comfort of his study until a few moments later when his visitor made her presence cringingly obvious.

"Evening, future Governor," Lydia spoke upon her entry.

Conrad lifted his eyes from his paper with such shock and alarm it seemed to occur in slow motion. He dropped the periodical, nearly joining it on the floor in cardiac arrest. " _What_ in God's name are you doing here?" he breathed, rising to his feet while his face contorted in disbelief. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

She only smiled in cool response. "Are you beginning to lose yours? This was part of the agreement. You offer me a place by your side and I protect your interests with the Initiative."

"This was _not_ the place I had in mind, Lydia!" he insisted with an emphatic gesture, taking a step forward. "We discussed _employment_ not cohabitation—"

"Relax, Conrad," she assured him, moving towards the fireplace. For the first time, Conrad noticed she had a portfolio in hand. "I'm not moving back in." She ran her hands along the mantle and concluded her turn about the room with a final look. "Though I do miss all the plans I had to redecorate before Victoria's return. But as your communications director for your upcoming campaign, I need your official agreement to my terms." She handed over her portfolio and eyed his stance. "Sit down before you get yourself worked up."

Conrad shook his head, receiving in hand the agreement she extended and finally sat back on his couch. Upon their last discussion, Lydia had not only insisted he make good on his intention to run for office, but he do so without delay. She was obviously not one to let up on a suggestion. "You had better hope Victoria doesn't intrude on what I'm certain is another indecent proposal," he flagged her, perusing the papers.

Lydia smiled. "She'll be used to my presence soon enough." Conrad read on and then glanced up with a careful eye on her abdominal region.

"And speaking of _terms_ ," he added, a thought coming to mind. "How do you propose to conceal _yours_ as the election season nears? Despite your flagrant disregard for matrimony, I assume you're aware of the havoc a scandal can wreak on a campaign?"

"Discretion is a strong suit of mine," Lydia replied with an assertive nod, stroking the bump underneath her dress. The style she wore did conceal it partially, though a clever woman might suspect otherwise. But it didn't worry her at the moment. "I hid my affair with you for six years didn't I? You can trust me to take care of the rest."

Conrad huffed, but didn't argue, only continued reading the agreement which from his perspective, appeared to be non-negotiable.

"As for handling Victoria?" Lydia addressed, a troublesome smirk crossing her lips. "I'll leave that part to you."

 **SCENE**

"Well done, Em."

Daniel observed Emily's long list of confirmed attendees to the wine auction as they shared Chinese food in his large office. "The net worth on this guest list exceeds the G.D.P," he commented, interrupting himself to eat another mouthful with chopsticks.

Emily nodded as he trailed off, adding, "Thanks to your help." Her eyes flickered around the room, reminding him to be cautious of his words. Their decision to meet there for dinner was an intentional one, but held certain boundaries of what they could discuss.

However, a name stood out to Daniel that thought safe to mention. "Jason Prosser?" he questioned.

"Your mother suggested him," Emily replied in between bites. "I know he's a competitor but he was eager to support the charity. I couldn't dissuade her." She gave him a knowing look and Daniel understood her meaning with ease.

"She doesn't like to take 'no' for an answer," he acknowledged, adding under his breath. "That makes two of us." Daniel still was uncomfortable with the thought of his mother being given inside knowledge about the _Stonehaven_ prospectus, but Emily had seemed certain it would only bode well in their favor, giving them a fallback option in the event they needed a way out of the purchase deal.

Emily took a breath, readying herself for what they had rehearsed. "There is, however, one client of yours that I'm having trouble nailing down… Um, Helen Crowley?"

Daniel caught her drift and prepared for the next move. If Emily was right about the office being bugged, Helen should be calling at any minute at the mention of her name.

The office remained quiet. Emily decided to test another theory. " _Aiden_ mentioned something about meeting her at one of your investor luncheons this summer," she ventured, hoping that would do the trick. Instead it only distracted Daniel.

"You invited Aiden?" he asked out of genuine concern.

"No," she rushed, momentarily forgetting his sensitivity to her former lover. A part of her wished she could have avoided his presence altogether at the event, knowing how sticky things could get with both of them there, not to mention whatever Aiden had planned for Helen. "Ah, I invited Aiden's boss, Takeda. Aiden R.S.V.P.'d." She watched Daniel return to concentration on his food. "But if he's willing to contribute to the cause, I can't say no," she insisted.

Before they could clear the air, her theory was confirmed. Daniel's cell phone rang, and Emily stiffened a bit, knowing it was the mention of Aiden's name that likely brought it on.

"Daniel Grayson?" Daniel answered, anticipating the moment. "Ms. Crowley, hello."

"Evening, Daniel. I, uh, I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" Helen's eerie voice was audible from the receiver.

"No, not at all. Just dinner with my colleague, Emily Thorne," Daniel continued, adhering to the plan. "She's a consultant for our philanthropic concerns. Uh, in fact, she'd love a word with you if that's okay?" Emily straightened up in her seat as Daniel put the phone on speaker and set it on the table. "Helen, you're on with Emily," he transitioned.

"So nice to meet you, Ms. Crowley," Emily greeted her, pursing her lips. "Listen, I know how valuable your time is, so I'll get right to it. I'm hosting a charity wine auction tomorrow night."

Helen's reply implied reserve. "Well, I imagine Daniel's told you that I'm a very private person? I don't make a habit of going to parties."

"Oh, well, I was hoping you would make an exception?" Emily implored a pleasant tone in her voice. "You see, our charity supports foster kids who have aged out of the system. They have nowhere to go, no guidance. It can be a really scary time for them." She glanced at her companion, watching his eyes focus nervously. She improvised one last factor to convince her. "And well, the more deep pockets in attendance, the better it reflects on Daniel as the new C.E.O!"

For a moment there was still silence, and they both paused to see if she would take the bait. Finally, she answered. "I like the way you think. Perhaps I can put in an appearance."

Emily exhaled unnoticeably. "Terrific. I'll put you on the V.I.P. list." She shot Daniel a triumphant look while he scrunched his face up slightly, proud of her prowess at persuasion.

"If all your consultants are this tenacious, Daniel, I predict good things for your future," Helen concluded with a hint of foreshadowing. "Go back to your meeting. I'll call later."

Daniel ended the call, immediately wanting to break into discussion but the wiser of him knew it was not yet safe. "Very impressive," he mouthed to her silently.

"I should get going," Emily responded meaningfully, aware this meant a next course of action. "I can call you later to work out the details." She stood up to slip out of the earshot of his office and Daniel followed her out. Once they were safely down the hall, Emily turned around to whisper. "Well that confirms it."

"She's been watching for some time," Daniel whispered back on cue. "And she's willing to do anything to keep me at the helm."

"If your mother's concern about _Stonehaven_ has any bearing, there's a lot more where that came from," Emily confirmed, reflecting on her visit that afternoon. While it had served to reassure Victoria of her loyalty to their agreement, it also afforded her the opportunity to dig into _Stonehaven's_ background. Victoria was tightlipped but seemed concerned about the profiteering from its acquisition. It was enough to confirm that the Initiative was planning something catastrophic.

"Helen's appearance tomorrow may be your only chance at getting the truth out of her before you make a deal you can't get out of," Emily added, to a nod from Daniel in agreement. She paused before turning to leave. "Are you ready for this?"

"Actually," Daniel exhaled in honest reflection. "I think I am." It seemed like their work together was finally going to yield some kind of result and he was eager to finally expose the Initiative's intentions. She smiled curtly in return and started away, but a sudden motivation moved him to take gentle hold of her arm first. "Hey, I know we can't really um… talk," he paused, glancing back at his office. "But ah, about last night?"

Emily hung her head as the subject trailed back. "The kiss," she anticipated.

He watched her, conscious not to push too hard for a response, and instead surprised her with his own. "Right. I, ah, I wanted to apologize."

Her eyes darted up, not expecting that to come next. He continued before she could question it further.

"And for this morning too, actually," he added, running his tongue along his bottom lip while he looked down bashfully. "I think it was more force of habit I think than anything. Just remembering old times..."

Emily's eyes widened a bit as the muscles in her face twitched in surprise. "Oh, right," she stammered, nodding and gesturing with an open palm. "Of course."

Daniel grinned. If anything it was just a triumph to catch her off guard for once. "Anyway, I just don't want to make you nervous that I'm losing focus or anything." He put a platonic hand on her shoulder and the lightness in his tone of voice almost sounded foreign. "It won't happen again."

She continued to nod, unsure whether that was quite what she wanted. "Ok. Ok good," she emphasized, gathering composure. "Um, thank you."

He accepted her thanks with a swift raise of his eyebrows and then backed up towards his office. "So I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow," she confirmed and with that he finally turned around, leaving her disjointed and uncertain of how to process his unusual response. With Aiden's return and Daniel's tendency to be jealous, the last thing that Emily had expected for was for him to _retract_ any signs of affection. But rather than dwell on what could have changed his view so quickly or the reason why, she powered through it, determined not to lose focus as they inched closer to the Initiative.

Meanwhile, on the other side of his office door, Daniel reveled in the success of his own plan that had just commenced. After spending enough time with Emily, he knew better than to take anything out of ordinary as a mere coincidence. Her mention of Aiden's being invited to the wine auction was an indicator that something was up, coming second to his spontaneous return to work that morning. As much as he felt himself falling for her again, there was only one way to see if she was really sincere about him. So shaking her off, if only to observe if she gravitated back to Aiden, seemed to be the only way to test it – and the wine auction would be the perfect venue to watch it play out.

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte, you've been acting strange since the other night, are you ok?" Amanda watched her would-be sister closely as she folded Carl's laundry on her bed at the Stowaway. Charlotte sat in the corner chair, staring into space for the third time that day. When she got no response, Amanda paused mid-fold and then tossed the soft towel in her direction. "Hey! Wake up, little sis!"

Charlotte finally blinked when the towel grazed her neck and fell in her lap, coming out of her trance. "Huh? Sorry, I- I guess I just zoned out."

"Tell me about it. You were miles away just now," Amanda laughed, shaking her head. She suddenly got serious, eyeing her closely. "You're not pregnant, are you?"

"Amanda! _No,_ " Charlotte assured her emphatically with a smile, walking over to sit by her sister on the bed. She instinctively glanced through the doorway to make sure neither Declan nor Jack was in earshot.

Amanda relaxed and began folding again. "Sorry, gotta ask these things."

"Actually I feel like I've barely seen Declan the past few weeks," Charlotte tried to assure her. "You know, with all the craziness before the arrest."

"Oh, well don't worry too much about that," Amanda digressed, finishing up the pile and moving it into a drawer as she talked. "Now that the Ryan brothers are out of here, the bar is safe and I'm sure Declan will have much more time to spend with you." She peered down the hallway. "In fact, I'm pretty sure if you ask Jack to let him off his shift early tonight, he'll say yes."

Charlotte grinned, ever appreciative of her thoughtfulness. "But don't you need my help planning the wedding?" she asked.

Amanda glanced at the mess of magazines sprawled on the bed next to where she had been folding. "Nah, I think I can manage. I'll get Jack to help me if I need anything. He's past due on favors anyway." She smirked and then shooed her out. "Go ahead, be safe – but _have fun_."

Somewhat reluctantly, Charlotte nodded and then gave her sister a hug before finally slipping out of the room. Amanda returned to the mess of magazines on the bed where Charlotte had jumped up, and then suddenly noticed a piece of paper that fell to the floor. She picked it up and realized it was a receipt, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she read the address on its heading.

Meanwhile, Charlotte descended down the stairs to the bar below. It was a slow evening, with less than the usual amount of traffic for the _Stowaway,_ but likely due to the shutdown only a few nights before. Jack smiled at her from behind the bar, and as if on cue, Declan came over to her side.

"There you are," he greeted her with a caress on her arm. "I was wondering when you'd come down."

Charlotte put on a smile even though a part of her was uneasy. "Girl talk," she explained. Her eyes flickered over to Jack instinctively, while Nate's words echoed in her head.

"Something wrong?" Declan sensed.

"Ah," Charlotte charmed her way out. "Just curious if you think your brother will let you off early tonight? I could really use some alone time with you." She smiled and took hold of his hands, insinuating.

Declan's face lit up at the suggestion and he lowered his voice. "You want to go out on the _Amanda_ for a bit?"

She tried not to seem too over eager. "Finish what we started the other night?"

His eyes fixed on her lips, remembering how they were in the middle of making out when they overheard the cops show up to arrest the Ryan brothers. He agreed with a nod and then turned back to ask, but his brother was already ahead of him.

"Go," Jack chuckled with a grin, wiping down a glass with a dish towel. "I got it from here."

"Thanks, man," Declan acknowledged it, biting his lip and led Charlotte by the hand. "Come on."

She smiled and went along, but couldn't help reserving another cautious look for Jack as they exited. As much as she wanted to trust her boyfriend's brother and Amanda's soon-to-be husband, she had been tainted by the picture Nate portrayed. Despite her uncertainty, her hope was insistent that she would get to the bottom of it soon enough. All she needed was a moment alone below deck on the _Amanda_ to prove Nate Ryan a liar, once and for all.

 **SCENE**

"Beautiful."

Daniel's winning grin spread across his face as he leaned in to greet Emily with a kiss on the cheek. Emily felt herself hopeful as she returned the greeting, and even relaxed when she assumed his comment was meant for her long green gown. "Thank you," she answered naturally.

"This entire affair, it's gorgeous," Daniel continued, turning his attention to the venue. "I'm impressed." Emily blushed, realizing he was referring to the event instead. Daniel's eye caught her reaction, but despite his continued attempt to platinize their relationship, inwardly he couldn't deny she did look stunning. It was enough that they were working in tandem to corner Helen Crowley, but add to that the cocktail atmosphere of the wine auction and it quickly was feeling like just another event they were attending as a couple. But he was insistent on not letting his innermost thoughts show.

"Well, let's just hope Helen feels the same," Emily responded in kind, redirecting her attention to the mission. She gave a subtle glance around the room as Daniel stood poised next to her. "Have you seen her?"

"Not yet," Daniel answered. His gaze caught a guest walking through the door and he lowered his voice before anticipating them coming over. "But the night is still young."

" _Master_ Grayson," Jason Prosser approached them both, shaking Daniel's hand first. "Surprised to see me?"

"Jason Prosser," Daniel greeted him back calmly. He looked over his shoulder. "Not at all – I suspected the competition would make an appearance soon enough. If anything I'm just surprised to see you alone?"

Jason smiled devilishly. "Ah, your perception matches your skill in acquisition son," he congratulated him, referring to the Nolcorp deal. "But I'm actually here on your mother's request. She was kind enough to invite me as her date," he added, turning his attention to Emily while Daniel nodded, expecting it. "Speaking of, who is this lovely lady?"

Emily smiled curtly with grace. "Emily Thorne," she introduced herself. "I'm hosting the benefit tonight – so happy you could make it Mr. Prosser."

"As am I," a voice echoed just beyond Jason, and he turned to allow Victoria, dressed to the nines in black silks, to step through into the small circle that was forming.

"Victoria, aren't you a vision?" Jason remarked, while Daniel took a large swig out of his champagne glass.

"Among other things," Daniel muttered under his breath.

Victoria absorbed Jason's compliment with ease and then turned to flash her pearly whites at Daniel and Emily. "Hello, you two. I can't say how happy it makes me to see you together again."

Emily restrained a sarcastic remark and only raised a brow in response, while Victoria turned back to Jason. "You'll be pleased to know that I had the bar stocked with the oldest Japanese whiskey known to mankind – Come," she commanded him, and he followed behind without hesitation.

Once they were gone, Emily turned to Daniel. "Just as predicted."

"Well my guess was right – she invited him as competition," Daniel sighed in annoyance. "The rivalry between Prosser and my father is legendary… which of course, now translates to me as the new C.E.O." He turned to her for reassurance. "You're sure it was wise to tip her off about _Stonehaven_?"

"Trust me," Emily confirmed. "If your mother's eagerness to see us is any indicator, that fact will be to your advantage at some point," she commented, and after spying Nolan in the distance, quickly returned to their previous conversation. "In the meantime, I need to look into a program Nolan mentioned yesterday that might play a key role in the _Stonehaven_ acquisition. You keep an eye out for Helen."

Daniel agreed, preparing to step away while still watching Jason and Victoria parade through the room. "And my mother, apparently." He shook his head with disgust. "Hopefully her plans with Prosser don't include embarrassing me on the auction block too."

Emily turned to watch, exhaling a chuckle. "Not possible," she hinted to him with confidence, and then placed a reassuring hand on Daniel's arm.

His lip curled up in a half-smile, but again he held his ground in showing little reciprocation and swiftly left her side. She watched him go, just as Nolan came over seconds later to replace him, linking his arm through hers to walk her over to the bar.

"So," he commented, watching Daniel's departure transpire. "Looks like Faux-mance: Part Deux is a runaway success," he observed at first and then switched up after closely watching Emily's reaction. "Or could it be this is true _romance_?"

Emily sighed. "I'm not sure," she answered honestly. "Daniel's been a little different lately, ever since…" she trailed off, conscious of not sharing too much information with her gossiping friend.

He wrinkled his brow. "What's going on between you two?" he asked. "Last time we talked this was strictly business—"

"It still is," Emily assured him, partially for her own benefit.

Nolan didn't buy it, his expression saying as much. "Hm. If so, then how's your _other_ boyfriend handling it?" he hinted, nudging forward in the direction of the bar.

Emily looked up, seeing Aiden perched apparently waiting for someone. She exchanged a meaningful look with Nolan. "As well as can be expected." Before Nolan could leave her to talk to him alone, she recalled her mission. "I need you to tell me more about _Carrion,_ " she insisted.

But Nolan was the wiser, sensing Aiden's anticipation as he came over to them. "Ah, it can wait," he replied. "I… think I'll go look for my date," he added and slipped away discreetly.

"Don't you look smashing," Aiden commented, leaning in to give Emily the once over.

Emily licked her lips in exasperation. "What are you up to, Aiden?"

He smirked in innocence. "Complimenting my _ex_ at the moment," he continued, while she shifted uncomfortably. "In her clear and obvious attempt to seduce Grayson Global's new C.E.O."

"I'm talking about Helen," Emily countered, ignoring his insult. "Aiden, I'm _this_ close to finding out what the Initiative has planned, please don't do anything to ruin that—"

"I told you before," he emphasized, becoming serious again. "My plans won't interfere with yours."

She shook her head. "How can you guarantee that? You won't even tell me what it is you're doing!" She looked away and narrowly caught sight of Daniel watching them from a distance. He turned quickly before Emily could hold her glance on him, and Aiden spoke again, interrupting her thoughts.

"Well then I suppose you'll just have to trust me," he leered.

"Aiden, I'm worried your judgment is compromised," she insisted back, her irritation becoming more visible. "Ever since the Initiative's contact you've been distracted."

It was his turn to grow angry. "If by contact you mean their threat on my _sister's_ life, then may I allay your concerns, I'm only more driven to complete my mission." He glanced over towards where Emily had just been looking at Daniel. "If anything, _you're_ the one that appears to be distracted!"

With the slight raise of his voice a few guests turned and Emily took a deep breath to calm down, allowing the silence to prevent from causing a scene. "Aiden—" she began but he cut her off, starting away.

"On with the show, then," he finished, not interested in continuing the conversation any further and once again, was gone.

Emily collected herself in his departure, putting on a fake smile for the nearby guests while she started in the opposite direction towards the stage. Meanwhile, Daniel continued to watch from afar, pondering over whether their seemingly heated display disproved his theory – or added weight to it instead.

 **SCENE**

"Hey," Charlotte separated from Declan, gasping lightly for air in between their kiss as they lay embracing on the downstairs bed of the _Amanda._ Declan tensed as soon as he felt her pull away, immediately hoping he had not gone too far.

"You alright?" he asked, leaning back to give her space.

She nodded emphatically, not wanting him to go. "Yeah, I'm fine," she insisted, but the look in her eye suggested otherwise.

"Are you sure?" he persisted. "We don't have to do anything, we can just talk?"

His gentle plea and the sincerity in his eyes melted Charlotte's heart, but her curiosity could not stop her mind from running. "I, um," she stammered. "I think I'm just a little dizzy."

Declan instantly pulled away again, giving her room. "Here, let me get you some water," he offered.

"No, wait," Charlotte backpedaled, not ready for him to go. Her eyes darted around as she finally grasped the courage to be honest. "Declan, I… I need to ask you something."

He sat back down on the bed. "Sure, what is it?"

"It's—it's about the Ryan brothers." She looked down, formulating her words. "That day I helped you distract them, you told me there was more to the history between them and your dad. I just want to know the truth."

"The truth?" Declan's face fell slightly in embarrassment and he sighed.

"Yes," she continued. "Why did they want payback? What happened?"

Declan looked off, wondering how to respond. "The truth is… their father tried to take the bar from my dad." He paused, remembering the vague details Jack had shared with him. "Ever since he died… I guess they just couldn't let go of what he wanted."

"But why?" Charlotte insisted, growing more intense. "Declan, it was Matt Duncan that killed him wasn't it? Did Jack have something to do with covering it up?

Declan's face scrunched up in disbelief. "Matt Duncan - Jack?" he shook his head, incredulous. "Is that what you think?"

Charlotte sighed, relaxing her shoulders. "I don't know what to think… I guess I'm just confused is all."

Declan attempted to be sympathetic, despite being hurt by the allegation. He reached over to caress her arm. "Look Char, I don't know who's responsible for what happened to their dad, but what I do know is my brother had nothing to do with it. He would never lie about that. And whatever happened between the Ryan brothers, it's over with. They finally got what they deserved." He tilted his head to look in her eyes, nudging her to do the same with a hand under her chin. "You're not starting to regret turning them in are you?"

"No," Charlotte replied quickly, touching his hand. "No, I just… don't want to see anything else happen to your family, that's all." She did her best to put on a smile for him, and he grinned back, accepting her feigned complacence.

"Don't worry," Declan added, leaning in to kiss her again. "Thanks to you, nothing will." He tried again to get close, but sensing she was still a bit uncomfortable, he stopped short, glancing towards the stairwell to the deck. "Listen, why don't we go up and get some air? Watch the sunset?"

That got her to smile sincerely this time, fondly remembering the video he sent her the summer before. "I'd like that," she answered, relaxing. But when he started to head up she added. "I'll just be a minute, I'm gonna use the bathroom, okay?"

"Ok," Declan nodded and walked up the stairs, leaving Charlotte behind.

Alone finally, she edged cautiously out of the bed and tiptoed to the rear corner of the downstairs bedroom, over to exactly where Nate had instructed her to check. Despite believing Declan's story, if anything it only guaranteed that _he_ was telling the truth. But she still had her reserves about what Jack knew. As she pried open the baseboard, she felt herself praying to find just an empty well beneath, the very thing that would convince her that believing anything Nate said was simply ridiculous. But instead, just the opposite happened. As she grimaced in realization, her hands grazed an object wrapped tightly in plastic. She pulled her hand up and stifled a gasp; it was the very gun that Nate told her would be there – the one used to kill his father.

 **SCENE**

"$1 million from Mr. Grayson! Is anyone willing to go higher?"

The auctioneer scanned the room excitedly, between Daniel and his only remaining competitor, Jason Prosser, for victory of the final wine bottle of the night. When no reply was voiced, he eagerly slammed down his gavel, giving a loud shout. "Sold to Mr. Daniel Grayson!"

Emily started the subsequent applause just behind the auction podium, smiling in Daniel's direction to confirm her earlier expectation that he would win. She watched as Jason Prosser sulked in defeat next to Victoria, and with the conclusion of the final bid item the guests began to slowly dissipate.

"So, did you just invite me here to make your boy seem less boyish in front of his investors?" Jason Prosser grumbled to Victoria in an aside.

"No, Jason," she insisted innocently. "I invited you here because I enjoy your company."

Jason's eyes lit up. "Well, if that's true, perhaps we could continue this conversation somewhere a little more private?"

Victoria obliged, still seeing his confidence as a triumph for her ulterior motives. "Well then," she responded favorably. "Let's have another round on the terrace, shall we?"

Daniel watched as they exited, just a minute shy of Emily's departure from the stage. As he waited for her to make her way over, he was joined on his other side by a distinct woman's voice. "Daniel?"

He turned to see Helen Crowley. "Helen, you made it," he exhaled, anxious that the plan was still in motion. "The auction just finished, but I'm glad you're here."

"So sorry I'm late," Helen apologized. "I did so want to contribute."

"Not more than Daniel," a voice behind her interrupted them. Helen stepped aside and glowered as she recognized Aiden step through, extending his hand to him. "That was an impressive bid you made towards the end there, boss."

Daniel absorbed the respective compliment, though remaining cautious of Aiden's presence. "Yes, it did get a bit spirited," he agreed, recalling the banter between him and his mother's latest minion. He turned to introduce them. "Have you two met? Aiden Mathis, Helen Crowley."

For Aiden's sake, Helen feigned ignorance. "Aiden, is it?" she played.

"Mathis," Aiden answered with a nod, and then turned his attention to Emily making her way through the crowd. "Looks like it's time for you to pay the piper, boss," he suggested to Daniel.

Daniel took a breath apprehensively, not wanting to lose Helen's attention once she was there but also knew he could not have the discussion as planned with Aiden in company. "Yes, excuse me, Helen," he obliged reluctantly. "I'll be just a minute."

She nodded, returning her gaze to Aiden once he was gone and lingered sinisterly. "Well it seems you went to great lengths to get me here tonight, Mr. Mathis. Employing Daniel's former fiancé to reach me on your behalf?"

Aiden pressed his lips together firmly. "I did whatever it took to talk to you again. I just want to see my sister."

Helen grinned. "Well, we'll talk later."

Meanwhile, Daniel met Emily halfway through her walk to come over to him, as a sour expression crossed her face. "What happened with Helen?"

"It's ah, still happening," Daniel explained, turning to look back where he had just come from. "I was about to talk to her when Aiden interrupted." He gave Emily a questioning look. "What do you think they're discussing?" he asked.

Emily tensed up, irked by Aiden's interference and the subsequent red flag it had just raised to Daniel. She cursed herself in her head for trusting him again. "That's a very good question," she conferred in reply, and hastily moved to action. "One we don't have the luxury of waiting around to see answered."

With purpose in her stride, she confidently stepped forward to break up the grouping, introducing herself just as both Aiden and Helen turned to walk away. "Aiden," she interrupted with a meaningful look.

Aiden cut himself short to face her, feeling caught. "Ms. Thorne," he addressed her formally. "Have you met Ms. Helen Crowley?"

"I believe we had the pleasure over the phone," Emily greeted her warmly, extended a hand. "So nice to put a face to the name."

"Likewise, Ms. Thorne," Helen responded, matching her enthusiasm. "I apologize for my tardiness, I assume your charity accepts simple donations as well?"

"Oh, that's very generous of you," Emily accepted graciously. "But you mustn't leave empty-handed, let me find you a bottle of wine?" She nearly tugged at Helen's hand, hoping to escort her away from Aiden and back into consort with Daniel.

"No, I don't drink," Helen insisted, denying her. "It clouds my judgment."

"And I was just about to see Ms. Crowley out," Aiden inserted, giving Emily a hard look.

"Oh, so soon?" Her eye twinkled ever so noticeably. "Well then, I must detain you to resolve the tab for Takeda Industries," she insisted, still intent on separating the two.

Aiden bit his lip at Emily's clever reply, while Helen relaxed upon hearing it. "Far be it from me to interfere with your humanitarian efforts, Mr. Mathis," she sighed in double meaning. "Please, settle your debts."

Emily raised an eyebrow in triumph as Aiden conceded reluctantly, and whisked him away so Helen could be freed up to speak with Daniel. "Just this way," she directed him, while Aiden brooded on her arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" he mumbled under his breath once they were a few paces away.

"Trying to stop you from something you'll regret," she replied.

With Aiden distracted, Daniel once again was able to approach Helen. Pushing his thoughts about Emily and Aiden aside, he came back to where he stood, relishing the opportunity to finally put their plan in action.

"So, Ms. Crowley," he started in. "Tell me more about _Stonehaven_ _United_."

 **SCENE**

"The disaster company?"

Victoria feigned innocence as she replied to Jason Prosser's earnest interest in _Stonehaven United,_ while they relaxed in the tranquil atmosphere of the terrace just outside the auction. He had just finished lamenting his loss when she supplemented her own description of her son, being certain to drop the company's name so he would hear. She watched his eyes light up in interest before continuing. "From what I hear, it's going to be Daniel's new feather in the company cap with the acquisition…"

Jason stared off into the distance, his wheels turning as he processed the information. "Stonehaven, huh? Interesting." It was just then that Victoria emphatically put her hand to mouth.

"Oh my God," she sighed, mocking realization. "Jason, that's not public knowledge. Loose lips," she apologized.

He turned to her swiftly. "Victoria, please, it's already forgotten," he insisted, meaning just the opposite. "The only thing on my mind this evening is you."

Victoria relished the attention with a smile, but was only willing to take the game so far. "Well, I have to make the long ride home."

His brow furrowed in disappointment. "Don't tell me I'm gonna lose you too," he insisted.

"On the contrary," she grinned. "You're still very much in the race."

Jason accepted the challenge, pushing to improve his position. "Well, racing against Conrad has always had its benefits. He's known to pay more attention to the sideliners than what he _should_ be focusing on."

Victoria caught his reference, aware that it was a hint at her husband's previous record of infidelity. "And that is?" she asked, brushing past it.

He looked at her, lowering his eyes to study her form meaningfully, and with his response even Victoria had to reward him with a sincere smile.

"The trophy, of course."

 **SCENE**

"I found what you wanted."

Charlotte was nearly panting as she breathed into the phone once again in the visitation room, while Nate sat across from her behind the glass. Her lip quivered while she spoke, but Nate remained calm, expecting just as much.

"See," he sneered. "Told ya I wasn't lyin'."

"But Declan doesn't know anything about it," Charlotte insisted. "I swear. I asked him and he doesn't know. So can't you just forget about this?"

"Declan might have been too young. But Jack remembers," Nate countered, not giving up. "And he's gonna pay for what he did." He raised his eyebrows. "What, you think because I'm in here I can't do anything? Wake up, little miss sunshine; I got pals on the outside that could make your nephew an orphan in no time—"

"Please!" Charlotte begged frantically, nearly in tears. "What do I have to do to save them?"

Nate smiled, realizing she was finally willing to follow instructions. "Well, you can start off by posting my bail. I know your daddy's Conrad Grayson isn't he?"

"Yes," Charlotte admitted nervously, though it was moments like these that she would have rather her biological father be alive instead.

"Heh, he can afford it," Nate laughed with her confirmation. "And then you can get his help to give me the bar back."

Charlotte pinched her eyes shut in digression. "I don't know how I would get him to give me the money, let alone help you to get the bar. Jack and Declan would never let that go?"

"Even if it means baby Carl not having a father? Or his parents getting a wedding?" he stared her down. "I'm sure you can find a way."

"Please, I'm begging you," Charlotte insisted, racking her brain. "My birthday's coming up soon so I can probably get the money but my father will know something's up if I mention the _Stowaway._ I can't help you if he tells me no!" Again the tears began welling in her eyes.

"Alright fine, I can be reasonable," Nate waved her off, growing irritated with her whining. "Post the bail and we'll figure out something… mutually beneficial." His reply left room for interpretation which only scared Charlotte more, but with that he was finished, hanging up the phone and storming away.

Charlotte sighed and hung up the receiver on her end, and began wiping her eyes. She was still in clear emotional distress as she exited the building, so she never saw it coming when someone suddenly gripped her from behind, using her backpack as balance to whirl her around.

"Hey, stop!" she screamed defensively, until she looked up and realized who was standing behind her. She stopped short in her tracks, aghast. "Amanda? How did you know I was here?"

Amanda gave her a strong look that made Charlotte feel caught and held up the piece of paper she had found on her bedroom floor only hours before – a receipt from the prison parking. "Declan told me you ran off. You left _this_ on my bed." She looked around, pulling her aside to talk in close company. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to be here by yourself at night? What's going on?"

Charlotte hung her head and braced herself as she prepared to tell her sister the truth. "I'll tell you everything, I promise," she responded sheepishly. Then discreetly, she swung around her backpack one on strap to bring it forward, unzipping the top. "But first, I need to show you something."

Amanda peered closely as she watched her sister open what was concealed in her bag, and as her eyes widened in shock, it was all she could do to wait for the explanation that came next.

 **SCENE**

"So… any luck catching up with Agent 007?"

Nolan's sarcastic voice drawled into the receiving end of Emily's cell phone as she walked through the door of her beach house.

"Not exactly," she answered with a sigh, tossing her keys on the table. "I was able to distract him momentarily so that Daniel could speak to Helen. But later on I saw him escorting her out – I was too far away to do anything without making a scene."

Nolan shook his head, leaning back in the desk chair of his office at Grayson Global. "What _does_ the old boy have up his sleeve?"

Emily adjusted her earring in the mirror over her fireplace. "Clearly he has his own agenda with the Initiative and my approach isn't working fast enough for him. I just hope he hasn't put too much trust in anything Helen promised him about his sister." She shook her head in thought. "There's always a catch."

"Hm," Nolan agreed. "If only he knew just how close you and Daniel _really_ were…" he paused, letting that statement marinate before finishing it. "I mean, to figuring out the Initiative's master plan, of course."

Emily absorbed it, and continued adjusting the strap of her gown. "I should know even more by the end of the night. Daniel's stopping by to fill me in on his talk with Helen." She took a breath. "In the meantime, finish what you started telling me earlier about Carrion."

Nolan leaned forward, facing his computer. "Simply put, it's a computer program I built years ago in the form of a million lines of binary brilliance that have the ability to knock Manhattan off the power grid in less than a millisecond." He cocked an eyebrow. "Hence, why I abandoned it and threw away the key."

"That's it," Emily sighed, expecting as much. "That's what they want."

"I don't get it, Ems," Nolan brainstormed. "The Initiative's master plan is turning out the lights?"

"What concerns me is what happens when they do," she explained, shaking her head. She continued to ponder in deep thought. "The one thing I can't work out – if you built it years ago, how did they know it existed in the first place?"

Nolan's head sunk at her question. "I guess that one's on me and my penchant for naiveté," he admitted sheepishly. "Padma must have been onto this long before I realized. And I gave her the access."

Emily closed her eyes, sympathizing. "Did she show up tonight?"

"No," Nolan lamented softly, his voice beginning to rasp. "But it's better that way… not sure I can handle much more of being used in one summer." He trailed off, and though Emily wanted to comfort him, a knock at her own door indicated she would have to save her reassurance for another time.

"Nolan, I have to go," she begged. "But just hang in there – we're close."

"Yeah," Nolan muttered dryly before hanging up. "Right."

Though it pained her to end the call with her friend in such a state, Emily hung up reluctantly and got up from where she was sitting on the couch. Almost simultaneously Daniel let himself through the open door, walking through the sheers to see her facing him, cracking an exasperated smile that matched his own.

"I thought we could celebrate," he offered, holding up the bottle of wine he had won at the auction. "How 'bout a $1 million dollar nightcap?"

 **SCENE**

"Alright, Charlotte, now when we get inside just let me do the talking."

Amanda turned to instruct her sister in a forceful whisper as they made their way down the foyer steps of Grayson Manor. Charlotte nodded in agreement, feeling a measure of comfort in telling her sister about what happened first before asking her father for what Nate demanded. Amanda seemed to be more confident in these things, a trait Charlotte attributed to her living a hard life, and never being afraid to do what was necessary to survive.

Yet despite their rehearsing and discussion in route, as they walked into the study both ladies stopped short in surprise of the woman standing beside Conrad – an unexpected visitor causing just the slightest ripple in their plans.

"Lydia?" Charlotte gasped; as her audience turned around to face her while her father looked up from his desk.

"Charlotte," Conrad addressed his daughter and then acknowledged her companion. "Amanda? What brings you here this evening?"

"Dad, where is Mom – she's gonna flip when she sees her!" Charlotte apprehended him, searing a dirty look at Lydia while Amanda did the same. Only Amanda's eyes fell ever so noticeably down to Lydia's ankles and she observed intently that they appeared to be swollen.

"Ah, let's just say your mother is occupied," Conrad continued, coming over to comfort his daughter. "And given her current occupation I would venture to say she is in no position to cast judgment. Now," he gestured back towards Lydia. "Sweetheart, I'd like you to be a bit more mannerly to our family's new Communications Director."

Lydia sneered, relishing the moment while Charlotte only shook her head in disbelief. "Whatever," she ignored it, moving on with her intention. "I need your help Daddy, it's very important – it's a matter of life and death."

Conrad tensed up, returning to his desk. "Oh?" he looked back at Amanda. "I should hope this matter of serious nature has nothing to do with your partial relative?"

Amanda scowled at him in return. "As a matter of fact it does," she answered at first, but then continued to eye Lydia, rethinking her approach. Their plea was contingent on Victoria being there to make good on her promise to watch over her, but with Lydia at Conrad's side, a change of direction was needed. She switched gears, looking over at Charlotte. "But I'll let your daughter tell you, while I wait outside."

"Amanda?" Charlotte did not understand, but an exchanged glance told her Amanda knew what she was doing. She turned back to her father. "No you're right; I need privacy to tell you this." She paused, looking up at her father's bold consort. "Lydia – please? Do you mind?"

Lydia lingered for a moment, looking down for confirmation. "Conrad?"

"Perhaps its better we have this discussion alone," he affirmed with a nod, and gave her a pat on the arm as she complied, following Amanda out of the room. Once outside with the door secured shut, Lydia didn't hold back.

"So," she addressed her, staring her down. "You're Amanda Clarke. Back to extort more money from your would-be adoptive family?"

Amanda laughed off the insult with a roll of her eyes. "That's rich coming from a gold-digger like you. I've read the news lady. And I know all about your scandalous affair with Conrad before _and_ after Victoria's return."

"Yeah, well you're not the only one that's heard a thing or two," Lydia shot back, edging into her face. "And while we may have never officially met, I know a lot about David Clarke and his daughter."

Amanda jutted out her lip, knowing her role well from previous conversations with Emily. "Was that what made you want to steal our house?"

Lydia chuckled. "For your information, I bought that house legally – a concept you wouldn't understand. I even intend to get it back someday," she promised loosely, her thoughts trailing off while Amanda continued to steam. She turned her attention back. "But I'll tell you one thing I know. The little girl that lived there? I remember her very well… and you don't look anything like her."

Amanda grinned. "Oh really? Who am I, then?"

Lydia shook her head. "I don't know, and I don't care. But I know you better stay out of my way, or you'll regret ever setting foot in this house," she turned to walk away with her comment, but Amanda let out one last reply, keeping her eyes fixed squarely on her.

"That's funny because you do look familiar to me," she called out, while Lydia still tried to walk away, not facing her. "Like a woman, oh I don't know, about four or five months along?"

Lydia froze in her tracks, turning around slowly.

Amanda raised her eyebrows tauntingly. "I'm a new mother myself – you can't fool me. Swollen ankles, that little bump under your dress you tried to hide when we first walked in," she watched as Lydia instinctively looked down as if to conceal it. "Am I right?"

Lydia did not honor her guess with a direct response, only walked back closer with a burning anger in her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Oh, and there's the hormones," Amanda grinned, feeling even more confirmation. "But don't worry, your secret's safe with me. As much as you seem ready to stand up to Victoria, I'm sure you don't want her finding out about her husband's lovechild just yet. I'm assuming Conrad is the father?" She glanced towards the closed door of the study and Lydia remained silent, only watched her.

Amanda continued. "Just as I thought. So in return, I'm gonna need you to do something for me and Charlotte. And given your clear powers of persuasion – I'm sure it won't be a problem." She eyed her up, beaming with confidence that she had her right where she wanted her. "Now will it?"

 **SCENE**

Emily chuckled, appreciating the respite from serious conversation all day with Daniel's lighthearted entry and seemingly upbeat disposition. And yet her mind could not help but wonder if she was being too generous with letting down her guard. _Every plan has a fatal flaw,_ she thought.

"I take it things went well with Helen?" she said aloud from the living room, while Daniel found an opener in her kitchen drawer and proceeded to work on the bottle cork. _Even in those who are supposed to be the most careful,_ her mind continued.

Echoing her thoughts, Daniel carefully and surgically removed the cork without injuring the glass, allowing a large 'pop!' to reverberate in the room. He smiled back, pouring it swiftly into two glasses and bringing them over to join Emily on the couch in front of the roaring fire.

"That and," he answered, handing her glass over. "Another hunch I was betting on." Emily gave him a funny look and he merely scrunched up a grin, raising his glass. "But we'll save the updates for later. What shall we toast to now?"

 _But a careful nature doesn't always ensure success,_ Emily's mind continued to run. "Ah, to working as a team?" she suggested, still somewhat eager to get to the intel.

But Daniel turned up his nose, knocking it down. "Nah doesn't define the moment enough," he countered, and again Emily let out a laugh. Suddenly, his countenance quieted and his eyes lowered, gearing focus into hers. "How about, to taking it slowly and drinking it quickly?"

Something in his reference made Emily suppose he was referring to them together, and her interest piqued at the suggestion. The past 24 hours he had placed a platonic wall between them, as if to assert that their partnership was business only, and now suddenly it seemed he wanted it gone. Again her instincts put her on edge. _When a plan is built on an unstable foundation failure is not only a possibility, it's a certainty_. But she pushed past it.

"Mm," she nodded and raised her glass in agreement. Daniel removed his fixed glance from her just long enough for them to both take a swig, but midway through they both suddenly looked at each other in shock and nearly spit out both mouthfuls in disgust.

"Oh my goodness," Emily gasped, apologetic.

"It's gone bad!" Daniel laughed in shock, shaking his head while he coughed a few times.

"Daniel, I am so sorry," she continued, covering her mouth in embarrassment. But again they locked eyes and Emily could not help but let out a hearty laugh.

Daniel mirrored it back and his smile lit up the room. "Ah, what the heck – it's for a good cause," he resolved, still laughing to himself. He continued staring at Emily in the process and for a moment they both held the gaze, her eyes dazzling while his seemed entranced.

And then Emily did something that surprised him – while still smiling at the mishap, she leaned over towards him and with her thumb and forefinger, dabbed at a splash of wine from Daniel's cheek. "Sorry I think you got a drop of million dollar vinegar on you," she chuckled, rubbing it away.

When she pulled back, Daniel's eyes were serious, and he felt a confession coming. "Alright, I have to be honest," he began, and she looked up expectantly. "The reason I wanted to celebrate – the hunch I told you I had? It was about you."

"What?" Emily was lost.

He took a breath, still somewhat laughing at himself. "When you backed away the morning after our kiss… the same morning that Aiden showed up, I thought maybe – something was still going on." He watched her for reaction, and she merely closed her eyes, putting her head down. "So when I found out you invited him to the wine auction, I wanted to test my theory – see if I was right?"

"Daniel—" Emily began her standard plea of reassurance, but was unable to finish.

"Wait," he stopped her, proceeding. "Just let me finish. For a moment there, I thought I was. Especially when he came over to Helen and you rushed over to deflect him—"

"Daniel, I was making sure you didn't miss the opportunity to talk to her like we planned," Emily insisted, unable to refrain from interjecting.

Daniel raised a hand. "I know, I know." He sighed. "But I watched you two, you know? And I realized every time you two are in the same company –"

This time Daniel was cut short as another loud knock sounded at the sliding door. Emily looked up, concerned and then stared through the glass in irony – it was Aiden. Again, she offered Daniel an apologetic look but he put his hands up, wondering if the timing was perfect. "You should get that," he encouraged her.

"Excuse me," she whispered while standing up and walked over towards the door, where Aiden had just stepped through. "Aiden – I think I can guess what you're doing here."

He let out a half-sigh half-sarcastic laugh in reply, instinctively coming up with a quick lie. "Yeah, well I saw the lights were on. Uh, I thought I'd fetch my things." He looked over where Daniel had just stood up from the couch. "Daniel," he greeted him dryly.

"Aiden," Daniel echoed back.

Emily nodded at Aiden's request, finding a duffel bag on the side of the stairwell and bringing it over to serve his purpose. "This should be everything," she acknowledged icily. She was unable to resist prying as to his whereabouts. "Is everything alright, you left suddenly at the auction?"

"Fine," he answered, certainly not willing to give up any additional detail after stumbling into her interlude. "Just anxious to get back to work," he added, looking back over at Daniel. "I apologize again for my hiatus, boss. I'll see you bright and early."

Daniel merely raised his glass slightly in response and then Aiden turned, with one last look of contempt for Emily. This time she shut the door behind him and locked it, taking a pause before turning around to face the aftermath from Daniel.

"As I was saying," he continued, setting his glass down onto the table and grabbing his jacket from the arm of the couch. "Every time you two are in the same company – I feel like you both know something I don't." He started for the door, but Emily stopped him halfway, standing in his path.

"Daniel, let me explain," she insisted, but he still appeared resolute.

"No explanation needed, Em," he put up a hand again, though his expression was gentle. "It's obvious there's a lot I don't know." He stepped around her, leaving her with her head down, and then paused once more to look back. "Since it's clear our relationship is just business then I should tell you what I found out from Helen."

Emily turned around to face him, her interest resurged again.

"She all but admitted that _Stonehaven United_ plans to profit in the aftermath of a disaster – already in the works for later this year. How they plan to cover their tracks I have no idea, but it's obviously the Initiative's next play. They're just waiting on the program they need to set it all in motion." He folded his arm under his jacket after running down the detail.

"Carrion," Emily answered, piecing it together from Nolan's explanation. She looked up at him. "They won't be able to finish without it. As long as that program is safe, they can get you to buy whatever disaster relief company they want, but it means nothing without an actual event to profit from."

"Well I'm sure you'll handle that from here," Daniel concluded, growing restless. "You _and_ Aiden both." Her expression was startled. "Goodnight, Emily."

Something in her stirred and once again, she found herself extending – unable to let him go with the wrong conclusion. "Daniel, wait," she reached out to him, stopping him short. She shook her head emphatically. "Aiden and I are over. You have to believe me, it was just one night – and despite what you think, nothing happened."

Daniel watched her eyes, becoming savvier at discerning when she was telling the truth and when she was playing him, and realized there was a great measure of sincerity. He relaxed, but was still unsure. "Just the same, maybe we ought to quit while we're behind?"

Emily took a breath, and again a thought from earlier echoed in her mind. _When a plan is built on an unstable foundation, failure is not only a possibility, it's a certainty_. "Actually," she insisted, stepping in closer to him while he tensed beneath her grasp on his arm. "I was hoping we could do just the opposite?"

Before Daniel could resist her, she was suddenly in his space, pressing her mouth softly to his lips, intertwining her fingers through his hair and leaning in so that the beat of his heart throbbed into her chest. Unable to break away even once to stop the inevitable, Daniel released his arm to wrap it around her, dropping his jacket to the floor in the process. Despite still nursing feelings of uncertainty and doubt, his thoughts were hopeless in the wake of the overwhelming desire between them. After holding it back on several occasions when they interacted, the inertia had mounted and release was imminent.

The same sense that often served to warn Emily of danger signaled in her mind at that moment, warning her that her actions, though necessary and deliciously gratifying, still held much risk, but she ignored it. Instead, a yearning opened up inside that moved her to edge slowly towards the long stairwell behind them while Daniel followed, leading them both into the passionate rapture beckoning them to finish the night.

 **SCENE**

Defeated, Nolan sighed as he turned off his computer at the office, resigned that not only had he been stood up by his date for the wine auction, but also been made a pawn in her master scheme. He cleared the rest of his desk, hoping that despite the letdown, Emily had made some kind of advancement in her joint approach with Daniel and would have good news to report in the morning. After making a final sweep of the room, he closed out the light and exited down the hall, calling in a double order of his favorite consolation vodka to be waiting for him in his hotel room.

Just moments shy of his departure, Padma emerged from her darkened office on the same floor and she quietly slipped over to Nolan's, producing a spare key from her pocket to let herself in. Once inside, she made her way around to his desk, and then turned on his computer. After the first screen prompt she entered a code, interrupting the normal startup so that another program ran instead – an application geared to record and reproduce the last files accessed by tracking keystrokes. Once the application completed its assessment, she plugged a hard drive into the side, allowed it to download and then swiftly removed it and shut the computer down. With the drive in hand she exhaled a heavy breath and then removed her cellular device from her dress pocket.

She waited as the number she entered dialed and then paused when the prompt answered.

"Padma Lahari," none other than Helen Crowley's voice answered. "We've been expecting you."

"Yes, it's me," she answered nervously, walking over to the window. "I have an update. I have confirmation Nolan Ross is hiding the Carrion program somewhere inside the company."

With the magnitude of her admission resonating in her ears, Padma waited for Helen's breathy response, which came only a moment later.

"Good. We're counting on you."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Hello again my loves! I sincerely hope you enjoyed this latest installment – and while I know it's still taking me quite some time to update, I do hope it was worth the wait! It was an exciting chapter to write, with some additional twists and turns for Conrad/Lydia, a more prominent role for Charlotte, a slight role reversal in the Demily love triangle, and all culminating in a payoff at the end that I do hope satisfied your Demily desires! The scene after the wine auction was one I always wished wasn't "sabotaged" by Aiden's interruption, so it was important that in my version, if anything his presence only intensified what happened next! Any questions you have (Did they go all the way? Are they a couple now? What will Aiden do next?) will be answered in the exciting next chapter "Collusion"! A personal favorite episode of mine ;) Anyway please let me know your feedback and post me a little comment or review if you can :) Your thoughts and expressions are much appreciated! Thanks so much! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	12. Chapter 12: Collusion

**Chapter 12: Collusion**

 _Every human is born of collusion. We come into this world the result of a covenant - sometimes made of love… sometimes of circumstance… but almost always made in secret…_

Emily's dreams were always vivid, each second feeling more real than the one before. But as she slept into the early throes of morning, this dream in particular shook her with intensity as it drew on actual memories from very recent events. Deep in the comforts of her bed, she twisted and moaned in ecstasy, covered only by Daniel's toned body looming over her own. Time seemed to slow down as they rolled back and forth, her vision blurred, and her eyes fluttering open mid-pleasure to fixate on his face above hers. Yet, as he leaned upwards, allowing her to catch a breath, her heart nearly stopped as the face looking back suddenly changed to Aiden's, staring dark pangs of guilt into her eyes. Emily gasped deeply, lurching back in shock, embarrassed and unguarded—

And then finally awoke. Just as quickly as it came, the dream faded, returning Emily back to her reality, and the warm body that slept next to her. Daniel's eyes were closed, deep in the world of slumber she had just come out of, and with a tingling sensation, Emily recalled the parts of her dream that were real – memories of their ravenous lovemaking following her request for him to stay. And yet, her heart continued to be stirred by thoughts of Aiden, impressing upon her a sense of guilt she did not know existed until that moment. Loyal to her instinctive coping mechanism, Emily carefully slipped out of bed without waking Daniel, threw on loose-fitted clothing and headed down to the beach to clear her mind.

Halfway to her intended point of seclusion at the shoreline, she spotted Aiden already there in her place, an ironic portent that her dreams bordered on prophecy. She walked up behind him slowly, clutching her arms in embarrassment, as if the unseen events from the night before were laid bare and naked to his knowing eyes.

"You realize I didn't plan on interrupting you last night?" Aiden announced before she could reach him, sensing her presence. She stopped a few paces behind and her silence drew him to face her. "My intrusion was not intentional. I came to tell you what happened with Helen."

Emily ducked her chin in acknowledgement, still avoiding too much eye contact. "And?"

Aiden turned back around to watch the sea again. "Let's just say despite my earnest efforts – she continues to hold all the cards. I still have yet to earn her trust."

Emily expected as much. She wanted to respond with her own explanation, wanted to help him understand what was happening between her and Daniel, but the words escaped her, likely because she could not articulate it to herself yet. All she could safely offer to him at the moment was sympathy. She took a step forward to align to his stance. "Aiden, I know how hard it must be, waiting for a lead on your sister," she began, her tone reserved. "But until they give you proof that she's alive—"

"I can subsist on hope," he finished, glancing at her from his peripheral vision. "Which is more than I've had for the past decade." He faced her full on. "That being said, I think its best we not talk anymore."

Emily closed her eyes in acceptance. "Aiden, about me and Daniel—"

"Listen, if you don't mind I rather don't have the stomach for the details," he cut her off. There was nothing Emily could share with him that he didn't already suspect, nor did he really want to hear from her lips. "I won't interfere with how you choose to complete your mission. I only hope you'll honor my decision to go my own separate way."

She finally met eyes with him, and the sorrow in his continued to pang her. But despite it being unfortunate, he was resilient and she had to honor that. "You know how much I want you to find Colleen," she said.

"I don't deny it," Aiden acknowledged graciously. "Just the same, I think it's better this way." He eyed her up and down and then glanced back towards the house. "He may not know it yet – but I know from personal experience the barrier you put up to the people that care about you. I've already endured my share of being an outsider – I'm done trying to break through walls."

Allowing his blunt assessment of her to resonate, he turned and brushed past, leaving her still facing the sea in the wake of his departure. Emily could only shake her head at the resolution, and listened as he uttered his last goodbye.

"Best wishes with Daniel."

 **SCENE**

"I have to assume that you're reading that rag at that decibel for my benefit?"

Victoria eyed her pernicious husband as he vigorously flapped the morning paper while he read, if only to call to her attention the article highlighting her attendance at the wine auction on Jason Prosser's arm. The auction, despite being a huge success in her eyes, had also served to circulate rumors of a more than platonic relationship, which only made Victoria laugh in light of Conrad's own deviancies.

"What in this house _isn't_ for your benefit, dear?" he shot back smartly. "Though I did catch wind of some news that I'm sure will interest you." He took a breath while she waited with little excitement, sipping her morning coffee from across the breakfast table. "Prosser is vying for _Stonehaven United_ \- now that's a lead from the Initiative you were once in sole possession of?"

Victoria could not help but chuckle. "Well, what are you implying, Conrad?"

He closed the paper. "That you're trying to subvert the deal to prove Daniel's incompetency to Helen?" He chided her with a grin as her expression implied he was right. "Don't get me wrong - I approve of the plan, just not with your visibility."

"Oh, dear Conrad," she fed back. "If only you had my visibility, then you wouldn't need my assistance to clean up every endeavor you've ever sunk yourself knee-deep into." Their exchange was nearly playful after years of banter, making for a seamless transition as Charlotte emerged downstairs.

"Morning, all," she greeted them, saving a specific look of interest for her father.

"Darling, Happy Birthday," Conrad greeted her, standing to his feet to hand over a card with a sizable gift inside. He leaned in to whisper while pulling her into a hug. "This is not for the topic we discussed; we'll continue that conversation later this afternoon." She nodded discreetly as they separated and he gently patted her on the shoulder, covering their exchange. "Don't spend it all in ten places," he added neatly with a smile.

"Sweetheart," Victoria was next to greet her, taking Conrad's place as he walked with purpose towards the foyer. After hugging Charlotte she shook her head in amazement. "Is it possible that I have a 24 and 18-year-old? Where does time go?"

Charlotte only grinned. "And where is Daniel?"

Victoria took in an uneasy breath. "I'm not sure sweetheart; I must've been asleep when he got in last night and when he left this morning," she guessed, stroking Charlotte's hair. "Perhaps he's working on his own surprise for his little sister's big day?"

A thought suddenly came to Charlotte and she rushed to mention it. "Speaking of surprises—" she started, but was a second too late to save the moment.

In walked Lydia, a pace behind Conrad. "Good morning," she greeted them, savoring a look of triumph for the former. "Victoria," she directed aptly.

Victoria exhaled a sigh of annoyance through clenched teeth at her arrival. "Charlotte, would you excuse us for a minute?" she dismissed her youngest child. "It seems that the cat has dragged itself back in."

"Here's the report you requested," Lydia addressed Conrad, handing him a folder as he took a seat once again at the head of the table.

"Thank you," he replied, watching Victoria to see if she kept her claws concealed.

"So _this_ is the new communications director?" she tested him, anger steaming beneath. "Don't you know that politicians tend to keep their concubines in the closet?"

"Spoken like a woman that no one is sleeping with," Lydia quipped back, prepared for battle.

"You'll be happy to hear that Ms. Davis and I have put our past behind us," Conrad clarified, though not quite as sincerely as he intended. Lydia took notice but did not dare cower in Victoria's presence. "And we are now looking towards the future," he added, unconsciously referencing more than just their working relationship.

"Which I do hope, includes civility for us, Victoria?" Lydia heavily asserted.

Victoria could only shake her head at the gall of her former best friend and despicable husband. "Oh really? And what other skeletons do you plan on resurrecting this go round?" she taunted, thinking back on Lydia's hand delivery of Kara Clarke. "And is Conrad aware of the havoc he's about to experience throughout his campaign at your behest?"

"Ladies, ladies," Conrad interjected, before his wife accidentally stumbled upon the actual truth. He stood up as a symbolic barrier between them, clearly enjoying their catlike defenses to a degree. "This family has endured a much worse fate than a bit of medieval tension under the same roof," he argued, looking from one to the other. He fixated on Victoria. "And given your own recent flair for scandal I think we can agree the scales are quite even, therefore let us be obliged to go along – to get along. Hm?"

With that he tapped Victoria condescendingly, who shook off his hand with a deadly look. Conrad strolled out of the dining room, headed for the study while Lydia followed behind, exchanging an unsavory glance with the former as both women went their separate ways.

 **SCENE**

"I know what you're up to."

Nolan leaned his head back in comfort on the large king bed where he and Padma reclined, a solid foot of space between them. He faced her as his lips curled up into a grin. "You had the seller stage this place with all of my favorite decor, didn't you?"

Padma scrunched up her nose playfully. "Anything to end your never-ending house hunt! You've hated all the other places for the most nit-picky reasons," she insisted.

Nolan turned back if only to dwell on the real reasons why – he found it nearly impossible to be in her company, knowing that she was working with the Initiative and could not be trusted. And yet, so as not to arouse suspicion, he had to. Even if it meant parading with her to view houses that he had no intention of buying.

"Plus," she was going on. "I wanted to make it up to you for standing you up last night. But when the realtor called me about this one, I just had to do everything I could to make it perfect.

Again Nolan wore a wry grin, wishing at times like these that he could believe her, especially with the cheerfully innocent tone in her voice. "It is rather lonely without a place to call home," he agreed genuinely, still aiming to be noncommittal. "But—"

"But, what?" she pushed.

"Well," he diverted. "Why _this_ one?"

"Are you kidding me?" she laughed. "It's overflowing with character! It practically screams Nolan Ross," she poked him playfully and he managed a chuckle back, but she could sense it was still a struggle. "Alright," she conceded, sitting up straight. "Tell you what, take a moment alone – see how you feel and I'll be just outside when you're ready."

He nodded in response, thinking it safer that way anyway, and relaxed more once she was gone. It gave him time to really absorb it in and despite being a bit on edge he had to admit – she was right, it did fit his character. Perhaps this was one suggestion he could afford to take?

As if on cue, an alert on his phone went off, symbolizing his technological conscience throwing up a red flag. An application he had installed on his computer some time ago to monitor for trespassers had just gone off – someone had attempted to run a program to trace his keystrokes within the past 24 hours. Immediately suspicious, he logged into the security systems at his office at Grayson Global and sure enough – there was Padma, slipping in not two seconds after he had left the night before.

"You coming?" her voice beckoned from the hallway.

Nolan could only sigh in further disappointment, having suffered the last letdown that he thought he could bear after trying to hope for the best. "Just a minute," he answered back, knowing full well that despite his attempts to try to come to her aid – Padma had gone beyond his rescue in her loyalty to the Initiative.

 **SCENE**

While Emily's senses remained regularly heightened to pick up on her surroundings, there was no doubt that her brief run-in with Aiden had distracted her when she returned home. As she set a bag of groceries on the counter, she suddenly flinched when she felt the sensation of Daniel's arms around her, startling her with his presence.

"Daniel," she breathed, rushing a smile before he noticed. "I thought you'd still be asleep?"

He turned her to face him while still in his embrace. "I was," he answered. "Until I realized how much I missed waking up with you," he paused to correct his statement. "Or, _without_ you, I should say? You always did find a way to slip out of bed first."

Again Emily pushed a grin to her lips, and attempted to relax while he leaned in close, nuzzling her face. "Well, some things haven't changed," she admitted sweetly, returning the affection with her arms around his neck. She nodded back towards the plastic bag on the counter. "I went out early to pick up breakfast."

Daniel chuckled, his breath warm on Emily's cheek. "Now that's where I've gotten better at knowing you," he continued, leaning closer in between his words until their lips nearly touched. "Because when you say you went out early to pick up breakfast? It really means you don't want me to know where you've been."

His words landed with a delayed thud, and Emily's eyes immediately snapped open in realization. This time when she looked up, his expression had grown serious and he was clearly on edge, waiting for an answer. "Daniel, it's the truth," she insisted, concern in her eyes.

"Really?" he continued to test her. "All of it?"

Emily fought the urge to snap back, knowing that her anger would only further provoke his suspicion. It was still in her habit to smooth over the parts of her life that she didn't want to admit to, and yet as much as Daniel's predisposal to jealousy annoyed her, she had to admit under these circumstances it was justified.

"Well, not all of it," Emily confessed, trying to appease him with another morsel of information. She glanced towards the door at a delightful little gift bag. "I also picked up a gift." His brow wrinkled and she shifted the attention back at him, expectantly. "For Charlotte?"

Her distraction worked for the moment. Daniel's countenance immediately transformed from suspicious to self-condemning as he recalled it was his sister's birthday. "Oh my goodness, I completely forgot," he replied, separating from her to put a hand to his head.

"It's alright, it can be from both of us," she assured him, pulling him back in close again. As strange as it felt to discuss their shared sibling's birthday as a postlude to their intimacy, it did help to change the subject. "Besides it was easy to forget - we did have quite the diverting night." She lowered her eyes seductively.

"Indeed we did," Daniel echoed, eager to discuss. "It was ah… different… being with Amanda Clarke for the first time."

Emily stiffened. Daniel's mention of her true identity made her feel more naked than she had been the entire night. "In a good way?" she asked, ignoring it.

"Definitely good," he admitted, but again his countenance dropped. "That's what worries me." She looked at him for explanation. "Listen, while last night was amazing… I keep wondering why you asked me to stay?"

Emily shrugged. "Because I wanted you to," she started, searching for more. "And because… I know now that… I can depend on you."

Daniel watched her very closely. "So you trust me, then?"

"Yes," she answered, while simultaneously admitting it to herself for the first time. "I have to say I do."

He nodded and licked his lips, as if to size up how honest she was really being. "Ok," he continued. "Then come away with me to L.A."

"What?" Emily's nerves reared again.

"You already know Helen's next move is to make sure I secure _Stonehaven_ ," he explained, assertiveness in his tone. "And whether or not our failsafe diffuses whatever they're planning, I have to keep convincing her that I'm on board." He looked into her eyes. "So come with me."

"Daniel," she began, instinctively alibiing. "There's still a lot at stake here in New York—"

"You mean, like Aiden?" he quizzed her directly, staying sharp.

Emily jerked her head back in surprise. He was quickly becoming a keener observant than she was used to, and she could only fault herself for the improvement. "I told you Aiden and I are over – nothing's changed," she insisted, regrouping. "I just don't want the Initiative to get their hands on that program—"

"That sounds like something Nolan can handle on his own," Daniel challenged her. He narrowed his eyes. "Listen, Em, even if things are done with you and Aiden, we both know it's clear he has his own interest in Helen Crowley. Now, whatever it is, it could affect all the hard work we've put into getting this far."

Despite his ignorance of the full picture, Emily had to admit Daniel was right. It was beginning to concern her how well he was able to decipher the situation even without knowledge of their past history.

"Look, if last night was just a mistake," he continued, watching her eyes closely. "A spur of the moment thing, then you need to tell me now—"

"It _wasn't,_ " she insisted emphatically, masking the discomfort that came with the admission. She allowed herself to replay in her mind the stray images of the night before that were bursting to get through. That alone softened her disposition as Daniel followed up.

"Then, there's no reason I do this without you," he surmised, allowing her own response to build the case for him. He raised his eyebrows expectantly. "Is there?"

Emily used those delicate seconds to think, revising her mind's projection of how her mission was to move forward. Despite happening with such ease the night before, taking their relationship to the next level had complicated things more and she could not deny it. Yet in the same instance, it was still within the parameters of her plan. It continued to maintain Daniel as her contact to the Initiative and if anything, only solidified his loyalty. So why did it feel as though she was suddenly off track? For once, what she felt inside and what she had to do were both running parallel, and yet somehow, something seemed off balance?

She pushed the thoughts aside, plundering through them with determination to not let it subvert their progress. With confidence she addressed his question, and mentally prepared for the next sequence of events. "No," she answered, refreshing her face with a smile. "You're right, we do this together."

Daniel allowed himself a heartfelt smile in exhalation as he watched her come around. She beamed back, reassuring him back into her confidence as she wrapped her arms around his neck again.

"When do we leave?"

 **SCENE**

"You could've just called."

Aiden leaned into the open rear window of the car that pulled up in the garage, meeting him in the familiar location from before. Helen Crowley's face soon came into view in the backseat, though partially disguised with a scarf and sunglasses, similarly to how Lydia was dressed during their own meeting some time ago.

"That's so impersonal after all we've been through," Helen replied, recalling the prior evening. While Aiden escorted her out of the wine auction, they had been seemingly apprehended by vaporous gasses steaming into the vent of their elevator. When she awoke, both she and Aiden were tied together and a mysterious voice was asking them questions. Aiden had been able to break free and rescue her to safety but the entire charade seemed too distinct to be a coincidence.

"Besides," she continued, still recalling the event. "It's in my best interest to keep the ball in my court. I have my suspicions you were behind that little stunt at the wine auction."

"You flatter me," Aiden deflected, begging off. "But if you recall, they gassed us both."

"A perfect cover for your partner to run the interrogation?" Helen suggested. "You and Victoria Grayson have much to gain by working together," she continued, alleging her first guess as his accomplice. "You, to save your sister, she, to save her son."

Aiden bit his lip. "I assure you, I had no part to play in our abduction, nor would I ever collude with that woman. I work alone." His statement, while currently accurate for the moment, was only half-right for the night before. Yet neither Helen nor anyone else, including Emily and Nolan, were aware of who _had_ accompanied him, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"And until I see proof of my sister's well-being, that's how it's going to stay," he asserted, growing tired of Helen stringing him out without proof. He turned to walk away but was quickly stopped by Helen's next actions. She grinned devilishly in response, obliging his request with the touch of a button. Moments later a video appeared on the screen of her mobile device, displaying footage of Aiden's beloved sister, clearly pained and tortured.

 _"What's your name again, darlin'?" a thick Russian voice was asking her._

 _"Colleen," she replied nervously._

 _"That's right, you've got a family somewhere?"_

 _"I have a brother," she answered, nearly shaking in angst._

Helen stopped the playback; certain it had served its purpose. Meanwhile, Aiden's countenance had already dropped in desperation, his focus only his sister's face. When the screen went black he rested his weight on the window, staring back at Helen with a pleading expression. "What do I have to do?" he begged.

The sneer that followed from Helen could only be translated to malicious intent. "Kill Victoria Grayson," she answered nimbly. "You have 24 hours."

 **SCENE**

"Ms. Clarke, I've assessed your situation and I must digress, I cannot fully assist in what you have proposed."

Conrad stared back at the two young women that sat before him in his study –his daughter, in her first hours of adulthood, and the other being Amanda Clarke. He watched the latter carefully, shifting his full attention to her rather than to Charlotte. Lydia was at his side, handing him a written proposal of his alternate counter offer to their request as he continued on.

"While I sympathize with your fiancé – both of us being entrepreneurs, both taking over our father's businesses and thereby inheriting their sins – clearing a potential murder charge is not something I feel comfortable getting involved with," he went on.

"But Jack hasn't been charged with anything, yet," Amanda explained. "And he didn't kill anybody."

"Yes, I'm aware," Conrad answered. "However, the murder weapon that my daughter found aboard the boat licensed to his name insists otherwise."

Amanda snapped her neck in Charlotte's direction. "You _told_ him about the gun?" She sighed in annoyance, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," Charlotte begged off. "He told me the only way he could help was to tell him everything—"

"Which I still intend to do," Conrad interjected, putting a hand up to prevent a spat between the sisters. "Now if you'll just hold on before you get worked up, I've drafted a _different_ proposal. Rather than meet Nate Ryan's demands regarding his own bail and instructions around the murder weapon, I suggest we put that money towards redeeming the _true_ wrongfulaccused," he paused to hold up the file Lydia had just given him. " _Kenny_ Ryan."

"Kenny?" Charlotte repeated in surprise.

"We looked into his records," Lydia explained. "And while Nate's is filthy, Kenny is clean and it appears from the discussions held with his appointed legal counsel that he was an unknowing accomplice in all of this."

She tossed a file onto the desk, allowing Amanda to pick it up and read through, while Charlotte looked on. "But Daddy, I don't understand – how does that stop Nate from keeping his word about going after Amanda and her family?" Her sincere concern for her sister was clear in her response.

Conrad was prepared with next steps. "Once Kenny is released, I will extend an agreement with his prosecutor that will allow him to accept a sizable check for purchase of his and Nate's portion of the _Stowaway._ In it will be a very clear contingency of restraint. If he or his brother, upon his untimely release, sets foot on the property ever again, not even the jail cell will protect them from severe punishment." He paused to take a breath. "And, I will also stress that should any of his quote 'partners' come near the Porter family to make trouble, they will have to deal with our own level of security."

Charlotte exhaled, immediately pleased with her father's intentions to rectify the situation and even impressed that his counter reply did not involve giving Nate what he wanted. She looked over at her sister for confirmation, but Amanda was still cautious.

"I don't get it," Amanda replied, closing the folder and shooting a glance over at Lydia. "Everything ah, sounds great but why go to all the extra trouble? What's in it for you?"

"Oh you mean do I have a _selfish_ motivation for this?" Conrad deduced, reeking of self-importance. When she raised an eyebrow in return, he decided to drop the pretense. "You bet. But not just for my campaign image, if that's what you're thinking. No, you see, my daughter chooses to spend her leisure time in your questionable establishment, putting herself in harm's way. It's a concern I'm sure you'll share for your son Carl, a child proudly named after the man whose legacy your betrothed is so desperate to uphold!"

"I already told you Jack didn't kill anybody!" Amanda leered back at him. "The shooter's name is Matt Duncan—"

"Amanda!" Charlotte tried to stop her.

"And he's the one who used that gun to kill Joe Ryan," she confessed anyway. She gave Charlotte a sorrowful look. "I'm sorry. I asked Jack about it last night – and he told me everything. He only just found out the truth but he didn't want his friend to have to suffer anymore." Charlotte sighed in realization, regretting that it all had to surface this way.

Conrad sighed. "Well, that's about what I expected," he continued, redirecting to Lydia, who immediately got on the phone to contact the authorities while he finished his dissertation. "Regardless, I would strongly encourage you to adhere to exactly what I have proposed, Ms. Clarke. And until we can get a signed confession – secure the murder weapon safely. It's the only option you have to protect the family you care about so deeply," he paused to look at his daughter. "Including Charlotte."

By their submissive expressions it was clear that both Charlotte and Amanda were conceding to his offer, and Conrad nodded in confirmation. "Very well, then," he asserted. "I will make the necessary arrangements."

"Thank you, Daddy," Charlotte expressed genuinely, but Amanda could not resist one last remark as she stood to her feet.

"I appreciate what you're doing for me and Jack," Amanda added. "And our son, Carl. But just so you know – he was named for _both_ his grandfathers." She paused, allowing her statement to marinate while her eyes flickered from Conrad to Lydia and back again. "His middle name is David in honor of _my_ father – and just like Jack's? He was also wrongfully accused for something he didn't do."

She grew in intensity as her audience fixed their eyes on her, waiting for what would come next. But Amanda knew better and only left it on that note, implying enough without vocalizing it, that justice had still yet to be served. She turned to her sister and Charlotte joined her to walk her out of the study, leaving Conrad and Lydia just beyond the open door.

"You need to keep your eyes on that one," Lydia observed, hanging up the phone to lean forward over Conrad's shoulder. "Posting bail for a wrongfully accused man may be good for your campaign – but _she's_ going to be a problem."

"Yes I'm aware," Conrad concurred, still in thought. "Something tells me our efforts to subvert the Ryans' attack on the Porter boys may be powerless to protect the remaining Clarke."

The foreshadowing hung eerily in the air as the two returned to the task at hand, all the while not aware that a visitor was lurking just outside the study. Having shown up out of concern for Charlotte, Declan had arrived unseen just as she and Amanda exited the room and still remained unnoticed by the door, contemplating the meaning of everything he had just overheard.

 **SCENE**

"After the Northridge Quake, my father was inspired to use the profits from our military contracts to create a privatized disaster-relief firm," Donna Carlisle paused to take a breath as she returned from her tour of the courtyard to the entrance of her building. Beside her stood Daniel and Emily, listening intently as _Stonehaven_ 's owner poured out her heart regarding the future of its interests.

"This company's employees meant everything to my father," she was saying. "And I'm not interested in handing it over to someone with plans to break it up and sell it for parts."

"Believe me that's not my intention at all," Daniel spoke up, feeling more strongly about his stance ever since being exposed to the truth about the Initiative and Flight 197.

"Forgive me," Ms. Carlisle countered. "But your company's rather dubious reputation doesn't offer much comfort."

Daniel sighed, unable to disagree with her. "Well, I think we can all agree that Grayson Global needs its own kind of disaster relief," he admitted. "It's a burden that's weighed on me each day since I've become C.E.O." He trailed off, his honesty impelling him to reflect more deeply than he anticipated.

Emily observed his momentary bout of guilt, and while she admired him for being so conscious of his responsibility, she knew better that it would not translate the confidence needed for a purchase bid. "Why don't you mention what we were talking about earlier?" she interjected, waking his senses.

"Right," he snapped back to attention, facing Ms. Carlisle. "My goal is to re-brand our image so that the "global" refers to world view, not world domination."

"Thank you for your candor," Ms. Carlisle accepted, nodding appreciatively. "And I can tell you that your bid is on top of a very short list of competing offers."

"Well, thank you very much for this opportunity, Ms. Carlisle." Daniel extended a hand for her to shake. "It's been a pleasure."

"Lovely to meet you," Emily added a farewell as Ms. Carlisle went back inside, leaving them alone.

"Thanks for the assist," Daniel acknowledged to Emily, who stood proudly in front of him in her blue dress and pumps. Her presence with him since the night before only boosted his self-assurance. "You know I meant everything I said just now?"

"I know," she agreed hesitantly, clutching at her purse. "I was afraid there for a moment that your sympathy for her past was distracting you, though."

He had to agree. "Actually, I think it was. Look, I know we're here to continue the plan to draw out the Initiative but with everything she's told us," he trailed off in thought. "I really do want to help her."

Emily thought about it, weighing the risk in continuing forward. "Helen made it clear this acquisition is essential to their plans," she reiterated, thinking aloud. "If Carlisle accepts the offer, _Stonehaven_ will unknowingly become a part of their plot." She sighed, refreshing her determination. "But that's why we're going to make sure we intercept it, so that doesn't happen. In doing so, we'll help her more than she'll ever realize."

Daniel teetered. "I think we may need to do more than that to keep her father's company safe," he continued. "We're taking a huge risk just by lining everything up for the Initiative." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, maybe it's just better if we drop the bid altogether."

"Daniel, that won't change anything," Emily countered, readjusting his thinking. "If you give in on this bid, the Initiative will only find another disaster relief company to go after and become more suspicious about their C.E.O. No, it's best we stick to the plan," she reminded him. "Sometimes to keep everyone protected it's the only thing we can do."

Daniel gazed into her eyes, transfixed by her prowess in the category. "Well I defer to your experience," he conceded, looking back towards where Ms. Carlisle had walked off. "But I have to admit it would be a lot easier right now to call her with my withdrawal—" he paused to take Emily's hand. "—and just go back to the hotel with you for the rest of the day."

She exhaled a smile, shaking her head. "I know it may not make sense," she acknowledged. "But I just want to make sure you don't lose sight of the endgame?" She looked at him for confirmation, concern peering through her eyes.

Daniel noted it, and despite feeling somewhat indifferent towards her desire to continue forward, he conceded in favor of softening her up to his own suggestion. "That's fine," he agreed. "But I think in the meantime, you need to relax—"

Emily gave him a wry look, wondering what he had in mind, but couldn't help but mirror the hinted smile he wore.

"—and I've got just the idea how."

 **SCENE**

"So," Charlotte began the conversation between her and her sister as they made the awkward walk back to the _Stowaway_ from where she had parked along the docks. "Do you think Jack will be surprised when Kenny shows up suddenly, offering him his share back from the bar?"

"Hopefully not if your Dad keeps his promise and nothing else suspicious happens," Amanda replied with a sigh. "He knows Kenny's got wealthy friends – and of the two of them he's always had more of a heart, it seems. I think he'll be relieved to clear the air." She gazed up at the bar where her soon-to-be husband waited for her, watching over Carl while she told yet another regrettable lie about her whereabouts. She did her best to wipe the thought out of mind, hoping the solution they reached would prevent any further reason to do so again.

"Thanks again for the help by the way," she acknowledged, turning to face Charlotte. "You have no idea how much you saved us."

Charlotte tilted her head in appreciation. "Are you kidding? You're family to me too, Amanda," she insisted, pulling her sister into a hug.

"Oh!" Amanda suddenly pulled back, reaching into her purse. "That reminds me – with all the fuss this morning I forgot to give you this," she produced a small box in giftwrap and placed it in Charlotte's palm. "It's a gift from your nephew."

"Aw!" Charlotte cooed in excitement as she opened the box and looked at the gift. "Carl's little handprint! It's so sweet!"

Amanda smiled, pleased at her reaction. "18's a big one," she commented, reflecting. "You're independent, free. In my case, I literally was, since that was the year I was released from juvie."

"It was also the year our dad died," Charlotte added, looking up into her eyes.

"Yeah," Amanda admitted, swallowing in response. "It was." She grew quiet and Charlotte could not resist pressing further.

"You know when you mentioned him, earlier? I couldn't help but think about all that he went through," Charlotte continued, her expression falling. "And as much as I appreciate what my dad is doing, I still feel like he owes us for all those horrible things he did to my real father – _our_ father."

Amanda nodded, feeling just as strongly about the topic as Charlotte, despite it being an assumed role. Her connection to Emily only made it easier for her to identify with her family's pain. "Don't worry," Amanda continued, hoping the comment she had made on behalf of her would not come back to haunt them both. "Karma has a way of always making those things right," she assured her sister.

"I hope so," Charlotte lamented.

"In the meantime," Amanda rushed to change the subject before it could hover around the real Amanda Clarke's plans any further. "Where's the rest of your family on your special day?"

"I think Daniel forgot," Charlotte guessed, checking her phone. "And my mother is supposed to take me to the ballet—" she stopped short, reading the text message waiting on her screen. _"Next week?"_ she finished, shocked at the postponement her mother had just requested. "Wow – that's just great. What does it mean when your mom cancels your birthday?"

Amanda huffed, unfazed. "I'd say it's her gift to you," she replied, gesturing to the _Stowaway_ just ahead. "You know we can do something for you here."

"Thanks," Charlotte sighed, still disappointed. "But I was really looking forward to this. I guess being a Grayson means learning to live with things not always going your way."

Amanda rubbed her sister's back in reassurance as she led her in. "You're not a Grayson," was all she could say. "Not really."

 **SCENE**

Emily stretched out in a lounge chair by the pool, checking her phone as she waited for Daniel to join her. As much as it was hard for her to let her guard down when approaching a pivotal moment in their mission, the hotel's amenities did have their appeal. And Emily had to admit, she did enjoy Daniel's company. It was just difficult to be completely at ease when she still had yet to hear from Nolan with the latest on Carrion. She tapped out a text to him, requesting an update just as Daniel arrived beside her.

"Well my mother showed up, right on cue," he updated, shaking his head. He tossed his towel onto the chair next to her and sat down, lounging in his shorts and tank. "I just ran into her in the lobby."

Emily chuckled, closing out her phone but keeping it on her lap. "Did you give her a good reaming for showing up on Prosser's arm again?"

"Of course," he smiled, shifting. "Though I have to admit, my performance was only motivated by personal disgust. I actually wouldn't mind if Prosser won the bid." Emily looked up in question, just as Daniel laid a hand on one of her crossed legs. "Then you and I could drop this mission altogether and hangout by the pool all day."

She pursed her lips but kept resilient. "Daniel – you know what happens if we lose the bid. At least with _Stonehaven_ we can control the outcome," she paused when her phone alerted and checked Nolan's reply. She began tapping out a response as she finished her thought. "With another investor we might not be so lucky."

"Right," Daniel recalled with a nod, as he slipped off his shirt and looked around to survey their surroundings. "Well what can I say; I guess I just want to take a little time to enjoy everything we're working for together." He returned focus to her. "I mean, that's the point, right?"

Emily kept her attention on her phone, disagreeing. "That's the difference between us, Daniel. I don't allow my life to make me lose focus on my mission."

He grinned to himself, taking her calculated response as a challenge. "Maybe if you would focus _more_ on your life—" he started in, a devilish thought coming to mind. "—then you would avoid letting your guard down?"

"What-?" Emily stammered in response, but before she could react, Daniel had pulled her by the legs and lifted her up over his shoulder in one swift motion. "Daniel no-!" she exclaimed a moment too late as they both went plunging into the pool, sinking down into the watery deep.

Moments later they both surfaced – Daniel shaking the wet hair out of his face as he broke into laughs at Emily's startled reaction. She gasped for air as she smoothed her hair back and shot him a death glare. He continued to laugh until he noticed her frantically look around and then suddenly produce the phone that was in her hand –floating on the surface of the water.

"Oops," he stretched out his bottom lip and chin, baring his teeth in apology.

"Nice, Daniel," she groaned back, shaking her head as the screen stayed black. "I was just getting the update from Nolan."

"Aw, lighten up," he insisted, treading over to her in the water. "I'll buy you a new one," he promised with a heartfelt smile, taking the phone out of her hand to sit it on the pool ledge. "Besides, your inside man is here, right?" He gave her an adorable look, referring to himself.

Despite her irritation she couldn't help but nod back to his reminder. He stared back at her; sinking down until his face was partially submerged in the water, concealing half of a seductive stare underneath. Emily only shook her head in return, finally cracking a grin. With a flick of her reflexes she suddenly splashed him back and he turned his head to dodge it and then turned back in surprise when she snickered and dove back underwater. It wasn't long before he caught up with her, leading them both to frolic playfully, finally cutting down the barrier that Daniel initially had hoped to relax.

It was a feat that only he could accomplish, given the timing and his own careful assessment of how to handle her. And yet, it was one that only sparked suspicion in the heart of a particular onlooker, who watched from afar unbeknownst to either one of them.

 **SCENE**

"Hey is Amanda back yet?"

Declan rushed into the _Stowaway_ with pep in his step, approaching the bar where his brother was wiping down the surface.

"You just missed her," Jack replied casually. "She came to get Carl and then went back out to take Charlotte somewhere for her birthday." He paused to come around the bar, pulling Declan close to lower his voice. "Listen, uh, we may have to do a little surprise for Charlotte here, sounds like her parents tanked on it."

Declan could only shake his head. "Oh, they've got a surprise planned alright."

Jack furrowed his brow, only just noticing the worry in his younger brother's face. "What's wrong, I thought you went over there this morning to see her anyway?"

"Yeah, well I never quite made it in," he answered, wiping a smear of sweat from his brow. "Instead I think I came in on the end of a conversation between her and her father about the Ryan brothers."

Jack did a double take. "Wait, _what_?"

"And that's not even the worst part," Declan went on, his anxiety rising. "Amanda was with her. She mentioned Carl, and her father, and two seconds after she left, Conrad said something that made me think he's going to come after her."

Jack's eyes widened at the mention of Amanda's name and he tried to process what Declan was saying. "My God, what has she done – I thought she was finally going to let this go," he guessed, assuming it had to do with the Grayson's involvement in her past. He ran a hand through his hair in distress.

"Jack, I have to be honest," Declan interrupted with his own train of thought. "I think Charlotte's the one we need to worry about. I think she's may be working with her father to get the Ryan brothers out of jail."

 _"What?"_ Jack was incredulous. "That's crazy!"

"I have no idea why, maybe she's regretting what she did or maybe her parents have gotten to her, but Conrad mentioned a bailout and it's got me worried," he ransacked his brain, trying to connect the events from the last time he spoke to her. "She's been asking questions too – what you knew about their father's death, if you were involved in a cover-up." Jack looked at him like he was insane. "I know, it's insane! I tried to tell her you had no idea about any of it but she wouldn't listen."

Jack suddenly grew quiet, realizing that his brother's confusion was partially due to his ignorance. There were still things he didn't know about what really happened years ago – things he was too young to understand then but clearly would do better to know now.

"I don't know what's gotten into her," Declan went on, and finally noticed his brother was deep in thought. "Are you ok?"

"Declan," Jack began, seeing no better time than now to finally out the truth. "About the Ryans' father? There's something you should know."

 **SCENE**

"Ahh," Emily exhaled as she emerged from the pool, walked up the steps and toweled off, swinging her hair around to wring out the excess water. Daniel remained in the pool, swimming over to the ledge to watch her from below.

"See, wasn't that refreshing?" he asked, admiring her form.

"It was," she had to admit, walking back over with her towel wrapped around her waist. She reached over to retrieve her waterlogged phone from the ledge, and shook her head as she tried unsuccessfully to get it to work.

Daniel chuckled and felt a twinge of remorse. "Hey, if you want we can go get your new one from the shops right now—"

"Don't worry about it," she sighed with a pleasant wave, and took her attention off of it. "I'll go get us some drinks." She reached down to caress his hair affectionately and then walked off, back towards the pool bar a short distance away. Daniel smiled as she went, happy with her light disposition and then arched backwards to float towards the center of the pool.

At the pool bar Emily continued to fiddle with her phone after giving the waiter their drink order. She was attempting to remove the battery when the waiter brought her order over and made a comment. "When technology fails, there's always a pen and paper," he commented and when Emily looked up to respond, she saw he was nodding towards a note next to her drink. She set her phone down and unfolded it to read. _Behind you._

With catlike reflexes Emily spun around to locate the note's writer, and quickly spotted him. His face was turned, about 20 feet from her on the upper level of the pool area, sitting just behind the curtain of a cabana room. She stole a glance back to make sure Daniel was out of sight, and once she spied him still swimming, she slipped away from the bar.

"I thought we had a deal," she hissed once she reached her onlooker and he turned to face her. It was Aiden. "What the hell are you doing in L.A.?"

"Funny, I thought the same thing when I saw you in the pool just now with Daniel," Aiden quipped back, staring back at her through the dark lenses of his sunglasses. Combined with his pressed suit and tie, his ensemble would have heavily supported any of Nolan's jokes at him being a double agent.

"You're saying you didn't follow us?" she demanded, holding up the note.

Aiden smirked in reply. "I would have merely texted you, only I see your phone isn't working," he eyed the damaged device in her other hand and then glanced at her bikini-clad form. "And apparently neither are you."

Emily's patience was short. "Aiden, you assured me that your mission would not interfere—"

"And ultimately it won't," he stood up to emphasize. "However this time, it's _your_ mission that stands to impact my agreement with Helen, should something go off track."

"What are you talking about?" she stammered.

Aiden watched over her shoulder as Daniel got out of the pool and began to towel off, looking around for her. Conscious that they were not seen, he reached over Emily's shoulder to loosen the curtain of the cabana, while she instinctively grabbed his arm in defense. He looked at her expectantly until she realized he was just closing the shade, and finally let him go.

"Like I was saying," he continued. "Helen asked me to come here to assure the bid is successful for _Stonehaven._ She seems to have zoned in on our connection to one another – she thinks I employed you to invite her to the wine auction."

"You did," Emily agreed with a wry look, but moved past it. "But since you mentioned it, it is a concern. I'm not sure Daniel wants to go through with it."

"Yes, I assumed as much by his apathetic approach," he sneered, referring to their pool play. "In any case, that is something he absolutely cannot do. If this deal falters—" he began, preparing his own version of the truth. "My sister's life is at risk."

Emily nodded, getting the point. "Then I'll make sure it doesn't," she assured him. She looked down at her phone, a thought coming to her. "Since you're here, perhaps there's something you can help me with as well."

"Oh?" Aiden waited for her explanation, continuing to peer through the curtain opening to the pool down below. Daniel was now walking around the bar area looking around for Emily. He scanned the bar and the dais beyond until his eyes fell on the cabanas. Aiden inhaled a breath as he let Emily finish.

"I need you to get in contact with Nolan for me," she requested. "There was a problem with the Carrion program; he sent me a message about it just before my phone got ruined. Find out what it is; tell him I'll contact him as soon as I can."

"Alright," he agreed, and ran his eyes over her once more before he departed. "Funny, it seems no matter how hard we try to get away from each other – we always seem to end up working together."

She gave him a sardonic look in response then turned to pull back the curtain and walk out of the cabana – just as Daniel came walking up. "Daniel!" she uttered with a startle.

"Hey," he greeted her, squinting in the sun. "I thought you went to get us drinks?"

"I—thought maybe you'd like to take them up here?" she improvised, keeping the curtain tightly clenched to her so that it blocked the view of the inside. Daniel noticed it, gave her a suspicious look, then suddenly reached forward to pull it wide open – revealing just the empty lounge bed inside.

Daniel stepped forward to scan the empty room, as if looking for something to be amiss. "Something wrong?" Emily asked innocently.

He continued to look around and then observed her again carefully. "No," he finally answered softly, walking back over to where she stood. "I was just thinking that uh—if you wanted to go somewhere to be alone," he reached beyond her to draw the shade back again, in similar fashion to how Aiden did just moments before. Only this time, Emily did not flinch, and instead just followed his motions with her eyes.

"Then this would be the perfect place," he finished, draping the curtain shut. With the light closed out of the room, the darkness afforded him the setting to tug her close.

Relieved, Emily relaxed into his arms, still glistening wet from the pool, as he enclosed her tender frame to pull her into a kiss. His familiar hands found their way to her waist, removing her towel and guiding her over to the soft bed beneath them. Emily exhaled a nervous sigh, not only comforted that Aiden's cover was not blown once again, but admittedly enraptured by the excitement of the near miss. Perhaps this was the key to her attraction to Daniel, it often felt spurred on by her consciousness knowing it was wrong but feeling so right.

Fortunate for her, the moment was only made possible by Aiden's clever exit out of the rear curtain. Now safely outside, he turned away from the soft whispers and moans coming from the cabana and shook them from mind so he could focus on his real mission – killing Victoria Grayson.

 **SCENE**

"That about takes care of everything."

Jack watched intently as Conrad Grayson and his legal counsel peered over Kenny Ryan's shoulder, ensuring he did not miss a single page of detail as he signed over ownership to the _Stowaway._ Beside him, Declan also observed the process, nervously biting his fingernails.

Conrad's lawyer slid the papers across the bar to where Jack stood and then looked up at both men. "Mr. Ryan," he addressed Kenny, and then turned to Jack. "Mr. Porter. Are you both aware of the stipulations of this agreement?"

Kenny nodded first, his complicity motivated by being in a 50-square foot cell only hours before. With the notification of his own legal counsel and sheer pull over law enforcement that Conrad boasted, his life had turned around completely and he was not one to complain. "I am," he answered to emphasize.

Jack raised his eyes to fixate on Kenny for a moment before responding, and then finally confirmed. "Yeah, so am I."

"Then Mr. Ryan, this belongs to you," the lawyer continued, as Conrad produced a check to hand over to him. Kenny took it into his hand and again nodded back towards Jack and Declan. "I'm sorry about all of this, guys. Really – I am."

Jack folded his arms in acceptance. "Just don't ever let me see you again."

With that, the lawyer led Kenny outside, leaving Conrad behind. Just as they exited the main door, Charlotte walked through, followed by Amanda with Carl in tow.

"Hey," Amanda greeted them, with a careful glance at Conrad. "What's going on?" she asked, nervously. The plan was to feign ignorance, but to her last recollection, Conrad was not supposed to be included in the final agreement.

Jack looked over at Conrad, who straightened up by the bar. "Mr. Grayson stopped by to pay us a friendly visit," he explained. "He was just leaving."

Conrad buttoned his jacket, wearing a proud smile and turned to exit. "Thank you for your patronage, Mr. Porter," he bid him farewell and then nodded at Amanda. "Ms. Clarke – wish you both all the best on your upcoming nuptials." Amanda narrowed her eyes at him as he walked past, keeping her thoughts reserved.

Conrad quickly moved on from her to address Charlotte. "Would you like a ride home, my dear?"

Charlotte turned instinctively to Declan, expecting he would want her to stay but instead he spoke up in contrast. "Actually I've got a lot to finish up here," he answered in her direction. "It's better you go ahead, I'll see you later on."

Finding it hard not to stifle her disappointment, Charlotte exhaled a pout and then glanced over at her sister for assurance. But Amanda only nodded for her to leave, giving her a hug to say goodbye. "Come by later," she whispered in her ear. "I'm sure he has something up his sleeve."

Charlotte smiled when she pulled away, hopeful that Declan had not forgotten her birthday. She left with Conrad and once the door was closed, just the Porters remained – both with their eyes on Amanda. Declan excused himself, allowing just her and Jack to talk.

"How could you do that, Amanda?" Jack asked right away.

"Do what?" she deflected, pushing Carl over by a table so she could watch him from the bar.

Jack put his hands up in frustration. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about – you went to see Conrad Grayson," he explained, divulging how much he knew. She lowered her head in embarrassment. "Did you make a deal with him? Kenny Ryan suddenly makes bail and shows up to sell back his portion of the bar and then Conrad buys him out – how could you involve him in this?"

"Jack," she pleaded. "It wasn't my choice, alright? Nate got to Charlotte, he threatened her that he would do something to us if she didn't help him out, she was _scared—_ "

"So why not come to me first?" Jack gestured to himself, disgusted with her. He pointed back towards the door. "Instead you go to _him?_ Now Kenny's out, Amanda! How do you know that he won't help Nate finish whatever he has planned—"

"Jack, he made him sign a deal," Amanda insisted, coming over to him. "Conrad _owes_ me, and he owes his daughter, he'll make sure he does whatever it takes to keep her out of harm's way—"

"And you believed him?" Jack shook his head, incredulous. "You really think he won't drop everything he just said to protect Charlotte and forget about us—" He stopped to cut himself short as the elevation of his voice awoke Carl, who began to cry.

Amanda rushed over, lifting him out of his stroller to soothe him while she came back over to Jack. By then he had calmed down, regretting how worked up he was getting. He placed two hands on the counter. "Look, I know you think you were just doing what's best to protect Charlotte. But she should've never gone to see Nate in the first place, listening to him is what started this whole thing."

Amanda paused to think, sheepishly remembering that that was not the end of where Charlotte's prying had gotten her. Her eyes glanced back towards Carl's stroller, where she had cleverly stashed the murder weapon. In light of Jack's reaction, she couldn't risk mentioning that too, or the confession they needed from Matt Duncan, so instead she offered the only remaining thing of value she had.

"Jack, there is something else we have on our side," she explained. "Something to make sure that the Graysons won't be able to corner us."

"Ugh," Jack rolled his eyes, exasperated. "What is it?"

She took a breath. "Conrad is hiding something too – something that would ruin him if it ever got out. Do you remember Lydia Davis?" Jack glanced upwards in recollection as Amanda continued on. "Well I know something about her that even the queen Victoria herself has no clue about – Lydia's pregnant. And Conrad is the father."

 **SCENE**

"And simply put, my goal is for _Stonehaven_ to continue on the same path ideologically," Daniel finished up his pitch to Donna Carlisle at dinner, as Emily looked on beside him.

"That is exactly my hope," Donna responded, smiling in relief.

Across the table, Jason Prosser and Victoria watched from the other side, with Victoria keeping a solid glare fixed on Emily almost the entire time. With a discreet nudge to Jason, she took a sip from her wine glass, prompting him to speak up.

"Personally, I admire your mission to protect your father's legacy," Jason chimed in. "I was living in Bushwick during the blackout of '77. I thought the world was ending. My father's camera store was looted, burned to the ground."

"Really?" Donna suddenly became interested, turning to his side of the table. "You know, my father helped to rehabilitate that whole borough. You were probably one of the kids who inspired him."

Jason jumped at the opportunity. "Well, then I have a personal obligation to repay him. I'd like to raise my offer if you'll consider it."

Emily rolled her eyes at the influx of argument, heaving a sigh in Daniel's direction. He remained quiet for a moment and she worried he would give up his fight, still tainted by his desire to spare Donna Carlisle from involvement. But an exchanged glance between him and his mother soon altered his view. "Well, as moving as your story about the blackout is," he started in, addressing Jason. "Ms. Carlisle wishes to uphold her father's mantle, not destroy it."

Jason gave him a confused look and Daniel only focused more intently, raising an eyebrow.

"Perhaps you'd like to explain to her how you colluded to inflate gas and oil prices after 9/11?" he alleged.

"I was never involved in those transactions," Jason argued.

"But your subsidiaries were," Emily could not resist inputting. Victoria's eyes flicked to her in disturbance but Emily ignored it, while Daniel interjected, handing over printed evidence for Donna to peruse.

"In my short time as C.E.O.," he asserted. "I've learned I'm not only accountable for my own actions, but for those of everyone working under me."

Jason faltered for response, and this time Victoria stepped up to the defense, squaring off with Emily. "None of that is found in public record," she inserted. "How can you be so sure it's not conjecture?"

"Well, because the lawsuits were all settled and buried," Daniel shot back, glaring at her.

"That's a fine allegation coming from a Grayson," Jason persisted, but this time he left himself wide open to direct attack.

"Funny for you to say," Emily jumped to retort, glancing over at Victoria. "When you're accompanied by one."

Daniel smiled, nodding at her observation. "And don't confuse my record with my father's," he added. "Or my mother's." He shifted his attention to Donna, with hopes of ending the back and forth. "Listen, Donna, I never knew your father, but I assume he'd be greatly disappointed if one of the children he helped now helps to destroy what he created."

Donna pondered carefully, preparing her final decision. "Yes, he would be," she concluded, sending a nasty look over to Jason and Victoria. "As am I." She returned her attention to Daniel. "I'll have my lawyers draw up the contract, and we'll go from there."

Defeated, Jason shook his head and threw his napkin on the table, getting up to storm off without even waiting for Victoria. She rose to her feet slowly, sending a death glare in Emily's direction before turning to follow him out.

Once they were gone, Emily relaxed, soon feeling Daniel's squeeze of appreciation on her hand beneath the table. "I should leave you two to talk details," she offered, preparing to exit. She stood and Daniel rose to excuse her, but stopped her with a gentle touch on her arm.

"Ah, wait, before you do," he asked her, and then lifted a box from his other side, placing it in her hands. "We might be here for a while – so I figured I'd give you this now."

Emily looked at it curiously and then opened it – it was a brand new phone.

"To replace the one that got damaged earlier," he added with a smile, and then took his seat again. "It's ah – already set up, ready for use." Emily smiled in appreciation, exhaling a chuckle to herself.

Meanwhile Donna looked on, admiring the exchange. "What a great boyfriend," she commented, reserving a kind look for Daniel, and the mention was the first time both Emily and Daniel had even thought about labeling what they were.

Not allowing any further attention to the matter, Emily rushed to exit. "Thank you," she whispered sincerely and turned to step away. Once she was far out of sight of the company, she pulled up the main line for Grayson Global and waited to get transferred to Nolan's office. After the third ring, he finally answered.

"Hello?"

"Nolan?" Emily sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."

"Ems?" he sputtered, looking at the number. "God, I've been trying to reach you! Where are you calling from—"

"It's a long story," she explained, rushing to get an update. "Did Aiden contact you?"

"Ah, yeah about Carrion?" he replied. "It's under control – Padma attempted to hack into the file but she can't get through without my help, which, huh, I'm not about to give away."

"Good," she rested. "I'm in L.A. with Daniel. He finishing up the deal with _Stonehaven._ "

Nolan took a breath, preparing to change the atmosphere. "Well good to know you're in sunny Cali, because unfortunately I think a storm is coming..."

Emily furrowed her brow in concern. "What are you talking about?"

"I got a little flustered when Aiden reached out on your behalf," Nolan confessed. "It's not like you to change protocol mid-mission so… I hacked Aiden's phone just to make sure he wasn't going rogue and turns out – he is." He glanced at the number on his caller ID to send out a message. "I'm sending you the file he just received from Helen Crowley."

Emily halted the conversation to open the file, and watched in shock as footage of Aiden's sister displayed, apparently being forced into some kind of substance abuse, and read the subscription. _Time is running out._ She snatched the phone back up to her ear in anger. "Why the hell wouldn't Aiden tell me about this?"

"Well, perhaps it has something to do with the subject line," Nolan replied, repeating. "A life for a life?" He shook his head, trying to piece it together. "We know he's trying to save his sister, but… who's the other target?"

Emily's heart sank in realization. "Oh my God," she gasped. "Victoria."

 **SCENE**

"You did _what_?!

Nate roared from behind the glass at his brother who sat across from him, pitifully explaining their plight in loss of the _Stowaway._

"Nate, there was nothing I could do," Kenny tried to explain. "Conrad knew all about the drugs and the plot to take the bar – Charlotte told him everything."

"That little pretentious brat!" Nate spat in a rage. He covered his face with his hand, lamenting their predicament. "So what do we have left?" he asked, lifting his head.

Kenny could only shrug, lowering his eyes. "Nothing," he sighed. "The bar, the boats – everything, it's theirs. There's nothing we can do, it's too late."

"Oh, no- no you see it's _never_ too late," Nate insisted.

"Nate, why can't you just let this go—" Kenny tried to calm him but he wouldn't have it.

"Let it go?" He shook his head, unwavering. "No I made a deal with that little witch and she broke it. Now it's time to hold up to my side of the agreement." He thought quickly. "How much did Conrad give you to settle?"

"It doesn't matter—" Kenny tried to beg off but again he was interrupted.

"How much?!"

Kenny sighed, exasperated that his brother had become such a complete monster, but resolved that there was nothing he could do about it. And despite his loathing for his ways, they were family and he had to be loyal to him first. It was something instilled into him since he was a child, by the very father they sought out to avenge.

Again, Kenny took a deep breath, knowing that when he told him the amount, it would only lead to one thing, the very thing he dreaded. "It's enough—" he began, and then paused before continuing.

"It's enough to get you out on bail."

 **SCENE**

"You and your son make an admirable team."

Jason steamed as he stormed out of the restaurant into the courtyard, with Victoria rushing to catch up a few paces behind. "Jason—" she called out, pleading him to wait.

"You set me up, and he and that woman on his arm knock me down," he continued, shaking his head at his own foolish gullibility. "Another Grayson victory."

"Jason," Victoria begged, grabbing him by the arm once she finally caught up to him. "My son is in grave danger. I swear that I have—"

He refused to let her finish. "Whatever trouble he's in, he deserves it," he interrupted forcefully. "And you've earned whatever heartbreak it brings."

Victoria froze in place as she finally let him walk away, putting her head down to ponder her predicament. It was at that moment, not a hundred feet away that Emily rushed atop the balcony of the restaurant, and saw Aiden perched between the balcony rungs, his shotgun aimed directly for Victoria's head.

"Aiden!" she exclaimed, and immediately he dropped to the ground, while she did the same. He began hurriedly dismantling his weapon while Emily checked to make sure neither Jason nor Victoria had become aware of their presence and then once confirmed, continued reaming him out. "Damn it! Why didn't you tell me?"

"And if I had?" he replied coarsely, rushing to put the pieces of the weapon away. "I know Victoria belongs to you," he chided her.

Emily sighed, her heart pounding at the disaster she had just narrowly prevented. "I had Nolan hack into your phone," she explained, also revealing to Aiden how she had found him so quickly. "I saw the video. Is it really her?"

"I'm certain of it," Aiden confessed, putting away the last of the pieces while he climbed to his feet and began to walk past her.

"Look, I know what they're promising you, but you can't let them turn you into their assassin—" she attempted, but he stopped her short.

"Aren't you forgetting we're no longer working together, Emily!" he snapped in her face, and she stepped back in response. "If I don't do this, then I've failed her for the second time!"

"And if you do, then you give them all the power!" Emily retorted. They both were at an impasse, but she had to try to dissuade him. "Listen to me, right now Daniel's victory is their main concern, and they have that. You kill his mother; you distract him from their main purpose.  
Tell Helen that you realized this, and instead, you helped seal Daniel's victory over Prosser!"

"No, that was you, Emily—" he interjected, but it was her turn to assert his attention.

"Aiden, you may not want to work alongside me," she admitted. "And you may hate me for every second I spend with Daniel. But when it comes to these people, I promise you nothing has changed. We're going to finish what we both started - but on our own terms, not theirs!"

Aiden swallowed, allowing her words to penetrate. She leaned in closer to emphasize her point. "And when we do, whether it's together or apart – we are gonna make them pay for every terrible thing that they have done." She shook her head, looking into his eyes for some sign of acceptance. "Do you understand that?"

He pondered on her words and for a moment she thought he would agree. But instead, his indifference only piqued. "I do. Now you understand this," he breathed back. "If by what you've just done, you have ruined my chances at seeing Colleen again – I'll never forgive you."

And with that he was gone, storming down the steps of the balcony and out of sight, leaving Emily alone to decide how she was ever going to complete what she set out to when she had a former ally working against her.

 **SCENE**

"Ah, home again. Home again."

Emily released a breath as she entered her beach house, Daniel following shortly behind. He grinned at her reaction, ever observant of how safe her father's home made her feel. It was one of those times he would have enjoyed hearing more about him but he knew better than to push her for information after such a good trip together.

"Maybe for you," he replied instead, setting down his bag. "Unfortunately for me I still reside at Grayson Manor."

"You don't have to, you know?" Emily suggested, coming over to give him an embrace.

"Oh, really?" he asked, surprised by her openness. "Are you actually offering to break your no-cohabitation-before-marriage rule?" He thought it over. "Or was that just another one-time deal from last summer?"

She sighed. It was so hard to fool him nowadays. "I'm saying," she resolved honestly. "That as the C.E.O. of a multi-billion dollar company – one whose image you're working relentlessly to change – it's about time you get a place of your own."

He nodded, following her drift. "Just not _this_ place?" he laughed.

She put her head down, still wearing a grin. "Daniel, you know you can stay here as long as you want," she admitted, which was not to his knowledge quite as much as she assumed. "But after standing up to your mother yesterday…and all you've been doing to change your image…" she shrugged. "I don't know, I just expected you'd want to get a little distance from the rest of your family now?"

With perfect timing, a knock sounded at the door, and both Daniel and Emily turned while still embracing to see Victoria waiting on the other side. Emily relaxed to pull her arms away from him and he rolled his eyes. "Well that certainly builds a strong case for not staying _here_ ," he jibed, shaking his head. "I'll get it."

"Mother," he greeted her as he opened the door, standing in her way to prevent her from entering. "Why am I not surprised…"

"Daniel," she warmly responded. "I hope you don't mind me stopping by to visit Emily after your triumph in Los Angeles?" She glanced at the two in unison. "Congratulations, by the way."

Daniel ignored her false support and instead looked at Emily for confirmation. She nodded, insisting it was alright. "Sure thing," he obliged reluctantly, seizing the opportunity. "I was just about to head home to get a few things." He stepped beside her, a soft glance back at Emily implying he wouldn't be long. "Em, I'll see you later?"

She agreed, turning her attention to his mother. "Hello Victoria," she welcomed her, putting on a pleasant tone. "How was your flight back?"

With her son gone, Victoria cut to the chase. "You know, you and I could stand here all day trading barbs and nettling each other's last nerves, or we can cut the crap. Why did you accompany my son to California?"

Emily chuckled, relishing the chance to be straightforward with her nemesis. "Because he asked me to," she replied, recalling their earlier agreement. "And I thought I could sway him."

Victoria didn't buy it. "Yes, but in which direction?"

Emily folded her arms in defense of her actions. "I was forced to walk a fine line between my allegiance to you and my relationship with Daniel." She smirked, thinking of a clever point. "Surely you could understand, seeing as you've just done the same with Jason Prosser?"

"Well, the difference is that my son floats through life on crests of women, unable to make his own decisions," Victoria continued, and Emily glowered at her insult of him, knowing firsthand how false it really was. "You could've dissuaded him at any point," she added. "Why didn't you?"

Emily could not hide her intentions. "I guess I wanted to see him win."

"You _selfish_ little girl!" Victoria erupted back. "In doing so, you may have caused him his greatest loss."

With that she left her, nearly making Emily wish she had let Aiden go through with his plan to take her out. Instead, she closed the door behind and used the down time to call Nolan instead.

"Nolan?"

"Welcome back," he greeted her, happy to get her call. "I read about how the west was won.  
I hope I helped the cause with your faux beau—" he stopped to correct himself. "Who, according to _Page Six_ doesn't appear to be faux no mo'?"

Emily sighed in realization. "There were paparazzi by the pool?" she guessed.

"Lapping up every bikini-clad moment," Nolan quipped back, as he clicked through photos on his computer. "So give me the deets – are the two of you together for reals or what?"

Emily instinctively glanced towards the front door. "I'm not sure, we haven't talked about it yet," she answered honestly. "But he's catching on quickly. I can't keep secrets from him like I used to."

"Mm, ditto for Thomas Crown," he added, referring to Aiden. "I'm assuming he's not so keen on the 'Demily' reunion?" He grinned, coining a celebrity nickname for the two. "No wonder he went all rogue on us earlier – jealousy's a powerful motivator."

"Have you been able to track him?" Emily persisted, ignoring his jokes.

"Well, I've tried triangulating his phone," Nolan replied. "He's either jammed it or dumped it."

Emily shook her head in disappointment. "He's gone completely off grid Nolan; I don't know what to do."

Nolan brainstormed, wondering how he could help. "What's on your agenda tonight?"

"Charlotte's birthday," Emily answered, already accepting it as a dead end on her availability. "I promised Daniel I would be there."

"Aw," Nolan cooed. "Brother and sis attending together – how twistedly sweet."

"I'll call you later."

 **SCENE**

"Hangin' in there buddy?"

Jack placed a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder as he passed by him to finish closing up the _Stowaway,_ ending what had been a somewhat uncomfortable evening. In the wake of all the drama with Conrad Grayson and Kenny Ryan the day before, both he and Amanda had been distant towards each other, and Declan had remained mostly quiet while he worked. He refused to take any of Charlotte's phone calls and was now just sitting in one of the bar chairs, staring into space.

"Dec," Jack came back over to comfort him. "Look I know you're upset with Charlotte, but she sounded really upset on the phone. It seems like Nate scared her pretty bad and she's sorry about everything." He sighed, coming to grips with the same realization that he was trying to get his brother to see. "She got caught in a bad situation."

"Yeah, so did we," Declan replied, not yet ready to give in.

Jack watched him in surprise. "So you're not going to forgive her?"

He looked back up at him. "You forgive Amanda?"

Even though it was hard to, Jack had to admit, he had. He glanced up the stairwell to where Amanda was rocking Carl, staring back down at him. She swayed and gave him a soft smile when she caught him watching her and then disappeared into their room.

"As much as it bothers me what she did," Jack admitted. "The truth is – I know she did it for us. And I know how much her family means to her. So yes, I do forgive her." He tousled Declan's hair, hoping his example would get him to do the same. "And if you really care about Charlotte – you should do the same."

Declan stifled a laugh. "You and Amanda are getting married though," he retorted. "You have a kid together."

"Well, you gotta practice sometime," Jack countered, making a good point. "Right?"

With that he walked away, leaving Declan behind to think on it for a bit. With a resigned sigh, Declan finally conceded and took his phone out, calling his girlfriend back. When she answered, relieved to hear his voice, he quickly took his brother's advice to just move past it. "Hey Char? Listen I'm sorry I didn't get back to you – but if you'll let me, I'd really like to do something nice for your birthday. So will you come by?"

With her emphatic affirmative response on the other line, Declan celebrated with a fist pump and then ended the call so he could rush to set something up. He went over to one of the tables and pulled down the chairs, already envisioning a candlelight dinner he could set up for them both. Remembering that the candles were still packed away in the supply room, he got the table set up just right and then darted into the back to get what he needed. Hoping he could find it quickly without turning on a light, he knelt down behind the storage shelves, fumbling around for the long candlesticks.

Yet while his attention was turned, footsteps crept up behind him until they were inches away. He jumped up instinctively to see who it was, but before he had a chance to react, a fist was pummeling him across his face, and when he fell to the ground there was suddenly a strong arm gripping him by the throat. All he could see in the darkness was a glint of light before he felt a sharp blade at his neck, forcing him into silence. But the voice that spoke was one he recognized.

"If you value your girlfriend's life," Nate's raspy voice breathed into his ear. "You'll do exactly what I say."

 **SCENE**

"Ah, I see you're back from your grand spectacle with Jason Prosser?"

Conrad rested an expectant glare on Victoria as she entered the dining room, putting the final touches on the candle lit surprise dinner for Charlotte. Per her request he had sent the staff home and lowered the lights in the house, and now just waited for Charlotte to make her way down the stairs to their soiree. In the meantime however, he delighted in pushing Victoria's buttons.

"You're one to talk," Victoria shot back, rearranging the flowers instead of gracing him with eye contact. "Considering your vulgar choice for a communications director." He snickered in response, sensing a reference to Lydia was inevitable.

"As much as I'm sure I've warranted that response, I might remind you that Lydia has long proven her competence in discretion and loyalty to this family, and was once your _own_ ally," Conrad disputed her. "Whereas Prosser is a self-declared enemy." He leaned close to Victoria, finally getting her to look his way. "And from what I hear not even worth time spent seducing him? Despite your pitiful efforts to interfere, the acquisition of _Stonehaven_ by Daniel made the front page, my dear."

Victoria grimaced at his clever dissection of her plan. "Well, Conrad while you bask in my conquest, perhaps you'll stop gloating when you realize it only means further danger for your _son,_ " she asserted back, staring daggers his way.

Conrad absorbed her warning as he poured them both glasses of Scotch. As much as she irritated him, he still found unconscious minor ways to show kindness. "Don't you think I've already planned a counter-offense to make up for your failed attempt?" he brooded, handing over her glass.

"Hm, don't tell me that's what this campaign is all about?" she suggested, taking a sip. "How long do you expect your run for office to last with your courtesan at the helm?"

Their bickering was cut short by Daniel's entrance, freshly changed into a polo sweater for dinner. "I see nothing's changed around here," he huffed, overhearing the tail end of his mother's comment. With his arrival she immediately fell silent and watched as he took his place a few steps away from where they stood in waiting. "You might want to keep your voices low, Charlotte's on her way down."

Victoria and Conrad complied, saving their insults for later. After several very still moments, Charlotte appeared into the gently lit room, prompting Victoria's excited welcome. "Bon anniversaire, ma belle!" she cried out, dashing over to embrace her. 

"Ohh," Charlotte exhaled into the hug, and caught sight of her father and brother in the background. She pulled back in surprise. "I thought you canceled my birthday?"

"Never," Victoria insisted, shocked she would even suggest such a thing. "We rescheduled it."

"We're celebrating you, sweetheart, not the Gregorian calendar," Conrad added, taking her entrance as a signal to continue drinking down his glass of Scotch.

"Go on," Victoria encouraged her, moving aside so she could see the cake just beyond them. "Blow out the candles."

Charlotte faded back uneasily and then looked up at her mother in apprehension. "I only have one wish this year," she confessed honestly. "I have spent the last two days thinking about family and what it means to be a daughter, a sister, and now an adult. And my only wish is that you support my first adult decision."

As she spoke, Emily slowly entered the foyer out of sight, arriving just in time to overhear her proud declaration.

"I'm changing my name," Charlotte finished. "I filed papers at the courthouse today. You can now call me Charlotte Clarke."

While Conrad and Victoria's faces fell at the jolt of the admission, Emily's face lit up on the other side of the doorway. Those were words she had been dying to hear – a symbol not only of Charlotte's separation from the Grayson family that Emily loathed so deeply, but also acceptance of her own heritage – her true heritage from their shared father. Emily chose that happy moment to step into view, saving a quick glance for Daniel, who did his best to mask his own shared excitement for his sister.

"Happy Birthday, Charlotte," Emily announced herself, extending the gift she purchased when Charlotte turned around. "From me and Daniel."

"Emily!" Victoria immediately recoiled at her presence, clearly still sore from Charlotte's announcement. "Well, I didn't realize we'd extended invitations?"

Daniel took several strides over to Emily, passing his mother by in the process. "Emily doesn't need one," he said aside and then gave his sister a kiss. "Love you, sis." Charlotte expressed her appreciation with a sincere smile, glancing back and forth from Daniel and Emily with softness in her gaze. Being around them only made her feel more like a romantic and she secretly hoped her parents would not mind too much when she slipped out early to go visit Declan. As it stood, the dinner party was already about to dwindle down now that Emily had arrived to claim Daniel's attention.

True to expectation, Daniel stepped forward to take her by the hand and escort her off to go somewhere private. With a twinkle in his eye he gestured for her to follow. "Let's get you a drink."

 **SCENE**

"Well, Charlotte left in a hurry."

Daniel squeezed Emily's hand in his as they made their way back to her beach house, taking the scenic route along the shoreline. It was hard not to become entranced in the moment, with the gentle waves lapping against the sand and the moon lighting their way. But out of force of habit, Daniel chose to review the evening's highlights rather than shift the focus to them and the relationship that was deepening. Instead, his hope was that eventually she would open up on her own, rather than having to force her into defining what they were.

"I think she had plans to go see Declan at the _Stowaway_ ," Emily responded. She chinned up as they walked along barefoot, swaying her shoes in her right hand. "I'm sure she's better off there than hanging around to hear your parents' reaction to changing her name?"

"Yeah that was – priceless," Daniel admitted, looking over at her. "I had a feeling you were enjoying that."

Emily smirked. "What can I say – I'm proud of her."

Daniel paused to think about it, unable to disregard the glaring reality. "But not proud enough to tell her you're a Clarke too?" he guessed, somewhat disparagingly.

Emily cocked her head in defiance. "I want her to _enjoy_ her 18th, not associate it with shock and disillusion." She pursed her lips, feeling somewhat defensive. It was hard to sidestep even the slightest thing when he knew so much.

"Sparing yourself her judgment too, right?" he couldn't help adding.

He was of course, right but Emily would not continue without sharing her own rationale. She stopped walking, only a few paces shy of her house. "Daniel, do you want to know how I spent my 18th birthday?" He paused in front of her, listening as she spoke. "Getting released from juvie. My first moments as an adult not only did I find out that my father died, but that everything I had been taught to believe about him – everything was false."

Daniel's expression grew serious as he listened to her continue, her voice rich with emotion. "I spent an entire day reading his journals from prison and feeling nothing but guilt. Guilt over the father I lost, over the life we were supposed to have and over the one man who never gave up on me that I let down!" She shook her head, as if symbolically shaking the pain away to muster through the rest of what she had to say. "Ever since that day, that guilt has never left me. I don't wish that on anyone."

Letting her firm statement resonate, she broke away to continue ahead, giving Daniel a chance to ponder it over. Ashamed, he finally caught up to her, stopping her on the steps of her porch. "Em, wait," he pleaded, realizing how wrong he was for pushing the matter with Charlotte. "With all you've been through, I guess you've earned the right to decide … You were just protecting her. I shouldn't have pushed you." She only raised her eyebrows, trying not to think much of it while he continued on, hoping to reach her heart. "Do you still have those journals from your father?"

"Yes," she answered, swallowing. "But I've never shown them to anyone. Only Nolan."

Daniel nodded, hoping the topic could still segue way into a conversation about them as a couple. "Well, maybe someday… when Charlotte's ready… you'll feel comfortable to share them with her?" He paused. "And with me?" He looked at her for reassurance but she still appeared skeptical. "Look, I know you heard what Donna Carlisle said at dinner – but we don't have to define anything." She gave him a curious look that he pushed past. "The old Emily would assure me that we were a couple but I've been working with you for a while now and I can see just how important it is for you to take things slow."

He started to look off, as if he was preparing to exit but Emily stopped him, stepping down a step to eye level with him. "Daniel, the past few days –" she cut herself short, putting her head down to think. "I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed being with you."

Something in him felt a spur of confidence, leading him to smile. "I know that," he replied.

She chuckled at his cocky response. "Look, it may take me some time to be able to define things," she thought about the weight of that statement. "To everyone," she added. "But I promise," she stared softly into his eyes. "It'll be soon."

Her honest words gave him the final hint, and he leaned in to gently kiss her in reply. "So in the meantime," he whispered as they separated. "Should I say goodnight?"

She moved an inch away from his lips just enough to put a finger atop them. "Don't say anything," she insisted instead, a feverous look in her eyes. "Just meet me upstairs."

Daniel bit his bottom lip in response and then lowered his eyes as he walked around her, following her orders to go inside. Emily exhaled as she watched him go, needing a moment to mentally prepare herself for the ongoing nature of their affair. It was times like these that being alone, on her porch, watching the ocean waves would have relaxed her, even soothed her nerves so that she could muster up courage to plunge ahead into what was blossoming between them. But on this occasion, her plans to collude were most certainly doomed to interruption.

As she finally turned to walk into the house, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, prompting her to come around the side of the porch to inspect. When she did, not two feet away from her she saw Aiden, sitting with his head down in angst in her father's swing, as if throwing caution to the wind entirely with his presence.

"Aiden!" she exclaimed in a high whisper. "Aiden, what are you doing – Daniel could have seen you-!"

"I don't care!" he snarled in reply, rising to his feet to show her the image from his phone. With his face to her, Emily could see for the first time that he had been crying. "It's done," he lamented as the video showed his sister exhaling her final breaths on screen, appearing strung out and incoherent. "They made it look like an overdose."

Emily's heart immediately sank in sympathy and she could not resist reaching out to him, pulling him into an embrace. "Aiden," she continued to just repeat his name. "Aiden, I'm so sorry. But you can't trust these people. You can't trust this." She ransacked her brain, desperately trying to think of a course of action to take or a next move to consider. "Listen to me –" she began but was cut short by his intense grip.

"Listen to you?" he spat angrily, suddenly yanking her away from him and digging his hands into her arms. "I did listen to you, and that's exactly how this happened!" He leered in closer, frightening her with the hatred in his eyes and pushing her backwards in his grip. "You made me believe that they were manipulating me, giving me false hope, when it's you I shouldn't have trusted!"

With that he suddenly thrust her back, as she stared at him in shock. She had never seen him like this before, so completely afraid and lashing out in rage.

"If there's a chance that my sister's alive," he went on to finish. "Then I'm gonna find her."

"Aiden –" she pleaded nimbly but it was no use.

"And if she is dead," he leaned in close again, pointing a finger in her face. "Then this is on you."

Stinging her with his fierce words and dark turn of character, he ran off, leaving her alone on the porch. "Aiden!" she tried to call out but it was no use. Not only had she sealed her betrayal of him by colluding with Daniel and opening her heart to his advances, but now she had quite possibly sealed Colleen's fate by interceding in Aiden's mission. And if there was one thing Emily knew from her own journey, it was that once an afflicted soul felt they had been denied justice, no casualty would be spared in their quest for revenge.

 **A/N: Hello my loyal Revengers! How did you enjoy Collusion? I did my best to give you a speedy update, partially due to some extra time I had this week but mostly because I LOVED this episode so much on the show, and writing it with a few fun additions really was a blast! How did you enjoy the surge of Demily feels? (even Nolan had to admit this was a 'Demily'-centric ep!) There were many characters colluding btw Victoria/Jason, Conrad/Lydia and even Charlotte/Amanda, resulting in the groundwork for a very exciting (and very different) Union chapter coming soon! In the meantime I do hope you enjoyed and as always, feel free to voice your thoughts, what you liked what twists made you squeal and anything you can't wait to see! Your kind words and detailed reviews are more than appreciated! Til next time, much ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	13. Chapter 13: Union

**Chapter 13: Union**

 _In its purest form, a union becomes part of our very essence. But when that bond is broken, our essence is forever changed…_

 _ **(Flashback)**_

 _"I, Amanda Clarke, take you, Jack Porter, to be my husband, in the presence of our best man Sammy," a young Amanda Clarke paused to giggle in the mirror as she recited the pretend vows she had rehearsed, while decked out in an assortment of bows and garlands in the living room of her father's beach house._

 _Just then, he walked through the door. "Amanda? Wow," David remarked, examining her attire and the bright smile his child wore on her face. He mirrored hers in return, leaning down to observe while their new puppy came over to greet him. "What is going on here?"_

 _Amanda grinned proudly. "It's my wedding, Daddy!"_

 _David nodded, observing the delicate little details. "It looks like you're preparing one fancy event," he commented, pointed at two furry items in particular. "What are these pipe cleaners?" he asked._

 _His daughter grinned, fitting one on her finger. "They're wedding rings, silly!" she explained._

 _"Oh!" He understood, chuckling to himself. "These are very nice rings. So who is the lucky guy?" His answer walked through the sheers moments later. "Ah, Jack," David exhaled, expecting as much._

 _"Hey, Mr. Clarke," a bright-eyed and messy-haired young Jack Porter replied, walking over to see his best friend._

 _David stood up, predicting what was next. "Well, uh, I think you're just in time," he alerted him._

 _Amanda batted her eyes in the mirror, anticipating the moment while Jack waited for him to explain. "For what?"_

 _ **(End Flashback)**_

Emily's distant memory faded away as the current-state Amanda, assumed owner of her former identity, walked through the sheers of her house and into the same living room. In the place where her father once sat poring over the innocent childhood wedding details, Emily now sat instead, twirling the pipe cleaner rings in her hand over the Infinity Box. With her presence, Emily came out of her trance, standing to hand the items over. "Amanda," she greeted her. "I was just getting out the things I promised you for the wedding—"

"The wedding is off," Amanda interrupted her in a hurry, and Emily looked curiously into her eyes, noting the fear behind them.

"What?" she gasped.

"Declan's been missing for two days," Amanda finally exhaled, her pulse racing. "And I think Conrad Grayson has something to do with it."

Emily could barely contain her shock and disillusion, stepping closer to her friend. "Amanda, what are you talking about and why would Conrad be involved with Declan disappearing?"

"Because I went to him for help," Amanda divulged in a panic, sinking her head in embarrassment. "After the Ryan brothers were arrested for the drugs, they blackmailed Charlotte into extorting money out of her father." Emily sighed in exasperation as Amanda went on. "They threatened me and Jack's life and she agreed. So I went with her to go to Conrad for the money—"

"Why wouldn't you ask me for help?" Emily fumed.

"It was too late!" Amanda insisted. "I had no way of getting to you in time; especially since lately I have no idea where you even are!" Emily bit her lip at the implication, realizing Amanda had a point. She had been out of contact ever since the wheels started spinning with the Initiative and Aiden returned. She listened while Amanda continued to explain. "Charlotte was already dead set on making the deal and Conrad offered protection. I didn't even want Jack to find out except Declan must have overheard it and told him everything. But by then, Kenny Ryan was already out on bail and the deal was done."

"And now Declan's gone," Emily finished, beside herself in disappointment.

"Charlotte came by two nights ago to meet him and he never showed up," Amanda confirmed with additional explanation. "The table was set for them to have dinner but he was nowhere to be found. She thought maybe he went out to get supplies but he hasn't come back since and it's not like him not to tell us where he is." She sighed. "Something had to have happened."

Emily paced, trying to think through what do next. "Where's Jack?"

"At the _Stowaway_ ," Amanda answered. "I slipped out and left him home with Carl so he couldn't leave." Amanda grimaced. "Emily I'm afraid Jack's going to do something crazy if we don't find Declan soon. I've already let him down too many times with these people – he won't listen to me."

"I don't blame him," Emily shot back, chiding her. "After everything he's gone through with that place and now to have his brother's life at risk?" Amanda dropped her head again, deeply repentant and Emily began to feel sorry for her. She came back over to her side. "Look, maybe he'll listen to me." Amanda looked up in time to see the glint in Emily's eye, suggesting that she had a plan. She exhaled a breath of hope, waiting for instructions that followed. "Have you contacted the police?" she asked.

"Not yet," Amanda confirmed. "Jack's worried the Ryan's have someone on the inside working with them."

"He's probably right," Emily commended him. "But that still gives us some time," she asserted, grabbing her purse from the counter while Amanda followed in step. "We're going back to the _Stowaway_. I'll see what I can do to keep Jack calm and away from Grayson Manor—"

"What's that about Jack coming to Grayson Manor?"

Emily stirred nervously as Daniel's crisp voice interjected and she spun around to see him entering through the door she was just about to walk out of. He arrived at a cautious pace in his running gear and sneakers, his hair tousled and a bag tucked under his shoulder. "Daniel," she breathed, her tone implying she was caught. She took a breath and walked over slowly.

"I- uh, stopped after my run to get breakfast," he announced, eyeing Amanda a few paces behind her. He set the large paper bag on the counter. "But I see we have company. What's going on?"

Emily pulled him aside while Amanda watched closely. "Ah," she stammered. "Something's happened. Something… serious."

Again Daniel's eyes flicked over to Amanda and then back to Emily, narrowing in suspicion. "Everything alright?"

"Not exactly," she replied, glancing towards the door. "Look, I'll explain everything but in the meantime," her words hung in the air as she stared into his eyes, ascertaining her trust in him.

"I need you to do me a favor."

 **SCENE**

"So is that for real, or what?"

Emily kept her attention on the road while she drove, barely acknowledging Amanda's question. "What?" she asked back.

"You and Daniel Grayson," Amanda clarified, looking over at her friend. "I thought you ended things after last summer?"

"It's different now," Emily replied mechanically, bracing herself as she prepared to explain how. She turned briefly to face her. "Daniel knows who I am."

"Great," Amanda sighed sarcastically. "And I take it by that, he knows who I really am too." She shook her head in disbelief, staring out of her passenger window. "Just what we need, another loose end sitting out there, waiting to destroy us both."

"Daniel isn't like that," Emily insisted with conviction. "He wants to help."

Amanda could barely believe her ears. "And you _trust_ him? I thought you just got finished telling me _not_ to trust the Graysons?" As much as she relied on Emily to keep things under control, she could not overlook how blatantly this seemed to work in the opposite favor. "Never mind that, how is he even able to trust _you_?"

"Amanda—" Emily attempted to quiet her but her friend had a point.

"Hello? Emily you're trying to take down his entire family! I don't care what he's promised to help you with; don't you think at some point that's bound to be a conflict of interest?" Amanda alleged, knowing she was heavily circling the truth.

Emily's window for response was cut into by her phone ringing, which she answered from the car's auxiliary system. "What is it, Nolan?" she barked.

Nolan's voice echoed through the speakers. "Officiant certificate, check. Bridal bouquet, ordered. Wedding cake, on hold - who knew 'officiant' was French for 'wedding bitch'?" he greeted.

"Nolan I need you to put the entire wedding on hold," Emily stopped him quickly. "We have another problem – Declan's missing."

"What?" Nolan's reaction mirrored hers just moments prior, impelling him to stop short as he walked the halls of Grayson Global to his office. "Missing, as in, didn't show up for his tux fitting?"

"As in possibly kidnapped," Emily affirmed, struggling with the admission. She glanced at Amanda who winced at the likelihood. "We're on our way to deal with it but in the meantime I need you put a trace on Declan's phone – see if you can find out where he is."

"Uh—yeah, absolutely," Nolan stammered in concern. "I'm on it." A thought occurred to him. "Um sorry to bring this up while we're already on the subject but, no news on our _other_ missing person."

Emily nodded to herself, expecting as much. "The Initiative just murdered his sister," she reminded him. "At this point, I don't know what he'll do." Noting Amanda's increased interest as she spoke openly on the topic of Aiden, she changed the subject. "Anything on Padma?"

"Oh, no communication there yet either," Nolan advised, rounding the corner to his office floor. "But believe me; I've got eyes and ears all over that one. If they make contact, I'll know."

"Whatever you do, you cannot let Padma know that you're on to her," Emily urged him.

"I won't," Nolan promised halfheartedly.

"I'll call you when I have an update," Emily concluded after getting his affirmation and quickly ended the call, assuming Amanda's questions would follow thereafter.

While she enlightened her companion on the discussion matter, Nolan made his way into his office, nearly jumping out of his skin in surprise as his eyes fell on the afore-mentioned waiting for him in his chair. "Aiden," he gasped, breathing deeply. "Where have you been? Emily's been worried sick—"

Aiden swiveled to face him, cutting the platitudes with a death-dealing glare. "Never mind about her. I know you helped intercept the video of my sister's death."

Nolan checked the hallway self-consciously before slowly walking over. "Yes," he admitted. "And I couldn't be more sorry—"

Aiden stopped him again, intent on his own agenda. "I don't need your sympathy," he clarified. "I need your expertise. Again."

 **SCENE**

Daniel entered Grayson Manor with purpose, motivated by the information Emily had just shared before her departure. He stormed through the foyer, a stark contrast to the manner in which he had left the beach house only an hour before on his run. After staying there for several nights, his own home felt foreign, a subconscious reminder of Emily's suggestion that he find his own living arrangements soon, rather than traveling back and forth. Just as she would have predicted, going home on occasion to collect things increased the chance of crossing paths with his mother – which was exactly what occurred this particular time as he walked in.

"Daniel, you're home," Victoria commented, elated by his rare presence. He ignored her, brushing past in search of his father, but she kept at him, pacing behind in her heels. "Ugh, must we continue with this endless display of animosity? It's bad enough you rarely sleep indoors but I don't know how much longer I can weather this distance," she insisted.

"Where's Dad?" he asked bluntly, ignoring her pleas.

"Most likely in the study with his concubine, working on his campaign," Victoria replied dryly, casting a glance in the direction of the room.

That stopped Daniel in his tracks. "What?"

Victoria sighed. "I suppose you've been gone longer than I realized. Lydia Davis," she continued, coming over to him. "As if your father's gubernatorial plans weren't repulsive enough – he's also appointed his incurable mistress as the Communications Director." She put a gentle hand on her son's face, appreciating the fleeting moment of attention as she walked around him to carry on her day. "Be a dear, Daniel. Do yourself a favor and stray far from your father's footsteps."

Daniel stood in thought as she disappeared down the hall, and then finally let himself into his father's study, filing away the information his mother passed along into mind.

"Daniel?" Conrad greeted him as he looked up, while Lydia leaned over his shoulder in concentration. "To what do we owe this pleasure of your presence?"

"Declan Porter," Daniel answered directly, anger building in his voice. "He went missing the same day you cut a deal to have Kenneth Ryan released from drug charges. You want to explain that?"

Conrad played his own version of innocence in mocking tone. "Would you care to elaborate on the connection? I merely kept to my charitable duties by seeing that an innocent man was freed and ensuring his share of ownership in a commercial business was _legally_ settled." He furrowed his brow in suspicion while Lydia straightened up next to him.

"Yeah well whatever settlement you offered wasn't enough to stop your so-called 'innocent' man from going after the Porter brothers," he incensed back. "Namely your daughter's _boyfriend._ "

"Ah, you're suggesting there's been a breach of contract by the Ryans," Conrad sighed intolerably. "Well unfortunately, if Charlotte's choice in whom she spends her summer days with results in a broken heart or shattered dreams, she has no one else to blame but _herself._ "

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Daniel roared, edging closer. "Don't you understand what hand you played in this? The Ryan brothers were criminals – they probably took that money and paid off whatever thugs kidnapped Declan and are holding it over Jack Porter's head until they get what they want!" He shook his head as his father instinctively looked away and began clearing his desk. "Now they wouldn'tdo that unless they stood to gain something – what is it?"

"The _Stowaway,_ " Lydia chimed in after Conrad remained silent. He sighed at her response but she remained unfazed. "Those senseless bottom dwellers are fighting over a stupid bar in Montauk."

At her mention of 'bottom-dwellers', Daniel fumed at her disrespect. "And this is your new _Communications_ Director?" he tucked his bottom lip under, ashamed and disgusted. "Dad, I don't care how trivial you think this situation is," he continued, pointing at arm towards the upstairs. "Charlotte is likely upstairs in pieces, traumatized over what her actions may have resulted in, and you are not going to let her blame herself for this!"

At that Conrad finally stood, putting up two hands to disseminate the bickering between his son and Lydia. "Daniel, even if I wanted to assist there is little more I can do, our deal was to provide security in the event any _harm_ was done, which if your description is correct, appears to be something we cannot prove?" he raised an eyebrow, confirming Daniel's statement. When he did not respond, he continued on. "As it stands, it's been burdensome enough that the opportunist Amanda _Clarke_ clearly was behind Charlotte's insistence on the matter. Now if your sister needs comfort I will be more than willing to help her through this time but until you have something substantial, our role here is finished."

"So that's it?" Daniel stood aghast. "Unless a body turns up, you're saying you're not lifting a finger?"

Conrad eyed him. "While I'm partial to your _forensic_ manner of description, fundamentally, yes," he answered. "And as Chief Executive Officer of your own multi-billion dollar image I would advise you to show the same sense of caution in freely offering your assistance as well."

Daniel stood back, absorbing his father's cold rejection and that of his co-conspirator and could only recoil at his assumption that they might actually lend him support. "You know what," he decided, stepping away. "Forget what I said. I don't want your help," he affirmed. "In fact, you stay out of this – and stay away from Charlotte."

With that he disappeared out of the room abruptly, leaving Conrad and Lydia behind to return to their affairs.

 **SCENE**

"Jack," Emily breathed as she entered the _Stowaway_ first, finding him slumped over the bar in distress, his head in his hands. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace, her emotions surging.

Jack limply hugged her back, exhausted from lack of sleep and intense worry, barely making eye contact when he broke apart. His eyes fell on Amanda momentarily, as she sheepishly walked in behind Emily and then made her way to check on a sleeping. "I told you not to involve our friends, Amanda!" he berated her in a low tone, his eyes reddened.

Emily shushed him in consolation, trying to keep him calm. "Jack, it's okay," she insisted. "Amanda was only looking out for you by coming to me. She's worried you might do something drastic."

Jack huffed, gazing back at her with a look that insisted otherwise. "There's no way I would do anything now," he promised, and then slid over a note that was sitting on the bar top. "It came this morning after she left." Emily hurriedly picked it up to read, and stood so that Amanda could see while Jack quoted it from memory. "It's Nate's handwriting," he affirmed.

Amanda gasped in shock, recognizing the meaning of his observation. "They let him out?" she resolved in disbelief.

Jack confirmed it with a nod. "And he wants the bar by 7pm tonight – no police and no tricks, or Declan dies." With the admission he slipped down from the bar stool, running a hand through his hair as he paced a few feet from them. Emily continued to read the ransom note, confirming Jack's description as she shook her head in frustration. He watched her and reached over to take it from her hands, tossing it back on the bar. "It's no use, Emily," he asserted. "I've had enough of this; I'm giving it to them."

She followed his hands as he produced the deed to the bar from his back pocket and laid it on the counter. "Jack," she protested. "This isn't right – I will pay whatever amount he wants, I can give him enough for any piece of the entire Atlantic seaboard—"

"It doesn't matter!" Jack shouted back, immediately regretting his uneasy temper. He placed two hands to the bridge of his nose, attempting to calm himself. "I'm not bargaining with my brother's life and I'm not taking a risk. You read the note – he said no tricks." He shook his head and a softness in his eyes implied he appreciated Emily's offer, despite not taking it. "Look, I'm sorry but, I know these guys. And this has never been about money – it's about revenge."

With the emphasis on his final word, Emily's heart sank in response, a surge of guilt rippling through her. She felt Amanda's eyes condemning her with the knowledge of the similar path she had chosen, but she ignored it, only kept her focus on Jack as he finished.

"Tonight at 7 o'clock I'm ending this by giving Nate the _Stowaway._ It's that – or nothing at all."

 **SCENE**

"Call it up," Aiden instructed, leaning over Nolan's shoulder as he watched him operate his computer genius. "Run the video."

Nolan complied without hesitation. He relaxed a bit when Aiden stopped to pace for a bit around the office, taking advantage of the few split seconds to run another program in the background to trace Declan's phone. Despite Aiden's overpowering of the moment, he could not waste a minute of urgency for his dear friend.

Aiden returned to investigate his command and Nolan quickly pulled up the other screen. "What can you tell me about this file I'm not seeing?" he bellowed.

"Ah, what are we looking for?" Nolan stammered.

"Anything," Aiden answered. "Anything that leads me to who filmed it and where."

"Well, this is the file's structural metadata," Nolan explained, opening the file properties. "Embedded in its intel, bit rate, format date of creation—" he suddenly cut himself short in despair and looked up at his companion. " _Six_ years ago."

Aiden shook his head in disbelief, pointing at the screen. "Six years ago? Crowley led me to believe this was filmed three days ago!" he exclaimed.

"She _lied,_ " Nolan emphasized, hoping the realization would finally dawn on him. "That's what they do. See, there was nothing you or Emily could've done to prevent this - it had already happened. And Emily is no more to blame in this than you are."

Aiden stood back, still in shock and racked his brain on what to do next. He finally leaned forward again, zoning in on the image. "Fine – is there any way to determine where this was filmed?"

Nolan examined it again, spying an electric meter in the background. "Ah, yes – see this electric meter? Each one is embedded with a serial number unique to its location. If I can just enhance the image enough to read its sequence we can hack the power company's records—"

"And you have the enhancement program?" Aiden interrupted anxiously.

"Yes, yes, yes," Nolan assured him, cutting short his many questions. "But it's going to take _time_ ," he insisted, hoping to reason with him. "Why don't we just get Emily on the line—"

"No, I don't want Emily involved! By the end of your conversation it seemed she had her own things to worry about anyway," he denied him angrily and then his eyes fell on a blinking window at the bottom of Nolan's task bar. "What's this?"

Nolan sighed. "Well, as of matter of fact you guessed correct – Emily asked me to help out with a close friend of ours—"

"Oh, a job for her boyfriend?" Aiden huffed impatiently. "Daniel takes priority, I'm sure."

" _No_ ,"Nolan corrected him in a childish tone. "It's actually her _sister's_ boyfriend, Declan. He's seventeen."

At the mention of his tender age, Aiden stiffened and dialed back his caustic tone. "What," he stammered. "What's happened to him?"

Nolan just shook his head. "Innocent bystander – kidnapped and used by bad people," he summarized, adding a specific nod to him. "A lot like your sister, except _this_ is in the here and now. While you're worrying about things you can't control, good people's lives are still at risk."

Aiden pondered his words and for a moment Nolan wondered if he might falter in his determination. But his temperament only calmed while his mission plundered forward. "Just run the program," Aiden instructed him, in a quieter tone. He stepped away from his desk. "Give me the address when it comes up."

Nolan nodded; raising an eyebrow as his tracker on Declan suddenly flagged a location, just as his program for the electric meter did the same. He hesitated and then decided to play a gamble. "Ah, program just finished," he piped in, scribbling on a piece of stray paper and leaning over to hand it to Aiden. "Here's your address."

"Thank you," Aiden snatched it anxiously and disappeared from the room before Nolan could even set back into his chair. Once seated, he exhaled a deep breath – hoping that his assumption would work out for the best.

 **SCENE**

"Hey."

Daniel excused his unannounced entry into his sister's room after there was no response to his first two knocks at the door. When he walked in, his heart sank at the sight of her curled up on her bed, clenching a tissue to her face in tears. "Charlotte, I'm sorry," he whispered right away, gingerly sitting at the side of her bed. "Emily told me what happened."

She paused between sobs to look up at him, wiping at her eyes. "I guess they're accepting he's really gone then," her voice cracked back. "Amanda said they wouldn't tell anyone until they knew for sure." Her face crumpled in remorse as thoughts of her own involvement came springing to mind. "This is all my fault. _I_ asked Dad for the money, _I_ agreed to let Kenny out on bail. And now look what's happened."

"Charlotte, you can't blame yourself," Daniel assured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Dad should've never gotten involved in the first place."

His sister suddenly lifted her head, leaning on an inkling of hope. "Is he going to help?" she asked.

It pained Daniel to tell her the truth but he knew she had to hear it, as heartbreaking as it may be. "Not yet," he replied honestly, disheartened as she fell back to her pillow in dismay. He leaned forward with conviction. "But hey, listen to me. I promise, we _will_ find Declan. Alright? I won't give up until we do."

Charlotte could only shake her head, disillusioned by the thought that it was too late and no use. Despite how much she appreciated her brother's support, she had to accept what might be the inevitable. "Just go," was all she had strength to whisper before closing her eyes again.

Daniel sighed, wishing he could do more to reassure her, but a moment later a phone call was beckoning his attention – one he had to take. He slipped out of her room, tucking the door closed behind him and got to it in the hallway on the last ring.

"Helen," he answered, vaguely recalling an urgent email from her that morning that got ignored in all the commotion. "Sorry for not getting back—"

"No apologies needed," Helen's unnerving voice drawled back into his ear. "Simply make the transactions and we're full steam ahead."

Daniel twitched nervously, having not been able to run the information by Emily since their morning had been cut short. Her request was one he was certain she would be against, even if he did need to maintain complicity to keep the Initiative unsuspecting. "Ah, I need to go on record here," he stalled. "Switching funds out of the European markets is fiscal suicide."

"We're comfortable with the short-term losses," Helen placated immediately, none to his surprise. "Daniel, our final plans are much grander in scope."

Daniel took advantage of the pause in conversation to re-read the email on his blackberry. "Algiers, Bahrain, Tunisia," he read off, genuine concern seeping through. "These are all highly volatile regions with unregulated banking systems."

"Which is precisely _why_ we are investing in their infrastructure," Helen continued to explain, ever forceful in her requests. "These emerging governments need the financial backing of Western companies to facilitate reform."

"Fine," Daniel finally gave in, falling back on his real-life situation as a way out. "I'm currently dealing with a family situation but I'll execute the purchase orders once I'm at the office." With that, he ended the call and set down the hallway. He desperately needed to get in contact with Emily, let alone the fact that he had not even gotten dressed for the day yet. Dialing her number as he rushed to his room in the pool house, he never noticed his mother standing back beyond the steps, having overhead the entire conversation.

Her intuition raising alarm, Victoria heaved a deep breath as she recalled a similar chain of events years ago – during the framed arrest of her once lover, David Clarke.

 **SCENE**

"What's this?"

Amanda lifted a brightly colored travel brochure from one of the front tables of the _Stowaway_ just as Jack returned downstairs, finally rested and changed after putting Carl down for a nap. Emily had gone home, promising that she would return before the switch time and insisted that they both take care of themselves and try to rest while she was gone. For his sake Jack had listened, and rather than question it, Amanda had merely embraced the fact that Emily was able to get through to him. Now, as he reached the bottom of the steps, she glanced over her shoulder with concern in her eyes. "Was this Declan's?" she asked.

Jack sighed, a part of him wishing that it was and that the ransom note had just been a dream while his brother was merely off on a youthful holiday. "No, that's mine," he answered, taking it out of her hand. "Or, _was_ mine," he then clarified. "It's a little spot I found in Nantucket.  
I was thinking we would take the boat, sail it out, stay a couple nights alone." For a moment sweetness returned to his eyes that Amanda had not seen in days, then quickly faded away. "That was until…" his voice trailed off and he nearly ripped the brochure in half. "Now it all seems so silly."

She placed a hand atop his to stop him, and when she spoke her voice was sorely regretful. "Jack, it's not silly. We are _still_ going to get married," she assured him; cupping his chin so he could face her. "You know why? Because we _are_ going to get Declan back, safe and sound."

"Oh, Amanda," Jack sighed, wiping away more tears forming. "Even if we do get him back don't you see we don't have anything?" He glanced around them. "This is it; this is all I've ever had. And once it's gone – I'll have nothing. _We'll_ have nothing."

"You have me, Jack," Amanda assured him, pressing her head to his. "And Carl." She searched her mind, hoping to offer him some sort of comfort. "And friends who love you and are more than willing to help. Emily even offered the house for us to stay for a while—"

The mention only dampened his mood, impelling him to turn away. "I told you, I don't want anything from her. I don't want to owe anything to my friends."

 _You'd rather owe your enemies?_ Amanda thought in reference to the Graysons, but knew better than to say it. He certainly did not need any further reminders of the role she had played in getting them into this mess. Instead, she allowed him his space, sensing that like her, he would be a pile of nerves until the clock finally struck 7. As her guilt mounted, a nagging in her was simply unable to let the time pass without acting. So she waited until Jack made his way into the supply room and then decided she would do something about it.

 **SCENE**

"… and then I tracked the electrical meter from the video to a condemned apartment building in Jersey City."

Emily listened as Nolan explained the details of Aiden's surprise visit to his office, leaving her phone on speaker while she changed into dark colored attire in her bedroom. Not only had Nolan provided the details of Declan's whereabouts, but he had done so in just enough time for her to make it over there far in advance of the scheduled swap. But she had to move fast.

"Did he say what he was expecting to find?" she called out in response from her closet.

"I don't even think he knows," Nolan answered, rushing to explain. "But here's the thing – I ah, didn't exactly send him there?"

Emily looked up from tying her left running shoe to hold her phone closer. "What do you mean?"

Nolan shrugged bashfully behind his desk. "While he was notably _insistent_ on getting that address… he didn't exactly follow due diligence to confirm where it was – I gave him Declan's location instead."

Emily sighed in relief. It was actually a perfect turn of events – not only leading her to finally catch up with him but also assuring she had trained assistance in her mission. "Thanks, Nolan," she replied emphatically. "I'm going to need his help."

"No problem," he resigned, glad he made the right call. "Hey Ems?" he added on, one last thought on his mind. "You think the Initiative is doing the same thing to Padma that they did to Colleen? Maybe they got to her family too?"

"Maybe," Emily guessed, running down the steps and tossing her bag over her shoulder. "But right now all I care about is finding Declan – and stopping Aiden from doing anything else."

 **SCENE**

"Conrad, a word?"

Victoria walked through the doors of Conrad's study, undeterred by Lydia's scolding eyes. "Victoria, do you mind?" she seethed. "We're actually in the middle of things—"

"And fully clothed," Victoria noted sharply. "How refreshing."

Lydia sighed in irritation but Conrad quickly shut his wife down, on a roll for the day. "My dear, whatever it is you wish to discuss, you may feel free to do so in the presence of Ms. Davis," he insisted. "She has been fully vetted on this family's darkest secrets in order to best serve her exclusive role in this campaign." Victoria seethed in return, dearly missing her ability to dismiss her competition at will.

"Fine," she breathed, licking her lips. Even she had to admit that the particular issue she wanted to discuss was not one foreign to Lydia's previous knowledge. "I need a copy of every transaction you ever made on behalf of the Initiative in the '90s," she demanded, stepping forward to Conrad's desk. "The same ones that the government used to convict David Clarke."

"You're not serious," Lydia inserted, while Victoria ignored her, keeping her eyes fixed on Conrad.

He chuckled at what was now the second unexpected request of the day. "You know, if I remember correctly, you long ago requested to remain _ignorant_ of all those tedious little details." He examined her, attempting to discern her intentions. "Would you care to explain the about-face?"

Victoria breathed in exasperation. "I overheard a phone conversation between Daniel and Helen Crowley. And I think it –"

"You think it's begun," Conrad surmised, putting the rest of the pieces together.

"Yes," she answered, her anxiety rising. "And if he follows their orders, he'll be culpable of whatever catastrophe they're about to unleash. Now unfortunately, my son no longer listens to me, let alone trusts a word I have to say. But faced with hard evidence, perhaps he can be convinced."

Conrad turned down his lips in agreement, sensing she had a point and certainly not opposed to her at least making an attempt. Victoria picked up on his impending concession, but was soon interrupted again.

"I would strongly advise against that course of action, Conrad," Lydia suggested, stepping forward.

Victoria acknowledged her with a glare. "And I would strongly advise _you_ to stay out of this."

"As Conrad's appointed counsel, that's something I can't do," Lydia shot back, insisting on her point. "Disclosure of those sensitive documents could wreak immeasurable damage on his campaign—"

"This is a matter of personal safety to his _children_ ," Victoria interrupted back, with a sneer. Her anger peaked as Conrad rose to his feet, attempting to diffuse the quarrel. "Since when does that fall under your line of jurisdiction—"

"Since I started carrying his child!" Lydia suddenly shouted, silencing both Conrad and Victoria with her declaration.

Victoria froze in disbelief, looking to Conrad to dispel it right away. "Conrad, please tell your hired help to suppress her delusions," she instructed him. But when she read his reaction, only embarrassment and remorse remained on his face. "Conrad?" she prodded again, but he took his seat, hanging his head.

"Ah, Victoria," he uttered in a low tone, unprepared to face the truth in the untimely moment. "I'm afraid… Lydia is… telling the truth."

Victoria pressed her lips together firmly, choking back feelings of betrayal and disappointment behind a clenched jaw. Her eyes averted from Conrad to Lydia and back again, as emotion fought to break through. "Well then," she finally mumbled. "I suppose the rumors about politicians are true. They never fail to double-cross the bridge when they come to it."

Her clever words held meaning, as if summarizing the underlying theme of infidelity that seemed to forever haunt their doomed relationship. With a final look upon Lydia, who attempted to hold dignity by keeping her head high, Victoria turned away to leave the study, pausing at the door for one last request of her husband. "Despite your choice to be continuously disloyal to our vows, Conrad," she guiled him. "If there's any integrity left in you, please—

"Don't turn your back on our son."

 **SCENE**

"If you're here to talk me out of this, I'm not interested."

Aiden froze solid in his steps, his trained senses picking up on Emily's presence behind him. They stood in the open space of an abandoned warehouse down a dark alley, with Emily only feet behind Aiden, crouching at the entrance of a secured door to their left.

"I'm not here to talk you out of anything," Emily responded in a low whisper, hoping he kept his voice down in kind. She cast a quick look around to confirm they were alone for the moment. "I'm here for your help."

Aiden furrowed his brow in confusion and finally turned about. "And what would you want that for?"

Emily took a breath. "Because this isn't where your sister was taken hostage," she admitted, expecting the angry look that followed as she held up her tracking device. "This is where they kidnapped Declan."

Aiden stood erect from where he was crouched, staring daggers into her. "You set me up?"

She edged closer and in the tiny stream of light cutting into the room, he could see the genuineness in her eyes. "It was Nolan that gave you the address," she replied honestly. "He wanted to help you remember what you came here to do."

"I came here to avenge my _sister,_ " he emphasized, stepping close to her.

"Then honor her," Emily shot back firmly. "Help save a life that still hangs in the balance. Do what you wish others had done for your sister years ago – people that had it within their power to help but did nothing!"

Aiden grimaced, turning his head in exasperation just as Emily's tracking indicator went off in her hand. She looked down to acknowledge it and then faced him again. "The signal is weakening," she informed him, nodding towards his shoulder. "It's coming from just beyond that wall. Please – help me save him."

Finally giving in, Aiden huffed and turned around, using his strength to pry open the bolted edge that clearly concealed a hidden doorway. Assured of his assistance, Emily slipped on her voice muffling device and pulled down her hood and mask to cover her face. She then followed behind, sneaking through as Aiden weaved his way through a long tunnel. He stopped short at the end checking their surroundings as they reached a vented opening and peered through.

"That's him," Emily confirmed in a low whisper as she reached his side to look through the openings. Not ten feet in front of them sat Declan, blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back and a gag through his mouth. A careful glance to all corners of the room revealed Nate Ryan a few steps behind, pacing with a gun in hand. Assessing the best route of attack, Emily glanced over at Aiden and he nodded back in confirmation, already following her thinking.

With clever movement, Emily slammed against the large door, drawing Nate to come running into the hallway. "Hey!" he cried out, on cue. "Who's there?!"

Standing flat against the adjoining walls, Aiden waited on the other side until he finally came out and at once Emily apprehended him while Aiden took hold of him from behind.

"What the-?!" Nate was barely able to exclaim as Emily squarely kicked him in the gut and Aiden slammed him into a chokehold. "Wh-who are you?" he sputtered, staring into Emily's face.

"You'll never know!" she yelled back in her morphed voice triumphantly, delivering a final punch to the gut as Aiden tightened his grip on his air supply and lowered him to the floor as he soon went unconscious.

Once he was down, Emily left Aiden to watch over him while she cleared the rest of the room where Declan was held and then immediately began releasing him from his hand restraints. "Hey," he mumbled through the gag, sensing the commotion. "Help!" he continued to yell, resisting her grip.

Emily wasted no time yanking him by the arm to his feet, without revealing who she was and kept both the gag and blindfold on in order to keep that fact concealed. Pushing him to the door, she was nearly through when Aiden suddenly met him with a punch clear across the jaw, sending him slumped to his feet again.

"What are you doing?!" Emily shrieked, the voice muffler turning it into a throaty bellow. She stooped down to check Declan, who was still breathing but now also unconscious from the hard hit. She slipped off her mask and voice muffler to face Aiden. "What was that for?"

"Well, you don't want him to wake up, do you?" Aiden justified nonchalantly. He suddenly shoved Nate forward face down and then produced a pistol, aimed right at his head. "This one, on the other hand, will never wake up again—"

"Aiden, no!" Emily protested, grabbing his arm to stop him. "Don't do this!"

"Why not?" Aiden argued, a vengeance awaking in his heart and resounding in his tone. "This is what he deserves right? Kidnapping a teenage boy to get something he wants – threatening his life-!"

"Please, Aiden, don't!" Emily insisted, moving around to step in front of his aim. "Killing him won't bring back Colleen! This isn't the way!" She shook her head, recalling a memory from the first night they met, seeing the exact same side of him – unrequited anger for the loss of his sister. It was as if they were experiencing the moment all over again, except this time Emily prayed with all her might that he would choose a different path instead of repeating history again. "Aiden, please just think about this – just try to approach this with a clear head—"

Her remark only infuriated him. "I'm sorry if I'm not as cold and calculated as you, Emily," he hissed. "But I can't just turn my feelings on and off at the flick of a switch!"

"Is that what you think?" Emily breathed, lowering the hands she held outstretched in front of him. "That I don't feel? That I don't miss my father every single day? That I don't mourn the life that I could have had?" She shook her head, disappointed in his shortsighted view of her. "But that's why people like you and me fight. Why we choose a different path – because it gives us something to live for when everything else has been taken away. I thought you understood that," she stammered, nearly in tears. "I thought we shared that."

Aiden teetered on conceding, but then swallowed away his sensitivity. "Then I'm sorry to keep disappointing you," he finally resigned, pushing her out of his way.

"No," Emily exhaled as she watched him re-aim his gun and this time pull the trigger, sending three shots into the back of Nate's head, execution style.

Suddenly crushed by his own choice to give into his anguish, Aiden lowered the gun and pulled down his mask, then disappeared down the corridor, leaving Emily behind with Declan, and now Nate's unmoving corpse beside her. Sighing in distress, Emily stifled tears of disappointment in her friend and quickly pulled out her phone to dial for help.

"Nolan!" she yelped once he answered. "I need you."

 **SCENE**

"Is this Conrad Grayson?"

"Ah, Ms. Clarke," Conrad responded to the voice coming through his phone, setting down a glass of strong brandy on his desk. He was alone in his study in the aftermath of Lydia's declaration, excusing both of the manipulative women that seemed to rule his life so that he could sulk in the wake of his exposed sins. "Before you continue with another ghastly display of desperation," he preceded her. "My son has already attempted to argue your family's case and my answer to you will be the same as I said to him – without any proof of harm done I am unable to get involved."

Amanda sighed, enclosing on the steps to Emily's beach house as she listened to Conrad's dogmatic response. "Is a ransom note enough proof of harm?"

Conrad raised a droopy eyebrow, the spirits partially numbing his demeanor. "Perhaps," he entertained. "Although I would hastily defer negotiating terms of a ransom out of my hands and into that of the Montauk Police Department."

"Jack doesn't want to involve the police," Amanda insisted, growing impatient. "Why can't you just keep to your word?"

Conrad's eyes incidentally fell on a photo of his family from the previous year, highlighting the irony of what had become of all he held dear. "As much as I had full intention to adhere to my commitment," he began, taking the photo in hand. "It's clear that with time even the best laid plans run awry."

Amanda grimaced, and took a breath before playing her final hand. "Not even if I were to threaten to tell your wife about your lovechild with Lydia Davis?" she offered, hoping it would change his stance. "Yeah, I found out about that."

Despite awaking a twinge of curiosity at her foreknowledge, it only made him laugh. "As of this afternoon," he sighed, a lazy smile crossing his face. "Victoria has already been made fully aware. Nice try, Ms. Clarke." With that, he hung up, leaving Amanda hanging on the other end, with certainty of her last resort.

She trudged forward, slipping into Emily's beach house with the spare key she still had and did a quick check of the premises before heading for her destination – the hiding place where Emily kept her Infinity Box. She had watched her secure it away that morning and made light work of finding the hidden key and opening it to reveal its contents. Moving a few stray items aside, she reached in for the laptop and pulled it out – knocking over the Infinity Box in the process.

Amanda sighed as the journals and a few stray papers went clattering to the floor and she rushed to clean up the mishap, almost finished when suddenly she heard footsteps clamor behind her, accompanied by a familiar voice. "What are you doing here?"

She anxiously stashed the box back into the hiding place and gathered up the laptop in her hands, turning around to see Daniel watching her from the back door. "Ah, Emily—" Amanda stammered, explaining away the computer in her arms. "Sent me to um, to get this." She searched for more convincing support. "She and Nolan are going to try to track Declan's phone."

Daniel walked over and Amanda held her breath as she awaited further questioning. "Good," he exhaled instead, as she did the same in relief. "Where is she, I need to tell her what my father said?"

"Ah, at the _Stowaway_ still," Amanda lied, hoping he wouldn't follow her to confirm. She attempted to divert him just in case. "But I can already guess what your father said. He won't help."

Daniel ducked his chin in acknowledgement, sheepishly. "Listen I know it may seem bleak but trust me, it's not going to end here."

Amanda shook her head, brushing past him. "I'll leave that to Emily," she objected. "She may trust you with her secret – but I don't."

Daniel whirled around to assure her. "Amanda, wait. Emily _does_ trust me," he insisted. "And if I can just get until tomorrow I promise I have something on my father that will make him do whatever I ask."

"Well I have news for you," Amanda flipped back intensely. "Tomorrow is too late. Nate dropped off a ransom note this morning demanding the exchange happen tonight." She raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "I thought Emily would have told you that already. Guess she doesn't trust you as much as you think?"

With that she left, hoping the implication was enough not only to divert Daniel of her presence but also to cover her trail. Yet, in her departure she failed to notice one stray piece of paper still sitting on the floor beside the hiding place where she had taken Emily's laptop. With her gone, Daniel turned to survey the area and noticed it, picking it up so he could read. It was a small square of notepad paper with the letterhead "Allenwood Correction Center" at the top, a fact that caught his eye. On it were instructions, followed by a telephone contact number. Curious, Daniel took his phone out of his pocket and proceeded to dial.

 **SCENE**

After clearing the hallway and surrounding area, Aiden slipped once again into the office of Nolan Ross, relieved that it was empty once again. His rushing adrenaline helped him to put the events that had just occurred out of his mind, and the guilt of his own actions along with. Instead, determination impelled him to focus on the only remaining drive he had left – finding the actual location where his sister had been held and tracking it to see if it led him to her murderer.

Memorizing the sequence that he had just watched Nolan enter to pull up his computer earlier that day, he came around his desk to enter the information and attempted to access the system. Yet, Nolan's prowess was too good for him, and the program denied him entry, sending Aiden into an angry fit. "Dammit!" he exhaled aloud, punching the desk and sweeping around.

Feeling lost, he glanced out of the window and then back at the screen, only this time a particular icon on Nolan's desktop caught his attention. _Grayson Security Stream._ He leaned forward to click on the icon and to his surprise it opened, pulling up the same footage Nolan had once used to help Aiden monitor Helen Crowley and decipher her passcode to the Initiative. Thinking it could lead to more information he browsed through, until he realized that live footage was coming through the feed. He sat once again and watched intently as a scene unfolded in the study of Grayson Manor – Amanda Clarke had just walked in and slammed a laptop down on Conrad's desk.

 _"The switch happens in an hour. You're going to have Nate evicted and Jack back running the Stowaway by morning."_

 _Conrad leaned forward, incredulous at the gall of the girl in front of him. "Was there some measure of confusion in our conversation? My involvement is not an option—"_

 _"You couldn't be more wrong about that," Amanda interrupted him and leaned around the monitor to hit a button on the keyboard._

Aiden stared even closer as the playback called up old footage from that very same office, only this time Victoria was standing before Conrad and what appeared to be an attorney, admitting to knowing David Clarke's secrets. Aiden's eyes widened in realization – Amanda was showing Conrad evidence of his conspiracy to frame David for his crimes, singlehandedly derailing all of Emily's plans to put it to her own use. His eyes averted to Conrad in real time, watching his reaction.

 _"That's impossible," he rasped, squinting at the footage and then looking to Amanda for explanation. "Where did you get this?"_

 _"That's not important," Amanda checked him, pressing a button to pause the feed. "The fact that I have it is."_

 _Conrad sat back in his chair, aghast. "So it has been you all this time?"_

 _"I haven't even begun to make you and your family suffer for what they've done," Amanda attested, standing up straight and folding the laptop under her arm. "Like I said, you follow through with your commitment to protect Jack and Declan and this time make sure Nate disappears for good. And afterwards, you never, ever utter the name Porter again, or I promise, I will take a wrecking ball to every bit of this pathetic excuse for a life you've chosen."_

Aiden continued at attention as Conrad immediately offered his complicity and Amanda went storming out of the room, content that she had gotten what she wanted. Aiden began to pull out his phone to quickly notify Emily of the rupture in her plans when the monitor caught his attention again, this time revealing Lydia slipping out of the side door into the study and coming over to Conrad, clearly having heard all of Amanda's threats. He paused to watch and listen once more.

 _"You've acquired more enemies in one day than the President in his last term," Lydia observed with stern recourse, shaking her head. "An_ _d all before you've even announced your gubernatorial plans? That's quite a feat."_

 _"I didn't realize part of your role as communications director was to rub in the brutal truth," Conrad quipped with a stone face. "Haven't you done enough of that today?"_

 _"Get over yourself, Conrad." Lydia asserted, giving him a sardonic look. "Not only did Victoria do the same thing to you with her love child from David Clarke, but she also kept it a secret for over 15 years."_

 _"Are you suggesting that the scales are even?" he flipped back._

 _"I'm suggesting that instead of sulking over your secret being out and giving up everything, that you do what's necessary to continue with your plans." She leaned forward on his desk, propositioning. "Give Victoria the documents she's asking for in exchange for her discretion going forward."_

 _Conrad chuckled at the suggestion. "You really think she would agree to that?"_

 _But Lydia was persistent. "It's clear that all she cares about is protecting her son. Meanwhile, focus your energies on removing the more menacing threat - Amanda Clarke." Conrad fell into deep thought at the mention. "With evidence like that in her possession, you will never see the end of it. No, the key to solving all of your problems is obviously to eliminate her – the same way we did David."_

 _Conrad quickly pondered her direction, falling in line with ease. "By golly, my dear – I believe you're right."_

At his concession, Aiden knew he truly had only moments to act. Rather than wait for an answer, this time he called Emily's phone while rushing to exit the office, desperately hoping he would be able to make it to her in time.

 **SCENE**

Jack paced in the front of the _Stowaway_ , conscious that it was less than an hour until it was time to make the switch which made him all the more nervous since Amanda had still not gotten back yet. He nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard the door suddenly swing open, running over in hopes that it was her and his heart nearly stopped as another face walked through.

"Jack?" Declan stammered, staring ahead at his brother.

"Oh my God!" Jack gasped, running over to embrace him. He pulled him into his arms, emotion overcoming him with relief as the anguish of fear and loss slowly dissipated with his presence. He pulled away suddenly, so he could examine him for harm, and except for a tough-looking bruise across the jaw, he looked better for the wear. "Are you hurt? Are you alone?"

"No," Declan answered to both questions, looking back. For a moment Jack tensed as he expected Nate Ryan to come in trailing behind him but instead it was Emily and Nolan's faces that appeared, while Declan continued on. "They brought me home."

"What—how?" Jack stuttered.

"We found him," Emily inserted first, taking the lead with spelling out their story. "Ah, Nolan was able to trace Declan's phone and when we showed up," she paused, looking at her companion for support. "Nate was gone, and so was any trace of him."

"He must have other enemies besides you," Nolan added in for good measure, sending a nervous look back to Emily. It was not completely a lie, though it did heavily mask the truth.

Jack cared little about the details, only felt relieved to have his brother back. He embraced him again and then tousled his hair. "Thank God," he gasped. "I wasn't getting married without my best man."

Declan managed a chuckle, still a bit disoriented. "Thank God these two showed up," he confirmed. "Those last few minutes were hazy – I thought for sure Nate was taking me somewhere I would've never escaped from."

"Lucky for us," Nolan jumped in again. "He changed his mind." Again he watched Emily who appeared distracted, looking down at a missed phone call. She quickly ignored it, looking back up at the boys just as the door opened and Amanda came rushing through.

"Declan?!" she gaped, incredulous. "You're back—oh my God!" Her heart began to sink as she recalled the measures she had just taken to see to his safety, now seemingly unnecessary in the wake of his return.

Emily and Nolan stepped aside to let Amanda to welcome him back and talk to Jack, allowing them an opportunity to speak alone briefly. "Hey," Nolan observed, watching Emily ignore yet another phone call. This time he spied the number – it was Aiden. "You sure you don't want to _take_ that?" he insisted.

"No," Emily replied staunchly. "He's let me down for the last time. And he made his choice."

Nolan shook his head, sympathetic towards the unfortunate end. "So, that's it?" he questioned. "On with the show?"

She lowered her voice even more. "Right now all that matters is Declan is out of harm's way. And once Nate's body is found by the authorities, it will assure Jack and Amanda no longer have to live looking over their shoulder." She suddenly looked into friend's eyes, deeply thankful. "I appreciate all your help with this, Nolan."

"Of course," he insisted, not having it any other way. "Guess being the wedding officiant turned out a bigger role than I thought." She patted him on the shoulder meaningfully and returned back to the company, eager to move on and forget the lingering memories of a most exhausting day.

 **SCENE**

Daniel was all but ready to leave his office as the noon hour approached, and he checked his watch to ensure he would not be late to meet Emily's request. Despite the mayhem of the day before, with Declan safely back at the _Stowaway_ and all seemingly restored for the Porter family, it was full steam ahead with the wedding, and he had promised to accompany Emily there. Granted, it was a more difficult task now than when she had first suggested, after having looked deeper into the contact number he had found – but in the meantime he had kept it a secret, hoping for the right moment later to openly discuss it with her. As he grabbed his briefcase and started for his office door, suddenly his phone rang.

Going against his better judgment to simply ignore it, he back tracked a step and decided to answer. "Daniel Grayson," he spoke into the speaker.

"Daniel, what seems to be the delay?" Helen Crowley snarled back. "You still have yet to execute the purchase order."

"Yes, I'm aware," he replied, setting down his briefcase as he prepared to argue back. That was another topic he needed to add to his agenda for discussion with Emily. In the meantime, he still had to stall. "Please be assured it is my first priority, I'm just being held up by my metrics department—"

"Well that shouldn't be a problem for a C.E.O.," Helen insisted. "I was under the impression you were running the company?"

He rolled his eyes at her sarcastic remark, jibing back with his own. "So was I, last time I checked." He hovered over the end button on his handset. "Now please respect my word on the matter – when I say I will execute the order, it means I will."

With that he hung up the phone and looked up to see his mother's face staring back at him. "Do it and you're going to come to regret it for the rest of your life," she greeted him in response, tossing a folder onto his desk. "However short it will be."

"What's this?" Daniel sighed, narrowly suspecting what it was already.

"Your client, Helen Crowley?" Victoria started in without hesitation, walking over to him. "She represents the Initiative. And they have planned for you what they did to us all those years ago when your father inadvertently helped down Flight 197. Now if you go down the road with these people, you're not only endangering yourself, but everyone that you care for," she finished, adding a last statement for emphasis. "Including Emily Thorne."

Daniel could barely contain his surprise. Despite knowing all of the information she had just divulged, he was shocked that she was only now finally admitting to it. And while he was certain Emily would argue it was too little too late, a nagging thought would not escape him. "Why didn't you tell me the truth before, Mom?" he asked, keeping a poker face.

"Because they made threats against your life, forcing my silence," Victoria answered honestly. "And they will make good on these threats if they ever find out we've spoken."

At her mention, Daniel suddenly remembered the tap into his office that he and Emily suspected the Initiative had already, and realized it was too late. As much as he wanted to accept the olive branch his mother seemed to be extending, she had already put herself at risk and Helen was likely watching that very moment. In an effort to keep stable, he merely discarded the documents on his desk and walked ahead.

"I'm sorry mother, but I don't believe you," he replied. "And I have somewhere to be. And if you know what's good for you," he added, hoping that she would just listen and follow him out for her own sake. "I suggest you leave with me."

As they trailed out, Victoria narrowing her eyes in disappointment the entire time, Helen watched from her own monitor, just as predicted. Taking Victoria's intrusion as a clear sign of opposition, she calculated a counter attack and set out to neutralize her.

 **SCENE**

"We join here on this beautiful day to celebrate the union of our dear friends - Jack Porter and Amanda Clarke, two people who found true love, trust, and friendship in a world that rarely makes that easy."

While the assembly of guests stood around the beautiful beach ceremony – Charlotte holding Carl in her arms and gazing into Declan's eyes with gratitude for his return, and Padma looking on as Nolan officiated, Emily stood in a trance, taken back to her memories as she watched Jack and Amanda take their vows. All that came to mind was a similar moment, so many years ago… slowly walking to her father on the grainy sand… focused only on the carefree smile the boy at the end of the aisle wore…

 _ **(Flashback)**_

 _"Amanda, honey?" David called out to his daughter. "Are you coming or not?"_

 _"Patience, please," she whispered through a smile, and then suddenly emerged._

 _"Oh, wow," Jack sighed as he caught sight of her at last. "You look—"_

"May I have the rings, please?"

The flashback ended as Nolan turned to her and Declan in request, to which Declan slipped the band out of his vest pocket and handed it to Jack to put on Amanda. Once he had, it was now Amanda's turn and Emily leaned forward to hand her a box, surprising Amanda as she peered at what was inside.

"Oh, my God," Jack gasped in delight. "You kept it?" He suddenly shook his head as he pulled out the blue pipe cleaners from when he and his best friend were children, showing the rest of the audience. "This just goes to show how long this was coming," he explained. "When we were kids, Amanda and I actually acted out this day. She made me this ring out of a pipe cleaner, and she insisted that I wear a bow tie—" he paused for emphasis and retrieved it from his own pocket. "Which looked a little something like this!"

Both Amanda and the crowd sighed in adoration while Emily choked back her own tears—and suddenly felt a hand squeeze hers. She turned slightly to see Daniel – late arriving but loyally at her side. "Hey," she whispered, utterly relieved. "You made it."

He leaned in to gently peck her on the cheek while Jack and Amanda finished their vows, and replied, "You look beautiful." Her eyes danced as she could tell he meant it, unknowingly finishing the sentence from her memory that had just sprung to mind. She thanked him with a sincere smile and they both turned to listen to the rest of the ceremony, as Amanda finished her vows.

"Jack Porter," she exhaled through tears. "You are the most incredible person I know. The most kind and loving and generous. I would say I don't deserve you But if you've taught me one thing, it's that everyone deserves love and hope and security. Without you I wouldn't have any of these things. With you, my life is complete. With this ring, I promise to cherish you, and to honor you from this day forward until the end of time."

Her words touched Daniel and he watched as the couple became overcome with emotion and started to kiss, prompting Nolan to interrupt them with his final announcement before signaling it was time. The crowd laughed lightly, and as Daniel turned to observe, there was not a dry eye on the beach. Even Charlotte was wiping away tears, smiling with joy and excitement for the couple and beaming next to Declan as she balanced Carl on her hip. Fighting to restrain the thoughts of insecurity that still plagued him, Daniel resolved to embrace the moment and took Emily's hand in his own, squeezing it tightly while she heaved a sigh of contentment beside him.

 **SCENE**

"What an occasion," Padma smiled up at Nolan as they strolled along the docks after saying goodbye to Jack and Amanda. "You did a beautiful job officiating," she added, taking his hand. "Jack and Amanda are lucky to have you." Nolan forced a smile at the sweet compliment but could not keep up the farce for what came next. "Just like I'm lucky to have you in my life."

Something in the affection of her words stopped Nolan from being able to take it anymore and he paused dead in his tracks. "You know what," he admitted, somewhat regretfully. "I can't do this."

"Do what?" Padma asked, not understanding.

"This, this _lie_ you're perpetuating," he admitted openly, stunning her. He looked off, laying it all on the table. "Look, people have been lining up to use me since I made the cover of Wired at 22, so—"

"I'm not interested in your money, Nolan," Padma interjected, assuming that was his angle.

"No, no, no," he agreed, surprising her. "I think you are after something else far more valuable and dangerous." He leaned in closer and the caught look in her eyes told him he was on the right track. "Now I know the what. I just can't figure out the _why._ "

Padma took a deep breath and stared away to gather her thoughts, her eyes falling on the docks, specifically where the _Amanda_ was pulled in, ready for voyage. She stared into space at the "Just Married" decorations painted onto the back, and for a moment her concentration diverted to what she thought she could make out as a man slipping aboard and going below deck. She narrowed her eyes in focus, but was quickly distracted by Nolan's next statement.

"So tell me," he persisted. "How's your father doing these days?"

Padma snapped back to his attention, and suddenly realized he knew. She began to shake her head no and realized it was to no avail. Nolan was on to her. Rethinking her response, she glanced around to beware of their surroundings and gave in. "I'll tell you everything," she answered, and a part of Nolan was relieved to have her promise. "Just not here."

Nolan agreed with a grateful nod and following her lead, continued walking out of sight with her to a private place where they could talk.

 **SCENE**

"That was quite the emotional goodbye with Jack."

Daniel edged forward into conversation as he and Emily took the familiar stroll up the sand to her beach house after returning home from the wedding. Emily smiled in agreement, still wistful in thought and Daniel noticed. As usual, her mind was wandering, her thoughts resolving in declarations that summarized the day's events. _From the moment we're born, we're drawn to form a union with others,_ she thought. But her actual words took different form.

"I'm just happy to see him happy," Emily supplicated, tucking away any semblance of underlying feeling. "And relieved he has his brother back. Although it must be hard to leave him again so soon," she trailed off, still thinking. "But at least Charlotte gets to have some time with Declan while they look after Carl." _An abiding drive to connect, to love, to belong,_ she continued thinking with her sister in mind.

"Mm," Daniel agreed, also relieved to see his sister happy again. But the truth was still nagging him. "And you said you and Nolan – you just traced his location and there he was?"

"Yeah," Emily confirmed after a breath, as they made their way up the steps of her porch, and as much as she hated it, thoughts of Aiden resurfaced. _In a perfect union, we find the strength we cannot find in ourselves,_ her mind continued to churn, wishing she could have saved Aiden from his choice. Yet it was something she had to accept, despite wishing him happiness, he had gone down a dark path she could not follow.

"Nate was gone," she continued aloud, still sticking to her cover. "Although I'm sure it won't be that way for long once the authorities catch up with him. We notified them right away. Fortunately Nate never thought to check if Declan's phone was on him."

"Yeah. Fortunate," Daniel repeated, watching her. "I guess it's a good thing Amanda got your computer to you in time."

 _But the strength of the union cannot be known until it is tested,_ the last of Emily's abstract thoughts blurred in her mind as she stopped short on his last words. "Wait -what? Daniel, what are you talking about?"

With that he turned to face her, knowing this was the moment. "Yesterday when I came by to tell you what happened with my father – she was here."

"Amanda was _here?_ " Emily stepped in closer to verify.

But Daniel quickly changed tune, redirecting to his own concerns. "More importantly – she left _this_ behind." He suddenly produced the note from his pocket and held it out for Emily to see. "I'm sure you recognize it."

Emily shook her head nearly in slow motion, licking her bottom lip. "Daniel, how did she get this—"

He could only exhale one short, suspecting laugh. "Yeah that's what I guessed you would say. Never mind the fact that after careful research I discovered that number belongs to one of my clients. Specifically," he added for emphasis. "One that _you_ helped me get last summer – Satoshi Takeda." He paused, waiting. "But you already know that."

Emily's heart sank as she anticipated the interrogation that would follow. Her eyes flicked up from the note to meet his and there were miles of pent up disillusion behind them.

"You want to explain to me, how you've been in contact with Takeda ever since your Allenwood days?" he leered vehemently, stepping forward. "How you've been working for him all along?"

"Daniel –" Emily began, losing face.

"Just tell me the TRUTH!" he bellowed back, startling her. "Did you know him before I made the deal?"

Emily sighed in frustration and looked down. "Yes."

Daniel exhaled a hurt look. "And Aiden Mathis. Takeda's proxy," he finally sighed. "Did you know him too?"

Emily looked up at his eyes and painfully did not want to answer, could not bear hurting him any more than she already had. "Daniel, you have to let me explain—" she insisted, but that was answer enough.

"No, I let you explain!" Daniel shouted back, unable to fathom her continued betrayal. He leaned forward, gesturing. "I let you explain the night you told me you were Amanda Clarke. Alright? I listened to every word of your story, down to every single thing my family did to destroy your life and felt _sorry_ for you, Emily – I tried to understand everything you did last summer as if it were _me,_ as if the tables were turned and I asked myself, would I do the same thing?" He shook his head incredulous. "And you know what; I probably would have!"

Emily stared ahead at him, listening as he emptied his heart, regretting how much she had kept from him, how much she had bargained that it was safer this way and all she could do was accept it.

"So I fought for you," he continued. "I protected you and I helped you fight and we made a deal that we would finish this together, right? No secrets. And now I find out all along you've _still_ been lying to me—"

"Daniel, that's not—" Emily started in but he kept going.

"For all I know, you've been with Aiden this whole time, and the only reason you came back this summer, the only reason you got involved with me again is so you can stay close enough to finish off my family." Daniel shook his head in disgust. "Well you can check your first Grayson off the list, because as of this moment, you have destroyed me." He looked at her, sourly disappointed and clearly broken at heart. "And you've destroyed _us._ "

With that, he turned to walk away, and though he had seemingly won the argument, his entire disposition reeked of defeat, feeling crushed and dismayed at the lies that still existed between him and the woman he thought he was beginning to know.

"Daniel," Emily called out after him, barely audible as her strength was weakened to a whisper and she closed her eyes, knowing it was no use. Unadjusted to such heavy burdens all weighing on her heart from one day, she slumped to sit on the first step of her porch, disheartened and deeply regretful over the damage she had caused.

 **SCENE**

"Mother!"

Daniel called out ahead of himself as he stormed into Grayson Manor, suddenly all a mesh with new purpose and new conviction. Despite the lingering contempt he held for his family, he realized that if Emily planned to use him as a pawn in her own schemes, there was seemingly no difference and he might as well give his mother a second chance. While he was certain his loathing for his father would never end, at least it was a feeling both he and his mother shared, and in her defense to date, she had come forward to him with the truth about the Initiative. What was more, Daniel realized that was also what she planned to do just a year prior, before her flight to Washington was crashed and the entire charade around her feigned death took place. He sighed, knowing it was a risk to offer her his loyalty, but perhaps if he could make her understand what was at stake, even as far as explaining Emily's true identity and the plight she endured, there was a chance amends could be made for all.

He continued to search throughout the empty house, and in light of the unknown vehicle sitting outside, found it odd that there was not a soul to be found – not even his father's mistress turned glorified assistant, Lydia. Finding it all too strange, he finally tried the last possibility in the pool house. He walked in, focusing on the unmistakable silhouette of his mother near the door and rushed to speak.

"There you are, I've been looking all over for you," he started. "Look there's something I have to tell you—" he began, but she cut him short, staring off towards the rear of the room.

"As do I," she replied, and then turned to face him. "Please allow me to go first, son." Her insistence was enhanced by a stern look in her eyes and Daniel stared back, intuitively fearful of what was about to follow. "Helen Crowley came to see me."

Daniel furrowed his brow. "She was _here_? What-what did she say?"

"She said she was going to kill you," Victoria answered smoothly, and suddenly stepped aside, gesturing over to where she had been staring.

Daniel looked again and this time his sight focused on the atrocity that lay on the floor – Helen's still and lifeless body, with a gunshot wound clear through her chest. "Oh, my God," Daniel gasped in shock, steadying himself on the back of a nearby chair for support. He felt trapped, his heart slowly abandoning every inkling of hope he held out for his mother and instead replacing it with fear and uncertainty.

Only then did he notice his father emerge from the restroom, drying his hands as he came over to take a stance next to Victoria, completing the family circle. She glanced over with an unsavory nod and then looked back at her son again. "You're safe now," she whispered, content with the morbid outcome. "She's not going to harm you any longer."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Whew! Even I have to admit that was a heck of a chapter to write! LOL! I seriously had a hard time cramming so much into one but it was absolutely necessary that all events happen, in that order and in that chapter. So I hope you guys truly enjoyed and despite the setback with our dear Demily, rest assured, the concluding events of this chapter are not the end of the world for them! Much more is to come, a new journey for Emily ahead and even more heavy drama in the exciting follow-up "Sacrifice"! So please stay tuned and bless your loyal fanfic reading hearts for hanging in there! Feel free to express what you thought of this chapter, any moments you were on the edge of your seat with and how you enjoyed all the MANY changes! Thanks as always! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	14. Chapter 14: Sacrifice

**A/N: Here it is, all! Just as a quick note, please read the initial portion of this installment much like its corresponding episode on the show – the beginning is a flash forward, accompanied by Emily's voiceover.**

 **Chapter 14: Sacrifice**

 _Sacrifice, by its strictest definition, takes something precious in exchange for the appeasement of a higher power._

The salvage crew dove down towards the wreckage, communicating through their equipment back to the main boat that at last they had found something. Their voices were muffled through the radio controls, but clear enough to make out – the desecrated ship in the watery deep was in fact, the _Amanda._

 _An abiding devotion to a cause that cannot be satisfied with a simple promise._

Beneath the wreckage, the search continued, attempting to identify remnants for the investigation, and more importantly – any sign of passengers reported missing. It was the last diver that made the first discovery, with eerie revelation after lifting heavy debris out of the way. There, unmistakable in the water was a human arm, pinned beneath. The diver swam towards it, noting it was still attached to its owner, and radioed it in right away. Careful so as not to disturb it before assistance came, instead the diver waited and peered closely with a saddened glance at the tender hand – a gold wedding band was still attached to the ring finger.

 _Because an oath, no matter how solemn, asks nothing in return; while true sacrifice demands… unspeakable loss._

 **36 HOURS EARLIER**

Amanda sighed in satisfaction, dancing her fingers along her new husband's chest, while her gold wedding band glinted in the early light of dawn. They rested from the ravenous night before on the small but cozy bed of the _Amanda,_ still floating close by the shore with plans of setting sail sometime that morning for Nantucket _._ Jack smiled back at her, grazing her cheek with a caress and stroking her hair that tumbled down over her shoulders. Besides being his childhood love and a loyal companion above most, he was of the confident opinion that his wife of nearly twelve hours was stunningly beautiful.

"Well, Mrs. Porter," he addressed her through a tender smile. "It has been a perfect day."

"And night," Amanda added, feeling the sunlight warm her back from above them. She leaned in to kiss him again and then pulled back when he let out a tired yawn. Her mouth dropped slightly. "Married not even a day and already you're tired of kissing your wife?" she joked.

"No, no, no," he insisted, laughing. "Not at all. Never. I'm just exhausted," he explained it away, glancing up at the sun that was now beaming in his face also. "And hot."

"Mm," Amanda followed his lead, an idea striking her. "It's cooler under the stars. Should we take it back upstairs?" she suggested.

Jack let out a sultry groan that assured her he was still quite interested. "Mm," he whispered back. "Let's go." Amanda grinned, wrapping herself in a blanket as she took off for the upstairs deck, with Jack just seconds behind her.

Unbeknownst to the newlywed couple, their departure allowed for a stowaway to emerge from hiding and cautiously step into the room they had just vacated. While not intending to be a passenger, he had boarded the boat moments before they did with two very clear tasks – the first to retrieve a most valuable missing item and the second, to prevent certain disaster from getting worse. He had moved stealthily, however had been with no success on either task. Yet when the couple had suddenly arrived at the docks and jumped aboard before he was able to slip away, he had been forced to stay on in hiding or risk being exposed. Now, exposure seemed inevitable as he had still been unable to complete his mission. Therefore there was only one thing left to do – it was time Mr. and Mrs. Porter came face-to-face to meet Aiden Mathis.

 **SCENE**

"Oh, this unseasonal heat is absurd."

Victoria maintained her best attempts at cavalier conversation as she descended the halls of Grayson Manor, strolling past Conrad towards the kitchen area. "I take it that you disposed of your clothes last night?" she assumed with a pointed eye.

"Permanently," he responded, in an eerie knowing way.

"Good." Victoria accepted the response she was looking for with tempered grace, still not interested in having any further discussion with her estranged husband than was necessary. She moved to sip at her morning coffee just as her son entered, looking nearly as stunned as he had the night before. "The staff will be here any minute," she informed both men.

"You've ordered the staff back?" Daniel's jaw nearly dropped, confirming his shock and dismay from the previous eve had in fact carried over.

"Of course," his father answered, straightening out the morning paper. "One night without the help is suspect enough. Besides, we have a Labor Day party to prepare."

Victoria glared at his remark, saving her objections on proceeding with the event for another time. Regardless of the ease to which she had handled Helen's threats, she was even less tolerant of the situation around Conrad's dalliance with Lydia Davis. It was something that would need to be addressed before any event was to move forward.

Meanwhile, Daniel was incredulous, dearly wishing he had never come home the day before, a fact he half blamed on himself for storming home in anger and half blamed on Emily for being the cause. Yet as much as he still resented her for lingering pain, his stomach still turned more at the thought of walking into a den of murder upon his homecoming. He shuddered as he recalled with disgust how easily his mother disposed of the body with his father's assistance, even down to sporting Helen Crowley's attire to fool her suspicious driver outside. And while it jarred his memory of his own bloodguilt at the start of summer with Gordon Murphy's death, a part of him felt redeemed knowing _he_ had only done so in self-defense, or rather in defense of Emily. However, this charade by his mother was clearly calculated, cold-blooded, and quickly forgotten in the wake of its occurrence. And now, with hands washed clean, she and his father carried on as if nothing had happened. "This really is business as usual for you two, isn't it?" he leered, staring them down.

"Precisely the point," Conrad concurred, making a case of his son's disgust. "Canceling at the last minute would draw unwanted attention." He eyed him suspiciously. "And I'm instating a moratorium on this 'you two' business, Daniel. It's time you stopped blaming us and started shouldering some responsibility."

Daniel could not believe his ears. Was his father really trying to implicate _him_ as an accomplice? "What, like you shouldered the responsibility for bringing down that plane twenty years ago?" he implied rhetorically, ready with a response. "Oh, wait. You let _David Clarke_ do that for you."

Both Victoria and Conrad's faces went rigid at the mention, but Daniel plowed forward, his mind racing at what future impacts their sins would have. "So tell me," he continued. "Who's gonna be shouldering the responsibility for the murder of Helen Crowley?"

Conrad set his coffee cup down, already firmly decided on the matter. "Oh, as fate would have it, a certain treacherous young bride has made that a very simple choice for all of us."

" _Amanda Clarke_?" Daniel seethed aloud, while his brain screamed, _Emily!_ Despite knowing the distinction it revolted him how easily his parents sought to destroy the girl they thought to be her. With angst, Daniel narrowly realized he still was in Emily's defense. As much as she had made him feel betrayed and question her forthrightness, there was no mistaking that his family was everything she believed them to be. This moment in itself was confirmation. "Are you serious?" he continued, projecting his concern so the origin did not arouse suspicion. "She just got married – she's Charlotte's sister, for God sake!"

"What she is," Victoria interjected with conviction. "Is a vicious opportunist who has unleashed holy hell on this family for a year and a half. She could give a damn about Charlotte!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Only her twisted vendetta against us."

Daniel could not resist, knowing better. "Yeah, a vendetta that's completely justified." He turned to leave, repulsed to the last and already predetermined what had to come next. But again, his mother interrupted him.

"Perhaps," Victoria allowed, reaching out to stop him. "But she's no innocent." She glanced over at Conrad, visibly getting his approval to share her recent deeds. "Amanda came to see your father just before her wedding, threatening to use evidence that would send us to our graves."

Daniel shifted, thinking back to his run-in with her at Emily's house, the one that Emily seemed to know nothing of just the night before. "So?" he prompted her.

Conrad answered instead, rising to his feet. " _So,_ " he emphasized. "If dispatching her to the Initiative is the only way to win this war, then so be it." He exited the room, putting an end to the discussion as his expected visitor entered and reached the doorway.

"Conrad," Lydia greeted him, lording the request of her presence over Victoria as usual. "You sent for me?"

"In my office, if you would," he directed her, showing her out just as quickly as she had come in, leave for an exchanged glance with Victoria.

"Let me guess," Daniel inserted towards his mother after observing the icy looks between her and Lydia. "She was all for this idea, too?"

Victoria turned her nose up in response. "Ms. Davis already has quite enough leverage to hold over his head as it stands," she countered without openly agreeing. She looked off, prompting Daniel to examine her meaning, but quickly reverted back to the topic in discussion. "That's a reminder that I'm sure goes without saying, for you to keep last night's events private."

"Yeah," Daniel repeated sarcastically. "Goes without saying."

Victoria eyed her son suspiciously but continued anyway. "Now before she died, Helen showed me a video feed of your office. And we're going to use it to our advantage. I'll meet you in my car in half an hour."

With that she exited the room, leaving Daniel behind to ponder his own involvement in all that had transpired and just where his integrities would align. Meanwhile, as he walked out of the common room and past his father's office in deep thought, more plans were at work just on the other side of the door.

"So is it done?" Lydia asked, once she was certain her and Conrad were alone.

Conrad raised his eyebrows uncomfortably, finding application for her statement in a number of areas. "If by that you are asking has the situation with Amanda Clarke been handled?" he began, settling down into his seat. "The solution is underway."

He recalled the earlier confirmation from his hired assistance to ensure the couple's honeymoon would be short-lived, thanks to clever placement of an explosive in the boat's engine during the wedding ceremony. As ironic as it seemed, Victoria was not the only member of the family guilty of murder the previous eve – a detail however, that he chose to keep exclusively to himself.

Lydia relaxed a smile. "Good. That girl has the ability to dismantle your entire campaign." She came around to lean on the desk. "Once her silence is confirmed, all roads lead to the Governor's Mansion."

Conrad chuckled, assuming she was dangling the endgame no more for his benefit than for her own. "In light of that sentiment," he continued. "While we celebrate no further interference from Ms. Clarke, I must solicit your assistance with my own celebration – my gubernatorial announcement."

"Optimistic." Lydia observed, guessing the rest. "You're changing the date?"

"Indeed," Conrad confirmed, eliciting a proud smile from his consort. "To this evening – at our annual Labor Day party."

 **SCENE**

"Wait, wait – what do you mean it's _gone_?"

Emily heaved an exasperated sigh at having to repeat her answer to Nolan's question. She was crouched down in the hidden space where she kept her Infinity Box stashed, holding the phone away from her face so she could ransack its contents. But there was no mistaking it – the laptop was missing.

"Exactly what Daniel said," Emily confirmed frantically, putting the phone back to her ear to finish the conversation. "He came here and Amanda left with it. I have no idea what she did with it or where it is."

"Wh—And she didn't say anything to you at the wedding?" Nolan stammered, unable to digest it all.

"Nothing, Nolan," Emily confirmed, wiping her brow. Her face was reddened from excitement and a rare sense of uneasiness that only surfaced when she felt out of control. "She didn't mention anything. When I came back, Daniel had already used the number he found to figure out I knew Takeda since I left Allenwood." She shook her head, only just stating it all aloud for the first time. "He put it all together."

"Yikes," Nolan exhaled, leaning over on the counter of the _Stowaway_ where he had agreed to look after the bar in Jack's absence. He lowered his voice for his next question. "Even Takeda's unsavory role in his own murder case last year?"

"No," Emily assured him, slightly relieved that had not come up in discussion. "But he knows that Aiden and I shared a history."

"Ouch," Nolan echoed. "Damage is… worse than I imagined." His mind raced, downloading the potential effects, including how his friend's heart was holding up. "Ems, I'm so sorry," he ventured, to silence in return on the other end. He continued, knowing it was too soon to expect her to open up. "So how do you even begin to troubleshoot this?"

Emily closed her eyes, unsure how to answer. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "First thing I need to do is find out what Amanda could have possibly did with that laptop—" She interrupted herself as she turned to face the direction of the beach, and suddenly saw a visitor approaching the back door.

"I can put a trace on the IP to see if someone turns it on?" Nolan was offering, when she quickly silenced him.

"Nolan, I'll call you back," Emily cut him short and ended the call, walking over to answer the door. It was Daniel. "Hey," she breathed heavily, her heart racing.

He walked in, passing her by with little acknowledgment. "Before you say anything," he started. "I just need you to listen."

Emily nodded, edging over to where he stood slowly, and setting the phone back down on the counter. Her lips pinched together in an attempt to maintain her calm, patiently allowing him to speak. "Alright," she agreed in a low tone.

Daniel did his best to find his words, but given the familiarity of Emily's house and the emotions that returned in her presence, it was a struggle. He finally took the breath he needed to and shielded his eyes from her to begin. "As much as I loathe everything you've done to this point, I came here because something's happened," he paused, making eye contact again. "Something you need to know."

Emily shifted in her stance, her curiosity budding. Daniel met her eyes with his own and finally confessed. "Last night, Helen Crowley came to Grayson Manor… and my mother shot her. She's dead."

Emily was not prepared for the revelation. _"What?!"_ she seethed in a low baritone, taking a step closer.

"I should've seen it coming," Daniel went on. "My mother showed up at Grayson Global just before the wedding yesterday and finally tried to tell me the truth about the Initiative. Only as we suspected, they were listening in and obviously dispatched Helen to keep her quiet. Instead, my mother saw to just the opposite."

Emily closed her eyes, shaking her head in almost slow motion as she processed the clear ripple in all their plans. "How did I not see this," she sighed, with an almost laugh. "I should've known she wouldn't stop."

"It gets worse," Daniel continued, not sure if Emily was referring to his mother or Helen, but either way still having more to share on the former. "To cover their tracks, they plan on letting Amanda _,"_ he paused for emphasis. "Take the hit." He watched as Emily's eyes widened in anger. "Yeah, apparently she used your computer to threaten my dad with evidence of his crimes, holding it over his head to make sure Jack got the _Stowaway_ back." Daniel loosened his collar, the weight of all the information beginning to burden him. "Now they're gonna frame her for Helen's death."

It was all Emily could do not to jump out of her skin, furious at both the Graysons for their obvious wicked schemes, but also at Amanda for defying her and unknowingly signing her own sentence. "I have to stop this," Emily insisted, quickly shedding any semblance of forbearance for Daniel's benefit. Whether he condoned her actions or not there was no way she could allow this to pass.

"I expected that much," Daniel replied, putting a hand up. "But I'm letting you know regardless of whatever you think you have to do to save your friend – you need to leave the situation with my parents to me."

"Impossible," Emily refused right away, annoyed at the suggestion. "Daniel, do you have any idea what you're asking?"

He stepped closer, entering her space to retort. "Do _you_?" he fired back, hoping to lean on her guilt. "You want me to just fall back in line with your next plan, like yesterday didn't happen? Like you haven't been playing me all this time?"

"Daniel, that's _not_ what this is," Emily snapped back in his face, searching for some sense of trust in his eyes, but they were sternly set.

"Even if it isn't," he humored her. "Your ally already tipped her hand to my parents – they know Amanda Clarke is out there trying to take them down; they've just got the wrong girl!" He shook his head, hoping she would just accept that her vendetta was derailed and allow him to take the reins. "Look I already have a plan to stop them – alright?I'm going into the office with my mother in minutes to stage a conversation for the Initiative to hear, and I know just what to say to get them to come after my parents, head on. But _you_ cannot continue with this game! Face it, it's over."

Instead, a shadow of realization cast over her face. "This is not over," she breathed, sensing just the opposite. "If anything, it's just gotten worse." She turned around and broke for the door, stopping mid-step to look for her keys.

"Wait, Em—" Daniel started after her, not following her thinking.

She spun around, growing impatient. "Think about it, Daniel! You said it yourself; your mother _killed_ Helen Crowley in cold blood. Even if the Initiative catches on, you really think your parents are going to be satisfied with just _framing_ Amanda?" She exhaled a laugh of contempt. "They won't stop there – just like they didn't stop at framing my father. Don't you see? They're going to kill her."

An alarm went off in Daniel's brain, signaling she was right and while he continued to feel for her cause, a part of him still feared for what she would do. "Emily, listen to me—"

"I have to get to her before they do," she interrupted him, walking out.

"Emily," he continued to push, placing his hands together in a prayer-like gesture. "I am asking you to _wait_ —"

She was already through the door and only stopped one last time to face him. "Look, I understand if you can't be a part of this, Daniel, I do. I kept things from you, and I'm sorry." Her stare intensified, prompting him to look away angrily, but Emily only continued on. "I don't blame you for being tired of living a lie. I accept that." She heaved a great breath and then changed tone. "But if you think for a second that turning the Initiative onto your parents will fix all of this, you're just as foolish as Amanda. They'll see your betrayal coming a mile away, and they won't go down without a fight." She inhaled, renewing her conviction. "And I'm not going to let them destroy one of the only people that I ever loved! That's one sacrifice I can't make."

With that she was gone, the adrenaline pumping through her veins, giving her the strength she needed to press forward. Daniel stood between the open door and the front porch while he watched her leave, as if metaphorically wedged between a choice to pursue his own route of frontal attack, or be enslaved to the deception of her lifelong crusade. He had little time to decide, knowing his mother was waiting on him to run damage control at Grayson Global.

Despite still being crushed by Emily's betrayal, a part of him knew she was right. Any attempt to turn the tables on his parents would be diffused quickly, and if his mother held no reserves in eliminating Helen Crowley, who's to say what she would do next? Agitated by the reminder, he shook the thoughts away regardless and set out to meet his mother, hoping he could somehow find another way.

 **SCENE**

"Good morning again, husband."

Amanda smiled affectionately at Jack as they both stirred and awoke above deck. His tendency to fall asleep immediately after intimacy was becoming contagious. "We overslept," she grinned. "I miss our little alarm clock."

"We sure did," Jack replied, sensing it was close to afternoon. He glanced around to get his bearings on how far they had drifted out, conscious that they might need to adjust their route to make it to Nantucket at a decent hour for check-in. "You want to radio home and check on Carl while I get us underway?" he asked.

"Yep," Amanda agreed, leaping to her feet with excitement. "Then I'm gonna cook you a big, greasy breakfast, Captain Porter! I can't believe we're really married-!" Her sentiments cut short as she arrived below deck, shocked into silence as she came face-to-face with an unexpected guest and the barrel of his pointed gun. Jack barely noticed the drop-off in her exclamation, busying himself with getting dressed and manning the steer.

"Don't cry out," Aiden accosted her immediately, putting up a harmless hand despite the weapon he had pointed her way. "I'm not here to harm you; I just have to take precautions." He gestured towards the gun in hand. "This was in your knapsack and I couldn't risk you shooting me before I told you why I was here."

Amanda eyed the gun at his mention, realizing it was the very weapon she had stashed away at Conrad's suggestion – the same gun once used by Matt Duncan to kill Joe Ryan. "Why _are_ you here?" she stammered nervously. "Who are you?"

Aiden edged closer, mindful of their voices. "My name is Aiden, I'm a friend of Emily's," he paused meaningfully. "Or should I say, Amanda Clarke." He watched her reaction, hoping the admission would ascertain her trust. "You've taken something that belongs to her and I'm here to get it back. Look, I don't want to ruin things for you and your husband, but if you value his life and your own, it's imperative that you listen to me."

Amanda gasped, breathing at a quickened pace once she realized he had a great deal of valuable knowledge about her. "The laptop," she realized at his description. "Emily sent you to get it?"

Aiden thought carefully, knowing a poor choice of words could create more questions. "Not exactly," he answered. "I was watching when you used it to threaten Conrad. After you left the room, he spoke of coming after you – I have reason to believe he may have sabotaged this boat."

Amanda glanced around, her nerves on edge, but she stayed reserved. Something about his failure to confirm that Emily had sent him made her uneasy. Her suspicious were interrupted by Jack calling out to her from above deck. "Have you reached Dec yet, babe?"

She looked up in his direction and then back at Aiden. He nodded for her to respond. "Ah, not yet!" she called up to Jack and then lowered her tone to address Aiden again, this time more sternly. "You know, Emily never mentioned having any other 'friends' to me. How do I know Conrad didn't send _you_ to sabotage the boat and get the laptop?" She breathed deeply, trying to stay cautious and alert. "How do I know you're not here to kill us both?"

"How ironic," Aiden commented, giving her an exasperated once over. "That you should question _my_ intent, when it's clearly _you_ that Emily can't trust?" Something about the sureness to which he called her out was starting to convince Amanda that he really was a friend of Emily's, but it was too late to go further to confirm it.

Jack's footsteps soon could be heard close to the opening, beginning to edge down the steps. Amanda turned suddenly to dart in his direction while Aiden was glancing away but he quickly snapped back to attention and yanked her over by the arm into a soft hold.

"Babe, if you're not on with Dec then who are you—" Jack's voice signaled his entrance below deck where he stopped short on the steps at the sight of Aiden holding Amanda at gunpoint. "…talking to?" he finished slowly, putting his hands up in the air.

 **SCENE**

"Amanda stole my computer so that she could threaten Conrad into helping save Declan and the _Stowaway_ from Nate Ryan."

 _"What?!"_ Nolan's jaw dropped in surprise as Emily accosted him at the docks outside of said bar, following up on their previous conversation by a visit in-person. "This day is certainly not running short on game-changing revelations," he quipped to himself under his breath.

"It doesn't end there," Emily continued, sighing in exasperation. "Daniel came by this morning and told me all of this, right after he revealed how he foundHelen Crowley in his pool house last night." Nolan's face contorted in reply as Emily finished. "She's dead."

"What the _hell_ is going on around here?" Nolan breathed, pulling out a small plastic mini-fan to cool his face. "Can't anyone follow a _simple_ revenge plan or is everyone just determined to go off-script?"

"Daniel had nothing to do with it," Emily clarified, unknowingly defending him as she paced on the dock. "Victoria shot her moments before he walked in. But Amanda's little stunt cost her dearly – the Graysons are trying to frame her for Helen's death." She sighed, her eyes widening in concentration. "And knowing them, they're going to make sure she doesn't live to defend herself."

"Oh my God," Nolan suddenly covered his mouth. "Now it all makes sense. After we hung up earlier, I talked to the hotel in Nantucket, and they said Jack and Amanda haven't checked in – do you think they got to them already?"

Emily was unable to answer as just then Declan emerged from the _Stowaway_ with a barrel over his shoulder, heading in their direction. "Hey, what's that about Jack and Amanda?"

Emily turned in her stance so that her back was to Declan, and gave Nolan a subtle head shake that told him not to let on. "Uh, I was just telling Emily that, uh," Nolan stuttered, quickly revising his demeanor to play dumb. "I talked to the hotel, and our newlyweds are firmly ensconced in their honeymoon suite with a "Do not disturb" sign on the door."

"That's a relief," Declan sighed, brushing past. "Can only afford one missing Porter at a time, right?" he joked, referring to his own disappearance just days prior.

Nolan grinned sheepishly, the recent knowledge striking his conscience for lying. Emily watched nervously as Declan hung around for a moment.

"Thanks, man," Declan clapped him on the shoulder and then suddenly asked one additional question before heading on his way. "Hey, you don't know how to fix an air conditioner, do you? I think ours just broke."

Nolan gave him a dumb look in return, clicking on the mini-fan in his hand as a simple reply. Declan just shook his head. "Okay. I don't know why I asked you?" he chuckled and took off.

Once he was gone, Nolan looked back over at Emily to assert their next move. "Please tell me we can make that lie I just told Declan into the truth?"

"There's only one way we can make sure of it," Emily replied decisively, pushing her weight off against the ledge of the dock as she turned to take action.

"We need a boat."

 **SCENE**

"Hey, buddy put the gun down, please."

Jack's eyes lit up in despair, glancing nervously from Aiden to Amanda as he lifted both hands into the air in surrender. "Look, we don't want trouble—"

"Neither do I," Aiden insisted, pulling the gun away from Amanda once he had determined that Jack was docile. He released her from the hold, allowing her to run over to Jack's side, who forced her to slip behind him.

"What is it you want?" Jack immediately started to negotiate. "We didn't bring any money on board—"

"I'm not interested in your money. I was just informing your _wife_ , that I'm an associate of…" Aiden began, lowering the gun to demonstrate his own civility. He stared at Amanda, who shook her face intently as if to insist he not reveal his knowledge of the _real_ Amanda Clarke, nor betray her and Emily's confidence to Jack. Catching it, he revised his explanation. "Nolan Ross."

Jack furrowed his brow suspiciously, and continued to listen, while Amanda nodded in relief as he went on.

"I've been hired to ensure that you both stay protected," Aiden continued. "And as it stands, your relationship with the Graysons may have placed you in great danger."

Jack inhaled a breath at the mention of 'Graysons' and it only increased his certainty. "Really?" he asked nervously. "Because from where I stand, it looks like the only danger here—is you." He eyed the gun still in Aiden's grasp, though it was no longer pointed at them, and a sudden light went off in his eyes in recognition.

Aiden caught Jack's meaning and against his better judgment, stored the gun in the back of his belt and then put his hands up in a less menacing position. "You need proof then?" he asked with an expectant nod, and began to remove his phone from his pocket instead. "Fine—I can confirm with Mr. Ross himself."

Before he could dial, Jack glanced down at the device. "You won't be able to get a signal out here," he inserted. "I'm gonna have to sail closer to the shore for you to get any bars."

Aiden took a breath, sensing that the more time wasted on verification would be time lost in preventing calamity, but he knew Jack was already suspicious enough. "Very well then," he obliged, suggesting Jack do as he offered. "Then it seems I'm at your disposal."

 **SCENE**

"Grace, can you call and confirm that Helen Crowley will be coming tonight to the Labor Day party?" Daniel nonchalantly commanded his secretary from his office, adhering to the pretense his mother had discussed with him on the way over. Having time to ponder over his discussion with Emily, he had in mind a few revisions but for the most part would play along until he saw fit to diverge.

"Ms. Crowley is preoccupied with a more pressing matter at the moment," Victoria responded instead, entering his office on cue.

"You've spoken to her?" Daniel replied nimbly.

"Oh, yes," Victoria grumbled with a superior edge only she could pull off. She strolled over to his desk, ensuring she was in sight of the camera that the Initiative had planted in Daniel's office. After Helen showed her the footage the night before, there was no doubt that she could rely on the remaining members of the scheming entity to be poised for an update. She planned to use that fact to her favor as long as Daniel followed along.

"She came over to the house last night," Victoria continued. "It seems someone tipped her off to the evidence I've been holding."

"And let me guess," Daniel ventured coyly. "Forced you at gunpoint to hand it over?"

"No," Victoria continued. "I gave it to her willingly, to save you."

Daniel paused and ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth, debating on what he would say next. He edged his way on. "And then what happened?" he asked, testing his mother.

Victoria's lip quivered, sensing that Daniel was deviating from the plan. "And then she left."

Daniel couldn't resist. "Just like that?" he asked. "Without even… putting up a fight?"

Victoria froze in place, beginning to feel like her son had lost sight of the goal for their meeting. Rather than dispel any uncertainty about her intentions, he was beginning to incite only more suspicion. "Well you see," she ventured confidently. "She had very little to be concerned about." She paused to hang her head. "Because everything in that file—was a lie."

"Really?" Daniel rested a hand on his hip, still testing her. "You sure could've fooled me the way you barged in here yesterday?"

Again, Victoria's eyes flickered up at his, assessing his motives in straying from the script. "Sweetheart," she insisted, getting closer. "I'm afraid it's because your father and I were attempting to do something we're… rather ashamed of."

He watched her cautiously, wondering how far she would go to openly adhere to her lie. He waited, but her response held no reprieve.

"You see," she asserted, hoping to guide him back to the dialogue they rehearsed. "There never was any conspiracy, nor was there a threat on your life. The evidence was _false,_ " she insisted, turning slightly for the camera's benefit. "We knew that if we spoiled your relationship with Helen – there was a chance your father could take back Grayson Global."

Daniel exhaled angrily, not wanting to follow suit but knowing he had no choice. "Just as I suspected," he finally breathed, and Victoria began to relax, hoping he was coming back around. "You two are just as evil as I thought." Victoria could sense the honesty in his voice as he spat the words. He leaned forward to buzz his secretary in the hallway again. "Grace, can you get security down here?"

At that, Victoria leaned forward, pressing a finger down on the receiver of his phone to end the call. "Conserve your security, Daniel," Victoria whispered in a low tone, reading his face. "With friends like Helen – you're going to need it."

With that she turned and Daniel watched as she exited the office, wondering if she saw through his complicity with her scheme, or realized just how much he hoped that the Initiative had seen through it.

Alone again in his office, he slumped into his seat and thought about calling Emily. Remembering that he was still under surveillance, he quickly changed his mind and instead perused his agenda for the day. Ironically, his calendar showed only one appointment of interest – a touch point meeting with Takeda Industries. Suddenly, it occurred to him that he had not taken full advantage of the main avenue he still held in his power, one that he might even be able to bend to his favor. After all – for the time being, Takeda's proxy still reported to _him._ Acting shrewdly, he pulled out his phone and began to dial one unsuspecting Aiden Mathis.

 **SCENE**

"There's still no signal."

Aiden held his phone up in the air as his second and third attempt to reach Nolan proved unsuccessful. They were all above deck, Aiden with a watchful eye on Amanda while Jack was manning the steering. "What can you do?"

Jack nervously stared back at him and then over at his wife, trying to think on his feet. "I'm sailing as close to shore as I can, you should have a bar soon. The only other thing I can do is try to fiddle with the radio controls – but that's in the cabin below."

Aiden glanced back and forth between them, while Amanda looked on, her eyes widening. "I'm afraid I can't allow that," Aiden decided, giving him a suspicious look. "Look I know this all seems out of sorts to you but you have to believe me when I tell you we are pressed for time!"

Jack remained resilient. "The sooner I get below deck – the sooner you get your signal to call Nolan." He paused. "And the sooner I'll believe a word you have to say."

Aiden only allowed a moment to debate. "Fine," he conceded, but then put a hand on Amanda's shoulder, pulling her close. "But she stays up here with me."

Jack flinched at Aiden's gesture but Amanda nodded for him to go ahead, and he relaxed and slowly went below deck. Once she felt certain he was out of earshot, she spun around to face Aiden. "Alright, I believe you," she confessed. "But please, you can't tell Jack who I really am – he thinks I'm Amanda Clarke and it would break his heart to know the truth."

"I didn't plan to," Aiden assured her, then grew stern as he leaned in to discuss matters openly. "But you realize by threatening Conrad, you've placed his life in danger? You've alerted the Graysons that someone is out there with evidence to destroy them; did you think they would simply allow that to pass? This boat could be rigged to blow at any second!"

Amanda sighed, nearly on the brink of tears. "So what do we do?"

Aiden leaned in to whisper. "First, tell me what you've done with the laptop."

"I stashed it in Montauk," Amanda confessed right away, frightened that her actions had sealed their fate. "It's not here."

Aiden nodded, however the information was only a partial relief. "Once we're safely returned I'll need your assistance getting that back into Emily's possession."

"Fine, fine," Amanda agreed hurriedly. "Just, tell me how we get out of here?"

Aiden placed his hands on her shoulders, attempting to calm her. "Just calm down, I have a plan for that. Has Emily ever mentioned her instructor to you?"

"Takeda?" Amanda immediately guessed correct, her eyes lighting up. "Yeah – he saved me last summer – he was my only way out of the Hamptons!"

"Well it seems history is about to repeat itself—" Aiden began, on the brink of explaining how when suddenly his phone began to ring. He held his phone out to look at it and saw the caller. _Daniel Grayson._ Amanda's eyes narrowed as she saw it too and watched as Aiden hesitated to answer.

Meanwhile below deck, Jack had used the diversion to confirm what he thought was the case – Aiden was wielding his father's gun. That could only mean that he had some kind of affiliation with the only other people that had access to it or knowledge that it existed – the Ryan brothers. He pulled anxiously at the floorboards where he had stashed it last and stared back in confirmation – it was empty. He sighed in distress, assuming that despite what he said, Aiden really was on board to hurt them, and probably had something to do with Declan's kidnapping. He reached into his pocket, and checked his own phone to see if the bars were up – using it as a gauge to measure how soon Aiden would be making his call. He held his breath – they were back in range.

Fearful even more for Amanda's life and his own, he dashed up the steps and emerged, stumbling across Aiden looking at his ringing phone, with a hand on Amanda's shoulder. "Looks like the signal's working," Jack muttered angrily, gesturing with his eyes at his phone.

Aiden nodded, growing annoyed as Daniel continued to call. Rather than ignore it, he looked up at Jack. "This will just take a moment," he assured him.

Jack agreed hesitantly and then glanced at Amanda while Aiden turned away instinctively to take the call. "I'll get Nolan on my line in the meantime," Jack called out, but Aiden had already tuned him out to listen to Daniel.

"Yes, this is Mathis," he answered, careful not to mention Daniel's name.

"Aiden," Daniel chimed in on the other end, relieved that he answered despite nursing an inner loathing for him at the moment. He rose from his seat in the office, speaking loudly so that it could be clearly picked up by any audio recording being made by the Initiative. "I have an urgent matter to discuss with you. It's about Amanda Clarke."

Aiden's eyes widened in surprise as he turned around and stared back at Amanda before him.

 **SCENE**

"Hold everything. Slow down!"

"What?" Emily slowed the motorboat she was steering to a halt on the sea, straining to listen beyond the crash of the ocean while Nolan yelled out beside her.

"Jack's phone just came on," Nolan explained, reading the tracking device on his tablet. "If I can hack his chip, then maybe we can track their exact location, and—" he cut himself short to run another program. "If he makes a call we may even be able to listen to what's going on."

Emily nodded, shaking wet strands of hair out of her face beneath her parka while her friend rivaled homeland security detail with his hacking skills. "Fine, just do it," she agreed, her anxiousness to get to them increasing.

"Wait, he's calling someone," Nolan rejoiced, peering at the screen. He suddenly looked up in shock at Emily. "Oh my God – Ems, he's calling _me!_ "

"What?" Emily took her focus off the sea only for a moment.

Nolan began fumbling in his pocket for his phone, and finally retrieved it to confirm the call was in fact coming through, a barely audible vibration against the backdrop of the ocean. "What do I do?" he wondered, knowing he could easily blow their cover if he revealed where they were.

"Answer it!" she commanded him without a beat, speeding up again. "Make sure it's him and he's alright!"

Nolan complied, holding the phone up. "Uh, Jack – Jack is that you?" he greeted him, doing his best to sound aloof. There was no reply, and Nolan looked at his phone again. "He's going in and out," he mouthed to Emily and continued to listen. Very faintly he could hear voices in the background, one of which he was certain was Jack's. "Wait—I can hear him though, he's talking to someone else!"

"Who?" Emily barked, the wind continuing to whip her face while she plowed ahead.

Nolan put the phone on mute and strained to listen, faintly making out what he thought was Jack's voice. "He just said something about a signal?" he answered her and then listened again closer, and this time his face fell in realization. "Oh my God," he whispered, pulling the phone away.

"What – what is it?"

Nolan swallowed, looking at the phone in shock. "I could be mistaken but – I'm almost 100% sure the other voice I just heard? Was Aiden's."

Emily's expression warped in shock and disgust. "He's on the _boat?!_ "

At her mention, Nolan shook his phone, before the signal started to cut out. "I'm getting ready to lose him," he panted. "We're too far out."

Emily drew a breath in determination and only increased her speed. Signal lost or not, if Aiden was in fact on the boat with Jack and Amanda, something was up and Emily was going to see what it was for herself.

 **SCENE**

Victoria entered the upstairs area of the _Stowaway_ with distaste in her eyes, clearly out of her element upon arrival. She only relaxed when she caught sight of her beautiful young daughter a few steps away, shouldering an infant Carl in her arms while she swayed back and forth. Victoria paused to watch her until Charlotte's companion quickly came into view.

"Time of death is 3:05 P.M.," Declan was saying, closing the door to an air-conditioning unit that hung on the wall.

Charlotte began to turn to face him, while still soothing Carl. "Don't be so hard on yourself. That thing is practically as old as my—" she suddenly froze, catching sight of Victoria in the doorway. "Mother! What are you doing here?"

Victoria took it as her cue to enter and walked through, placating the youngsters with a sweet smile. "Charlotte, dear," she greeted her child and saved a warm glance for Declan. "Declan, so good to see you're alright." He nodded graciously but continued to eye her despite her greetings so she went into explanation without pause. "I've come to invite you to the house. It's the end of summer, and it seems we've barely seen you. And tonight's our annual Labor Day party."

Charlotte rolled her eyes and shook her head, returning her attention to Carl, who was starting to fuss. "Oh, she needs me for another publicity stunt," she warbled in baby talk to him.

Declan came over, sensing the tone of the conversation and took the baby from Charlotte so she could finish in private. "Here I got him," he said and slipped out of the room.

Once gone, Charlotte faced her mother. "You've wasted your time coming here," she replied bluntly. "Dad only needs the Grayson family by his side. And I'm a Clarke now, something to be ashamed of."

Victoria flinched at her boldness, beginning to feel as if both her children were long gone against her. "That's not true Charlotte – if you recall, after our last publicity stunt, I embraced your paternity." She reached a hand to smooth Charlotte's hair, sincerely admiring her gentle maternal instincts just a moment prior. "And I can see that you've inherited far more than David's surname. I'm not ashamed of you, darling. I'm very proud of you."

Charlotte swallowed the compliment but remained resolute. "Well, I appreciate the sentiment.  
But I'm sorry. I can't fake any more Grayson smiles."

Victoria extended her neck at the sound of Carl's wail in the next room where Declan had taken him. "Oh, Charlotte, please. If not for your father's benefit, do it for that overheated infant. It's clear that he needs a quiet, temperature-controlled space?" She watched Charlotte for agreement and then looked up as Declan wandered back in again. "And I'm sure Declan can attest to how difficult it is to find a repairman on Labor Day?"

Declan squinted in her direction but had to agree. "Yeah, she's right about that and look, he needs rest, and so do you. And I gotta get back downstairs."

Victoria brightened up, sensing her persuasion had worked and looked at Charlotte for agreement. "Fine," Charlotte finally exhaled, against her wishes. "But only if Declan can join us after he finishes his shift?"

"Of course," Victoria conceded, thinking it a small price to pay for the overall result.

"Thank you," Charlotte acknowledged. "I'll get Carl's things." She started out of the room first, leaving Declan behind.

"Yeah, thank you," Declan inserted next, returning Carl to his crib and then heading past Victoria back downstairs.

Victoria smiled graciously at them both, and then seized the moment alone once they both had gone. She slipped into Jack and Amanda's room and produced a plastic bag from her purse – containing Helen's scarf and phone, taken off of her person after her death. Watching to make sure no one saw, she quickly deposited the items under the bed without touching them, and then exited as fast as she had entered, satisfied that it would seal Amanda Clarke's fate. Even if Daniel had dangerously treaded on the line during their stunt at the office that morning, this would be the figurative, albeit literal, nail in the coffin.

 **SCENE**

"I'm not sure I follow what you're referring to?" Aiden breathed into the phone, trying to play coy to Daniel.

"Oh, I think you do," Daniel countered, standing up at his desk. "In fact I think you infiltrated this company with knowledge of Amanda Clarke's mission, while you intended to ensure it did not interfere with your own interests?"

Aiden was nearly stunned, furrowing his brow at Daniel's inexplicable accuracy. He was closely hovering to the truth, but could he possibly know who he was _really_ talking about? "And how do you figure that?" he pursued.

"Because," Daniel sighed, clenching his jaw as he revealed the reason. "She told me."

Aiden licked his lips and absorbed his response. While it was conceivable that Daniel could have had conversation with the Amanda Clarke that stood before him, it was highly unlikely it had transpired in between yesterday and today. And yet, how much more probable was it that he had many an opportunity to speak with the _real_ Amanda Clarke – Emily Thorne. He glanced over to keep tabs on Jack and Amanda while he formulated a reply.

Meanwhile Jack capitalized on the distraction speak to Amanda under his breath. "Hey," he whispered to her. "When he comes back, we need to lure him below deck."

Amanda resisted, knowing better. "Jack, no – I think he's telling the truth, we can trust him—"

"He's got my _father's gun!_ " Jack insisted strongly in return, sending Amanda into a panic. "He's working with the Ryans, I'm sure of it! He came to finish off the job they started – how else would he have it?"

Amanda could not hold off any longer. "Because – Jack I lied to you."

Jack took his eyes off Aiden to face her. " _What?_ "

"Charlotte found the gun," she admitted. "And I kept it because Conrad told us it could be used to charge you with murder." She hung her head, embarrassed. "I thought he was going to help us find Declan. And when he backed out of his promise… I threatened him with evidence of my father's murder—"

"Amanda, _why?!"_ Jack was protesting in response. "Why would you do that—"

"It was before Declan came back!" she replied, angry with herself. "I didn't know what was going to happen and I couldn't risk you losing everything! But it's too late – he found out and he's obviously come after us." She leaned in closer, taking him by the arm to plead with him. "Jack, you've got to believe me I did this all for you—"

Jack quickly silenced her pleas as Aiden caught them conversing and starting walking back towards them, ending his call.

"Well," Aiden was saying, still playing cool for Daniel's benefit. "It seems you've been provided with valuable insight. But at the moment I'm pressed for time so might we discuss this at a future date?"

"Of course," Daniel responded on the line. "But just know this matter is urgent in itself. You see my parents are aware of Amanda Clarke's intent to expose them and are attempting to use her as a scapegoat for their own crimes. I'm under the impression they've also seen to it that she and her husband don't survive their honeymoon voyage."

"That would be a travesty," Aiden replied cautiously, suddenly realizing that Daniel's last reference to Amanda implied he still might not know her true identity. He wondered in addition what crimes Daniel was referring, but moved past it, knowing time was short. "Rest assured, I will contact you at my earliest convenience."

"I look forward to hearing from you."

With the call ended, Aiden turned back to the couple, who appeared to be at odds. "I apologize for that, but allow me to speak to Nolan and I'll confirm everything—"

"You don't have to!" Amanda led in right away. "We believe you!"

"Amanda, _no!_ " Jack insisted, still trying to dissuade her.

"It's the truth, Jack," she continued to push, pointing in Aiden's direction. "He just got off the phone with Daniel Grayson, he's working with us!" Amanda recalled with relief that Emily had assured her that Daniel could be trusted.

However, Jack did not share the same confidence. "What do you mean working with _us_? Daniel _Grayson!_ " he bellowed in distress. "Amanda, think about what you're saying—"

"Wait, wait, wait," Aiden interjected, trying to break up the argument. "She's right; Daniel is on our side alright? Now, please I can explain later, right now you need to let me search this boat for tampering, his call was a warning that this boat would never make it to its destination."

Jack bit his lip, looking from Aiden to his wife, who nodded insistently that he follow suit. "Alright," Jack finally conceded, still on edge. "The engine room below deck – I thought I saw an indicator earlier that something was amiss."

"I'm on it," Aiden jumped to assist without hesitation, taking off below.

As Amanda watched, Jack waited for him to make his way down and then followed a second behind. With careful precision, he suddenly jumped forward to grab the hatch and slammed it shut, locking Aiden below.

"Jack!" Amanda called out, rushing over at the sound. "What are you doing?!"

He whirled around, grabbing her and running for the starboard side. "I'm not waiting around to find out whether we can trust him or not, we're getting out of here!"

"Jack!" Amanda pleaded, while Jack began unlooping the ropes to the emergency raft, moving swiftly while Aiden began to pound on the door below. "Didn't you hear what he said? He's here to help us, that call was a warning—"

"Yeah, from the same family you came to frame right?" Jack shot back angrily, still dismantling the ropes to set the raft free. It opened with the pull of a cord and began to inflate, giving Jack time to step around it, bringing him into Amanda's face. "That's why you came to the Hamptons? You were just using me?"

"Jack, you don't understand—" Amanda attempted to plead, but he would not listen.

"Go!" he shouted, tossing the raft overboard on the side. "Go, now!"

She choked back tears and began to comply, stepping over the ladder to lower herself down. The thumping below deck continued from Aiden, just as Jack took the ladder next, climbing over the side. Frustrated at being locked below, Aiden finally began to kick his way out and at last resort, shot the door latch several times. Unbeknownst to him, the last bullet rippled through the air and struck Jack in the side, sending him falling down to the raft.

"JACK!" Amanda cried out in a fright, watching the blood spill out of the wound in his chest. "No, no!" she called out to him while he clutched it tight. She looked up, seeing that he had not yet secured the rope to allow them to drift, and instantly knew what she had to do. Laying him flat in the raft, she climbed the ladder, undid the rope and tossed it down into the raft to allow him to drift free.

"No!" Jack called out with a raspy breath. "Amanda," he panted. "What are you doing?"

"Saving you," she answered and as tears poured down her face, she watched as he began to float away, taken by the current of the ocean.

He lay back in the raft, overwhelmed in pain and Amanda began to sob as she accepted her fate, feeling deserving of it in the wake of Jack's disappointment with her for deceiving him. Aiden was beside her in seconds, rushing out of the broken door below and stopping short at the ledge.

"Amanda what – what happened, what have you done?!" Aiden exclaimed, attempting to reach over the side.

"Let him go!" Amanda cried back, shaking her head and apprehending him with her hands. "I've broken his heart too many times. I won't let him die on this boat!" She sighed, knowing that any other option would require telling him the full truth of her identity. "And I won't destroy his dream of the girl he loved – not any more than I already have."

Aiden looked at her, realizing the depth of her sacrifice, and was eager to assure her. "I'll make sure someone finds him – I'll get to him myself if I have to!"

Amanda nodded, relieved that at least Jack still had hope. With heavy eyes, she prepared to accept her own destiny. "You said you had other plans for me," she reminded him, and Aiden ducked his chin in acknowledgement.

"What are they?"

 **SCENE**

"Victoria, may I say, you are positively radiant in your natural element?"

Conrad leaned in flirtatiously next to his stunning wife in all her deep red silks, clinging to her figure with precision. They stood side by side in the dimly lit Manor, greeting guests as they trailed into the Labor Day party. Victoria eyed him with disdain, sorely hoping his mistress was nearby to witness his inability to focus on one woman at a time.

"You mean in the midst of a crisis or with blood on my hands?" she guessed flatly.

"No, I mean, in that dress at one of your wickedly extravagant soirees," Conrad clarified, grinning as he took a long sip of a dark liquor.

Victoria merely rolled her eyes. "Conrad, your gall never ceases to repulse me. Overt flattery aside, this extravagant soiree marks not only the beginning of your farcical political career—" she paused, allowing Conrad to respond with a wrinkle of surprise.

"Oh?" he inserted.

"But the end of our personal entanglement," she finished, and caught sight of Lydia less than thirty feet away from them on the outside dais, curiously peering in. She gestured to her with her eyes. "You don't think I've forgotten her bold claim to your future offspring yesterday, do you? I accepted that as confirmation that our affiliation is done."

"Oh, no, no, no, my pet," Conrad insisted on the contrary. "While I'm certain Lydia's proclamation is to blame for your short temper and hasty actions, unfortunately your sins have made it nearly impossible to disentangle from one another now."

"Because of last night?" Victoria questioned, growing irritable. While Conrad was partially right, her temper was definitely shortened after hearing of her husband's lovechild, she was certain the actions that followed would have remained regardless.

"Well, there is that," he conceded with a tip of his eyebrows. "But more so because voters worship family values, and without my _lawful wife_ at my side, my ambitions will fail."

Victoria glared. "You know full well I could give a whit about your personal ambitions!"

Conrad acknowledged it. "Oh, but you do give a whit about our son," he countered, to which Victoria could not argue.

"Yes," she answered, reflecting on their earlier staged conversation. "In fact, I'm concerned Daniel may be circumventing the plan we agreed on."

He nodded, not surprised. "Only further evidence of your sensitivity for his well-being." continued on in her silence. "Just as I care deeply for _Charlotte,_ she herself beinga result of your own similar past transgression and a demonstration that this family knows how to forgive."

Victoria digested, knowing that she had little ground to stand on. If Conrad were using Charlotte as leverage to assure her silence around his own child out of wedlock, she had to admit he had partial right. But even without it, she was still aware of another secret that made the scales all the more balanced – one that Conrad did not even know of yet. She bit her lip, almost metaphorically, restraining from any further argument.

"So," Conrad suggested to her with a knowing look, parting to walk through. "Let's press the flesh, shall we?"

 **SCENE**

"Any trace on Jack's signal?"

Emily yelled over her shoulder as she and Nolan sped on through the sea, while the sun took its final dip over the horizon, heralding the nightfall.

"Yeah, we're closing in—" Nolan began, suddenly stopping short as he read his tracker. "Wait, wait, how can this be?" He looked up at her in shock. "Either Jack's gone overboard or he tossed his phone into the ocean. Look!" Emily peered over while Nolan showed her. "The tracking is going the opposite direction of the _Amanda_!"

Emily shook her head, sighing angrily. "We have to be close," she guessed, looking out into the open sea. She glanced back at a set of binoculars on the seat. "Start keeping a watch out – maybe Jack and Amanda got away."

"What could Aiden possibly want with them?" Nolan asked back as he complied, pulling the binoculars up to his face to begin searching the open sea

Emily remained stern, staring ahead. "I don't know," she answered regretfully, part of her wishing she had taken just one of his calls after their encounter with Nate Ryan. "The last time I saw him he was on a warpath – he's lost his way, Nolan. There's no telling what he could do." She cursed under her breath in a low whisper, shaking her head as she echoed her concerns aloud to herself. "Aiden, what the hell are you up to?"

 **SCENE**

Aiden enclosed a cupped hand around the watch on his wrist, synchronizing it with a specific countdown while his companion looked on. Once it was set, he turned to face her. "Alright, listen to me," he commanded sternly. "I located the explosive in the engine room below and synchronized its detonation with this watch. We don't have much time."

"You can't disable it?" Amanda asked urgently.

Aiden took a disappointed breath. "No." He straightened up, accepting it. "But it's just as well. What happens next is very important. Conrad wanted to see to it that you and your husband were eliminated and if he feels he hasn't succeeded, he'll only continue trying."

"God, these people are so evil," Amanda exhaled, stifling back an angry sob.

Aiden put a promising hand on her shoulder. "I know," he confirmed. "But while I assure you I will see to Jack's safety, you need to follow my instructions for your own." He raised her face with a finger beneath her chin. "As _difficult_ as they may seem," he emphasized. "Do you understand?"

Determination brewing, Amanda finally nodded and watched as Aiden gestured to the far end of the boat. "You're going to wait above on that end, as far away from the bomb as possible. You wait for the signal we discussed while I burst the water hold," he paused to add detail. "This will help to destroy any evidence that we foiled Conrad's plan."

"Alright," Amanda sighed, and Aiden gently tapped her cheek in appreciation and turned to take his position. "Wait," she suddenly stopped him. "What about you?"

"I'll be safe," he insisted. "I'm trained for this." He watched as she appeared to become uneasy and lingered, waiting for her to say more.

"Listen," she declared, and suddenly fumbled at the back of her neck, removing the necklace that drooped over her chest. "In case– in case I never see them again? Jack and my baby—"

Aiden interrupted her, shushing with a finger to his lips. "Don't talk like that."

But she continued on. "Please, we both know it's a possibility," she begged and thrust the necklace into his hand. "Get this to Emily - I need to know that she'll take care of them."

Aiden looked at the necklace with a curious eye and allowed Amanda to finish. "They belong to her anyway – they should've been hers. She's loved Jack ever since she was a little girl," she confessed, to which his eyes widened in surprise. "But she gave him up – she sacrificed everything so that I could have the one thing I never thought I could," she gasped a breath. "A real family."

Aiden clutched the necklace in his hand, recognizing just how much meaning was encompassed by it, and sincerely felt compassion for the girl pleading before him. Despite never enduring the trials that came with her assumed identity, he could clearly see she was just as troubled as her namesake.

"Promise me?" she reiterated with desperation in her eyes.

"I promise," Aiden agreed, and a faint noise from afar caught his ear. He looked up and then suddenly pushed her to her position. "Go!" he commanded her, and then descended below deck to take his place while Amanda rushed to the other side.

 **SCENE**

"Ems, I see Jack!"

Nolan's cry was like music to Emily's ear, as he shone the light in his direction, guiding her to steer where Jack was indeed floating out in an open raft.

"Oh my God," Nolan breathed as they began to pull him close, seeing the deeply reddened wound on his chest. "Ems – he's been shot! He's not moving!"

"Tell me when!" Emily screamed back, still waiting for Nolan to get a clear reach to pull him into the boat.

"Almost got it," Nolan gasped, stretching until he finally took hold. "I got it!" He anxiously pulled his friend over and lowered him into the well of the speedboat, while Emily turned the ignition off long enough to help secure the motor raft.

"Jack?" she called into her childhood friend's ear, pressing her own to his to hear if he was still breathing. She squeezed him tightly with her dampened hands, sighing in relief when she felt struggling warmth from his mouth on her neck. "He's alive!" she assessed and then quickly moved to examine where he had been shot. Her face fell as she felt around the back of him. "Nolan, there's no exit wound. You have to get him to a hospital!"

Nolan was covering his mouth in shock, still unable to process what could have happened. "Em, do you think Aiden-?"

"Nolan, I need to know that you can do this!" she cut him off, ignoring the likelihood of Aiden's involvement.

He swallowed his words to reassure her. "Ems, it's Jack – I will do everything that I can! But what are you gonna do?"

Emily was already half out of the boat and into the motor raft, firing up the small engine in the direction of the _Amanda_ which she could now see was less than a mile off. "I can't leave Amanda," was all she could answer.

"Ems!" Nolan replied, nervous and anxious for her while he remained behind.

"Just go!" she insisted sharply, now a few feet off. "Nolan, go!"

With no other choice, Nolan complied, readjusting Jack to a more comfortable position on the seating behind him while he manned the wheel. "Hang in there, buddy," he whispered to his friend as he took off, glancing one final time over his shoulder at Emily as he desperately hoped he could all those he loved most could be saved in time.

 **SCENE**

Aiden thrust with all his might at the enclosure beneath the cabin until it finally burst, filling the entire room with water in moments. Satisfied at his work, he checked the synchronization on his watch with the explosive in the engine room, and confirmed they were perfectly aligned - he had less than two minutes left. The sounds from up above deck had finally died down, and he made his way to the stairwell to listen in, hoping that it meant Amanda had followed his instructions. "Amanda?" he called up, hoping not to hear any response. He dashed up the steps just to be certain, and just as he emerged from the top step, was knocked off of his footing by a surprise attack to his face.

The hit sent him falling back nearly all the way down the steps if not for getting caught on the opening, where he braced his footing and looked up at his attacker. "What the—" he exclaimed, out of breath and wiped blood from his brow as he saw who it was. "Emily!"

" _Where is she?!"_ Emily screamed, diving towards him again, while he blocked her attack with his footing, similar to the very first night they had encountered each other in the Hamptons. The trip sent her flying to the deck above, allowing Aiden a moment to climb back up the top steps and shut the door to the cabin behind him.

"Emily, WAIT!" he yelled, attempting to block her as she jumped to her feet. But she was up too quickly, driving a kick to his ribs.

"Aiden, what have you done?!" She continued to berate him as she stormed forward. "You could've killed Jack!" Again she lunged for him but he dodged it this time, in favor of grabbing hold of her. "Let go!" she wriggled angrily, and yelled in the direction of the cabin he had just emerged from. "Amanda! Aman-DA!" she continued to scream and finally shook loose with a move to release his hold, and then went grabbing after the cabin door.

"Emily, stop—" Aiden called out, stumbling from another hit she drove his way and continuing to chase after to her so she could not get to the cabin. "Emily, don't – there's a bomb on this boat! We have to GO!" He yelled, frantically pulling her away.

"No! No!" she screamed back, kicking almost free as he lifted her away. " _Amanda!_ "

But Aiden's grip was too strong. One last glance at his synchronized watch told him there were mere seconds left. "Emily, now!" He suddenly yelled and before she could do anything, he was pushing her to the ledge and throwing her over, just as he mounted the rail beside her.

As if timed by their exit, the boat suddenly erupted in a grand explosion, the impact sending them flying to the ocean below while the rest of the vessel was consumed by flames. The flames grew in size, the core of impact emerging from the cabin below, while debris rained down around Emily and Aiden, marooned in the drifting sea.

 **SCENE**

"My, uh, compliments on a lovely evening."

Conrad turned to his left to a ghastly voice over his shoulder. He met eyes with its owner, a stern faced man with jet-black hair and piercing eyes. "Oh, all credit to my wife," Conrad responded, sizing up the unknown guest. "Mister-?"

"Call me Trask," he replied with a stealthy grin, just as Victoria sauntered over to join Conrad's side.

"Mr. Trask," Conrad finished, gesturing towards him for Victoria's benefit.

Trask looked in her direction suspiciously. "I was hoping to ask you a few questions if you don't mind."

"As a matter of fact, we do," Victoria answered without pause. "This is a private function, and we specifically excluded the press."

"I'm not a reporter, Mrs. Grayson," Trask replied sternly.

Victoria watched him, wondering just who he really was. "Well, then. How can we help you?"

Trask leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him meaningfully. "You can start by telling me what happened to Helen Crowley."

With an exchange of looks, Conrad and Victoria deftly moved to usher him into a private room, finally understanding his presence to be in affiliate with the Initiative. Once the door was secured behind, they listened as he made his purpose clear.

"After Ms. Crowley's driver dropped her at home, her phone was switched off, and we lost contact. Her driver confirmed that she was here before that, meeting with you, Mrs.  
Grayson."

"That's right," Victoria piped in, ready to stick to her story. "I proposed a trade – the evidence I had been holding in exchange for her assurance that my son would not be harmed."

Trask was a step ahead. "Helen Crowley doesn't negotiate," he responded.

"You know," Conrad inserted with a cavalier brindle of curiosity. "I'm wondering if her disappearance is somehow related to the other thorn in our side? David Clarke's daughter, Amanda." He lifted a glass in emphasis towards Trask. "She's our perpetual tormentor."

Again, Trask was prepared. "And apparently the family stooge," he countered, drawing a serious look from Victoria. "Before you go into detail to describe whatever leverage she has against you, I should inform you that I'm well aware of your intent to have her shoulder the blame for Helen's disappearance."

Conrad was caught off guard, as was Victoria, sitting on the couch beside him. "But you must realize, she _is_ the culprit?" she insisted, casting a glance at her husband for confirmation. "Just days ago she approached my husband with federal evidence and attempted to blackmail him if he did not comply with her demands."

"It's true," Conrad quickly supported her. "I even have the surveillance to prove it."

"How convenient," Trask shot back, still not convinced. "And how do you suppose a girl like that came to possess such incendiary material?"

"Well, your former henchman Gordon Murphy," Conrad improvised, not missing a beat. "He was married to her mother, after all." His suggestion was absorbed more fully this time, as Trask lifted his head to consider. Conrad went on in the interim. "Anyway, Victoria made Helen aware of the threat as part of our detente, and Helen assured her that Amanda Clarke would pose no further problems."

"Did _Helen_?" Trask asked cautiously, emphasizing his former associate's name. He already had his own suspicions that it was the Graysons that had taken action against Amanda instead. "And then?"

"And then I told her to get the hell out of my house," Victoria finished with a steely glare. "Now, Mr. Trask, I would encourage you to follow that advice."

Trask smirked, easily unfazed by her impulsive request. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Grayson, I don't believe your story, and neither does my employer," he concluded bluntly, unnerving Victoria though she masked it well. "But until we can successfully unearth the truth, I'll have to get back to you with my next course of action. In the meantime," he bid them farewell with an accusatory glance. "You'll be hearing from me."

 **SCENE**

Emily emerged in the murky water, gasping as her lungs filled with air and immediately began to search her surroundings. Her heart beat rapidly as she hunted not for her savior, but for her friend, the one she desperately sought to rescue upon coming in the first place. Instead, her fear mounted as the ocean appeared empty, leave for drifting pieces of the _Amanda_ and a lone, partially deflated raft that she latched onto.

"Amanda!" she called out anxiously, spinning around in fright as she treaded through water, searching and searching in desperation. "AMANDA! Amanda, can you hear me?!"

"Emily!" a voice suddenly called out from afar, and Emily spun around rapidly, seeking its owner.

"Amanda?" she called back, and swam for the direction, but then stopped dead in the water upon seeing its origin. Rather than Amanda, it was Aiden headed towards her, keeping himself afloat on another raft – clutching a shiny item in his hand. "Aiden, where is she?!" Emily demanded, still unable to acknowledge him for any other reason than to find her lost friend.

Aiden waded closer, making his way over until he was but inches away, with a downcast expression on his face. Emily watched as he pulled his hand up from the water, and now that he was near she could make out what it was – Amanda's necklace, partially stained with blood on the front clasp.

" _NO!_ " Emily suddenly broke into cries, and began beating him with her fists in anger. "Amanda, no!" she called out aimlessly, lunging towards the wreckage while Aiden restrained her.

"It's too late!" he insisted, clutching her tight despite her attempts to shove him away. He took the pounding from her fists in stride, keeping her beneath his grasp until she finally wore herself out.

"What did you _do?_!" Emily began wailing, a guttural raspy sound that Aiden had never heard her make before. "What-did-you-do!" she continued to cry, collapsing in his arms as she gave way to tears, scrunching up her face in disbelief.

"It wasn't my fault, Emily," was all he could assure her, his heart moved by the pain in her voice. He fought the decision he had made but knew he had to adhere to his promise. "I came here to save them – I came here to save them both!"

"No," was all Emily could mouth, distraught from grief and weakened by what seemed to be the inescapable truth. The friend, the sister, and lifelong companion that she knew – the only one she ever had – was gone. She closed her eyes, so consumed by grief that she could fight Aiden off no more, and instead allowed him to pull her to safety in the water craft, while all he could do was wait for a rescue.

 **SCENE**

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce Conrad Grayson and his family."

Lydia stepped aside from the podium setup at Grayson Manor, preserving her inner pride despite having to announce the father of her child accompanied by another woman, and her own child out of wedlock, Charlotte, beside them.

Daniel remained aloof at the foot of the audience, busying himself with clients. His eyes flickered up to the rest of his family onstage, particularly making contact with his mother, who eyed him cautiously. With a sinister grin he realized his plan to begin unraveling their demise to the Initiative must have had certain success, or else she would not be staring daggers his way. Capitalizing on the moment, he excused himself from conversation and made his way onto stage, taking a place beside his sister while Victoria glared in his direction.

"Nice of you to join us," she whispered, reading him with her eyes.

"Sorry for the delay," he faked an apology. "I've been ah—busy."

Victoria took the sly nod as confirmation to his involvement in the tip-off to the Initiative. But she knew better to keep her response brief. "I'll say," was all she managed.

Meanwhile, Conrad began his announcement, as Lydia beamed in satisfaction along the sideline. "Thank you," he addressed her with a forcibly broad smile. "And it is our pleasure to stand here with our closest friends and supporters on this Labor Day!" The audience applauded and slowly died down as he continued on. "With the blessings and support of my wife and children, I have decided to announce that I will humbly be seeking the opportunity to serve—as your next governor!"

Daniel masked a look of disgust behind his own forced smile while the crowd erupted in applause, prompting him to mimic the same onstage. Again his mother glanced his way and he kept his expression disguised, mentally marking the date and the moment as the beginning of his own path of revenge – this time without interference from Emily nor anyone else's direction. It was time he headed up his own series of conquests – starting with his family first.

 **SCENE**

"Emily!"

Nolan called out into the open sea, speeding through the night at a furious pace after dropping Jack off at the docks to a trusted hand to see him to the hospital. He had paid him off in an instant to keep his identity masked and prayed with all his might he would keep his word so he could get to Emily, and hopefully Aiden and Amanda on the open sea. His tracker no longer identified a clear location for the _Amanda,_ so it was on good faith that he had to sail to the last point where it showed on the radar, hoping dearly they would still be there.

Meanwhile, despite being just hours, it seemed as though a full day had passed before Aiden finally heard the low thrumming of Nolan's speedboat, approaching in the distance. With Emily motionless in his lap, finally fallen into a sleep from weeping through the night, he mustered enough strength to reach into his back pocket for his failsafe – a flare. Once retrieved, he shifted his weight to pull Emily up and continued to wrap her in his arms, rubbing her to keep her warm as rescue awaited. When the thrumming noise increased, Aiden grimaced and finally pulled the trigger, squinting as it erupted towards the sky in bright red light – a signal that despite the sacrifices made, they had survived.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Alright, revengers! There you have it, the mid-season "finale", complete with all its tweaks and changes, and a much altered ending. I struggled with how I wanted to conclude this, knowing that some aspects of the original show would be ultimately necessary to keep, while others I simply had to revise, if only out of sympathy for our characters. But I'm hoping this version made everyone happy and that you're able to decipher (at least to a degree) what happened "off-screen" despite the appearance given to our main characters. I'm sure you will continue to have questions, but alas – that's what the next chapter is for! So hang in there for the upcoming installments to afford you even more clarity, I kept it somewhat vague for a reason :) In the meantime, please share your thoughts, your likes, your excites and any other feedback you want to share! Your reviews mean a lot and I accredit them heavily for this chapter, as I took your suggestions into serious consideration when completing this rewrite. Enjoy and look forward to updating again soon! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	15. Chapter 15: Retribution

**A/N: Just to start off, a disclaimer that anything you don't quite understand as you go along, rest assured it all ties up in the end! If you still have questions, send me a PM and I'd be happy to answer for you. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 15: Retribution**

 _In its purest form, an act of retribution provides symmetry – the rendering of payment for crimes against the innocent. But the danger of retaliation lies in furthering the cycle of violence. Still, it's a risk that must be met when the greater offense is to allow the guilty to go unpunished…_

"Emily, slow down! Take a breath!"

Aiden trailed a step behind as Emily burst through the door of her beach house in an angry fit, her face reddened with emotion, her hands shaking as she ripped her soaked parka off and trudged through the house. Nolan followed a few steps back, cautious to allow the two specialists in revenge work out their differences without interference, while still attempting to calm them down as much as he was able.

"I took a breath!" Emily fumed. "And now Amanda's _dead!_ "

"Emily wait, you're going to work yourself into a breakdown," Aiden insisted, following her over to the sink where she began scrubbing vehemently at her hands. He attempted to calm her with the touch of his hand. "You need to trust me—"

"Trust you?!" she exploded back, shaking his hand away while she grilled him with a vicious stare. "How? When all I have left of Amanda is this!" She pulled from her pocket to clutch Amanda's necklace that he had given to her.

A pang of guilt sliced through Aiden's heart as he looked at the chain in her trembling hands, watching her heave breaths in, still shivering either from cold or shock. He closed his eyes to brace his self, trying forcefully to remain calm. "Emily, I'm begging you, try to channel your anger towards the people that are responsible for this—"

"I am!" she shouted to his face, signifying she still held him responsible. She sighed, shaking her head at him. "Even if I believe your story about why you went after her, and how shooting Jack was an accident, explain to me how your foolproof plan couldn't save Amanda from dying?" She looked at him for answer.

Aiden pressed two hands together in plea. "Emily, I promise you – my mission was to undo the damage Amanda had already done and _save_ her—"

Emily cut him short with a look of disapproval. "Well you failed," she breathed, her voice coming down slightly. "You didn't follow the plan – you didn't even tell me what you were doing! Just like you didn't listen when you killed Nate Ryan," she continued, shaking her head again in disappointment as she stormed past him, unable to finish the banter. "I have to go to the hospital –"

Nolan finally took that as his cue to cut in from where he had been hanging back, rushing to follow his friend over to where she began to climb the stairs. "Ems, you can't go yet, remember? We have to wait until someone _calls_ us about Jack, otherwise, they will know that we were the ones that pulled him out of the water!"

Aiden stepped forward to agree, joining Nolan at the bottom of the stairs while Emily stopped short headed up. "He's right," Aiden continued, reaching out again to sooth her. "You need to slow down and rest."

She shook him off a second time. "Don't touch me!" she barked back, scaring Nolan beside him. "You stay away from me and if you're not gone by the time we get that call I swear to God you'll regret it." With that she finally took off up the steps, leaving Aiden in concern below.

Nolan looked over in pity, having felt the wrath of Emily more than once before. "Hey," he attempted to comfort him. "Just give her a minute. She doesn't mean that."

Aiden walked back over towards the kitchen, sighing in acceptance. "Yes, she does," he insisted. "I know her." He glanced up at his remaining companion, studying him. "What about you? Do you think I'm responsible for this?"

"Aiden, of course not," Nolan automatically sympathized, perhaps too soon for his own good. "I mean," he began to retract, trying to recall Aiden's version of events that he had explained on the ride back to the house. He finally elected to remain neutral. "I—I don't know what happened out there. I'm still in shock myself," he finally responded and then glanced up the stairs. "But all I know is – I've never seen her like this. I'm worried about her."

Aiden nodded in agreement, his gaze drawn ahead as he appeared to ponder deeply on something else, while Nolan stood helpless beside him.

Meanwhile, upstairs in her room Emily disrobed her soiled clothing and finally slumped to a seated position on the side of her bed, staring once again at the chain in her hand. Her emotions began to surge as she opened the locket to Amanda's necklace, seeing a photo of Jack and Carl prominently displayed. Choking back tears, she pried at the small picture until it finally came out, revealing another photo behind it – the only picture of both her and Amanda from their days at Allenwood. As a sea of memories came flooding back, particularly their teary goodbye from the day she was released, Emily leaned her head forward into her hands and broke into sobs.

 **SCENE**

"Was that Trask?"

Victoria approached her husband in the doorway of his study, eyeing him closely as he ended a phone call and returned his device to his pocket. "What did he say?" she pushed in assumption.

"No, it wasn't Trask," Conrad clarified, not in the mood to explain the call he had just made to Lydia asking her to keep a safe distance while he dealt with the aftermath of his professional hit. "He hasn't made contact."

Victoria folded her arms in expectation. "So then we have no idea if the Initiative is buying our story about Amanda Clarke?"

"Our _story_ ," Conrad reaffirmed. "Happens to be the truth—and if they don't buy it you have your _son_ to blame for that."

Before Victoria could respond in protest, a voice entered just over her shoulder. "What was that about me?" Daniel prodded, walking in with a confident stride. He smirked, raising a hand to gesture. "I thought my ears were ringing."

"Speak of the Devil," Conrad muttered under his breath as Victoria glared back at him. He straightened up to address their shared offspring. "Daniel, in spite of your show of solidarity at my announcement last night, which believe me I _dearly_ appreciated," he paused to lean back against his desk. "Your mother, it seems, is convinced you tried to _foil_ your staged cover to the Initiative at the office yesterday."

Daniel ambled past his mother, casting a look of contempt down his nose. "Well I can't blame her," he replied nonchalantly. "I did."

Victoria cocked her head in disbelief, drawing a breath. "Son, are you _insistent_ on putting this family in danger?" she demanded.

Blasé' as could be, Daniel merely opened his palms in gesture. "I'm just doing what I've been taught, right?"

While Victoria remained stunned in place, Conrad walked around them both to exit, chiding her on his way out. "Well Victoria, you can praise _your_ genetics for that inherited trait." He was nearly out of the study when Charlotte suddenly came rushing downstairs, a step behind Declan while their conversation echoed in the hall.

"They got him through surgery, and they took the bullet out, but that's all they'll tell me on the phone," Declan said aside to her, plowing forward while the Grayson trio emptied into the foyer.

"Charlotte, what's happened?" Victoria asked right away, second out of the study.

"Jack's been shot," she explained, as Daniel came up behind her. "Mom, I need you to watch Carl."

"Of course," she answered immediately.

"Where's Amanda?" Daniel cut in next.

"We don't know," Charlotte responded, worry seeping into her face. "She hasn't checked in at the hospital and she's not answering her phone." She looked after Declan who was already ahead and out the door. "I have to go," she begged off and trotted off to follow him.

Alone again with the two he loathed most, Daniel snapped out of his cavalier disposition to scold them at once. "All part of the plan?" he asked, to their silence in return. "Exactly how much blood are you two comfortable with? 'Cause I just hit my limit."

His suspicions confirmed, Daniel exited in a fury, leaving his parents behind to face off. "Did you know about this, Conrad?" Victoria questioned, stepping forward.

Conrad furrowed his brow. "As startling as this may sound," he began, processing the details while he tried to sort them out. "Mr. Porter's gunshot wound is just as much a surprise to my ears as it is to yours." He glanced off, trying to figure out how that outcome could have resulted, when his plans for the newlyweds were decidedly different. "Perhaps I underestimated Ms. Clarke even more than I realized," he guessed.

Abruptly, Conrad's phone rang again, prompting him to answer in front of Victoria while she listened in. "Yes?" he greeted.

"Mr. Grayson," Trask's voice articulated on the other line. "We were able to recover Ms. Crowley's phone and her scarf and a great deal of blood." Victoria breathed in relief, knowing it to be a result of her handiwork at the _Stowaway._

"And was it Amanda Clarke?" Conrad asked, playing dumb.

"We're reserving judgment till we locate her," Trask responded in a non-assuming tone. "My inspection of Ms. Clarke's premises was incomplete."

Conrad accepted the postponed decision, knowing he had to take his own measures to steer it from that point forward in the unlikely event that his plan had somehow been derailed. With Jack still alive and Amanda just missing for the time, he needed further confirmation. "Mr. Trask, there's something we need to discuss face-to-face," he insisted, glancing back into Victoria's curious eyes. "We'll come to you."

Victoria seethed at him after allowing him to hang up the phone. "What have they done?"

Conrad exhaled a breath, seeing it was time to fully include his spouse in the outworking of his actions against the Porter family.

"It's not what they've done, Victoria. It's what _I_ have done."

 **SCENE**

"So, just to recap—"

Nolan inhaled deeply, setting down his phone on the counter as he began to recount the events of the past twenty-four hours to Aiden. "Amanda's _dead_ , Jack _could_ be dying, and based on Padma's latest update," he paused to glance at his phone again, indicating it had only just been shared with him. "Her father is being _tortured_ and the only way to keep him from being killed outright is to hand over a potentially lethal computer program that only _I_ can complete – Am I missing anything?" He paused, rushing the last few words in caustic tone.

"No," Aiden answered uncomfotably, a second short of being corrected.

"Oh wait," Nolan continued. "Add to that list—Helen _Crowley_."

Aiden suddenly looked up, not understanding. "What about her?"

"She's dead too," Nolan finished with a surprised look. "What? Emily didn't tell you? The Graysons murdered her in their pool house for crying out loud!" He looked off in disgust while Aiden digested it slowly.

"So that's what Daniel was on about," he repeated to himself, making sense of the phone conversation he had with him on the _Amanda,_ alluding to his parents' crimes _._ Nolan furrowed his brow curiously but Aiden quickly changed the topic back. "This is bad – we've lost our contact."

"Yeah, I thought so too," Nolan agreed tentatively, shaking his phone in indication. "That is, until Padma mentioned Helen's replacement contacted her this morning."

"What did she say?" Aiden pressed.

" _He,_ " Nolan emphasized. "Sent her a nice little package to start off her day – a box that appears to contain her father's _finger._ " He heaved an angry breath, still digesting the atrocity. "Insisted she turn over _Carrion_ before nightfall or they finish the job _,_ " he rolled his eyes. "No gaps in transition for the Initiative."

Aiden diverted his thinking, suddenly perking up in sympathy. "Nolan, let me help her with that."

Nolan could barely contain his resistance. "Haven't you done enough?" he asked. "Why do I get the feeling this _isn't_ what Takeda had in mind when he handed you your revenge degrees?"

A noise gurgled in Aiden's throat. "You'd be surprised," he replied, suddenly conscious of movement upstairs. He rose from the counter, heading for the back door before Emily could come down and see him still there. "Look, I have to go, but you can trust me to help Padma, alright? I've been through this before; I know what the Initiative does." He caught sight of Nolan's continued uneasiness and gave him one last assurance. "I promise – this will all be worth it in the end."

"Fine," Nolan conceded at long last. "I'll have her reach out to you."

Aiden nodded in appreciation, opening the door wide and cast one final look towards the stairs. "In the meantime, whatever you do, don't take this away from her – Emily's revenge is all she has left right now."

Nolan agreed, and with Aiden's departure came Emily's arrival down the steps almost simultaneously, changed into fresh clothing with a renewed aura around her. "Charlotte just called," she announced, just as the door shut. She acknowledged it with a brief look and then continued speaking to her friend in the kitchen. "Jack's out of surgery. I'm going over there."

Somewhat relieved that she appeared to be calmed down, Nolan took Aiden's last advice and nodded at the mention. "I'll be right by your side."

 **SCENE**

"The doctor said, 2 millimeters to the left, it would've gone through his liver."

Emily and Nolan stood attentively with drawn faces outside of the critical care unit as Declan explained Jack's current status to them. They were not able to see him yet, but it was likely for the better as despite her reserved demeanor, Emily was not quite yet in control of her emotions.

"Do they know what happened?" she pressed anxiously, channeling her nervous energy to give off enthusiasm about Jack.

"No—some good Samaritan brought him in and then disappeared," Declan explained, his lips quivering. "But the coast guard just found his boat at the bottom of Long Island Sound – they're searching it as we speak. There's still no word on Amanda."

Emily heaved a deep breath, sympathizing with the boy that stood before her, the one she had rescued only days before to now switch places in angst over his brother. "I'm so sorry," she offered sincerely, Nolan echoing her a second after.

Declan nodded in appreciation, just as Charlotte came to his side before walking out. "I'm gonna go home and check on Carl," she informed him.

Emily squinted curiously while Nolan mirrored her expression. "Uh, Carl's at Grayson manor?" he questioned, reading her thoughts.

Declan ducked his head in agreement bashfully. "I couldn't get the A.C. fixed last night at the bar, and when Victoria saw how overheated the baby was, she offered a room," he hung his head, embarrassed but too tired to explain further. "I need coffee. Can you guys just keep an eye on him?"

They nodded and he was next to exit, leaving Emily and Nolan behind to watch over Jack through the glass window. Alone and out of earshot, Nolan continued to vocalize his concern. "Victoria just pops in to _The Stowaway_ , last night of all nights?" he shook his head. "That's not a coincidence." He watched his friend as she stared ahead intently, aware of the anger she continued to hold inside. "Ems, Aiden may have complicated things by trying to trouble shoot," he paused to be sarcastic. "— _literally—"_ he then finished, "—but it's clear who authorized it."

"I don't fault Aiden for what happened," Emily interjected calmly, taking her stare off of Jack long enough to give Nolan a corrective glance. "I fault him for failing to take care of it."

He digressed. "Would you have listened to him even if he _did_ try to get your help? At the wedding, you weren't even taking his calls."

She edged an eyebrow up but remained stern, staring ahead again. "That's because I couldn't trust him to handle himself," she justified, adding, "With good reason." Yet, in spite of her resentment, she soon sighed after, softening slightly. "But I know now, he had the right intention."

Nolan relaxed, feeling more assured that his friend was in control again and listened more comfortably as she continued on.

"No, Aiden is not at fault—the Graysons are behind this," she breathed. "And they're gonna pay."

 **SCENE**

"This is an unusual choice of venue."

Conrad settled down onto a bench behind Trask in the open park, while Victoria did the same next to him. He looked around to scan the surroundings, squinting in the late morning sun. "It doesn't offer much security."

"For you or for me?" Trask replied without turning around. "The last meeting you called with one of our operatives, she vanished without a trace."

"We told you that we didn't have anything to do with it," Victoria insisted eagerly.

"Yes," Trask acknowledged with disbelief still present in his tone. "According to you, she fell prey to one angry little girl who, as serendipity would have it, has now disappeared herself."

Conrad entered his prepared response. "I'm sure you know by now that her disappearance was not accidental."

Trask turned finally to face him with a cunning smile. "Ah, finally the truth—as a matter of fact we do."

Victoria eyed her husband suspiciously, curious of how the Initiative could have been yet another step ahead of their schemes but Conrad plowed ahead. "After Ms. Clarke's charade, I was convinced the Initiative had to be next on her list," he lied with ease, staring off into the distance. "So I took measures to ensure no additional members were compromised and the evidence was destroyed." He returned his gaze to Trask. "Namely by ensuring the vessel to which she fled from the Hamptons never arrived at its destination."

Trask met his stare without a blink. "Aggressive," he commented. "It seems your efforts were latent, however." His eyes fell on Victoria beside him, and the twinge of disgust on her face at Conrad's bold admission.

"And for that I am regretful," Conrad replied with feigned sincerity. "I only wish we had acted sooner. Perhaps Ms. Crowley would still be with us."

"So," Trask changed his line of questioning with Conrad's confession. "Should we expect the computer to be raised with the wreckage?"

Conrad stifled a laugh. "Unfortunately, we're not experts in marine salvage, Mr. Trask. I'm sure the tides have a mind of their own."

"Mm," the other digested. "All your problems wrapped up with a pretty bow."

Again Conrad looked off. "Not all of them. And not as long as you continue to exploit our son as proxy to whatever it is you're planning."

Trask finally relaxed a smile at that comment, confident with the continued value of Daniel to their interests. "Something you'd do well to remember," he affirmed, and then rose to leave as swiftly as he had arrived.

"I don't think he bought your story," Victoria chided Conrad once they were alone.

"Well, assuming Ms. Clarke has indeed met her fate," Conrad responded, beginning a mental process of elimination. "There's only one person alive who can refute it."

Victoria sighed in realization. "Jack Porter."

 **SCENE**

"Ah, I see you're taking your coffee Irish this morning?"

Daniel exhaled, looking up sternly from his liquor table to meet the voice that accosted him from the doorway of his office. "Aiden," he greeted its owner, giving him the once-over. They could exchange diplomatic pleasantries all day in their pressed suits and guarded smiles, but the truth was destined to break through eventually. Daniel relaxed in recognition that the time had approached. "Are you ready to meet?"

"Yes," Aiden answered, clasping his hands in front of him. "I took your call to be an urgent one."

"I should say so," Daniel agreed, glancing over to the clock to his left. "You're early."

Aiden squinted curiously, pulling back his sleeve to examine his wrist. "By my watch I'm right on schedule?"

Daniel pursed his lips, taking notice. "Ah, my mistake. _Grace_ ," he called out to his secretary, who came rushing in a moment later. "Can you have this clock fixed? It seems to have stopped." he asked, gesturing to the notorious fixture that he now knew had been placed into his office by the Initiative.

Grace complied without hesitation, unknowingly making the way for Daniel to speak freely – just as he had planned. He strode past her to lock the door and then gestured for Aiden to have a seat, taking his own behind the desk. Once firmly planted, he rested his hands and faced Aiden dead-on to speak. "Amanda Clarke is dead."

"Come again? _"_ Aiden jerked forward, simulating alarm.

"You recall our phone call yesterday?" Daniel raised his brow in confirmation. "My parents' involvement in a number of crimes, one of which they framed her for? Well they succeeded." He settled back in his chair with morbid certainty. "My sister just got the call this morning – Jack Porter was brought to the hospital – rescued from their honeymoon voyage. But there was no sign of Amanda. She's dead."

Aiden shifted in his seat, paying close attention to Daniel's manner of reference and the contempt for his parents that exuded in his delivery. "You're certain of that, are you?" he pried.

Daniel huffed. "Unless you know something different?"

Shading his eyes with his lids for a moment, Aiden thought carefully and then played a gamble. "What if I were to tell you," he replied with confidence. "That she's very much alive?"

Daniel watched him carefully, a tugging at his conscience urging him to show his hand. "Alright, Aiden, I see no point in beating around to this so I'm just going to say it." He leaned forward. "I know you know Amanda Clarke's true identity—including the fact that she's been masquerading the Hamptons the past two years… pretending to be Emily Thorne."

Aiden sighed in expectation, his assumption proven right. "So you _do_ know the truth?"

Daniel nodded sheepishly, slowly articulating his words. "Since last winter. She told me just before she left." He paused to look down as Aiden's eyes widened. "I thought she was never coming back."

His response was even harder for Aiden to digest than his original admission. Not only was Daniel aware of the truth, but he known longer than he realized. Granted, it seemed he was not aware of Aiden's background with Emily until more recently, but it still dealt him a heavy blow to the heart. Emily would never share her identity with someone she did not trust implicitly or harbor feelings for. And by his guess, it was likely the latter.

In favor of determining Daniel's angle in telling him, he pushed past the nagging thoughts to gather more information. "No guess as to why you've _kept_ her secret?"

Daniel digressed. "Because," he stammered, feeling uneasy about opening up to the competition. "Even though we're not together anymore – I care about her." Aiden's interest became peaked at his mention of no longer being together but he allowed him to finish, sensing a shift in his tone. "As much as I hate the way she uses people to get back at everyone who ruined her life – I could never expose her. In fact of late, I'm starting to understand her." He raised his eyes to meet Aiden directly. "I've started my own war against my parents."

"Don't you think you're a bit in over your head in that regard?" Aiden challenged.

Daniel snorted. "If anything, I have an inside advantage," he leered in expectation. "Something you and Emily both had to know or else you wouldn't have worked so hard to get close to me."

Aiden shifted again uncomfortably, feeling exposed. "Well it seems you have all the answers," was all he could say in return. "And I expect with your knowledge you'll be asking me to leave?"

Daniel shook his head. "Just the opposite, actually." He braced himself for his next admission. "I know Emily cares about you – or else she wouldn't have kept your history a secret until recently."

Aiden swallowed. So he was right, the knowledge of his background _was_ a recent acquisition. "Your mistaken," he corrected him. "Emily wants nothing to do with me."

This was news to Daniel. "Why?"

"Because I was on that boat - the one your father rigged to explode in an attempt to kill both Porters." Aiden lifted his chin smugly, seeing no point in holding back now.

"You were _there_?" Daniel was stunned.

"When you called, in fact," Aiden explained, remaining calm while he afforded the other more clarity. "I became aware of the danger sometime in advance. My intent was to save them." He thought for a moment. "Emily had no idea that I knew – we weren't working together."

Daniel nodded slowly, digesting it. "Then I must apologize," he offered, beginning to feel a sense of sympathy and comradery for his once opponent. "For my father's success, even in part." He stood up with a propositional gesture. "But that's why I need you to work _together_ with me – to take down the Initiative and my parents."

Aiden thought it over, the concept being the last thing he would have ever imagined possible. In spite of his reserves regarding the Grayson spawn, it was clear now that Emily had trusted him for some time, and with her intent on locking them both out of her life apparently, this perhaps was his only choice. He obliged with a nod, standing as well. "That's something I can agree to, only on one condition – that I can trust your discretion."

Daniel gave him an obvious look, extending his hand. "Aiden, if I haven't outed you by now—"

Aiden returned the handshake and then began refastening his suit jacket. "That's actually not what I meant." He kept a stern expression while Daniel tilted his head in curiosity, allowing him to finish. "Earlier you asked me if I knew something different about Amanda Clarke," he proceeded. "You made the assumption I was referring to Emily."

Daniel shrugged his shoulders, his hands now in his pant pockets. "Didn't we establish that already?"

Aiden cracked a grin. "Indeed," he began. "However that should teach you never to reveal the knowledge you have, first." Daniel cocked an eyebrow, taking in his first lesson while Aiden continued with intensity.

"Because had you let me finish, I was about to tell you that while the _real_ Amanda Clarke lives as Emily Thorne in the Hamptons … the woman _known_ as Amanda Clarke to the world – and wife to Jack Porter—" he paused for emphasis, looking Daniel square in the eye.

"– is alive as well."

 **SCENE**

Emily took a heavy-hearted breath as she entered the upper room of the _Stowaway,_ stopping just past the door to run her fingers over Amanda's wedding dress that still hung atop the closet. The sting of the loss still resonated as she physically touched the evidence of the life that had been cut short, making it all the more harder to peruse through her belongings. But she knew she owed it to her friend to see her life avenged – and to do so she had to locate the laptop Amanda had taken.

With a sigh, she opened the door to the closet beside her and suddenly went rigid as she saw a man's face in the reflection of the inner mirror, causing her to whirl around in surprise.

"Terrible thing that's happened," he addressed her, stepping forward as she faced him. "The name's Trask. I'm investigating the incident on the boat. You are?"

Emily sized him up. "Ah, Emily Thorne, the child's godmother," she answered neatly. "I just came by to get Jack some clothes." Trask nodded and she felt her instincts heighten, causing the hair on her neck to stand on end. Something told her he wasn't who he claimed to be. "What exactly are you looking for?" she asked.

"Mrs. Porter is as yet unaccounted for, as is the ship's dinghy," Trask answered, brushing the room with a gaze. He stared back at Emily. "Can you think of any reason why she might have wanted to disappear?"

"Disappear?" she gaped, watching him closely. "No, Amanda was happier than she's ever been."

"You'll have to forgive me," he explained as his phone began to ring from his pocket. "I get paid to be suspicious." He half-turned to answer and Emily's sharp hearing tuned in to his conversation. "Yeah? I see. Let me know when you have a positive I.D."

He ended the call and it was Emily's turn to brazenly step forward. "Did something happen?"

Trask gave her his best version of a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry to tell you, Ms. Thorne, the coast guard just identified another victim, female this time." Emily's heart sank as it confirmed what she already knew in her heart to be true. "It's going to be difficult to get a positive ID, the body was badly burned but a limb was intact – wearing a wedding ring. Amanda's family is on their way over to identify the body now."

The mention of 'family' got her attention and she stifled back tears to press on. "What family?" she asked.

Trask acknowledged her question with an answer before leaving. "Her sister."

 **SCENE**

Nolan's heart skipped a beat as he entered the café' across from the hospital – Padma's face being the first thing he saw through the door. She looked up when he came through, getting up from her seat to wrap him in a close embrace, while he sighed in relief. Their last encounter felt like light years ago despite being just the day before, but after hearing the truth from her, along with the Initiative's grisly threat on her father's live, the uneasiness in his heart had quickly been replaced with compassion.

"How's Jack?" Padma asked immediately after the separated.

"Oh, the doctors say he could wake up at any time," Nolan answered, moving to take a seat back at her table while she did the same across from him. " _You_ okay?" he asked, conscious of how she was coping.

"Not exactly," she answered, a fearful look on her face. She held out her phone, playing back the last message from the Initiative's replacement for Helen – Mr. Trask. _"Your deadline is imminent, Ms. Lahari,"_ the recording of his voice threatened. " _Fail to meet it, there will be consequences."_

Nolan closed his eyes in acknowledgment, sharing her concern. "Okay, look, don't panic. Not until we know they truly have your father," he opened his mobile device, anxiously tapping out a message. "I'm interfacing immigration to check the print on what they sent you - I'm not handing over that program until we know that your father is alive."

Padma nodded, following his lead with desperate appreciation on her face. "I know I betrayed you," she confessed again, apologetic. "But you're the only person who can save him."

Nolan tilted his head with a slight objection and looked up as the door to the café swung open. "Actually – there's someone else who can help." He paused meaningfully, allowing Padma to follow his gaze to the man that had just walked in. Nolan stood up to let him have his seat. "Padma – this is Aiden Mathis."

Padma scrunched her eyes up in recognition. "I've seen you before," her eyes danced back and forth at his, trying to place him until she finally made the connection, also rising to her feet once she did. "Wait a minute, last night – on the docks! It was you I saw getting on the boat."

Nolan looked over at Aiden nervously, allowing him to explain what he already knew. "Yes, that was me," Aiden answered, also glancing at his friend beside him. "I tried to save Nolan's friends from certain danger."

Padma shook her head incredulous. "Some rescue," she sighed impatiently, looking back over at Nolan. "You're trusting my father's life with _him_?" she challenged.

Nolan shifted uncomfortably, placating her with a touch on the arm. "Padma, please. I know it's hard for you based on what you heard but you have to trust me – he's been through this kind of thing before and he's had more dealings with the Initiative than any of us—"

"And rest assured," Aiden cut in, prepared to defend himself. "Nothing's going to get in my way of destroying them this time. No one wants them eliminated more than me."

With the strength of his conviction, Padma averted her eyes from him to Nolan and back again before finally settling. "Fine," she conceded. "It's not like I have many options – I'm running out of time." With lingering attachment, she looked at Nolan again for direction. "What do you need me to do?"

"Exactly what Aiden tells you to," Nolan confirmed for her, giving her a kiss on the forehead to say goodbye. She appreciated it with a nod. "I'll see you at the office, okay?"

"A good suggestion," Aiden agreed as Nolan departed, leaving him and Padma to sort out the rest. "We should both get back to Nolcorp." He cast a look over his shoulder. "They might be watching."

 **SCENE**

"Emily?"

Victoria's snide pronunciation of her name never failed to incense her arch rival upon hearing it. But on this occasion, Emily was decidedly more angered as she entered the waiting area of the Suffolk County Coroner – Victoria being the last person she expected to be there. It was enough that her dearest friend likely lay on a slab in the next room, but to be forced to mourn the inevitable truth alongside her nemesis was pushing even Emily's threshold for endurance.

"Where's Charlotte?" Emily asked in an exasperated tone as she rushed in.

Victoria folded her arms. "She insisted on going in there alone."

Emily let out a pious breath of air. "She's brave," she commented. "Like her _sister_." She savored the double meaning in her words for a moment that was short-lived, interrupted by yet another familiar voice.

"Not as brave as she thinks."

Emily turned to see Daniel emerging from the observatory area. "Daniel?" she addressed him in surprise, her tone sinking a little. "What are you doing here?"

He eyed his mother, who turned and sat back down in the waiting room. Daniel licked his lips anxiously and returned his attention to Emily. "I got the call just after Charlotte did – the coast guard said the burns are…horrific. I wanted to hang around just in case," he paused, a troubled look coming over him. "In case she can't go through with it."

As if in fulfillment, before Emily could respond Charlotte suddenly came rushing out in sobs. "It's not her!" she exclaimed. "It _isn't!_ " She ran forward to Daniel, who turned just in time to catch her in his arms.

Emily furrowed her brow in shock, feeling a surge of hope awaken. "Charlotte—" she started, beginning to reach out, but again was intercepted. Victoria was on her feet and by Charlotte's side in moments and as her sobs continued, it was evident that she was merely fighting what she had just seen.

"It can't be her—it _can't_ be!" she continued to cry, and Daniel finally passed her over to his mother when the attendant came out a second later.

"Sir?" he asked. "Is she—"

"She's in shock," the attendant quickly explained. "We were concerned this might happen. The sight of her was too jarring – she was not able to fully identify the body."

Emily listened in, stepping forward as Daniel nodded in understanding. "Daniel—" she offered but he silenced her with a wave of a hand.

"It's alright," he insisted with a meaningful look. He turned back to the attendant. "I'm Charlotte's brother—I met Amanda the same time she did," he glanced back at Emily before facing the attendant again. "I can make the ID."

The attendant accepted his offer without question and quickly led him inside, leaving Emily to shrink back in discomfort behind, with only the sight of Victoria comforting Charlotte to torture her. She was unable to contain her scowl as she watched, helpless and unable to intercede while Victoria capitalized on her daughter's moment of need.

"Baby, I've got you," Victoria was assuring her. "Sweetheart, I'm here." Her eyes flicked up, catching Emily watching them, and something in her emitted triumph as she guided her daughter over to take a seat, leaving Emily behind.

The wait was relatively short, and Emily counted the minutes until Daniel finally came out of the observatory doors. He took a deep breath and bowed his head as he made the announcement. "It's her," he said.

While Charlotte continued to sob in Victoria's arms, Emily could no longer bear the juxtaposition and set out for the door. Daniel trailed a moment behind to follow her out. "Emily, I'm so sorry—" he attempted to console her.

"Just let it go, Daniel," she quieted him, keeping her head down as she stormed to her car. Despite her shortness he could sense it was not him she was angry with, but herself. "I tried," she continued to mumble as she shook her head in step. "I tried, but… I was too late."

"Em—" he begged, catching up to her. "Don't blame yourself for this, you did everything you should've." He finally stopped her at her car door, pressing his hands together in plea. "I'm sorry I tried to stop you."

Emily opened her door, tossing her bag inside angrily as she fought away tears of guilt. "It doesn't matter," she surmised. "I got to her as fast as I could and still I couldn't change anything." She lifted her head, as if swallowing back the emotion that kept fighting to get through. "I already knew she was gone but a part of me was still hanging on – still hoping…" She trailed off, shaking her head again. "It doesn't matter," she repeated and swiftly got into the car.

"Emily," Daniel continued to implore her, reaching in through the open window with a fierce desperation in his tone that would have stood out to her had she not been so repulsed by Victoria's display. "Listen to me, as hard as this is, just remember the endgame. Trust me – I'm going to finish this!"

"I have to go," she swept over it, still ignoring his insistence that she let go of her path of revenge in favor of his plans. She started the car and threw it into reverse, peering out of the window only once more. "I'll see you at the funeral, if you're coming."

Daniel stood back, a soft look of assurance on his face. "You know I'll be there," he promised.

She nodded, the smallest gesture of appreciation she could afford at the moment and then quickly pulled off, speeding away to leave Daniel behind in the parking lot.

 **SCENE**

At the incessant ringing of his phone, Aiden stepped away from where Padma sat behind his desk at Nolcorp, moving out of earshot in his office so that he could answer securely. "Is it finished?" he asked, verifying the caller.

"Yes," Daniel chimed in on the line, walking vigorously through the lot of the Suffolk County Coroner back towards his own vehicle. "And let me just say how _difficult_ it was to watch both my sister _and_ Emily crumble in pain when I confirmed Amanda was dead."

Aiden lowered his head in acknowledgement, relieved that the plan was still on track. Daniel was correct in that he held an advantage – being the only remaining link that could have successfully pulled the job off. "I understand," Aiden accepted gracefully. "But I promise, it'll be worth it in the end."

"Yeah and when exactly is that?" Daniel continued to question, looking around to make sure no one was near. "Emily is heartbroken and rightfully so – how long are you planning on keeping the truth from her?"

"Unfortunately that decision is not up to me," Aiden answered, pausing conversation to send a text message, related to the subject at hand. He returned the phone to his ear. "As you're aware, Emily and I share the same instructor—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Daniel finished for him, exasperation in his tone. "Takeda—I know all about it."

Aiden nodded for his own benefit, clenching his jaw. "Well as of yesterday – he's authorizing what happens from here forward. He believes that Emily has become misguided, allowing herself to lose focus on her mission. Therefore in exchange for protecting her decoy's life once again – he has requested I keep this in confidence." Aiden took in a breath. "We have to trust him on this, Daniel. He knows what's best for her."

Daniel balked at the suggestion. "Well pardon me if I don't understand how forcing Emily to mourn the loss of her closest friend for no reason at all is what's _best_ for her." He finally arrived to his car and prepared to leave.

"Look at it this way," Aiden continued to persuade him. "As long as your parents believe Amanda's dead – they can't come after her anymore." He glanced back over at Padma. "And as for your sister, let's face it – that woman was never her sibling in the first place. And she still has her real sister to help her through this time."

"Yeah," Daniel digested, the comment agitating him. "Yet another secret Emily is holding onto."

"Well, this time the tables are turned," Aiden pointed out, hoping that Daniel saw the benefit in keeping _her_ in the dark for once. He attempted to move past it with a change of subject. "In the meantime – have you been contacted by the Initiative?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Daniel answered hesitantly, recalling the phone call he had received shortly after Aiden left his office. It still felt unnatural to be sharing so much with him, but it was a necessary means to work together. "A Mr. Trask reached out as Helen's replacement. Whatever they're planning, they're still on schedule. He sent over trades he wants me to execute." Daniel sighed as he drove along the highway. "Which led me to do a bit of research—guess who owns a controlling stake in the security systems manufacturer for every major airport in the world?"

"Grayson Global," Aiden exhaled with a half-chuckle.

Daniel shook his head in disgust for his own benefit. "Everything I have is blood money."

Aiden turned down his lip. "Did you expect any less?"

"I can't say I did but at this point, I think I'm done taking orders—"

"I'd advise against that," Aiden quickly interjected. "It's clear their maneuvering attempts will be relentless. You don't want to arouse suspicion that you're aware of what they're up to."

It was Daniel's turn to chuckle. "Heh, you sound just like Emily."

"Well, she's been right before." Conscious that Padma was still waiting on him, Aiden sped up to finish the conversation, checking his phone for a return message from the earlier one he had sent. "Listen, you need to take the spotlight off yourself for the moment. Your father's gubernatorial announcement means he's vacated his seat, correct?" He paused for Daniel to mumble in the affirmative. "Then deepen their trust by filling it quickly, giving them no reason to be concerned."

Daniel squinted, processing his proposal to understand it fully. "Alright," he conceded, starting to see the benefit. "But with who?"

Aiden's mouth curled up devilishly. "Yours truly."

Immediately Daniel began to object. "Aiden, what you're asking is dangerous—"

"I can handle myself," the other assured him. Again he checked his phone for a return message and gathering what he needed, he rushed to end the call. "Look, I have one last loose end to tie up, but listen to what I'm suggesting – it's our only option. I have to go—I'll contact you afterwards."

Before he could protest any further, Aiden ended the call, returning to Padma's side to square away their progress in getting her father back before leaving for his own errand to take care of.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Daniel continued to drive in silence, pondering Aiden's request to fill the board seat. It was a noble gesture, one that could put him in potential danger if it caught the Initiative's attention, which no doubt it would. And while the old Daniel would not have objected if Aiden inadvertently took the fall, the conscience he was quickly developing was uneasy about that kind of risk. Conscious that he needed a fallback plan in the event that the Initiative edged too close to the disaster they were planning, he decided to eliminate the key to their destruction – he had to ensure Nolan destroyed Carrion.

 **SCENE**

"Nolan Ross, life's pawn?"

Emily stormed back into the hospital, calling her friend in stride. "Nolan, it's me. I've retraced every step Amanda made - the computer's nowhere to be found."

Nolan slumped forward at his desk, surveying his computer screen. "Well, nothing's pinged on my end, so no one's turned the computer on, which means the Graysons don't have it either. Speaking of which," he shifted tone. "A one _redeemable_ Grayson appears to still be on a quest of atonement."

Emily furrowed her brow, holding her phone close to her ear. "What do you mean?"

"I just got off the phone with Daniel – he's pushing me to destroy Carrion if I haven't already," Nolan explained. "He sounded pretty upset - threatened to break my digital kneecaps if I didn't comply."

Understanding, Emily sighed in response. "That doesn't surprise me. He's having a crisis of conscience and apparently on his own mission to right every wrong without me. I just saw him at the coroner – he made the positive ID on Amanda. Charlotte was too upset to go through with it."

"Wow – he really _is_ determined," Nolan reacted initially, thinking it big of Daniel until he realized Emily had just given confirmation of what they both knew. "So—that means… she really is gone?"

Emily closed her eyes in absorption, allowing her silence to answer and continued on in spite of it. "What's worse is Victoria is using Amanda's death to get close to Charlotte again. She was there with her when she came out - without that love Victoria would have nothing."

Nolan sighed at the setback. "Well, you've always known how to destroy the woman – her children."

Emily shook her head as she approached Jack's floor. "How did I get so far off track, Nolan?"

"Because, Ems," Nolan hypothesized. "That's the problem – you _love_ her children. Both of them."

Emily shuddered at the thought but knew he was right. As long as she harbored affection for Charlotte and Daniel, she would never be able to pierce Victoria at her weakness. Seeing Declan just ahead of her she quickly ended the call. "I have to go – I think Jack's waking up."

Nolan accepted it with resignation. "I'll be over there as soon as I can."

 **SCENE**

"Emily…" Jack whispered as he came to, searching around the room with concern in his eyes. He scanned nervously and allowed his glance to fall back on his brother at his other side. "Where—Where's Amanda? Is she okay?" He took a breath when he got no answer and stared intently at Declan. "Where's Carl?"

"He's fine," Declan rushed to answer, casting a forlorn look over him. "He's with Charlotte."

"And Amanda?" Jack continued to press as his brother looked away. He finally turned back to Emily on his other side, who had taken his hand. "Emily?"

"Jack," Emily began, her lips trembling as she prepared to do the hardest thing she ever had to. She held her breath and finally burrowed through it. "She's gone."

"No," Jack could barely breathe, repeating the word over and over again until he broke into heaving sobs, thrusting his head into his hands. Her heart aching, Emily sat beside him in comfort as Jack arched his body inwards, the bed shaking with his guttural cries. "Oh, no, no, no," he continued, and suddenly was painfully interrupted.

"I am so very sorry for your loss, Mr. Porter," Conrad's voice could be heard at the door, and immediately Emily stood up, snapping around to scold him.

"This isn't a good time," she seethed, glaring daggers his way.

But Jack insisted, shaking off her concern. "No," he declared, calming his emotions to sit up. "I want to talk to him." He took a heavy breath, eerily fixing his eyes on Conrad in a concentrated stare. "Alone."

 **SCENE**

"Sweetheart, are you all right?"

Victoria softly padded into Charlotte's room, spying her sitting beside the crib against the window that they had set up for Carl. Observing her daughter's downcast disposition as she watched over the infant, her heart immediately stirred in sympathy. "How's little Carl?" she asked.

"Perfect," Charlotte sighed after a breath, still staring at him below her. "I keep checking to see if something's changed – if somehow he knows his mother's gone, but—"

"He's too little," Victoria asserted with a knowing motherly instinct. "He couldn't possibly understand." She stroked Charlotte's hair, hoping to soothe her. "He will one day."

Gradually, Charlotte turned to face her, an apologetic look coming over her face. "Earlier," she began. "I'm sorry for breaking down – for not being able to go through with it."

Victoria allayed her concerns with a shake of her head. "Darling, there's nothing for you to be sorry about," she insisted, pulling her close. "That ordeal had to have been traumatizing for you." For a moment she stared off, as if rethinking it altogether. "I shouldn't have let you go in by yourself in the first place."

Charlotte exhaled in agreement. "I'm so glad Daniel came," she confessed. "When I saw Amanda lying there – I could have sworn it wasn't her," she began, reprimanding herself. "But then I realized maybe I wanted to just _say_ it wasn't her so I could pretend… it wasn't true."

Victoria nodded in understanding, continuing to caress her daughter. "She had a very hard life, dear. Not everybody's as lucky as we are."

"No, they aren't," Charlotte agreed, reflecting. "Amanda didn't even have many friends." She suddenly lifted her head in plea. "I can't find anyone outside of Montauk to invite to her service!  
Her mom seems to have just disappeared into thin air, and when I called the state to see if they could help me find her foster family, they said I needed a court order to release the records." Exasperated, Charlotte finally rose to her feet, leaving her mother's embrace to plop down at her desk in front of her computer. "There has to be someone out there…"

Victoria respired, leaving her daughter to self-comfort and starting back towards the door. "Well, maybe it's for the best, sweetheart," she encouraged. "Amanda left that life behind when she came to town, and I fear that if you go down that road – you'll find nothing but pain."

Charlotte acknowledged her mother's suggest nimbly with a brief nod, but continued to browse her computer. Realizing that she was dead set on the search as her only reprieve from grief, Victoria allowed her the space she needed and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Fighting an oncoming depression, Charlotte continued to search vigorously until she stumbled across something at last – a photo of Amanda as a pre-teen in her foster home. She leaned in to study the photo, reading the subscript to identify the children beside her. A name caught her attention and she quickly switched back to the search engine to enter it – Eli James.

 **SCENE**

"Thanks for all of this."

Jack exhaled a deep breath, thanking his brother for all his assistance after finally settling into bed in his room. It felt frightfully empty without Amanda, even more so without Carl, as if he had merely dreamt the family that he had cherished dearly for the past year. Emily trailed in through the doorway while Declan rounded the bed, taking care of the final touches to help him recuperate.

"Don't worry," Declan assured him. "I'm sending Grayson the bill." He gave him a soft smile and with Emily's presence, sensed he should exit the room.

"Speaking of," she greeted Jack, anxious to discuss his rueful encounter at the hospital. "What did he want, showing up like that?"

Jack grimaced in recollection. "Assurance," he replied, waiting for Emily to sit down beside him on his bed before elaborating. He shifted painfully, waiting for the sensation in his nerves to pass before finally opening up. "Emily there's something I have to tell you. The Graysons are responsible for what happened out there on the sea – they murdered Amanda."

Emily froze in place, playing innocent as she allowed him to finish, all the while wondering how he had found out. His next words answered her thoughts.

"She told me why they were after her just before I got shot," he continued. "When Declan got kidnapped she threatened Conrad with some computer she had full of evidence that could expose him. She was using it as blackmail to get him to help us – but by the time she got back here you and Nolan had already found him." He shook his head angrily. "But it was too late – they were never going to let her get away with it."

Emily cut her eyes downward, sincerely regretful that the impatience of her dear friend had truly cost her this time. But now that Jack was aware, perhaps he could help her find the source. "Jack, I'm so sorry," she offered genuinely. "Did she say what she did with the computer?"

Jack thought back. "Some guy, claiming to be a friend of Nolan's stowed aboard the ship, said he came looking for it to save us – but I didn't buy it for a second." He stared intensely into Emily's eyes. "I think he was working for Conrad and was sent to make sure Amanda died in the wreckage and to get the evidence back. I just don't know if he ever found it." He glanced around. "I turned this place upside down. If Amanda really did steal Conrad's computer, it's definitely not here."

Emily pinched her eyes closed, her anger towards Aiden resurfacing. It was yet another string that would need to be closed off for fear that Jack went tugging at it again, or even worse, had a chance encounter with him. Again she pushed the thoughts away, putting on an optimistic face and distracting herself with fluffing Jack's pillows. "Maybe they already retrieved it?" she guessed hopefully. "Maybe that's why Grayson's being so nice?"

Jacked ducked his chin in agreement, considering the possibility as another thought suddenly came to mind. He reached out to touch Emily's hand. "Emily I need to ask you something."

Emily set the pillow down to listen. "Yeah, anything?"

"I know its short notice with the funeral," he began, growing tired as the drugs starting to kick in. "But, would you give the eulogy?"

Emily hesitated, an innate attachment to him surfacing, but guarded by the pangs of guilt that struck her conscience. "Jack, I-I don't know—" she stammered.

"Please?" he insisted. "I'd do it myself, but after everything I learned on the boat—" He stopped himself, playing it back in his mind. "The vendetta, the gun, the computer—I'm just not even sure I really ever knew her?"

Her heart went out to him, pitying his sense of disillusion. "Jack – of course you did. She was your wife, and she adored you." She looked around, drawing on the room for emphasis. "The evidence is all around you. There is no doubt in my mind that Amanda's love for you was real." She paused, hoping she was making headway despite the hardened look he wore. "She would've done anything for you," she added.

"Except tell me the truth," Jack replied firmly, and Emily knew he had been too bruised by Amanda's actions to soften just yet. She bowed her head in resignation and honored Jack's request a moment later. "I need to be alone," he asked.

"Okay." Emily stood, leaving him in peace, despite knowing that his heart held nothing but turmoil. "If you need anything, I'm here."

Once she was gone, Jack glanced over at the photo on his nightstand, another reminder of the woman he had lost and the memory that would be forever tarnished by her admission. Feeling the betrayal and angst come to a head, he suddenly felt himself lashing out and grabbed the jar of sea glass beside it, sending it smashing to the ground in pieces.

But before he could sulk in the throes of his conflicted mourning, something caught his eye. As he sorted through the shattered glass, he moved aside several shards to reveal something he would have never seen had he not destroyed it – a key to a private locker in Montauk.

 **SCENE**

"You're not going to the funeral?"

Padma's entrance into Nolan's office was barely noticeable, as his eyes were practically glued to the screen ahead, the hours wasted away since he had planted himself in front of it. Almost two days had passed since he had single-handedly brought Jack to rescue at the hospital and then returned to the sea to claim Emily and Aiden, and all throughout Nolan had scarcely slept nor eaten. With the exception of his one encounter with Padma at the café' across from the hospital, he had barely even seen her face. So now, when he found her dark eyes staring back at him on the other side of his desk, he finally flinched and looked up, her appearance indicating the time.

"I'm leaving in a few minutes," he assured her, prying himself away from the keyboard long enough to stand and put on his jacket. She approached while he dressed, coming around to stand close. "I've been up all night working on Carrion, finishing it."

She watched as he leaned over and removed a flash drive from the side of the computer – palming it in her hand nervously. "The fingerprint matched your father's immigration file," he added, explaining why the option had to be explored. "One funeral's enough for today."

Padma eyed it curiously, a mix of appreciation and fear on her face. "Aiden said that the Initiative couldn't be trusted—" she started.

"Aiden's right," Nolan confirmed before she could finish, but a shrug of his shoulders told her that he was not going to let it be a firewall for him. "But I can't tell you what to do, Padma," he asserted. "Just when they make contact? Keep in mind that the people that took your dad don't have the best track record when it comes to fulfilling their end of the bargain."

With a tap to her shoulder, Nolan walked past her, headed out while she continued to stare at the silver drive in her hand, contemplating the life it could save – and those it had the potential to destroy.

 **SCENE**

Emily gave a gentle knock at the door to Jack's bedroom, the upper level of the _Stowaway_ becoming a frequent scene of late. It was odd how quickly her routine had altered – with Daniel and Nolan's familiar faces being replaced by Jack and Declan in a matter of days. As usual she bore the changes in her life with resilience, somewhat relieved that she had been able to spend time with the people closest to Amanda as she mourned her loss. But in spite of the comfort afforded with being near to her family, it had been interrupted by a shocking display on the news only hours before – a showy and contrived announcement by Conrad to pay tribute to Amanda, with Jack by his side. Finding it disturbing, she had dressed for the funeral that took place in less than an hour, and decided to stop by Jack's first to question him about it.

"Hey," she greeted him as he answered the door in his dress shirt and pants, still fiddling with the tie around his neck. He gave her a brief glance and turned away, letting her in. "I saw you on TV," she continued, feeling him out. "I'm sure it wasn't easy watching Conrad capitalize on all this?"

Jack remained noticeably silent, and Emily assumed he was simply preparing for the somber occasion ahead. Seeing him having difficulty with his necktie, she dropped the topic and stepped in close to him to offer assistance. "Here," she whispered with a kind smile. "Let me help you."

Jack relaxed his hands by his side in a still complacence. "Thank you," he said flatly.

Emily bypassed his dryness again, hoping to comfort him with warm memories. "I remember when Amanda first moved in here," she reflected. "She said it was the first place that ever felt like home."

"Except for her father's cottage, which now belongs to you," Jack snapped back. "You gonna put that in your eulogy?"

Emily finished the tie and looked up in surprise. "No," she responded uneasily, stepping around him to get her bag from where she had set it down on the bed. When she turned around, she was shocked to find him right in her face.

"What about your time together in _juvie?_ " he snarled, catching her off-guard. He moved in to thrust a pile of letters in her sight. Emily's mouth dropped partially open in shock, falling a step back as Jack edged closer, allowing his true emotions to show. "You know, I always wondered how you got _so close_ so fast!" He was nearly bellowing now, driving at her with intent. "Did she pick you up from Allenwood like she promised?"

"Jack where did you—" Emily started but could not finish.

"In her duffel bag, the one she had hidden from me. And before you ask, no the laptop wasn't in it," he explained, caring little about the whereabouts compared to the deceit they represented. "On top of all the misery, to find out that _you_ were lying to me, too?" He shook his head, incredulous as he revealed his discovery. "You didn't just know each other. You were like _sisters!_ "

Emily rushed to explain, backpedaling furiously while she dismissed her curiosity about where her computer was if it wasn't with everything else. "It was a part of my past I didn't want anyone to know about—"she started.

"Why?" Jack protested, cutting her short. "Didn't want to tarnish your perfect image?" He stood back in disgust. "What else didn't you tell me out of self-preservation?"

"That Amanda loved you from the moment that she met you!" Emily insisted, unknowingly revealing the truth from her own heart. Jack pulled away to brush her off but she reached out to continue pleading with him. "And none of that ever stopped, not in the foster homes, not in juvie – none of that was a lie."

He still could not be convinced. "Did you know about her plan for the Graysons?" he pressed on, then suddenly stopped, regrouping. "Actually, you know what? I don't want to hear it, Emily. You're Carl's godmother. If you knew, I can't believe you would let Amanda put herself, all of us, in that kind of danger." He shook his head at her again, grabbing his jacket in hand.

"Jack, I am so sorry about everything—" Emily attempted again but his determination was set.

"I don't have time for this," he interjected one last, already at the door. "I gotta bury my wife in an hour."

And without even a last look he was gone, leaving Emily alone in his bedroom, depraved and humiliated by the sting of her secrets – and the others that still remained.

 **SCENE**

"The boy knows nothing."

Conrad came over to stand parallel to his wife as they watched the sprinkle of guests assemble at Amanda Clarke's gravesite. Jack stood closest to the casket, toting infant Carl over his shoulder and next to him was Declan. Victoria tightened her lips as she observed Charlotte go over to stand next to him instead of by her own family, but did not object. Instead she kept her eyes forward while uttering response to her husband. "You've spoken to him then?"

Conrad nodded, discreetly keeping his face stern. "You didn't think his public show of support on television was just for show, did you?" He shook his head a slight. "I assured him of our family's willingness to assist with any future foundation for his deceased wife – and he conveyed just how _unexpected_ her loss was." He faced his wife with a knowing look. "He has no idea about the laptop, only that a ruthless felon stowed aboard his boat and stole everything from him."

"And you still have no idea who this mystery person could be?" Victoria asked.

"I questioned my associate," Conrad explained. "He vacated the vessel after installing the explosive. It wasn't him." He shrugged. "Whoever it was, he had his own agenda with the Porter family – Nate Ryan, perhaps. He still has yet to turn up."

"Hm," Victoria digested, not fully allayed of her concerns but content for the moment. She looked up as Emily and Nolan entered the assembly, Jack moving noticeably out of her way to let her address the group. She bowed her head wistfully and Victoria thought she picked off on a bit of indifference between them. Before she could study it further, Daniel arrived last, taking a neutral stand on the outside of the circle.

Conrad turned to acknowledge their son's presence, and then added another remark aside to Victoria to conclude their chat. "It appears," he whispered. "Despite even their best efforts and our own unfortunate entanglement – David and his daughter were plagued by darkness."

At the mention of David, Victoria instinctively glanced over at his nearby gravesite. "At least he wasn't here to see her go," she added in relief, letting her eyes fall on her own son as Emily began her speech. "To lose a child like that – no one should have to bear that kind of loss."

 **SCENE**

"That was a beautiful eulogy."

Emily blinked away the tears from her eyes, breaking her trance to finally look away from Amanda's headstone. It felt like she had only been staring at it for a few seconds after the services had concluded, but after surveying the thinning company at the burial site she realized it had been much longer. She glanced over her shoulder at where Daniel stood behind her, a patient look on his face.

"Sorry," she apologized for her late response, collecting herself with a sniffle. "I didn't realize you were still here."

Daniel took her acknowledgment as a cue to come closer until they were side-by-side. Noticing her sniffling and watery eyes, he reached into his breast pocket and extended her a handkerchief. "Here," he offered softly.

Emily turned up her lips appreciatively. "Thank you," she replied, using it to dab her eyes and nose. She took a deep breath afterwards and sought an answer for Daniel's earlier comment. "She really was special," was all she could reiterate, self-condemning still fresh from her conversation with Jack. "I just hope – I hope I was able to do her justice."

Daniel remained quiet, pondering the thought _. Justice_ in itself seemed to be a recurring theme for the woman that stood beside him, and though many might think her means of finding it to be tortured and shocking, Daniel was beginning to see it was all she had to hold on to. Again the guilt of the things he knew plagued him in the face of it, knowing not telling Emily was an even greater injustice, but somehow he had developed an inner calm regarding it. Something about having his own plan to right the wrongs stilled his urges to divulge everything and instead gave him peace – as if with it he still possessed a prize to one day gift to her and hopefully heal her heart.

"You will," he found himself saying, not realizing how perfectly it fit both Emily's agenda and his own. "That I'm sure of," he emphasized. And when she looked back into his eyes, he felt the last of his remaining anger towards her finally melt away, as if it never existed.

Relishing the moment of forgiveness, Emily's expression softened and Daniel reached a hand out to place over hers, squeezing it tightly. She looked down at their intertwined fingers, and when she looked up again Daniel's face matched hers in purpose.

However, the purpose was short-lived. While still staring in Daniel's direction Emily's gaze caught a glimpse of Victoria, noticing her return to the burial site just a few feet away to visit another headstone – that of her own father, David Clarke. Her softness immediately began fleeting in favor of repulse, and Emily drew her hand away from Daniel, turning to leave.

"Em," he called out but she continued on.

"Thank you for being here," she assured him as she went, hoping he did not take the distance personally. "I just need some time alone."

 **SCENE**

Alone at the docks just yonder from her beach house, Emily found a measure of peace. While the ocean waves were an eerie reminder of the loss at sea, they were still the only constant of nature that could soothe her heart. She welcomed the returning calm of her nerves with a sigh, missing the empowering sensation of control. Control was where she felt whole again, where she found her purpose, where her reasoning returned to its former desire – the necessity of revenge.

"Back in your hands where it belongs for you to do as you wish," a familiar voice rang in her ears beside her, almost metaphorically.

Emily turned to acknowledge it, having sensed a presence for some time. But when she faced him, it was the item in his hands that took her by surprise. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared upon her missing laptop.

"Where did you find this?!" she asked anxiously.

Aiden rested his weight beside her on the wooden rail, calling back a memory from earlier that day…

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _He had arrived at the Montauk Deposit Office unseen and unnoticed and strove to keep it that way as he entered the locker storage area. Swiftly making his way into the corridor, he reached in his pocket to bring his phone into view, pulling up the message that displayed the number he needed. After confirming it, he hastily approached the corresponding unit and checked around for onlookers. When the coast was clear, he produced a small lock-pick and twisted it until the lock finally released. He opened the door carefully, seeing the item that he needed at once._

 _ **FLASHBACK END**_

"While we were on the boat," Aiden responded, speaking at a reverent tone while Emily stared into his eyes, full of questions. "Amanda told me where she had it stashed – her locker in Montauk." He gestured down towards the computer, now in her hands. "It took me some time to hack the manifest for which one was hers, but as soon as I could, I broke in and removed it." He paused, knowing she would wonder why he had not told her before. "I would have told you but – I wanted to respect your wishes that I stay away."

Emily stared at it, processing her relief. "Thank you," she managed. "You saved it just in time."

Aiden nodded. "She also said," he continued, careful of his words. "While we were combing the boat for the bomb – she asked me to tell you if she didn't make it, to look after her family."

He waited, expecting Emily to react emotionally but she remained calm, staring ahead. "Jack found the letters we wrote each other from Allenwood," she informed him. "He must have gotten to her locker sometime after you did."

Aiden digressed in disappointment. "I had no idea; I would have removed them also—"

Emily quieted him with a shake of her head. "It's just as well," she explained, and with a sudden gesture she jerked backwards and flung the laptop into the ocean, while Aiden looked on in shock.

"What are you doing?!" he exclaimed.

Emily huffed, watching her once sacred possession sink amongst the ocean waves. "Protecting Jack," she gasped and then faced him with determination. "As long as the computer exists the Graysons can come after him. He already hates me for deceiving him. And by your own words Amanda asked me to look after her family." She gazed back out at the ocean. "I can't honor her this way. That computer only clouded my judgment."

"So what are you saying?" Aiden pressed, trying to make sense of her actions.

She faced him again and this time the steel in her eyes had returned – the kind he was most accustomed to seeing. "I'm saying – no more distractions," she responded. "We both know the kind of punishment I came here for had nothing to do with prison. Its time I finally got back to basics."

Her vengeance renewed, Emily stormed away from Aiden's side, leaving him alone at the docks, still in wonder of what he could expect, but inwardly relieved that she was back on track. His own separate mission completed, he turned back to face the ocean and recalled the moment that it had begun…

 _ **FLASHBACK – picks up from "Sacrifice"**_

 _Aiden clutched the necklace in his hand, recognizing just how much meaning was encompassed by it, and sincerely felt compassion for the girl pleading before him. Despite never enduring the trials that came with her assumed identity, he could clearly see she was just as troubled as her namesake._

 _"Promise me?" she reiterated with desperation in her eyes._

 _"I promise," Aiden agreed, and a faint noise from afar caught his ear. He looked up and then suddenly pushed her to her position. "Go!" he commanded her, and then descended below deck to take his place while Amanda rushed to the other side._

 _A few minutes later he emerged, the loud sound of helicopter blades above forcing him to yell. "Right on time!" he called out, checking his watch as he came over to Amanda's side. She dropped the flare she had been waving to her side and they both looked upwards as the aircraft hovered over them. Aiden waved in confirmation and a side door opened, allowing a rope ladder to fall down. He caught it in his hands and then gestured to Amanda._

 _"This is it!" he bellowed over the noise. "I called in our location – Takeda's going to take you away from here."_

 _"For how long?!" Amanda asked anxiously._

 _Aiden gave her a serious look. "I'm afraid you'll have to change your identity and disappear," he answered, expecting the solemn reaction she gave him. "I'm sorry – it's the only way!"_

 _She glanced out over the se and then back at him again. "Will I ever see Jack again and my son?"_

 _"I promise, I'll do everything I can!" Aiden shouted back._

 _Amanda swallowed, looking up the ladder to where Takeda was now visible, beckoning her to hurry. "And Emily?" she asked at long last._

 _Aiden took a nervous breath. "Only when the time is right," he responded and his uncertainty was clear. Resolved to her decision, Amanda dropped her head in acceptance and then removed the ring from her left hand, placing it in Aiden's._

 _He stared at the band and then at her again with a nod, and then prompted her not to linger any further. "Go!" he urged her, and with a gentle push she began climbing the ladder all the way up until she was safely inside the aircraft. Once secured, Takeda gave a signal to confirm she was in and extended another line to send down a large body bag, wrapped in black. Aiden caught it with ease and realizing his time was short, he took off below deck, dragging the bag down to the engine room._

 _Once stationed, he unzipped the bag just enough to dig out the left hand and slipped the band that Amanda had given him onto the ring finger. He undressed the rest of the body, seeing it was a close resemblance to its intended and then affixed it close enough to the explosive to ensure the burns would cover any question in that regard._

 _Finished, he moved on to his next task and thrust with all his might at the enclosure beneath the cabin until it finally burst, filling the entire room with water in moments. Satisfied at his work, he checked the synchronization on his watch with the explosive in the engine room, and confirmed they were perfectly aligned - he had less than two minutes left. The sounds from up above deck had finally died down, and he made his way to the stairwell to listen in, hoping that it meant Amanda had followed his instructions. "Amanda?" he called up…_

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

Aiden stepped back from the ledge of the dock, the memories in his mind taunting him to simply around and run after Emily to tell her the truth. But he had made an agreement and he had to stick to it – Amanda's life preserved in exchange for ensuring Emily stayed on task with her mission. He sighed, beginning to wonder why Takeda had such insistence on the matter when it came to his former protégé, but nevertheless it all seemed to fall right into place for the time. He and Emily were over and he had a new alliance with Daniel. And be it from them or from her, one thing was certain – retribution would be served.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: There you have it my loyal readers! Amanda Clarke LIVES! I hope you enjoyed how I weaved this installment to answer the questions from the previous chapter – it was not an easy task but I really felt her character deserved it! It was hard to leave it open ended as to whether she was dead or alive in 'Sacrifice', but I realized the only way for it to truly work with the story is for it to be a secret from Emily herself! So please tell me your thoughts! Did you like how it all worked out? How do you feel about Daniel being in the know for once – and Emily** _ **not?**_ **What do you think of the new alliance btw Daniel/Aiden – working together to save their girl! (That was per request of a certain fanfic reader – hope u liked!) I also hope you enjoyed the brief Demily scene that still had a lot of emotion despite Daniel being the one keeping secrets this time around… Oh and also you'll notice I omitted the eulogy – I just thought it held less meaning since we know she's not really gone. But will she show up again? Stay tuned and find out! Thanks so much for your support and PLS leave me a review, I'm so anxious to see what you thought about it! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	16. Chapter 16: Illumination

**Chapter 16: Illumination**

 _To carry a secret is to play with fire. Try to pass it on and you risk hurting someone else. Hold on to it… and eventually, you'll get burned._

"Did you know her well?"

Emily was jarred by the sound of an unexpected voice beside her. She peered over cautiously beneath the umbrella she held, protecting her from yet another late evening summer rain. It had been days since Amanda's passing, the time going by slowly as she spent it alone, rarely seeing anyone. She was paying a final visit to the cemetery, determined to move forward to see justice served for Amanda's death, so when she was joined by the visitor to her right it only peaked her curiosity.

"Very," she replied uneasily, studying her companion as he stepped closer into view. From her partial vision she could see he was about her age, young, African-American and distinctly familiar.

He sighed beside her, staring at Amanda's gravestone. "The Amanda Clarke I knew was a survivor," he paused to shake his head. "Never thought I'd find her here."

Emily's heart began to race as she soon put together a guess of his identity. "How did you know her?" she tested him.

"She burned our house down," he answered with resolution.

"Who are you?" Emily breathed, and he answered without looking.

"I'm her brother."

 **SCENE**

"Where've you been?"

Nolan perked up from the kitchen counter of his best friend's home, having waited for her to return for the past few hours. Emily barely made eye contact as she walked through the door, hanging her drenched raincoat on the rack beside. She let out an exasperated sigh, not surprised he had appeared to check on her after several days of minimal contact.

"I went to the cemetery to have a quiet moment with my father and Amanda," she answered on her way to the kitchen, planning to make herself a hot cup of something.

Nolan beat her to it, handing her the coffee he had just poured himself. "I can imagine the depths that solitude brought you to," he sympathized, worrying that she was slipping into a dark place. He kept his eyes on her while she wandered into her living room to sit across from the fireplace and followed to join her on the couch.

"I wasn't alone, Nolan," she clarified, pulling a blanket around her shoulders to warm up. "My foster brother showed up. I haven't seen him in fourteen years."

Nolan's eyes widened. "Did he recognize you?"

"No," Emily replied, staring into the roaring fire. "No, but him being here is the last thing that I need right now."

"Tell me about it," Nolan agreed, shaking his head. "Do you have any reason to think he might be after you?"

Emily stewed for a moment, closing her eyes as the memories came trailing back. "I burned down our house."

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _A young Amanda stared into the heart of the flame, watching the lit match in her hand flicker and dance above her fingertips before finally blowing it out._

 _"Why do you always draw the same thing?" Eli watched as his foster sister used the blackened tip of the match to etch intertwining circles onto a piece of paper, sprawled out on the small desk they shared._

 _She barely blinked when she responded, as if in a trance. "So I never forget what my father did."_

 _Eli gave her a curious look in return, trying to recall what he knew about her father. "Killed all those people?" he guessed._

 _She did not correct him but her response held a different reason dear. "He lied to me," she said. They met eyes for a moment and Eli felt deeply for his tortured sister, who never seemed to come out of her depression._

 _The bonding moment was quickly shattered as the voice of their foster mother could be heard bellowing from afar. "Who's lighting matches?"_

 _Frightened, they both gasped and Eli snatched Amanda out of her seat, pushing her to take cover. "Hide!" he instructed her and she found a spot underneath the steps while he remained behind._

 _Amanda watched in hiding as their foster mother came barreling down the steps. "Amanda! Eli!" she exclaimed, smelling smoke in the air. She came over and yanked her brother to attention. "What did I say about playing with fire? Where's Amanda?!"_

 _Eli shook his head sheepishly. "I haven't seen her!" he swore, shrugging his shoulders._

 _"Liar!" his mother thundered back, forcing him into a corner. "Into the bin!" she declared and pulled back a hidden door to shove him into a secret room. "Let's go!"_

 _ **FLASHBACK END**_

Emily blinked slowly, endeared by the memory of Eli's defensive nature. "Eli was my protector," she surmised to an attentive Nolan. "And in return, I promised never to let anything separate us. And nothing ever did – until I set that fire."

"Wow," Nolan exhaled when she was finished, restraining his concern over her resemblance to a Stage 1 sociopath. "And now he's come back."

"Hopefully just to pay his respects," she guessed wishfully as her allowance for emotional release expired and she moved to change subject. "How are things going with Padma?" she asked reflexively. "I'm sorry I haven't been much help these past few days."

Nolan brushed her off with a wave. "Em, please, don't even – you needed time to grieve," he assured her. "The Initiative hasn't reached out to her yet anyway and she's staying in seclusion until they do. Besides," he continued a bit sheepishly, hiding behind his coffee mug. "I have had _some_ help in that area."

A stern look from Emily confirmed she understood his meaning. "Nolan, you need to be careful with Aiden," she insisted. "What happened with Amanda may not have been his fault but you know he doesn't always follow the plan—"

"Ah, I'm mindful of that," Nolan ascertained. "But, so long as Padma's in a holding pattern, there's not much else anyone can do." He shrugged. "Maybe this whole return of 'Eli' will be a welcome distraction for both of us?"

Emily recoiled, accepting his suggestion. "Definitely worth looking into," she concurred, giving him the unspoken word to do some digging. She rose from the couch, removing the blanket from her shoulders as she headed for bed. "In the meantime, I think I'll pay Charlotte a visit in the morning."

Nolan agreed with a nod, planning to call it a night in the spot she had just vacated on the couch. "I'm sure she'll appreciate that," he commended her.

"She's going through a hard time with Amanda's loss just like I am," she lamented, but her tone hinted there was more to it. "But knowing Charlotte, she'll have had questions that she couldn't answer – and she may be the reason Eli's resurfaced."

 **SCENE**

"Mom, this idea for a foundation in Amanda's name, it's such an amazing way to honor her!"

Charlotte stood in amazement and delight at her mother's side, handing over a stack of photographs for collection. Not long ago was it that she despised her lies and schemes, and yet ever since Amanda's passing, she had seen a different light in her, as if perhaps she was finally trying to turn a new leaf.

"For you to be dedicating your time to it," Charlotte beamed, sending a glance over to her father across the breakfast table. "I'm just so proud of you both!" She got up from her seat to give her mother a hug before heading for the foyer.

"See you, sweetheart," Victoria bade her farewell, smiling with triumph to have her favor once again. No less than a second later, her second project in that regard entered, with a much less endearing look on his face. "Oh, good morning, Daniel," she greeted her son, perusing the stack of photos, mostly taken from Amanda's wedding. "How did you sleep?"

"I didn't," he answered brusquely, ignoring both her and his father to pour himself morning coffee.

Conrad rolled his eyes, joining Victoria in enduring yet another morning of their son's terse disposition. "Son, if you're still attempting to run a coup on your mother and I regarding the Initiative, you might do well to remember the success of their schemes lies in keeping the pieces _disparate_ so as to prevent anyone from connecting the dots."

Daniel exhaled an annoyed chuckle. "In other words, you think you two are invincible?" he translated.

Conrad tightened his jaw. "In other words," he corrected. "You'd do better concentrating on _deflecting_ the blame." He removed his napkin from his lap to rise from the table and moved past Daniel, using the close company to add on another suggestion. "By placing it on Aiden Mathis."

Daniel's eyes enflamed. "You're not serious?"

"As much as it pains me to admit it, your father's right," Victoria chimed in, also rising from the table to go mobile with her cup of tea. "You need to watch your back with that one. Have you forgotten his pursuit of Emily?"

Daniel restrained his thoughts, knowing far more now to secure him in that regard. "Unlike you, I refuse to allow personal relationships to influence my ethical decisions," he snapped, strongly hinting at her fling with David.

She shrunk back resentfully while Conrad picked up the slack. "Aiden was also instrumental in my ousting from the company, was he not?"

That made Daniel smile. "No more than I was," he quipped.

"Yes, a betrayal for which I've only just begun to forgive you, but you are my blood," Conrad continued arrogantly. "Aiden Mathis is a common parasite."

Daniel's blood boiled. "Would you say the same about David Clarke?" he couldn't help asking. His eyes fell on the stack of photographs on the table, and held one up for them to see. "Or his daughter?" He set the picture of Amanda back down and walked over to where his parents sat in the common area. "I know ruining lives is in your DNA, but I'm not allowing another innocent person to pay the price for this family's sins!"

With that, he turned on his heel to walk away, stopping himself short in the doorway. "Oh and Dad?" he added on, waiting for him to make eye contact. "I never asked you for your forgiveness."

His stance made perfectly clear, he finally exited the room, leaving Conrad and Victoria to exchange glances of increased concern. As he stormed into the foyer towards the front door, he barely looked up in time to keep from running into the guest that had just walked in.

"D-Daniel," Emily greeted him with a stammer, narrowly avoiding a collision. "Hey—"

"Emily," he gasped in surprise, least expecting her face to come through. He turned back as if to check that his parents didn't overhear them. "What uh—what are you doing here?"

She nervously swept a lock of hair behind her ears. "I just stopped by to see Charlotte," she answered, glancing up the stairwell.

Daniel licked his lips, studying her eyes. "She ah, she already left for school." He watched as Emily gave a deflated nod in understanding and waited in silence for her to say more.

"I've been meaning to visit her," she explained, knowing Daniel was likely wondering when she would make an appearance. Her eyes roamed the room, searching for words. "I just – I needed time to collect myself."

"I figured that," Daniel understood, becoming bashful. "That's why I stayed away." He swallowed, attempting to hide the guilt that he felt coming through. Fortunately Emily lowered her eyes at the mention, allowing him time to recover. When he did, Amanda was still all that filled his thoughts. "How _are_ you doing?" he inquired sincerely, curious how Emily was coping with the loss.

Emily looked up with a faint brightness in her face. "Better," she replied honestly. "Anxious to see her though," she rushed. Daniel scrunched up his nose for a moment in misunderstanding and Emily quickly clarified. "Charlotte?" He relaxed, realizing for a moment he thought she had meant Amanda. It was becoming harder to keep the secret from bursting through, so instead he just kept quiet while Emily finished. "I might just run up and leave her a note, if you think she wouldn't mind?" she asked.

"Of course not," Daniel obliged. He decided it was in his best interest to leave before he gave away anything else. "I have to get into the office, but ah… I know Charlotte will be happy to hear from you." Emily thanked him with a genuine smile and he opened the door to step out, pausing once more. "Take care of yourself, Em," he requested with a knowing look.

"You too, Daniel," she replied and pressed her lips firmly together as he walked out. Once he was gone, Emily debated leaving the note in Charlotte's room as she had suggested but the sound of Victoria's voice in the next room piqued her curiosity before she made it to the first step. Rethinking the purpose of her visit, she edged back down and slipped into the hall, listening intently as Victoria began making a phone call.

 **SCENE**

"You okay?"

Declan kept watch over his older brother as he walked through the _Stowaway_ on his way to the first day of school, a pastime Jack wished he could be more focused on. Instead, Jack pinched the bridge of his nose in angst, merely trying to save face for his benefit. "I'm just going crazy trying to make sense of that night," he answered, while Declan nodded in immediate understanding. "I mean, what happened out there? Somebody pulls me out of the water, calls an ambulance for me, doesn't leave a _name_?"

"I'm still trying to figure out why Nolan told me you two had checked in to the hotel in Nantucket," Declan agreed.

Jack's eyebrows perked up in interest. "He said that?"

"Yeah," Declan answered honestly, stopping to play with his nephew where he was propped in his seat beside Jack. He wished he could stay longer with them but knew he was already running late. "Look I gotta go," he said apologetically before affixing his backpack over his shoulder. "I'll see you later."

While Declan left for school, Jack concentrated in thought, trying to corroborate Nolan's off comment to his brother to what the assailant on the boat had said upon his introduction. He thought back, recalling everything from that moment he could remember…

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _"I was just informing your wife, that I'm an associate of…" Aiden began, lowering the gun to demonstrate his own civility. He stared at Amanda before finishing. "Nolan Ross. I've been hired to ensure that you both stay protected," he continued. "And as it stands, your relationship with the Graysons may have placed you in great danger."_

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

The contradiction was clear but his thoughts were soon interrupted by the phone ringing, coincidentally by one of the parties in mention on the other line. "Hello?" he answered.

"Jack, its Victoria Grayson. I know how difficult this time is for you right now, so please allow me to be brief."

"I appreciate that," was all Jack could muster, an uneasy feeling sinking into his stomach.

Victoria lifted her head piously as she paraded through her living room. "Well, Conrad and I remain devastated over your terrible loss. And we asked ourselves how we could keep Amanda alive in more than just our hearts. So we arrived at this idea of creating a foundation in her name."

Jack's mind raced, searching for the deceit. "You mean like a charity?" he questioned.

"Precisely," Victoria confirmed with a smile, glad he was catching on. "In light of Amanda's difficult childhood, we thought our goal could be a better tomorrow by promoting and protecting the well-being of children today. We could call it the Amanda Clarke Foundation or the Amanda Porter Foundation, if you like?"

"Amanda Clarke's more appropriate," Jack mumbled, still grappling with not only speaking with the enemy, but also her audacity to ask him for support.

"Perfect," Victoria continued. "Then can I say we have your blessing?"

Jack took a moment to jot down a few words on a pad he had nearby, realizing he needed to start doing some of his own investigating if he was going to make sense out of the odd events. "Yeah, you have my blessing," he replied.

"Thank you," Victoria chimed appreciatively. "I'll speak to you soon." She hung up the phone in hand, no sooner than an unexpected guest approached her from behind.

"What a wonderful idea!" Emily took a firm step forward, relieved she had decided to hang around rather than take off. "I hope I'm not interrupting?" she pretended coyly as Victoria spun around to meet her eye-to-eye. "I was just stopping by to catch Charlotte before school—"

"Well I'm afraid you've missed her," Victoria hastened to cut her short. "Pity."

"Mm," Emily pursed her lips. "But thankfully I haven't missed what sounds like quite an opportunity to honor Amanda?" she continued, reaching into her purse to swiftly write out a check on the table beside them. She handed it over once she was finished. "I would love to offer my services as co-chair, Victoria. What do you think?"

Victoria grimaced, glancing down at the figure. "Oh, a quarter of a million dollars. That's very generous." She watched Emily's insistent smile, while the noise of the doorbell in the background didn't stop her from giving a sinister look on her way out of the room. "I'll take your offer under consideration."

Emily turned to follow her, when they were both stopped short by the maid with a brief announcement. "Pardon me," she interjected. "There's a young man at the door. He says he's Amanda Clarke's brother."

Emily's eyes widened as the afore-mentioned came into view. She froze in place while Eli suddenly came striding into the room and the maid moved aside, allowing him to greet Victoria. " _Foster_ brother to be specific," he clarified, extending his hand. "Eli James. It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Grayson."

 **SCENE**

"I'm sure Amanda would've appreciated the fact that you did everything you could to be there, Mr. James." Victoria ducked her head in acknowledgement of Eli's unexpected but understandable visit. Conscious of her other guest beside her, Victoria swiftly turned to introduce. "May I present my neighbor, Emily Thorne."

Eli eyed her closely, while she shifted in place. "You look familiar. Do I…know you?"

"We met at the cemetery last night," Emily explained instinctively. She felt Victoria's ever-curious eyes on her, picking up on any hint of further meaning.

"Of course," Eli agreed, recalling. "You said that you, uh, knew Amanda well."

Wishing she could hide her face more, Emily turned to the stack of photos she had seen on the table when she wrote out her check and lifted the uppermost one to show a picture of her, Amanda and Carl. "I did," she answered, handing over the photo with her right hand. "I'm her baby's godmother."

While Emily felt content with the explanation, Eli's attention was more focused on the faded tattoo he observed on her wrist. He glanced away from it, drawing a conclusion as he studied the picture. "She looks happy," he obliged her.

As Victoria continued to question him on the length of his stay, Emily's phone began ringing, relieving her. She excused herself to step a few paces away. "Hey," she answered, glad that it was Nolan.

"Sorry to interrupt you if you're still with Charlotte but I've got something on Eli," he began.

"No, I'm with Victoria," she replied, making him conscious that her replies would be guarded. She gave a look over her shoulder. "And it turns out I've got something too – in the flesh."

"Don't tell me he's _there_?" Nolan assumed. "Guess your theory was right."

"Well since Victoria's putting together a foundation in honor of Amanda, I wanted to see how I could help," she continued as Nolan sulked at the extra piece of information.

"Ugh, I'll _bet_ you did," he jested.

"Oh my god I _completely_ forgot!" Emily suddenly exclaimed dramatically, signaling that she needed a way to get out of the visit. She came walking back over to the rest of the company, excusing her interruption again. "I am so sorry, I'm late for a breakfast meeting," she lied apologetically. "Victoria, can I call you later to continue our discussion?"

"Certainly," Victoria consented, half-hoping she did not hear from her at all. She turned her attention back to Eli. "Much later though, I'll be quite busy showing Mr. James around town. I'm sure he's anxious to meet Amanda's surviving family…"

Emily realized Victoria meant Jack and she felt her stomach drop at the thought. She kept a stone expression to hide it before Eli watched too closely. "It was a pleasure meeting you," she gestured to him with a curt smile.

"Ah – thanks," Eli acknowledged, then lingered further to get her attention. "And since I'll be staying for a while, I look forward to getting to know _you_ ," he emphasized. "And all the people who knew my sister, of course."

Emily managed a nod as she walked out, uncomfortable with the notion. "Of course."

 **SCENE**

"I hope that's not a sign your morning is off to a bad start?"

Daniel looked up as Aiden quietly entered his office, catching him in the act of sipping at a strong cocktail behind his desk. "As usual your perception is noteworthy," he acknowledged, and Aiden shut the door behind before coming over to him. "But I have my reasons. Just as I suspected, your request to succeed my father as board member comes with a price."

Aiden cracked a grin. "Has the plotting begun already?"

"Has it," Daniel echoed, shaking his head. "Not only is my father a step ahead of you, he's intent on making you their _patsy_ for whatever the Initiative is planning," he emphasized, rubbing his head in exasperation. "I told you this would be dangerous."

Aiden put out two hands in a calming manner. "Daniel, I understand your concern and frankly I'm flattered by it, but this is what we planned for, remember?" He leaned in to articulate the plan. "In order for us to expose the Initiative and their conspiracy with your father we must allow this to continue through almost to fruition before we can strike, or else we have no proof—"

"And how far are we willing to go to get it?" Daniel questioned, interrupting him. "How long can we play this game before we pull out?"

"As long as it takes," Aiden reassured him. "Listen, there's nothing to be concerned about so long as we have that program – they can't do anything without it." Daniel continued to shake his head, growing more stressed and Aiden noted his intensity. He stood back, slipping his hands into his pockets pensively. "Can I ask you something, Daniel? Did you carry on like this when your father suggested it?"

Daniel looked up from where he was shading his face with his hand. "Hey, I apologize if you're not used to raw emotion, alright, but I'm defending _you—"_

Aiden leaned it to cut him short. "Which is more than kind of you to do, but you needn't show your hand to the enemy." He watched the other's eyes, searching for more as Daniel finally scowled and paced over to the window, leaving Aiden to pick up on the underlying detail. "There's something else troubling you, isn't there?"

Daniel remained silent at first, gazing out into the cold and rigid shapes of the city skyline. He fought the urge to brush it off and sighed in answer instead. "My mother started a fund for Amanda Clarke."

Aiden digested it with a nod, still looking towards him. "I can't say that's a surprise really – any way to capitalize on the dearly departed."

Daniel turned around, walking back towards his desk. "Exactly – only she's not dead. And we're the only ones that know about it."

Aiden squinted, deciphering what appeared to be plaguing him. "Yes, that's true Daniel - a fact we swore to keep at our discretion?" he leered, hoping his partner was not reneging on their agreement.

But Daniel only distracted himself, shifting papers on his desk. "I'll put the nomination through first chance I get," he resigned finally, indicating he no longer wished to discuss it. "I'll meet you for lunch with the details."

Still curious, but ultimately pleased at his conclusion, Aiden appreciated the act with a cordial gesture and started for the door, allowing Daniel his space. But, the seed of doubt had been planted, and as Aiden departed he glanced back for a moment, wondering if Daniel's conscience would soon make for a fatal flaw.

 **SCENE**

Conrad twisted the handle to the apartment door cautiously, entering at a slow pace in the event he needed to quickly retreat. The living area was not the most inviting, though it was clearly well furnished. Once inside, he treaded softly past the lavish décor towards the bedroom. Stepping forward, he leisurely entered the quiet space and nearly jumped out of his skin when a figure suddenly brushed past in front of him.

"You can relax, Conrad." Lydia's dry voice startled him, her crisp tone breaking up the silence. She glided to the bed in a long robe, settling down once she reached where the sheets were unraveled. "There's no one else here."

Conrad let out a breath of relief, a bit embarrassed that he was sneaking around her apartment like a schoolboy. He continued into the room, watching her search through her nightstand drawer before removing a pill and swallowing it down with a glass of water. "I hear you've been a bit under weather," he greeted, eyeing the drawer once he was close. "Are you ah, are you supposed to be taking that?"

Lydia gave him a wry look. "It's children's Tylenol," she answered edgily, and swung her feet into bed, pulling the covers back. "And thanks for finally dropping by, but it's nothing serious."

Conrad chuckled, placing his hands on his knees as he sat down next to her. "Oh, that's not what I hear," he countered, gazing over. "When I told you to lay low until after Amanda's funeral, I certainly didn't expect you to take it _this_ literally?"

Lydia shot him an angry look, not appreciating his humor. "It's just a cold and a bit of nausea," she affirmed, trying to keep her head back to stabilize her queasiness. "I'll be ready for when the campaign forums start next week."

Conrad eyed her rounded abdomen. "Not looking like that you aren't," he retorted bluntly and Lydia closed her eyes to ignore the insult. "Darling, don't you think it's time you come up with an explanation for your growing midsection?"

Lydia answered without opening her eyes. "Other than the obvious?" He glared back at her until the silence finally prompted her to look at him. She sighed in response. "Conrad, I _told_ you I don't want to be in hiding anymore."

"By all means then," Conrad obliged, putting his hands up. "Don't. But please, find someone, _anyone_ to be your consort," he stood up from the side of the bed, starting to grow repulsed by the smell of sickness in the room. "And allow _them_ to proudly wear responsibility for your… condition."

He began to walk out when she finally responded. "Fine," she breathed desperately, restraining an urge to gag. "Evan Spradlin."

Conrad's eyes widened. "My _campaign manager_?" He scoffed at her suggestion with a pompous laugh. "You're more ill than I thought—"

"At least he's on the same side, Conrad," Lydia argued staunchly, gesturing with her chin. "So either tell the press he's the father or tell them the _truth_. I'll let you do the honors." She felt another urge coming on and coughed into the napkin she had nearby.

Not wishing to argue, Conrad put his hands up, resigned. "Have it your way," and started out of the room. He was not quite out before Lydia inserted one other reply.

"I see you already had _your_ way with Jack Porter," she called out, stopping him. "That was an impressive front you put up on live television, supporting his wife..." She managed a weak smile, attempting to recover from his condescending edge over her. "Did you do it out of guilt, or for your campaign numbers?"

Conrad couldn't resist grinning back before he left. "Well if there's any recompense for Amanda Clarke's untimely end I have _you_ to thank for that, my pet, remember?" he tossed back. "Fortunate for us both, Mr. Porter doesn't suspect a thing."

 **SCENE**

"What can I do for you?"

Jack's flat greeting stopped Emily short as she entered the _Stowaway,_ and a glance about twenty feet over confirmed she was minutes shy of beating Eli there. He leaned over the bar, waiting for Jack to return from where he addressed her as if she were just another patron and not the much treasured friend she used to be.

She bore his coolness with endurance. "Jack, listen, I know I hurt you," she relented, stepping in close to him. "I was just, um, kind of hoping that you'd give me another chance."

Jack eyed her suspiciously, still uncertain of where she stood, especially given the information he had acquired all in one morning. "Okay," he conceded. "How about you start by answering a question? When you and Amanda were in juvie, what was the opinion she had of her father?"

Emily creased her brow. "What do you mean?"

He threw a thumb in Eli's direction. "I got her foster brother here saying the entire time he knew her? She _hated_ her dad." He waited for an expected stunned response from Emily and continued when he received it. "Now if that's true, why would Amanda risk everything trying to prove that the Graysons had David Clarke framed?"

Incapacitated for words, Emily looked away guiltily, giving Eli just the opportunity to slip up behind Jack with an appreciative gesture. "Hey Jack, I've got to be going," he wished him off with a brisk handshake, while Emily took a nervous step backwards. "Will I be seeing you at the foundation party?"

Jack forced a brusque smile. "Wouldn't miss it."

"Good," Eli nodded appreciatively.

There was a pause and Jack noticed, motioning to introduce the two. "Ah, Eli, Emily—"

"Oh, don't worry," Eli quickly interjected, giving Emily a knowing glance. "Mrs. Grayson introduced us this morning."

The mention of the Graysons was all it took for Jack to abandon interest in the discussion, prompting him to walk away with a disappointed head shake. "Jack," Emily begged after him in respite, but he was already out of earshot, leaving Eli to entertain her an interested stare.

"Guy has got the weight of the world on his shoulders," Eli offered, suddenly intensifying his gaze. "Not at all the, uh, 'footloose dock boy' you told me about. Is he, _Amanda_?"

At the sound of her real name, Emily went rigid, turning at a glacial pace to meet eyes with him as he confirmed recognition. He reached over for her right hand, examining the infinity symbol on her wrist. "That's a nice tattoo," he added for good measure, letting her know just how he had put the pieces together. "You're lookin' pretty good for a dead girl."

 **SCENE**

"So what's the con?"

Emily sighed anxiously as she and Eli strolled along the bay in private, giving her time to digest the fact that yet another person in the Hamptons knew her true identity. "No con," she tried to assure him, uncomfortable parting with the full truth. "I just got sick of trying to outrun my name. So I traded it for the one I have now."

"So 'Emily Thorne' - that's the dead girl?" Eli wrinkled his brow, trying to make sense of it all. "That doesn't seem like an even trade to me. I mean, you got money and shed the name, but the stripper gets a broke-ass boyfriend and a one-way ticket to the bottom of the Atlantic?"

Emily stopped where they stood, anxious to bypass his accusations and sensitive to his description of her friend. "Eli, why did you come here?" she demanded in exasperation.

"I already told you - your _illegitimate_ sister invited me," he insisted.

Emily glossed over it. "If it's money that you want, I've got plenty of it. But I can't have you staying here." She shifted in place, her previous knowledge of his character allowing a slight drop in her guard. "Look," she leveled with him. "Just because you earned my trust over the years doesn't mean these people will give it just as liberally. Eventually, they're gonna figure you out."

Eli conceded. "Well, I can't have that. I've already got outstanding warrants in three states."

"So I've heard," Emily confirmed, volunteering the information she had Nolan pull up for her. At last, an opportunity presented itself. "What if I told you that I had a way to wipe your record clean?" she offered, hoping it would mean an easy fix and a swift departure.

"You can make that happen?" he asked with interest.

"I'll even provide the means for you to start over," she replied confidently. "On one condition - you just have to do it somewhere else."

 **SCENE**

"Yes, I'll look into it. I'm with him as we speak," Aiden ended his phone conversation as he approached the bar where his current partner in conspiracy sat, filling himself with yet more spirits. Daniel made for a pitiful sight, slightly hunched over as he drowned his troubles in a glass, signaling the waitress for another. Aiden interceded, tucking the open phone in his hand into his jacket pocket and then waving to the waitress to signify that Daniel was finished. She nodded, grateful for his wise intrusion.

"Daniel," Aiden accosted him, taking a seat. "I just got word that you held off on pushing the nomination through. Have I missed something; I thought we were on track?"

Daniel let out a mild chuckle, pulling back his sleeve to glance at his watch. "Well you missed lunch, by about fifteen minutes," he answered wryly.

Aiden shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, well as I was saying, I was detained by your father—"

"My entire _life_ has been detained by my father," Daniel interjected, the alcohol making him confessional and causing his words to slur. He turned to face Aiden with a look of guilt. "He's gotten me to follow in his footsteps instead of making my own name, he's pushing me into setting _you_ up," he paused to nob his head back and forth in thought. "Possibly for a life sentence," he drawled and then finished. "And on top of everything else… I'm lying to Emily."

Aiden sighed, recognizing the true source of his state. "So that's what this is all about." He rubbed at his forehead. "Daniel, you have to try to motor through this. I know it's, it's asking a lot and you weren't prepared for it but when I tell you that it will all pay off in the end—"

"Hah," Daniel suddenly broke into a high pitched laugh, knocking over his glass as he set it down. A few patrons looked over and Aiden quieted the onlookers with a controlled look, reaching over to try to steady his tipsy friend. "You mean when Emily finds out and never speaks to me again?" he stammered, twisting to move out of his chair. He struggled to find his balance, still talking anxiously. "Or – no, wait when she finds out _you_ staged the whole thing and comes after you instead—"

"Daniel, calm down—" Aiden attempted, putting a hand on his shoulder but instead he jerked away, accidentally elbowing the preppy suit next to him.

"Hey, king of the world, watch it!" the young man exclaimed, while Daniel seemed to not notice.

"You know what, she'll probably _praise_ you for what you did after all," Daniel kept at Aiden, in his face now. He grinned lopsidedly, a few loose strands of hair shaking over his eyes. "Hey, maybe you'll finally get your happily ever after—"

"Alright, that's enough, we're going," Aiden tried to pull at him once more, but again Daniel fought him off angrily, slamming back into the agitated man beside him even harder this time.

"Ay, _Grayson_ , what the hell is your problem?" the man stood to his feet, giving Daniel a shove. "You got handed the keys to the kingdom now you're here getting sauced before the closing bell?"

Daniel finally jerked around, leveling his opponent with a shove. "Hey, back off pal—" he began, a second shy of the man lunging forward to throw a punch, landing square under Daniel's eye. But Aiden was all too quick, and before Daniel could respond he slipped in between to restrain him from decking the instigator back.

"Say it walking, my friend!" Aiden commanded fiercely, and the man slowly backed off, trailing out of the restaurant with a glare.

"I don't need you to defend me!" Daniel insisted once Aiden let him go, straightening his jacket.

"Trust me, I was saving _that_ guy," Aiden assured him, leaning in closer. "And _you,_ from a lawsuit." He eyed him sternly, hoping to sober him up. "Now would you rather add that to your laundry list of problems," he paused, pulling out his phone. "Or would you prefer to speak to the source of them, herself?"

Daniel's face wrinkled in confusion. "What, you're gonna call Emily, put her on speakerphone while you confess?"

Aiden glanced around cautiously, lowering his voice to a whisper. "I wasn't referring to her; it's this ruse with _Amanda_ that's getting to you-"

"Yeah the names all start to blend together—" Daniel stammered, his drunken state only causing his confusion to intensify.

Aiden ignored it, gesturing to the phone for Daniel to take notice. "How would you like to allay your concerns by speaking to _Amanda_ directly?"

That got his attention. While Daniel watched intently, Aiden cued up a call, mentioning several prompts before he finally got through. Once satisfied with the connection, he handed the phone over, allowing Daniel to take it from his hand nervously and hold it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Daniel?" a soft voice echoed on the other line. "Look, Aiden told me what you're doing to protect the truth and—and I can't even begin to thank you. You have no idea how much you've helped me, and my family."

Daniel's eyes trailed upwards to Aiden, clearly recognizing it was in fact Amanda's voice. Aiden nodded at him, as if to impress the seriousness of their obligation to silence.

Amanda continued on the phone. "I know I don't have much time but I just wanted to say… I'm sorry for the things I said the day I saw you at Emily's beach house – and for not telling you the truth about the laptop." There was a pause and Daniel could sense she was sorting through a mix of emotions. "I put people's lives at risk and I know now—I know just how much you really care about her." She waited on him to confirm.

"I do," Daniel managed, understanding who she meant despite his legs growing weary from standing and the blurriness that was setting in his head.

"I was wrong to doubt you," she finished. "And I promise– I _will_ make this up to you someday. You and Emily both."

With the raise of Daniel's head in acceptance, Aiden noted that the conversation was coming to a close and reached over to take the phone from his hand. "Yes," Aiden concluded with her. "Thank you, that's all. I'll be in touch."

He ended the call matter-of-factly, keeping his interest on the effect it had on the intended. Just as he hoped, Daniel appeared to be sobering up already, despite now looking in need of someplace to sleep it off.

"So," Aiden addressed him. "Is that enough to go full ahead, or will you require further motivation?"

 **SCENE**

It felt slightly awkward for Emily to be entering Grayson Manor on Nolan's arm, despite him being her companion for countless other events in times past. But since her relationship with Daniel had rekindled over the summer, it was an adjustment to be without him, becoming more evident as she made her first public appearance at a party, sans his company.

"Emily," Victoria interrupted her stoic gaze, coming over to greet.

"Victoria," Emily put on a pretentious grin, pretending her glance of the room was to take in the guests in attendance. "Quite the turnout – I can only imagine what Amanda would say if she were here."

Nolan had to capitalize on her sly choice of words, slipping in a comment under his breath. "I can think of a few things," he muttered before speaking audibly. "Hello, Victoria."

"Nolan, it's lovely to see you," Victoria greeted him without noticing, and then redirected back to the former. "Emily, my apologies for not getting back to you on your offer to co-chair, but to be honest, with all your philanthropic commitments, I don't think that you have time to fulfill what this position demands."

Emily dipped her head in expectation, figuring on Victoria to find a way to exclude her. "So you found another candidate?"

"Well, I am considering my options," she answered discreetly, and sent a significant look over her shoulder towards Eli. "Excuse me," she added, before stepping away.

"Charming event," Nolan tacked on, loosening up once she was gone. "So," he commented to Emily, recognizing Eli, smiling amidst a small crowd of interested guests. "That's your 'brother from another _foster_ mother'? Much more handsome in person than his mugshot…"

Emily side-eyed his remark and lead Nolan in his direction, just as Eli broke away from his company. "Hey there, Emily, right?" Eli addressed her, playing coy.

"Eli, this is Nolan," Emily glossed, signaling he could drop the charade. "He's assisting in what we discussed."

"Got it," Eli quickly came around, giving Nolan an appreciative albeit skeptical nod. "Nice to meet you, Nolan."

"Shall we, then?" Nolan plunged right in, knowing his role well. "I'd like to get a jump on the raw bar." In a flash of seconds, he removed his cell phone from his inner pocket and pulled up Eli's criminal record on the federal database for him to see. Eli glanced at it nervously, feeling exposed until Nolan hit a sequence of keys and suddenly the listings beneath his name vanished. "Poof!" Nolan added once they were gone, gesturing for effect.

"And as promised," Emily chimed in, producing a check from her purse. "Some money to get you started somewhere else." She extended it to Eli, who slowly opened the folded check, his eyes widening at the six figures. "Now will you go?"

Eli sighed in relief, tucking the check into his own pocket in resolution. "That, uh, _was_ the deal, but I wouldn't want to be rude by bowing out of the party too soon," he grinned, somewhat mischievously and Emily shifted in expectation as he excused himself and returned to the guests.

Nolan eyed him when he walked away, while Emily stiffened at his side. "I am not entirely convinced your 'faux-bro' plans to hold up his end of the bargain," he inserted, hoping his friend had a back-up plan.

Emily followed him with her eyes, an idea already brewing as she spied Charlotte in the next room over. "Well, I'll just have to make sure he does."

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte?"

The youngest Grayson member shook out of her trance when she heard her name being called, looking up to see her boyfriend coming towards where she stood by the outside dais. "Declan, you made it," she stammered, receiving his hug a bit awkwardly.

"You looking for an escape route?" he commented when she pulled away, observing how close she was to the door. He looked on suspiciously. "Where were you all afternoon? I tried calling you."

Her eyes widened in recollection. "Sorry," she mumbled. "My day just slipped away—"

"Here you are," they were interrupted as Eli came over to Charlotte's side, bringing her a drink in hand. Emily followed a few steps behind, but quickly stopped in the doorway when she saw Eli engaging Charlotte in conversation. Instead, she faded back from a distance to watch the interchange.

"Hey, man," Eli greeted Declan, extending a hand. "Eli James."

"Hi," Declan replied uneasily, still with an eye on Charlotte. "Declan," he introduced himself.

"Eli grew up with Amanda," Charlotte rushed to explain, doing the same for Eli's sake. "Declan is Amanda's brother-in-law."

"And your _boyfriend_?" Declan added, giving her a funny look. She bowed her head, as if forgetting to acknowledge it.

Eli gave a slow nod in response, trying to diffuse the tension. "Ah. Well, Charlotte here is a sweetheart. She was nice enough to show me around the island this afternoon."

"So that's where your day went?" Declan deduced, ignoring Eli to focus on Charlotte completely. "Can we talk?"

Charlotte continued to avoid him. "Sure, but can it wait? There are a few people I wanted to introduce Eli to."

Eli winced at her reply, knowing it would only irritate her boyfriend further. "Hey, man," he offered sincerely before Declan could react. "Why don't I get you a drink—"

"You know what? I'm good," Declan brushed him off anyway, accepting Charlotte's indifference as a clear sign she didn't want him there. He took a few steps back. "You guys go ahead and, uh," he looked back at Charlotte. "You call me when you're not so preoccupied." With that he turned away, and noting Charlotte's embarrassment, Eli also excused himself, stepping into another room to give her space.

Sensing her opportunity, Emily perked up and came over to Charlotte's side. "Charlotte," she approached her, a kind sensitivity in her tone. "Are you alright?"

"Emily," Charlotte exhaled in relief, embracing her. She shook her head once they separated. "I don't know. Lately it seems like no one understands what I'm going through." She paused, adding, "Except maybe you?"

Emily sympathized immediately, and glanced towards the empty dais. "Come on," she offered. "Let's go outside."

Once outdoors and safely away from the noise and bustle of guests, Charlotte relaxed, allowing Emily to guide her into conversation. "I know you're missing Amanda," Emily began, relishing the opportunity to have a sisterly chat. "I miss her too."

Charlotte looked up into her eyes appreciatively. "I still can't believe she's not here." She sighed, staring off into the distance. "I've been avoiding the _Stowaway_. Declan thinks it's _him_ I'm avoiding but the truth is, it's so hard for me to go there knowing she's not just upstairs with Carl?" Emily listened quietly, empathizing with a soft look while Charlotte continued. "It's so unfair; I was _just_ getting to know her. I really liked having a sister."

A breath caught in Emily's throat as she watched her sister become emotional. Unable to stand by restrained, she finally extended an arm around Charlotte, pulling her close. "I know what you mean," Emily breathed sincerely, feeling her own emotions resurge. She rubbed Charlotte's arm, soothing them both with the gesture. "When you lose someone, sometimes it's easy to push away the ones that you still have," she reflected honestly. "You feel like you're betraying them by letting someone else take their place."

Charlotte sniffled, rubbing a tear from one eye to keep composed. She pulled her head up from where she was slightly resting on Emily to look up at her. "Is that why you've stayed away from Daniel lately?"

Emily was stunned for a second, realizing her reference could have more than one application. "Maybe," she entertained her, and while she instinctively thought otherwise her intuition argued that her sister might be right.

Charlotte began to collect herself, leaning forward onto the ledge in front of them. "I don't blame you or anything," she added in support. "Sometimes it's easier just to escape."

Sensing this was the point where she should redirect her, Emily persisted back. "Easier, yes," she agreed. "But not always best," she countered. "Charlotte, the one thing you don't want to do when you feel vulnerable is to put your trust in a stranger."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte grew curious.

Emily leaned in, mirroring her on the ledge. "I know right now Eli seems like the only thing you have left of Amanda, but do you really _know_ him?" She averted her eyes ahead, into the distance. "Amanda told me stories about growing up in that foster home – and none of them were good."

Charlotte stood at attention. "Like what?"

"Let's just say her and Eli were not as close as he's claiming," was all Emily felt comfortable offering in reply. She looked over and naturally, her sister's face had fallen, fearful of the guest she had invited into her home. "Charlotte, I know you want to help," she rushed to assure her. "And I'm not saying it isn't good what you're doing for him. Just… be careful."

"Mm," Charlotte mumbled, her mind already running in other places.

Emily noted her despair and slipped in the final seed of doubt. "Hey," she assured her with a tap of her hand. "It's not like Eli's going to be running the foundation or anything? You can trust your mother to look after that."

Suddenly worried, Charlotte's eyes danced around, projecting just the opposite. "Um, Emily can you excuse me for a moment?" she quickly begged off. "You just reminded me I need to talk to my mom about something."

"Of course," Emily nodded, watching her sister dash back inside. She swallowed a lump in her throat from her disingenuous line of questioning, but while it made her uneasy needing to use her sister that way, she knew in the long run it was the safest route.

With her work done, Emily turned to head back inside and then suddenly stopped short, catching a figure by the pool in her sight of the grounds. She doubled back a step to be certain and identified it without a doubt – it was Aiden, headed towards the pool house. Squinting in curiosity, Emily watched him until he disappeared and then continued back into the party, wondering what he was doing there, and more so, what he could be up to.

 **SCENE**

"You've got to be kidding me."

Daniel did a slow about-face as he peered into the mirror on his wall to examine his bruise and instead saw Aiden Mathis only a few steps behind him in his reflection. "Look, I know we recently forged a new partnership," he began. "But three times in the same day-?"

"Talk to Emily," Aiden cut him short, and just those few words caused Daniel to stop in his tracks, flabbergasted.

"What?" Daniel replied.

Aiden paused just in front of him, crossing his hands. "It's obvious the truth is the only thing preventing you from moving forward." He shrugged his shoulders once. "So tell her."

Daniel exhaled through his nose, brushing him off. "Aiden, the only reason I didn't put the paperwork through for your board nomination, is because I haven't been back to the office since the fight," he explained, dropping his head. "I came home to sleep it off."

"Understandable," Aiden acknowledged with a nod. "But, as I tried to inform you earlier, your father is growing impatient. And after your public brawl, he's hastened his efforts – he appointed me as treasurer of the Amanda Clarke Foundation."

Daniel's face dropped in reply. "This is getting out of hand."

"Yes, my reaction was quite similar until I realized the opportunity it's afforded us both," Aiden continued, leveling with his comrade. "I watched your countenance after you spoke with Amanda – and while I'm certain it had an effect, it's clearly not enough to cure your depression." Aiden waited for him to disagree but Daniel remained silent, stewing over the truth in his words. He continued. "Daniel, it was foolish of me to assume you have the same callous that it's taken me years to develop."

Daniel shrugged at his comment. "Not for lack of trying," he added grimly.

"Regardless," Aiden bypassed it in a humble manner. "With my appointment as treasurer to this foundation, it gives me the entry I need and it frees you from having to endure any further alliance with me, should you wish."

"That's not what I want," Daniel asserted, putting a hand up defensively. "In fact, if anything that's only more reason you need me now to watch your back."

Aiden wore a contrary expression. "Likely, but you have to admit, this war with your parents has tested your limits. Emily and I have been trained not to allow our emotions cloud our objective…" he trailed off, fighting memories of their shared past together. "You, on the other hand," he regrouped. "Well, we both know where your sensitivities lie."

Daniel gave his head a shake, becoming annoyed by the exposure of his own weaknesses. And yet, while Emily's presence had escaped him of late, he knew Aiden was subtly acknowledging her influence and could not argue that he was wrong.

Sensing Daniel's conflict, Aiden quickly inserted. "Look, Emily and I have not even spoken since the _Amanda_ , and once this mission is complete I'll be gone from the Hamptons—never to see either of you again." He halted after putting his honest decree out in the open, as if it were a resignation. "This is your chance to sever ties amicably _and_ , to make things right – to tell her everything."

Daniel mulled over the proposition, seeing nothing but genuine transparency in his request. "What about Takeda?" he asked. "I thought he forced you to confidence for Emily's sake?"

Aiden shrugged his lip. "So, it derails her temporarily," he predicted. "It's not the first time I've disobeyed his orders." Daniel squinted at his caustic response, not expecting him to be so intentionally defiant. "She'll get back on track. But the sooner you tell her and get it over with, the sooner we can move on to more important things," Aiden continued, throwing caution to the wind.

"Like what my father has up his sleeve for that fund," Daniel finished for him, lowering his eyes in thought. "You know by now, this is more than just framing you for what the Initiative is up to, right? I mean, there's gotta be something else," he assessed wisely, checking with Aiden for confirmation. "Even if I do come clean to Emily, are you willing to take that risk?"

Aiden stepped in close, sealing the space between him and Daniel to mere inches. "Daniel, in the short time I've worked with you, I can say with certainty that I trust you to finish what we've started. And even you're met with difficulty – well, that's where you'll find Emily a most helpful ally."

Daniel pondered on his words, beginning to understand the picture from Aiden's viewpoint. His comrade had clearly thought out every possibility, concluding that at least with Emily in the know, as much as she might hate themfor keeping the truth from her, she would still further their mission by siding with Daniel, and thwarting both his parents' and the Initiative's plans.

"From where I stand," Aiden concluded, affirming Daniel's thoughts. "I've got nothing to lose."

"You're a good man, Mathis," Daniel digressed after much consideration, clasping his shoulder in appreciation. Aiden relaxed his stance, gaining hope that Daniel had conceded. But despite his renewed respect, Daniel remained resilient, a matured brevity in his response. "But I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

 **SCENE**

"Who told you this, dear?"

Victoria perched at the doorway of a private room, watching her party guests from afar while her daughter pleaded a sudden barrage of concerns about Eli, behind her.

Charlotte sighed. "Mom, that's not important – we need to be _careful._ I don't want anything but the best for Amanda's foundation," she insisted.

"But, of course," Victoria assured her. "It's just not like you to be so capricious in your feelings – especially about someone you spent nearly the entire afternoon with?" Charlotte lowered her head bashfully and Victoria suddenly grew interested on a different level. "Darling, he hasn't tried anything with you, has he?"

"No!" Charlotte exclaimed emphatically, annoyed she was gathering the wrong impression. "No, not at all, I just—" she glanced around, searching for another way to subvert her mother's opinion. "Earlier, there was an awkward run-in with Declan, but—"

"Ah, so _that's_ what this is all about," Victoria deduced, drawing her conclusion with a chuckle. "Declan's concerned that your interest in another young man is going to affect your relationship," she tilted her head in non-opposition. "Well, if that's the case perhaps he _should_ be worried. Eli James has more than enough to recommend himself over that simple dockworker—"

"Mom, that's not fair!" Charlotte retorted in defense.

Victoria turned to dissuade her protest. "I'll tell you what isn't fair. That an ambitious young man should be ousted from his deceasedfoster sister's foundation, simply because it's making a local suitor _jealous?_ " She clucked her tongue in disappointment. "Charlotte, think of the opportunity we would be denying him. Now, please, _who_ told you this information?"

Charlotte huffed in defeat. "Never mind," she gave in ruefully, storming past. "It's no wonder I have to go outside the family to find peace of mind. That's the only time someone actually _listens_ to me."

"Where are you going?" Victoria called after her, as her daughter continued into the hall, headed towards the main stairwell.

"I'm calling Declan to apologize," Charlotte shouted over her shoulder, the magnitude of how much she had hurt him finally sinking in.

Troubled only slightly by Charlotte's departure, Victoria returned her attention to the party. She glowered as she watched Eli from afar, surrounded by eager donors – among them a very stern faced Emily Thorne. Suddenly developing a theory for Charlotte's confidant, she made her way over to the group, aiming to investigate.

"Mr. James," Victoria addressed him as he gave her his undivided attention. "Please, tell us all more about your relationship with Amanda – what was it like growing up together?"

Eli sighed reflectively. "Well, it was tough. At the foster home where we lived, Amanda and I were called invisibles – the kind of kids adoptive parents wanted nothing to do with, too old, too jaded. Only thing we had to rely on was each other." He shook his head gloomily. "I don't think I could imagine a sadder way to grow up. It wasn't easy, especially for Amanda. She was a troubled girl."

Emily interjected defensively. "Well, who's to judge? After the hand life dealt her, whose daughter she was…"

Victoria balked at the interruption, sensing her theory was soon to be proved right. "And yet, here _you_ are," she countered to Eli. "A shining example of a child who persevered from a foster home, to Columbia University..."

Emily smirked at Victoria's unknowing dig. "No doubt, despite your perseverance, you attribute good fortune to certain _privileges_ given along the way," she replied to Eli, heavily referencing Nolan's favor for his criminal record.

Eli licked his outer lip at her clever repartee, juxtaposed between both women. "Well, in the face of tragedy, yes, I count myself lucky."

Victoria smiled at their banter, expecting as much. "You'll have to excuse Ms. Thorne's passion, Mr. James," she inserted, leveling a sharp look in Emily's direction. "She was a close friend of Amanda's up until her untimely death. She'd go to any length to protect her integrity," she paused, concluding that Emily must have been the one that swayed Charlotte and hoping that she would retreat after deftly uncovering her attempt.

Emily cocked an eyebrow to Victoria's draw, but Eli quickly interrupted their standoff. "More than understandable," he assured Victoria. "And she's right, you know. I _was_ fortunate to go on to a better home, a family who adopted me and gave me a real education," he lied seamlessly, removing Emily's folded check from his inner pocket to top off his claim. "Which is why I wanted to donate _this_ to the cause," he ended.

Victoria took the check from Eli's extended hand and read it off proudly. "$100,000," she sighed confidently, holding it up as proof to Emily of his reliability.

"In honor of Amanda, and all of the invisible children," Eli added, sticking it to Emily with a final look of disdain. Emily swallowed back the anger burning in her chest, leave for one last exhale after Victoria's next remark.

"Well, then," Victoria continued. "I think there's no better time than now to extend the invitation I've been waiting to offer. Mr. James – would you do me the great honor of joining me as co-chair for the Amanda Clarke foundation?"

Eli raised his eyebrows in mock-impression. "I could think of nothing I'd rather do more!" he accepted graciously, sending the nearby guests to erupt in applause while Emily scowled in amazement. She was seconds away from piping in again, when suddenly a voice was heard on the sound system from the front of the room. Everyone turned in attention, including Emily, who was shocked at what she saw.

"Uh, evening, everyone," Jack was speaking into a microphone at the head of the room. "I'm Jack Porter. Amanda was - she was my wife."

As Jack paused to look at the large photo of Amanda displayed beside him, Nolan used the opportunity to creep over to Emily's side, exchanging a sour glance as they watched their friend seemingly embrace all they knew to be a farce.

"But in light of everything that, uh, happened," Jack continued, staring at Conrad and then to Victoria. "I realized I can count my true friends on one hand," he paused to send a suspicious look past Emily, and then suddenly wore a broad, albeit cunning smile. "And the _Graysons_ are among them."

 **SCENE**

"Jack, what are you doing here?"

Nolan took the first step forward to approach Jack after his unprecedented speech, nearly floored by his apparent support of the family responsible for his wife's death. He pulled him aside to a quiet corner where they could speak in private.

"Practicing," Jack replied with a devious look.

Nolan continued to stare back in surprise. "Practicing what?"

"Lying through my teeth like you and Emily," Jack finished, and Nolan felt a lump form in his throat.

"Whoa, whoa, buddy—" he began, but Jack was set on confronting him.

"You knew the guy who hijacked the boat, Nolan." Jack accused him with darkness in his eyes that Nolan had never seen before. "He said you hired him to protect us but I think he went off course and you were forced to clean up his mess."

"Jack, what are you talking about—" Nolan was legitimately bewildered.

" _You_ were the one who rescued me!" Jack burst in anger. "Yeah I went investigating to find out who brought me to the shore and the dock hand that saw the whole thing described someone a lot like you _._ You were _there_ the night Amanda died—"

Nolan began breathing rapidly, frantic to shake him from the idea. "Okay, Jack, listen, _no one_ was working for me, I—"

"No, I'm done listening to you," Jack cut him short again. "I don't care if he worked for you or Conrad, whatever – if you or Emily were my real friends, you would've told me the truth in the beginning!" He shot a glance around the party. "And you wouldn't be here rubbing elbows with the people responsible for Amanda's death, the very people she came here to destroy!"

With that Jack stormed off, a firm look of disgust on his face despite Nolan's attempts to try to calm him. Emily was by his side in seconds, having spied their awkward interchange from just a few feet away. "What was that about?" she inquired anxiously.

"Uh, nothing I can't handle," Nolan fibbed, partially embarrassed that he had not been better prepared for Jack's sleuthing, and aware that Emily would not want to hear of his failure. "You've got your hands full right now," he relayed, gesturing to Eli who was breaking away from a group of congratulatory donors to head towards her.

As Nolan left, Emily disappeared out of the room, returning to the outside dais where she had talked with Charlotte earlier. As hoped, Eli came out a few seconds later looking for her, giving her the opportunity to speak with him in confidence.

"I thought we had a deal," she called out to him from a shadowy corner.

"So did I," Eli digressed as he approached, crossing his arms behind his back. "Until I overheard your sistercrying to her boyfriend on the phone," he finished, giving her an expectant look. "I'm guessing that was _after_ you had her relay your warning against me to Victoria?"

Emily glared. "Precautionary measures," she replied flatly, feeling no obligation to explain.

"I bet," Eli humored her. "But with you handing out $100,000 checks, it's obvious that there's more to the story than you're telling me, and now you've got me curious…" he lingered in his gaze on her, hoping she would divulge her true intent but Emily just stared back, piercing him with unflinchingly cold eyes.

They were softened only by an interruption in the form of Daniel, barging out onto the dais to break up the conversation. "Emily!" he exhaled, relieved to have found her. Eli stepped aside, allowing him through. "Hi," Daniel barely mumbled in his direction before facing his intended. "Can I talk to you?"

Flustered, Emily took a step back. "Yeah, I was just on my way home, actually," she responded, the concern in Daniel's face quickly trumping her aside with Eli.

"Even better," Daniel sighed. "I'll walk you."

 **SCENE**

"Daniel, what's wrong?"

Emily leaned her weight on the low counter of her kitchen ledge, not even removing her coat before searching for answers in Daniel's eyes on the other side.

He hesitated at her insistence, loosening his necktie while he glanced around the familiar room. "It's … it's been a while since I've been here," he commented glumly. "The last time I was trying to stop you from leaving," he reflected. "I should have never wasted a second."

Emily furrowed her brow, not following what he was getting at despite recalling the memory. "Daniel, that's all over and done with," she sighed, tossing her handbag onto the counter. She shook her head, staring downward. "There's nothing you can do about that now. What's going on?"

She continued to study his face but he was distracted, so instead of continuing to push she just followed suit instead, allowing them both to be comforted by silence. Daniel looked up as he sensed her drift off and waited, hoping that she would speak first so he did not have to.

"You know these past few days I've had a lot of time to think," she divulged first, surprisingly. Her eyes flickered up to fixate onto his. "And if losing Amanda has taught me anything, it's that I can't take for granted any of the people that I've ever loved." She inhaled deeply, drawing on her earlier conversation with Charlotte. "And that includes you."

Daniel let out a painful sigh, closing his eyes momentarily. The last thing this moment needed was an open admission of her feelings to further complicate everything. "Em—" he began, but she continued.

"Daniel, if you came here to talk to me about Amanda, you need to know what happened to her was not your fault," she asserted, shaking her head. "Or anyone else's, for that matter," she added, self-consciously thinking of Aiden. "If there's anyone to blame, it's me. I brought her into this – I asked her to take my place in society, as a pariah, a misfit… an invisible." She let out a regretful sigh. "You know Eli's right – all the time I was thinking she could have a better life, she was getting the raw end of the deal."

Although he knew little of what Emily meant about Eli, Daniel was sure he could not let her self-condemning go on. "Emily, _wait,_ " he insisted, taking hold of her hands. "I did come to talk to you about Amanda, but that's not it. There's something else you should know."

Emily snapped up to attention. "What is it?"

Again, Daniel felt his mouth lock, preventing him from just saying it, and as if on delay his brain suddenly began processing the words Emily had just spoken. _If losing Amanda has taught me anything, it's that I can't take for granted any of the people that I've ever loved. And that includes you._ He replayed them in his head, recognizing it was the first time she had ever alluding to truly loving him since revealing her identity. Consumed by the rare precious quality of the moment, another set of words reverberated in his mind, this time from earlier that day. _I was wrong to doubt you,_ Amanda had said _. And I promise– I will make this up to you someday. You and Emily both._

His thoughts vacillated back and forth as if on seesaw, and he felt Emily staring at him in apprehension, trying to figure him out. When she raised her eyebrows to prompt him to speak, he finally made a choice. "It's about the foundation," he finally exhaled.

"What about it?" Emily pressed in interest.

Daniel let out an anxious sigh. "I looked into it – the fund my parents are forming for her – it's a front." He watched as a puzzled look fell on Emily's face and continued to explain, relaxing with each word he spoke. "After the downing of Flight 197, the investigation tied up all of their capital, so this time they've decided to sink every penny they have into that fund to keep it safe. They're hiding their money in this foundation in case there's an investigation and their assets are frozen."

Emily groaned in exasperation, shaking her head. "I should have known they would do this, I can't believe I didn't see that coming—"

"Trust me, the only reason I did was because of Aiden," he explained quickly, forgetting that Emily would not be aware of their recent alliance.

"Aiden?" she asked. " _He_ told you this? I didn't even know you were working with him again?"

"Ah, yes," Daniel stammered, trying not to let on to the depth of their newfound friendship. "All thanks to my father for that one – he's the one that wanted him back in the fold."

Emily nodded, drawing a conclusion. "So that's what he's been up to," she deduced. "I saw him go into the pool house tonight."

"My parents want to use him as the patsy for this whole thing," Daniel divulged, hoping it would distract her. He put his hands up in mock surrender. "But I can't do it – Emily, I know I've been jealous about your past with him, but trust me when I say I could _never_ do to someone what my parents did to your father, alright?"

Emily's eyes widened, blinking away a twinge of guilt. "Daniel, I know," she assured him. "I believe you."

He relaxed and then reached out for her hands again. "Look, the bottom line is – no matter what may have gone on between us, or what you had with Aiden – this still isn't over." She lowered her head but a gentle squeeze from him prompted her to look up again. "And despite what I said about doing this all on my own – I can't. I need your help."

Unable to turn away from the sincere pleading in Daniel's eyes, Emily stared back down at his hand and then suddenly leaned forward, pulling him into an embrace. Over her shoulder, Daniel's expression calmed, and despite feeling disappointed in himself for not coming clean, having her to rely on was enough to help him through.

Emily nestled her cheek into the nape of his neck as they hugged tight, and for the first time that week she felt at ease and in control of her destiny once again. Letting out a breath, she gave the slightest nod over his shoulder to confirm his request for her help.

"You have it."

 **SCENE**

"And the king sat in his counting room counting all his money."

Victoria wandered into Conrad's study with a glass of wine in hand, observing her husband shamelessly doing just what she said, sorting through the pile of checks collected from the party that had ended just an hour prior.

"While the queen was in the parlor eating bread and boozing," Conrad shot back in jest, affording a smile at the upbeat occasion. "Ooh," he remarked suddenly, coming across a particular donation. "There's quite a healthy buy-in from Mr. James - $100,000." He raised an eyebrow, wondering if his wife had any background on the matter. "The question is, what is it he's expecting to buy?"

Victoria ignored it in favor of a hefty sip from her glass. As far as she was concerned, Eli had proved trustworthy, and even if he was buying his way to something, it comforted her to know it was a decision that rattled Emily Thorne. "Did we raise enough money to form a legitimate charity?" she prodded her husband.

"Just shy of $5 million," Conrad answered. "No one can accuse you of being an underachiever, my dear."

Victoria slipped him a sly grin at the slippery compliment, drawing attention to a noted absence before their interchange became too cozy. "Don't you have an appointed _countess_ to aid you with this?" she posed, giving a look around the room. "Where was Lydia this evening?"

"Indisposed," Conrad replied shortly, averting his eyes back to the pile. "But grateful, no doubt, that you dearly _missed_ her presence," he taunted with sarcasm.

Victoria bypassed with indignation. "Relieved, actually," she countered with a snort, eyeing the checks on the table. "If only to know there won't be a miscount in the receipts." Her artful response was followed by the addition of another check to the pile, subsequent to Daniel's entrance into the room.

"Might raise a red flag if I didn't support our own cause," Daniel addressed them as he set the check down. "Make sure the treasurer knows it's tax-deductible," he added with a newfound stillness in his voice fresh off his conversation with Emily. He turned to leave and then stopped short. "Oh, and with your support, the board should confirm Aiden Mathis by Friday." With that he exited in confident stride while Conrad gave Victoria an impressed albeit inquisitive look.

Meanwhile, Daniel's spirit was renewed as he made the walk to the pool house, knowing even if his parents believed they had bested him in cunning, he was now back on track. He would follow Aiden's advice too, concealing his motives from the enemy, leave for confessing the truth to Emily. That was something he still held reserve over, realizing that Takeda was right – Emily's drive and prowess would only intensify with the burden of her loss. He wondered could that have been Aiden's endgame all along – to get him to see the value in discretion? Or did he really want him to purge his conscience? Either way, the small measure of guilt he had to endure would be worth the payoff of taking down his family later. And for his sake, he could only hope seeing Amanda in the flesh would help Emily forgive him again.

 **SCENE**

With Daniel's departure and the information he left behind, Emily too had a new sense of determination as she answered Nolan's late night call at her bedside. "Hey, how's Jack?" she asked.

"Still a work in progress," the other replied discreetly, strolling down the docks of the _Stowaway._ As Jack was still not convinced that Nolan was not a part of the conspiracy on the _Amanda_ he decided not to let on until he had good news to report."How's the latest chapter from the 'Book of Eli'?" he deflected.

"Still being written," Emily digressed, recalling how their last conversation ended. "But now that Victoria named him as co-chair perhaps he'll cooperate by giving us an entry to the foundation. Speaking of, you said that Carrion can overtake any host computer?" she suddenly asked. "Is that true?"

"Oh, it's never met a firewall it couldn't level in seconds, without a trace," Nolan recollected with pride. "It's marvelous, really. But, uh, I know you didn't call to sweet-talk technology?"

Emily smirked. "Daniel stopped by tonight with a gold mine – the Graysons are planning to move their entire fortune into the Amanda Clarke Foundation. If we can access that account, then we could—"

"Bankrupt the Graysons," Nolan finished in unison with her. "Wow, _literally_ a gold mine – almost enough to sidetrack me from the fact that you just said, _Daniel_ stopped by, was it?" He grinned presumably. "Are you two… back on?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Nolan," she groaned.

"Judging by your tone of voice, he's not still there," her prying friend continued. "Don't worry, I won't compromise the firewall around your ambiguous love life," he joked. "Just, glad to see you back to normal again." Emily sidestepped the observation, removing her earrings to place them at her nightstand where the photo of her and Daniel still remained. Even miles away, Nolan's assessment of her emotions was fairly accurate. Sensing as much, he continued on. "So then, back to that Achilles you've discovered."

"It's not the only one we need to sever," Emily affirmed. "Daniel also told me his father named Aiden as treasurer of the foundation. They're setting him up, Nolan."

"Yikes," Nolan reacted, quickly losing momentum. "Uh, is this the part where you tell me you _knew_ him going off on his own would present a problem?"

Emily spared him the reminder but remained stern. "I'm sure he thinks it's just an opportunity to get close, but he has no idea what the Graysons have planned."

"And how does Danny feel about all this?" Nolan questioned. "He _did_ just stumble across your shaded past together a week ago."

"That's just it," Emily answered, discerning his intent as she related it. "He was oddly defensive of him." She shook away a stray thought. "It's not that surprising though, Daniel may be jealous but he's not out to hurt anyone, not even Aiden. He wouldn't be able to live with that kind of betrayal – and neither could I."

Nolan absorbed, pondering what was next. "So – my guess is our next stop is to confirm, with the source?"

Emily agreed in response. "You've been working with Aiden lately – where can I find him?"

"Oh, just a little safe haven no one knows about," Nolan answered with a smug grin. "Except me."

 **SCENE**

"Nolan?"

Aiden pulled open his front door in near-alarm, not expecting the technological guru's presence to start his morning. Nevertheless, there Nolan stood, a laptop bag draped over his shoulder as he entered without being invited and took a look around. "So, this is where 'Aiden-san' waxes off," he teased, eyeing his pressed suit and the portfolio at his side. "Sorry to show up unannounced, _neighbor_ , but I was hoping to borrow say, a cup of sugar and the routing info for the Amanda Clarke Foundation?"

Aiden narrowed his brow, pausing in the open doorway as he looked down at the portfolio in hand protectively. "How do you know about that?"

In answer to his question, Emily stepped forward into view, drawing Aiden to look over at her. Sensing the awkward reunion afoot, Nolan leaned over to snatch the portfolio from Aiden and start towards the kitchen. "Don't mind me – this won't take but a second," he declared on exit.

Aiden stiffened at Emily's presence, lowering his head. "I can expect why you're here," he guessed.

She took a step forward as he moved aside, bravely meeting him eye-to-eye. "Daniel told me what happened," she began, as he secured the heavy door behind her. But as he turned about expecting an accusation, instead she stood with sympathy in her eyes. "The Graysons are trying to get you to take Conrad's seat on the board."

Aiden cocked his head abruptly, surprised. "Ah, _yes_ ," he confirmed, edging forward. "Yes, that's true; he even made me treasurer of the Amanda Clarke Foundation."

Emily nodded. "Aiden, that foundation is a fraud," she explained. "It's a cover for the Graysons to hide all of their money in the event there's an investigation, which there _will_ be if the Initiative succeeds in whatever they're planning."

"I see," Aiden pretended to absorb it as new knowledge, coming around her to get his briefcase in the kitchen. "And was that _all_ Daniel told you?" he pressed cautiously.

Emily followed him, outstretching her arms in emphatic gesture. "Isn't that enough?" she pleaded. "Aiden, don't you see what's happening – they're trying to make you the next David Clarke!"

Aiden felt an odd sensation as it became evident that Emily still did not know the truth about Amanda. "Ah, I'm aware of that fact," he replied to her anxious warning. He reached over to where Nolan was typing away furiously and snatched back the routing information. "I'll take this back if you don't mind," he stated dryly, slipping the portfolio under his arm and preparing to leave.

"So this is your plan?" Emily continued to interrogate him, following him down the hall.

"I take it you two will be spending the afternoon here, then?" he asked over his shoulder. "Would you mind locking up when you're done? Oh, and waiting to dismantle the fund until _after_ my announcement—"

"Aiden!" Emily stopped him short, catching him before he went out the door. "Are you sure you know what you're getting into?"

Unable to shake her completely, Aiden finally tempered. "If all goes to plan, this should be mutually beneficial for all of us," he insisted with a kind look. "So," he attempted to divert again, gesturing for her to look at his attire. "How do I look? Like someone about to go to a board induction, hopefully?"

Emily could not help but roll her eyes at his cavalier approach, humoring him with a smirk. "I would say that you look the part of both board member of a corrupt company and treasurer for a bogus charity, yes," she conceded after studying his appearance.

Aiden chuckled at her sarcasm, seeing it as a glimmer of hope that she was starting to get comfortable with him again. There was an awkward moment as he felt his cue to leave, and out of habit he nearly leaned in for a softer goodbye, but instead nodded respectfully. "Wish me luck," he whispered, and then he was off on his way.

Emily sighed as she watched him go, picturing him marching off to crucifixion by yet another plot hatched by the Graysons. And as much as the hardness around her heart persisted, it was difficult not to sympathize for the extent he was willing to go to see justice served. Between his voluntary spirit to take the fall and Daniel's driven determination not to let him, she was starting to feel inundated by selfless acts from the two former adversaries. And even if they appeared to be fighting on the same side for the time, eventually she knew a choice would have to be made.

"Uh, Houst _ems_?" Nolan's voice interrupted her deep thought from afar as he clicked away on his laptop. "We _may_ have a problem…"

With resignation, she abandoned her concerns to answer Nolan's request and walked back towards the kitchen, knowing that at least for now, the choice she had to make would have to wait.

 **SCENE**

"Are you ready to complete your training?"

Amanda fidgeted impatiently, leaning her weight to one side as she stared out over the water from the precipice upon which she stood. While her last stint overseas had also been a breathtaking experience, it was marred by being heavy with child, too anxious to take in her surroundings. Now, as she faced Takeda on the very landing where he once trained Emily, she had nothing but time and attention to give to the moment. And yet, despite the forced circumstances, she still could not concentrate.

"I'm ready to go home and see my family," she sighed, choking back tears.

Takeda's expression remained rigid, without a single crease of emotion. "Not possible," he informed her. "Not yet."

Amanda fretted, wiping her face. " _Then when?"_ she demanded, shaking her head. "I can't go on living off five-minute phone calls to your hired help for updates!" she exclaimed angrily. "I miss Jack – I miss my baby—"

"You will return when Emily has finished what she started," Takeda interrupted, demanding her focus. When she met his eyes they were unyielding, disapproving of her clear signs of weakness.

Amanda accepted the indifference, accustomed to it. "And how am I supposed to pass the time until then?"

"Train," Takeda answered flatly, taking steps closer to her as she tensed in response. "Build your physique," he commanded, clasping her arm with a firm hand. She flinched, but remained as still as possible while he circled her, looking over the tattered clothing she still wore from the night of her rescue. When he reached her other shoulder, he stopped behind her, taking hold of the long curls that draped her shoulder. "Your appearance betrays your identity," he declared in observation. "You must change it."

"Haven't I changed my identity enough?" Amanda's face wrinkled in protest as she turned to watch him come around her. Suddenly, she felt him firmly grip her hair in hand and draw his sword. In the flash of an eye he had neatly sliced the chunk in half, leaving the shortened piece to fall almost at the nape of her neck.

Amanda gasped in shock, touching the chopped tresses in horror with her fingers but again Takeda extended his weapon, blocking her with the shaft. "You must learn to leave the past behind," he instructed, and this time she let her hand drop back to her side, staring him down angrily. But he did not falter, only continued to coach her. "Only when you render yourself an _invisible_ foe will you defeat your enemies."

"Fine," Amanda conceded, working harder to control her emotions. "I can do that." Takeda finished encircling her so that they were now face to face and Amanda lifted her head, drawing up determination from recent events. "The Graysons are _my_ enemies too now. But how do I defeat them without getting in Emily's way again?"

Takeda allowed his mouth to curl up slightly in the closest semblance to a smile he would ever show. "You must be prepared to take your rightful place. Every warrior must train a student," he paused for emphasis. "In the event he becomes a _successor_."

Amanda paused in surprise. "Wait – you're saying you think she could _fail_ at her mission?" She shook her head skeptically. "I don't believe that for a second, she's given up everything for this – her entire life!"

Takeda remained poised, undaunted by her proud statement and only stared back in silence, allowing her to draw her own conclusion. After a few moments passed, the effect was achieved – Amanda realized that what she had just said was the reason why she had to train. It was the only factor that could impel her to work relentlessly until a time came for her to return. Emily had given up her entire life for her mission – including her chance at happiness. The very family Amanda yearned to see, Jack and Carl, were only hers as a result of Emily's sacrifice – and she owed her everything for it. As the reality sank in, Amanda straightened up her stance, taking a defiant step closer to show she was ready to begin.

"Emily isn't going to fail," she stated confidently, planting her feet.

"How can you be certain," Takeda replied, his question sounding more like a statement with his domineering presence.

"Because," Amanda answered, taking position for her first lesson. "I won't let her."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: There you have it my friends! The "Revengers" pack is growing rapidly! I really hope you enjoyed this revised twist of Illumination; it was a lot of fun working in the Eli storyline while still dealing with the fallout of the changes in Retribution! In answer to some of your requests, it was important to see Daniel/Aiden continuing to forge their partnership together, even if it meant Aiden helping Daniel grapple with the weight of guilt. Did you expect him to crack in the end? He was close! But the secret remains… How did you guys like the Emily/Charlotte sister moment? That was also another fan request – thanks for the suggestion, I also couldn't wait to give them some bonding time. And of course, Demily continues on with some heavy moments even though as you can see, there is still confrontation on the horizon! True to form, it was important to show Emily still at a crossroads now that** _ **both**_ **her present/past romantic interests are fighting for her, even though Jack is still currently on the outs :/ And lastly, stay tuned for some exciting developments as Amanda begins her own quest! So I hope you guys liked this chapter and please give me your feedback when you get a chance, I know it's a long read and it takes time, but your words are seriously such treasures for me to see! I can't thank you enough for all your support from before and hope this brings a little smile to your day! :) Till next time! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	17. Chapter 17: Victory

**Chapter 17: Victory**

 _In the art of war, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the approaching battles. But if you know only yourself and not your enemy, for every victory there will also be defeat…_

Aiden slipped a towel around his waist as he emerged from the shower into his steam-filled bathroom. As he approached the sink to finish getting ready, the creak of footsteps down the hall of his private home drew his attention. He relaxed, recalling that Nolan had mentioned stopping by to discuss a glitch in his plans to hack the Amanda Clarke Foundation. Breathing easier, he leaned halfway into the hall to call out to him.

"Hey, I'm just getting ready, I'll be out in a minute," he called ahead. "Any luck on trying to ID that bird-named computer hack you and Emily came upon?" Not hearing a response, he continued curiously into the hallway, tousling his dampened hair with a hand towel. "What was the name of your target again –?" he began.

"The Falcon," a feminine voice responded. Aiden froze upon turning the corner to see Emily waiting for him instead, her purse in arm.

"Oh, ah, sorry," Aiden stammered. "I thought you were Nolan." He suddenly became aware of his scanty covering and tightened the towel around his waist, but Emily did not seem to notice. "I – uh, take it you're not here trying to I.D. a digital terrorist so," he paused thoughtfully. "Why _are_ you here?"

"To talk to you about Jack," Emily stated plainly, setting her purse down on the counter. "And Daniel," she added.

Aiden couldn't resist the urge to chuckle. "Well it's rather early for a drink, wouldn't you say?" he joked, hinting at her mention of the two names. Emily tilted her head with an unamused look and he turned to step out of the room. "Very well then, if you don't mind I'd prefer to be fully clothed for this conversation."

Emily obliged him with a nod and elevated her voice to continue speaking from the hallway. "Nolan's been at his wits end trying to convince Jack he had nothing to do with what happened on the _Amanda_ ," she began.

"Let me guess, Porter went digging to find out who brought him ashore," Aiden replied from the bedroom.

Emily grazed over it impatiently. "Even better," she retorted sarcastically. "The information he had didn't require any digging. He said when you were on the _Amanda_ you told him _Nolan_ sent you?"

Aiden paused anxiously, recalling she was right. "Yes, I was in danger of betraying your identity if I said anything else, I couldn't risk that."

Emily looked upwards, crossing her arms in disappointment. "Well I think it goes without saying you did that the moment you got _on_ the boat, but now you may have put Nolan at risk instead," she huffed.

After a brief silence, Aiden stood in the doorway of his bedroom to face Emily, now fully clothed and buttoning his dress shirt. "Tell him to deny it then," he answered with a shrug. "Say I was working for Grayson. It's true, isn't it?" With a stern look he turned to go back into his room and Emily followed him inside.

"Yes, apparently more than you've been forthright about," she leered, an accusatory edge beginning to form in her tone.

Remaining calm, Aiden only let out another chuckle and finished dressing in his mirror. "Emily, you've been aware of my board induction at Grayson Global for almost a week now, in fact you were here the morning I left for it." He turned away from her, propping his foot on a hassock so he could tie his shoe.

Emily smirked. "I wasn't questioning your alignment with Grayson Global; I've given up dissuading you from getting close to the Initiative. I was referring to your alliance with _Daniel_." With the emphasis on the last few words, Aiden remained still in anticipation as she continued. "Jack also said you took a call from him while you were on the boat—what was that about?"

Aiden finally turned to face her, albeit uneasily. "Jack's been doing a lot of talking lately, hasn't he?"

"Is there anything you want to tell me, Aiden?" Emily stepped closer after a beat, examining him with a keen eye.

Aiden shrugged, averting her. "Anything in particular you're expecting to hear?"

He slipped a tie around his collar. When Emily continued to stare without implying anything, he resolved that her intrigue was limited just to what she had heard, but that was the full extent of her knowledge.

"Well, if not," he continued, flapping his tie over sloppily. "Then all I can say is to feel free to lay the blame on my affiliation with Grayson Global. It's certainly going to be my undoing anyway, isn't it?" he added with flair.

Emily remained unentertained by his attempts at humor, reaching over to interrupt him from finishing his tie. "Aiden, if I find out there's more to this than you're telling me," she began, using her fingers to straighten the knot while he dropped his hands to his side. "My version of your _undoing_? Will make what Conrad has planned for you look like a cakewalk." On her last word she tightened the knot square to his throat, as he let out a cough.

She kept her eyes on him for a moment as he arched his neck to loosen it, their standoff broken up by the sound of her phone ringing in her pocket. As she pulled it out, Aiden slipped past her to grab his jacket. "As I told you," he insisted. "You feel free to do what you must to protect Nolan. But the call was nothing more than a poor choice of timing," he paused, using his vantage point over her shoulder to look at her phone screen. It was Daniel. "Something you can relate to," he added thoughtfully.

Ignoring Aiden's snide remark as he exited the room, Emily remained behind to take the call. "Daniel," she answered, trying to shake off her irritation. "Hey."

"Em, there you are," Daniel sighed on the other line. "I feel like we've been playing phone tag the past few days."

"Yeah, I'm sorry," she replied sincerely. "Ah, Nolan had me tied up with some technical research and I had some other things to look into," she glossed. She kept her eyes on Aiden in the other room, conscious not to let on to where she currently was.

"Sure, I understand," Daniel acquiesced, a hint of excitement in his voice. "I was just hoping to see you – on casual terms, I mean," he clarified. The past few times they had spoken were for advisory purposes but he had not forgotten her admission the night of the foundation kickoff. He was earnestly hoping her feelings had not changed.

Aiden peeked back into the room, waiting for her to wrap up the call so he could leave. Catching him in her glance she looked up. "Of course," she answered sweetly, pausing as she listened to him throw out a suggestion. "Lunch sounds fine. I'll see you then."

Hanging up the phone, Emily stormed past Aiden to grab her purse from the counter and head for the door, somewhat glad that he had to overhear their interchange. "We'll talk about this more later," she informed him briskly.

Aiden restrained his urge to protest as he sensed her twisting the knife in, and instead stepped aside to lead her out. "Certainly," he obliged, gesturing with a hand. "After you."

 **SCENE**

"So tell me again what bearing Daniel's renewed interest in Emily Thorne has on the Amanda Clarke Foundation?"

Conrad descended the stairs of Grayson Manor with an annoyed look as Victoria followed him a step behind. "Eli saw them leaving together the other night," she informed him. "Just after she attempted to maneuver him out of the co-chair seat, so she could procure it for herself."

He gave her a disbelieving look. "And you know this… how?"

"Charlotte came to me," Victoria answered confidently. "Begging I reconsider naming Eli as co-chair when not hours before she was proudly showing him around. Emily was behind her sudden change of heart; I'm certain of it. She's been coveting that position since we instituted the ACF. "

Conrad humored her. "Even so, wherein lays the issue?" He shook it off as they reached the foyer, stopping to address her. "So, she made a break for the helm of what's certain to be a popular charity during an election year – well good for her. She's a businesswoman." He leveled a condescending finger in his wife's direction. "And, hers was among the more substantial donations – along with _Daniel's_ check, I might add—"

Victoria fixed her hands on her hips. "A check that only came after his convenient departure with Emily," she insisted, while Conrad rolled his eyes. "You yourself said his tone changed vastly from when you first discussed the real purpose of the ACF, a fact I'm still not sure why you saw fit to divulge," she hinted. "But, in light of recent developments with the Initiative it concerns me that he might be confiding in her again."

At last Conrad digressed, seeing some merit in her case. "Well, you do make a point – our son has long been far too trusting of the women with whom he involves himself." He mirrored Victoria with a hand at his hip just as Lydia walked through the front door, cutting through their private conversation.

Victoria glared over at her and then back at her husband before walking through into the next room. "Hmm, I wonder where he gets that from?"

Conrad exchanged a guilty look with Lydia as Victoria exited, doing his best to ignore it. "Good morning," he greeted her flatly.

Lydia responded in kind, thrusting a newspaper into his hand. "Not for you it isn't – your polling numbers are abysmal."

"Well, glad to see you back on your feet again," Conrad jested dryly, taking the paper from her to peruse as they trailed into the dining room. "Reporting bad news _first_ , of course," he added.

"How ironic," Victoria chimed in from where she was already seated at the head of the table, holding up her own copy of the paper. "Considering the smokescreen you have plastered beside your poll results." She thrust it into the center of the table as if it were garbage, stating as much. "Do you really expect the public to _believe_ this trash?"

Lydia already knew what she was referring to before confirming it with her own eyes. The front page of the politics section displayed the announcement Conrad had commissioned; congratulating her and his campaign manager, Evan Spradlin, on their newfound relationship and child on the way. Victoria looked away in disgust, barely managing to eat a small slice of fruit from the breakfast spread as she knew firsthand the truth they were hiding.

"Ask the _author_ ," Lydia sidestepped, darting a look at Conrad.

Victoria enjoyed the aversion, realizing it was Conrad's idea. "Oh dear, you can't blame him for denying you," she piped in triumphantly, lifting her chin in Conrad's direction. "He has a reputation to uphold."

Conrad wore a stern expression, returning to the original subject. "And how is it upholding?" he asked Lydia, hoping she had more to report.

Lydia sighed as the tense moment passed, reporting to his side. "Well, the only positive was the bumps you received following the announcement of the Amanda Clarke Foundation and your TV appearance with Jack Porter." She reluctantly took a seat beside him at the other end of the table. "You should capitalize on that."

"Well, I'm always interested in a fresh idea," Conrad obliged, trying to cheer up.

"Aren't we all?" another voice suddenly added to the company and Victoria looked up to see Emily walking in. "I hope I'm not too late?" she begged sweetly.

"Emily, we were just about to start a private meeting," Victoria deflected, eyeing Conrad as if to impress her point from earlier on. But she was soon deflated when Eli emerged from the upstairs a moment later to join her side.

"Actually, _I_ invited her," he defended brightly, showing Emily to her seat. Victoria watched in intrigue as her adversary was suddenly beside her at the table. "After you appointed me co-chair," Eli continued to explain. "Emily here offered her services. As an expert philanthropist I know her experience will be invaluable."

Victoria strained a graceful nod, glancing over at Conrad for visual support while Emily forced a smile. "So, what have I missed?" she asked.

"Nothing, you were right on time," Eli continued to answer in her behalf. Growing confident, he turned to address Conrad and Victoria. "If I may, I was about to suggest a potential savior for Mr. Grayson's campaign _and_ a future patron for the ACF – Ms. Meredith Hayward. She was my foster mother, and Amanda's."

At the mention of the name, Emily's eyes widened while Victoria's eyes narrowed. But the latter had the first say. "Eli, if this is the woman whose house Amanda burned down, what makes you think she would want to take part in a foundation bearing Amanda's name?"

He acknowledged her point with a nod. "Well, it's simple. Mrs. H. always taught us the power of forgiveness. But in recent years, the Hayward House has fallen on hard times."

Conrad chimed in, following his reasoning. "So you think the A.C.F. should sponsor her home? Out of the ashes, a beacon of hope?"

"With Amanda's connection to Jack Porter, it's a win-win for your campaign," Lydia inserted, coming to agreement. She looked over at Victoria as an afterthought. "And the foundation, of course."

Conrad was easily sold. "Well, then, since its Mr. James' idea, I think he should run with it," he suggested, underhandedly doing Victoria a favor by entrusting her co-chair with the task. She smiled in appreciation until the moment quickly subsided.

"I would love to accompany you when you do," Emily offered. Up until that point she had remained quietly observant listening to Eli's plan, but she finally had to speak up. Eli agreed with a friendly look, standing up from the table as she rose along with him. Addressing the rest of the group she added, "It's a great way to see how Amanda grew up."

"By all means," Eli complied warmly following her out of the room.

Upon their departure Conrad shifted in his chair, already expecting his wife would have an opinion. "Mr. Eli James," he announced with a raise of his eyebrows. "There's a young man to watch."

Victoria agreed with an icy coldness in her eyes. "I'll say."

 **SCENE**

"So what's your end game, Eli?" Emily bellowed impatiently as she burst into her beach house with Eli behind her, finally able to talk freely.

"I'm just trying to make the Amanda Clarke Foundation the best it can be," he replied.

Emily spun around with an intense look in her eyes. "Yeah, I realized that when you invested my $100,000 into it, but using it to help out Hayward?" She shook her head incredulously. "What you could you possibly want to help her for? Don't you remember what she _did_ to us?"

Eli tensed as he recalled the painful memories of their foster mother's torturous house. "Oh I remember just fine, in fact, I remember more than you possibly could." As Emily watched intently, Eli reached into the inner pocket of his jacket. "She kept a bunch of letters your father had written you," he paused to hand her a folded piece of paper. "This is one of them. Doesn't seem like a man who didn't love his daughter to me?"

Nearly floored by the revelation, Emily grabbed it from his hands, hastily unfolding it to read at once. "Where did you get this?" she half-whispered.

"I found it in Hayward's safe after they took you away. I could only pocket one before she caught me. As far as I know, she's still got the rest," he replied. He took a step closer, sympathizing as a hint of tender emotion spread on Emily's face while she stared at the words on the page. "I want to get them back for you," he insisted.

She broke away from reading. "Why?" she inquired sincerely.

Eli sighed. "Because I once made you a promise to always look after you. And Hayward deserves to be punished." Emily shook her head, a mix of disbelief and shock that she could possibly be entrapped into yet another alliance. At her clear sign of resistance, Eli only pushed harder. "Look, I'm doing this with or without you."

Emily took a breath and finally relented. As if she didn't have enough on her plate. "Fine," she gave in, shoving the letter into her own coat pocket. "But you're gonna do it my way."

 **SCENE**

"Grace, I'm off to the florist, can you confirm my lunch reservation for me? I'll be going straight there from my last appointment." Daniel grinned as he walked past his receptionist, his tone noticeably bright since earlier that morning.

"Certainly," Grace complied. As he was just about to leave she suddenly jumped up, remembering something. "Oh, Mr. Grayson!" she called out.

Daniel stopped short in response, pausing in the hall. "Yes?"

"Mr. Mathis stopped by just after your 10am – he was hoping to catch you before you left?" she answered, reading from her note.

He shifted uncomfortably, having delayed the inevitable conversation with him long enough. He had been able to sidestep it the past few days, using Aiden's board induction as an excuse to pass him off to senior level discussions, acquisition meetings and a few off-site leadership classes. But sooner or later, he expected he would want to discuss his decision not to tell Emily the truth. "Tell Mr. Mathis if he wants to schedule time with me he has to get on my calendar like everyone else," Daniel shot back spryly. "Even board members are no exception," he chuckled.

He turned to leave but Grace stopped him yet again, reading from her screen. "Ah, his out-of-office message is on for the afternoon, should I set something up for tomorrow?"

Daniel hesitated. "Tomorrow's pretty tight," he stalled. "Let's try for next week."

"You got it," Grace finally let him go, looking down to make a note of it.

With the hairy details postponed at least for the moment, Daniel finished making his quick exit down the hall, picturing Emily's face when he arrived at lunch with a fresh bouquet as motivation to hasten his pace. If he could just ensure that the moments he did have with her were memorable and recapture the bond they were forming before the disaster on the _Amanda,_ perhaps it would help soften the blow when he finally told her the truth.

 **SCENE**

"Did my father tell you what he wrote in the letters?"

Emily strolled through Aiden's home for the second time that day, this time with Nolan as her company, who was there to work on a development from the Initiative. Nolan shrugged helplessly as she filled him in on the latest revelation, wishing he could offer more help.

"A rebuttal of everything that Treadwell lied about," he replied in answer to her question about her father. "But when you never answered, he created those journals for you." He paused in mid-stride, offering a hand. "Look, Ems, there was _nothing_ that David wrote that would've changed anything—"

"It could've changed everything, Nolan," Emily begged to differ. "If I'd have known that my father was reaching out, I might not have lost him, I might not have lit that fire, I might not have gone to juvie…" she trailed off, replaying the chain reaction that resulted all from her utter ignorance. With sudden realization she ventured another painful possibility. "And Amanda—" she began.

"Might," Nolan emphasized. " _Might_ still be alive." He watched as she calmed from her momentary distress, prodding to make sure she would not allow the details to unravel her. "So what are you and Eli planning to do?" he diverted.

"I gave him instructions to manage our foster mother situation," she informed him. "He seems to be cooperating. In the meantime, I have lunch with Daniel but first, I want to check on Jack again."

Nolan sighed helplessly. "Good luck with that – he's, uh, still not speaking to me. Jack, that is," he digressed, having apologized generously the past few days for not informing her sooner. Fortunately Emily had taken the update in stride and promised to support his efforts to get Jack to come around.

Emily nodded optimistically. "I'm going see if I can convince him of everything Aiden and I talked about this morning."

Nolan furrowed his brow. "This morning?" he asked, and gestured to the house, as if to point to where they stood in the kitchen. "You were _here_ , earlier?"

Emily rolled her eyes. Nolan could always be counted on to pick up on fine details and question their meaning. "How do you think I knew to come here to find you?" she shot back. "Aiden thought I was _you_ when I came by."

"Mm," Nolan shrugged his lip brightly. "Guess I should savor that as a compliment," he noted aside.

Emily shook it off, getting ready to leave. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"Well, not to sound all needy," he replied, his countenance dropping. "But Padma emerged from hiding this morning with a message from the Initiative. They're pushing for an exchange and I could really use your help."

At the pleading look in Nolan's eyes, Emily softened and placed a hand on his shoulder. "And when the time comes, I'll be there. But until I can finish tying up the ends with Eli and Jack, I need you to work with Aiden on this." Her eyes fell on the wall clock. "He should be getting in soon; I'll leave you both to it," she started down the hallway.

Again Nolan turned up his face in surprise as he turned to follow just behind. "Trusting the London Fog to head up a mission, keeping tabs on his schedule…?" he questioned as they reached the door. "This is out of character for you to be so comfortable with Aiden running the show—"

"He's _not_ running the show," Emily reinforced firmly, stopping short in the doorway to give her friend an assertive look. "Nolan, I don't care what he thinks; I'm still in control of this. And I'd rather have him help you save Padma's life than put his in any further danger by rubbing shoulders at Grayson Global. Regardless of what he thinks, he's still not in the clear."

Nolan understood. "Point taken," he agreed, already well aware of the plot to frame him. "Another reason I've got to get Carrion working again so we can hack the foundation – maybe the Graysons won't be so trigger-happy without their wallet to back them up," he offered.

"That can wait," she insisted. "Daniel's still on our side, he can hold off Conrad." She looked at him meaningfully. "Focus on making sure things go smoothly with Padma."

Nolan nodded, watching her depart with appreciation for her subtle prioritization of Padma over her own mission. It was kind of her to put his personal attachment before her own agenda, and spoke volumes to the heartwarming changes Emily seemed to be experiencing of late. He vacillated back and forth in his mind on what could be the cause, but something told him that while she was having an effect on Daniel – it was quite possible he was having the same effect on her.

 **SCENE**

Jack leaned forward over Carl's crib to nestle him back in the cushiony center, careful not to wake him as he slept. He stood back to watch, counting his blessings for their tender moments together as father and son despite the loss their family was still adjusting to. This time of the day could easily be the most unbearable – with Carl asleep, Declan at school, and just an hour or so before the sitter arrived and he had to open the bar downstairs, it wasn't hard to get intensely lonely. But today, an unexpected visitor would at least distract him from the void.

He looked up at the gentle tap at the back door, letting out a short sigh when he saw Emily on the other side. Reluctantly, he opened it to let her in, noticing her form-fitting dress and hair neatly pulled back. "Emily," he greeted her flatly, turning his back to return by Carl's crib while she slowly followed. "You look like you're on your way someplace special. What are you doing here?"

She entered the room cautiously, the sight of Carl sleeping reminding her to keep her voice low. "You're ah," she began, fidgeting slightly with the purse in her hand. "You're not returning my calls," she finally declared, avoiding his comment on where she was going. Mentioning that she was about to meet Daniel for lunch would only work against her aim to allay his distrust.

Jack kept his head down, folding Carl's laundry at the changing table. "Yeah I was busy," he answered, finally looking up to accuse her with his eyes. "Trying to figure out how many friends I have left that haven't been lying to me."

Emily closed her eyes in penance. "Jack, I know you're angry with Nolan," she started in a pleading whisper. "But you need to know that he had nothing to do with Aiden being on the _Amanda._ If anything, Conrad was the one that tried to use him as his instrument, but he didn't follow his orders." She sharpened her expression. "Aiden did everything he could to save both of you."

Jack lifted his head upwards in annoyance, setting down the pile of clothes in his hand. "How could you possibly even know that?"

Emily took a breath, anxious to answer with at least a partial truth. "I know about him because he works with Daniel at Grayson Global," she paused. "And…. I went out with him when he first came to the Hamptons," she replied sheepishly.

That got Jack's attention, and he finally turned to face her, though still skeptical. "Unbelievable," he exhaled, shaking his head. "So you _knew_ the guy that Conrad hired to kill me and Amanda? You knew him all along and yet you're just telling me this now?"

Emily took a step closer to reassure him. "I didn't know he'd gotten involved until it was too late, but I can promise you this, he's no friend of the Graysons—"

"—oh sure," Jack interrupted in disbelief. "And I guess that phone call on the boat to Daniel was just to say how much he _wasn't_ a friend of his, right?"

Again, Emily felt a twinge of her own skepticism about the recurrent mention of that phone call but she pushed past it. "Jack, I know this is hard for you to accept but I need you to look at him as someone in the same exact position as Amanda," she pleaded, carefully constructing her words to still have value while not betraying all of the truth. "Someone who had also been wronged by the Graysons in the past and didn't want to see another person suffer at their hands."

Jack continued to shake his head. "Well if that's true, why isn't he going on the record right now? How can he bear to even be in the same _building_ as them, let alone work for their conniving successor?"

Emily bit her lip to bypass the inference. "You know the answer to that, Jack—the same reason Amanda couldn't get her way by threatening them overnight, these people are not that simple to take down," she insisted, but he had already refocused his attention, turning away again. She stepped closer again. "And despite what you think, Daniel is not in support of his father's path either—"

"Of _course_ he isn't," Jack laughed spitefully, his voice raising as he turned about. "Oh, Emily," he digressed, leveling a disappointed look upon her. "You know what, I want to trust you. Really I do. And I may even trust what you said about Nolan not knowing any better," he relented with a shrug. "Fine. But please, please don't stand here and try to convince me that I can trust the Graysons. I thought you of all people would know better than to do that."

A fire in Emily sparked as she quickly spoke up to correct his thinking. "I'm not telling you to trust them, Jack – I'm asking you to trust your own instincts—"

Jack shook his head, trying to quiet her with a hand. "Emily—"

"You don't even have to take my word for it," she continued to press, nearly inches from him. "Amanda tried to tell you the truth—"

"Emily, stop—" he argued back.

"You _know_ the person behind this is _Conrad—"_ she continued to force until finally Jack could take no more.

"Yes I KNOW!" he finally bellowed in return, as Emily jolted in response and stepped back. With a moment for his outburst to resonate they both froze and looked over as Carl awoke at the disturbance and broke into a cry. Emily stepped away, allowing Jack to console him as she collected her thoughts.

She licked her lips and walked over to the door, accepting it as the end of their conversation. But despite the clear sign that he would continue rigid on the topic, she remained for another minute. "Jack, you can't do this to yourself," she spoke when Carl had finally settled again. "No matter who's at fault, you have to let this go," she insisted, reflecting as her emotions churned inside. "Amanda wouldn't want this for you."

Jack pressed his lips together firmly as he held his son over his shoulder, jiggling him lightly to soothe him. Something in his countenance had changed, as if he was slowly coming around to see that she was right thought adamantly not ready to admit it. "These people will get what's coming to them, Emily," he finally responded through clenched teeth. "You can defend your boyfriend, Amanda's sister, her brother – whoever. You can defend them all you want, but in the end there's only one way this ends. And I just hope when that time comes you're on the right side."

Emily swallowed, unused to hearing him speak so strongly in the definitive and allowed his threat to be her exit line. She secured the door quietly behind her, trudging down the steps of the _Stowaway_ in reflection, wondering if in all the confusion she had actually forgotten which side she was fighting for.

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte, how many times do I have to tell you, you don't have to apologize?"

Declan rubbed his girlfriend's hand reassuringly as they walked together from class. While he was touched by her apologies for making him feel unimportant next to Eli, now that it was long over with and he understood more about the situation, he was eager to move past it. "I understand," he insisted. "He was Amanda's brother. You were just trying to get to know who she was."

Charlotte nodded emphatically, grateful that Declan had been so understanding since the uncomfortable run-in. "I'm still not sure if I can trust Eli," she lamented. "This morning I overheard him say he's working on a partnership between the foundation and the foster mother he shared with Amanda – something about making a donation towards renovating her house."

Declan shrugged, not catching on. "So, what's wrong with that?"

"I mean, nothing, I guess," Charlotte sighed; feeling predisposed to question anything ever since her chat with Emily. "I'm just trying to be cautious."

Declan was all too eager to change her mind. "Hey, if it's on my account, don't even think twice about it. I mean after all, isn't that the house Amanda grew up in?"

Charlotte paused as they came to the outdoor benches for lunch and turned to face him. "I guess I didn't think of that – it would be nice to have her memory honored their forever..." she trailed off, changing tune. "But, you know how this stuff works; my mother will probably turn it into a huge announcement it while my dad milks it for a PR stunt."

"Hey, at least this time it's for a good cause," Declan argued, comforted by the fact her pretentious family's money would be put to good use for once. "If it means an underprivileged kid gets a better life, who cares if your folks make out good?"

"That's true," Charlotte stewed in thought.

Declan took her by the hand again. "Look Char, if this is really what Eli has planned, I think it's a good thing. In fact, I can even ask Jack to use the _Stowaway_ if he needs a place to hold the conference. That way the public can see where Amanda truly came from – her real home, not some mansion she never lived in."

"No, that's just me," Charlotte hung her head, embarrassed.

"Oh—you know what I mean," Declan backpedaled, but Charlotte hadn't taken offense.

"Dec – you're right, honestly," she agreed. "If this is gonna be in Amanda's honor it needs to truly represent her – and not any false pretense my parents try to put on about their relationship. I just," she shook her head, incredulous. "I can't believe you'd do that for me."

"Hey," Declan reminded her with a kiss on the forehead. "I would do _anything_ for you."

Charlotte beamed a smile of appreciation. "Declan, you're the best," she thanked him. Her glance suddenly drifted off as her wheels began turning. "I should call my mother and tell her they can use the _Stowaway_ – oh wait, she's meeting with her committee today," she remembered. "And my dad's at Southampton Square until the afternoon…" she trailed off, thinking of who she could reach with the news.

"Southampton Square?" Declan suddenly chimed in, the name sounding vaguely familiar. "Ah, how do you know that?"

"His driver dropped me off this morning, he's got a big mouth," she answered absentmindedly, still distracted over who to reach out to. "Ooh, I still have Eli's cel saved," she mumbled to herself, fishing her phone out of her bag. When she looked up, Declan was staring off in thought. "You don't mind if I just give him a quick call do you?"

"No, of course not," Declan answered on delay. "Uh, go ahead." While Charlotte stepped away with an excited grin, Declan pulled out his own phone to verify what had caught his attention. As he scrolled the latest news updates, he saw confirmation for himself – the article just published that morning to announce Lydia Davis and Evan Spradlin were expecting. But what stood out most was the write-up on their relationship – noting their living arrangements at the luxury apartments in Southampton Square.

 **SCENE**

"It can't be a coincidence, right?" Declan watched as his brother leaned over the bar of the _Stowaway_ to read the article he had pulled up on his phone, squinting at the fine print.

"I can't believe you left school for this," Jack scolded him lightly while he tried to piece together the connection. He lowered his voice, mindful of the few customers that were beginning to drift in for the lunch hour. "So you're saying Charlotte confirmed _this_ is where Conrad was going to be today?"

"Yeah, her dad's driver took her to school this morning," he confirmed, leaning close to whisper back. "She said he had a big mouth like he told her something he shouldn't… I don't know, maybe I'm reading into it too much but I just thought it sounded suspicious—"

"You're not reading into anything," Jack suddenly confirmed with a seriousness in his tone that told Declan he'd hit the jackpot. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching and lifted the phone slightly to gesture to the article. "This may be exactly the leverage we need over Conrad."

"So there _is_ something up?" Declan followed.

"Oh yeah," Jack nodded. "I should've listened to Amanda from the start. I never told you this but she stumbled on a secret a long time ago – Lydia Davis' baby? It's _Conrad's_ – he's the father. This whole article is a cover-up," he set it back on the bar counter, beginning to fume.

"Oh my god," Declan gasped, shaking his head. "Huh, so much for trying to change his campaign image—good cause or not, all he cares about is keeping his secrets under wraps!" A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Uh, Jack—"

"Another reason he had to target Amanda," Jack was still venting, his emotion fresh off of his conversation with Emily. He shook his head angrily. "I've got to find a way over there—"

"You, uh, you may get your opportunity sooner than you think," Declan began stuttering, standing up from the bar as he spied a crew of people approaching the _Stowaway_ entrance. He rushed to explain. "Jack, listen I'm really sorry but I think I may have told Charlotte they could use the _Stowaway_ for a press conference today—"

"What?!" Jack flustered, turning to look at the doorway as a film crew and a few suits walked through. He glared back at Declan pointedly. "Dec, you didn't…"

"Jack, I _promise_ I will make it up to you," Declan insisted, placing his hands together in a praying motion. "But listen, this is perfect – you can use this as an excuse to shut down the _Stowaway_ and head over to Southampton Square right now!" He leaned forward in a heavy whisper, "You can catch them in the act!"

"Declan, get your butt back in school right now," Jack evaded him, pointing for the door as Declan followed his orders without protest. "And don't do anything else, let me handle this—"

"Alright, alright," Declan obliged, grabbing his backpack to try to make it back for last period.

Meanwhile, as campaign representatives quickly began to flood the bar, Jack put on a pretend smile for their benefit and took a scan of the room to determine that both Conrad and Lydia were noticeably absent. The crew manager stepped forward to inform they had arrived a few hours early just to set up but Jack knew Declan was right – this could be his only window. Tossing his bar towel over the counter, he started for the supply room, blending in with the patrons until he finally disappeared out of view, slipping out of the back door.

 **SCENE**

"Over here, gorgeous."

Emily turned as she entered the restaurant, spotting Daniel a few feet away in the corner with a lovely bouquet in hand. She sighed appreciatively at the sight, too distracted to expect that Daniel's invitation to lunch came with a romantic flair. But naturally, leave it to him to remind her that she was still a beautiful woman in his eyes, despite feeling like a tactical warrior every morning.

"Daniel," she breathed lightly, accepting the flowers with a sweet smile and giving him a brief kiss on the cheek. "Ah, sorry I'm late – it took me a while to find the place."

"Apologies for the cloak and dagger," Daniel offered right away, stepping aside so she could sit first in their booth. "With things intensifying at work I wanted to be discreet," he alluded cautiously, glancing around the room.

"Mm," Emily mulled it over dreamily.

Daniel watched as she sipped at her water and tried to detect why she was being distant. "So," he guessed. "I take it you saw the announcement in the paper?" She gave him a quizzical look to imply she hadn't and he continued on. "Lydia's expecting."

"Oh," Emily raised her head to nod, certain that information would have value at a future time but currently uninterested. "No, actually I've had a busy morning – I didn't have a chance to look."

Daniel glossed over it with a nod. "She's claiming its Evan Spradlin's – but I'm certain it's my father's," he shook his head, lifting the glass of scotch he had already started before her arrival.  
"He never ceases to surprise me," he added, taking a sip.

Emily could avoid her concerns no longer. "Speaking of surprises," she began, aiming to keep her tone even. "I spoke to Jack earlier. He said you called Aiden while he was on the _Amanda_?"

Daniel froze in mid-sip, using the glass as a distraction to collect his facial expression. He lowered it back to the table slowly, giving her uneasy eye contact. "Ah… A-Aiden was on the _Amanda_?" he stammered innocently. "I didn't know that when I called him," he replied, eyeing her again. A comforting thought came to mind. "You know, you and I didn't really talk much that day if you remember?"

The diversion worked and Emily dropped her head slightly, recalling the fight they had just before she ran off to try to rescue Amanda. Placing her hands on the table in an honest gesture, she continued. "Aiden was there with me when Amanda died," she admitted. "I never talked to you about it because it's been difficult for me to move past. He stowed aboard to try and save them but by the time I got there it was too late." She looked up into Daniel's eyes, drawing comfort by the softness in them as he listened. "Aiden stopped me from going into the hull to get her right before the boat exploded."

Daniel watched as she struggled with the details, his own guilt growing with each second that passed. He reached over tenderly to hold her hand in comfort, trying to sympathize. "I'm sure he was just protecting you," he related. "If he hadn't – you might not be here either."

Emily shook away the emotion budding inside, dabbing away a stray tear almost angrily. "To this day I still don't know why he had her below deck –" she cut herself short, looking up at him again with the same intensity that she had begun with. "Daniel, did he say anything to you when you spoke to him?"

"No, he didn't," he responded quickly, mechanically. And while he cursed himself for missing the opportunity to come clean and having to lie now, he realized that thus far he had actually been telling the truth. He had only discovered Aiden's whereabouts much later, so for all intents and purposes of discussion, he had answered her honestly.

Emily watched him, her perception picking up on his uneasiness. "You know, I never told you how much I respect how you've been with him," she ventured.

Daniel slipped his hand away from hers carefully. "What, ah, what do you mean?"

Emily shrugged. "Everything you promised to do. Looking out for him, promising that you won't let the Initiative get away with framing him," she glanced down at the table. "The same way they did my father." After a pause she looked up again, challenging him with her eyes. "That's a brave thing for you to do – it shows a lot of honor. Especially given what you've learned about our history?"

Again Daniel hid behind his glass, taking another swig before shifting in his seat and adjusting his jacket. "Well, I won't pretend I haven't had my share of jealous moments but, it's not going to stop me from doing the right thing," he explained. He mustered enough courage to meet her gaze head on. "Besides, if you still meant what you said the other night – I have nothing to worry about." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Right?"

Emily smirked in amusement, and despite her intuition telling her Daniel was still hiding something, she could not deny a strong pull of attraction to his way of calling her out on her feelings. She squinted in response, and something about the glassiness in her eyes reminded Daniel of their weekend in L.A. Even the most subtle glance from Emily could have a seductive edge to it and he found himself suddenly wishing they were alone.

"So," he inserted to sidebar, cutting through the mix of suspicion and sexual tension. "You said you had a busy morning – that have anything to do with your foster brother that's currently living at the Manor?"

Emily took in an exasperated breath. "For the most part," she affirmed, just as her phone began to ring.

Daniel noted it and was all too quick to excuse her. "Go ahead if you need to take that," he obliged and she nodded to thank him, rising from the table. Once she was out of sight he exhaled somewhat frantically and pulled out his own phone, taking advantage of her absence. She was dangerously circling the truth in her line of questioning and he knew it was inevitable that she would stumble upon something he couldn't explain away.

Meanwhile, Emily answered anxiously out of Daniel's earshot. "Aiden is everything ok?" she whispered, not expecting to hear from him.

"No," he replied on the other line, and she could hear Nolan's voice in the background along with the clatter of equipment being put together. "The Initiative have moved up the drop time for Padma's father. She has to deliver Carrion to them in exactly thirty-six minutes."

"What?!" Emily gasped, feeling helpless. "I'm in New Haven, there's no way I'll make it on time!"

"I know," Aiden intercepted. "Lunch with Daniel," he finished for her, and before she could wonder at his preemptive guess she remembered he overheard her making the plans that morning. "I'm just informing you that I have to handle this alone."

Emily sighed, accepting it despite not being fully comfortable. "Fine, just be careful," she hissed urgently, glancing back at the table. Daniel appeared to have just finished checking his own phone and was putting it away, still waiting for her. "Try to keep Nolan calm," she added.

"Right. I've got to go," Aiden ended the call, slapping down the phone while Nolan protested in the background, clearly aware that Emily would not be present for the switch. No sooner than he had set the phone on the ground it went off again.

"We _cannot_ do this without Emily!" Nolan begged, while Aiden partially ignored him, reading the alert on his phone. On the screen was a seven-worded message from Daniel, _We need to talk. It's about Emily._

Aiden chuckled under his breath, having tried to contact Daniel unsuccessfully for the past few days and only just now hearing back from him with urgency in his tone. He had an idea what might it be about but no time to pursue at the moment. Snapping his suitcase of equipment shut, he stood at attention, leading Nolan to follow him out as he answered in reply.

"We don't have a choice."

 **SCENE**

Jack slumped down in the driver's seat of his truck, hoping he was a far enough distance away from Lydia's building entrance to not be seen. He checked his watch and recalled what he heard Conrad's campaign employees mention as he slipped out of the _Stowaway_. The ACF conference was slated to commence in just over an hour, which meant Lydia should be departing any minute. He kept a watch for Conrad's car service, remembering Declan's description of it and moments later, the intel was confirmed. A car pulled up to the curb and let Conrad out, and Jack watched closely as he took a look around, buttoned his suit jacket and then went inside the building.

He waited patiently for several minutes to pass until Conrad finally emerged, this time with Lydia a few steps behind. They spoke briefly and Lydia appeared to say something cross to him, jerking away to get into the car first. Conrad remained behind for a moment and then doubled back towards the revolving door at the entrance. Jack leaned forward, squinting to make out what he was doing and thought he observed him exchange an envelope into the guard's hand. Within moments, Conrad was walking back towards the car service and got in with Lydia, and then the car pulled off.

Once they were gone, Jack sat up straight to think quickly. Again he kept an eye on the guard and watched as another guard approached him. _Shift change,_ Jack guessed and knew it would be his only opportunity. He pulled his hood up over his head and waited until the previous guard started walking towards the back of the building and then hopped out of his truck to get him from the other side.

"Hey!" Jack called out as he caught up to him in step. "Don't I know you?"

The guard spun around, giving him a disdainful look. "You must have the wrong guy, buddy," he dismissed him and kept on walking.

"No, no I'm sure it's you," Jack continued to press him. "You're the guy Conrad Grayson is paying off to keep his affair with Lydia Davis a secret?"

The guard flinched at the bold admission and finally stopped, turning around slowly. He eyed Jack who stared back at him with his hands in his pockets, raising an eyebrow. "Who the hell are you?" he snarled.

Jack shrugged. "Oh, I just happen to be the face of Grayson's campaign, so unless you'd like to explain why his numbers suddenly take a dive, you're gonna do something for me."

"Oh really," the guard leered, putting his hands on his hips in an intimidating stance. "You're a long way from Grayson's estate – you sure you'll make it there in one piece?" he threatened.

Jack smiled and removed his hand from his pocket to hold up his phone, an old trick coming to mind from a story Nolan once told him. "Even if _I_ don't, the automated email I just sent _will_ ," he countered. He glanced over to read the nametag on the other's uniform. "The one that says Officer _Covington,_ is it? Yeah, _you_ snitched to the papers who the real father of Lydia Davis' baby is." He smiled devilishly. "Unless of course, I recall it in the next few minutes?"

Finally matched, Officer Covington folded his arms in partial defeat. "If its money you want, you're better off going to Grayson – he's got plenty to share."

Jack wiped the smile off his face to become stern again. "I don't care about money, I'm lookin' for something else," he demanded. Officer Covington gave him a curious look and Jack went on to describe just exactly what he wanted instead.

 **SCENE**

"Can you stop breathing so heavily?" Aiden glared over his shoulder at the jumbled persona beside him; Nolan, a bundle of nerves as they watched Padma from the rooftop, waiting at the meeting point below.

"Well, I'm sorry to bother you, Lee Harvey," Nolan retorted dryly, eyeing the sniper rifle that Aiden had aimed nearly a hundred feet away. "I guess I just get a little nervous - when I'm about to _kill_ people."

Annoyed, Aiden corrected him yet again. "These aren't _people_ , _"_ he reminded his flustered associate. "They're terrorists. And _you're_ not killing anybody."

Nolan begged to differ, shifting in place. "Well, by association, yes, I am."

"Stop worrying," Aiden instructed him, conscious that Emily's absence contributed to his uneasiness. "Lack of rehearsal aside, the plan remains the same. Once Mr. Lahari's feet hit the ground, so do her captors." He suddenly perked up, spotting a vehicle down the street. "Here they come. Stay down," he urged him, scanning the car. "Three passengers," he deduced aloud.

"Is one of them Padma's father?" Nolan whispered anxiously.

"I can't tell," Aiden responded, ignoring him to listen to the earpiece in his ear. They had wisely bugged Padma so they could listen in to the exchange from a distance and in the event they lost contact, could track her down once again. Aiden tuned in, hearing a familiar voice demand the program. "It's Trask - he's asking her for Carrion," he informed Nolan. After a pause he continued. "She just turned it over, she's asking for them to release her father."

Nolan pulled out a device in hand to run a quick diagnostic. "They've already started authenticating the program—" he began but Aiden quieted him to continue listening.

"There's interference," Aiden recanted, sensing the arrangement was going off track quickly. "They're arguing—" he suddenly popped his head above the roof rail to make visual contact and witnessed Trask pushing Padma vehemently into the van. "I have Trask," he exclaimed, "I'm taking the shot!"

"No, no, no!" Nolan interrupted, reaching over to grab at the rifle to stop him. "Not until you see Padma's father!"

"They don't have her father!" Aiden yelled back frantically, moving him aside so he could refocus his aim, but it was too late. Trask had moved out of the target line and was in the van in seconds, motoring away. "Damn it!" Aiden yelled angrily, standing to his feet to watch them disappear.

Nolan was beside him, immediately regretting his distraction. "Oh God," he sighed helplessly. "What have we done?"

 **SCENE**

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attendance and support of the Amanda Clarke Foundation. Here to introduce our maiden outreach is Amanda's foster brother and foundation co-chair, Mr. Eli James!"

Victoria stepped aside from the podium to clap in unison with the rest of the guests at the _Stowaway_ as Eli took the stage _._ From her vantage point facing the room, she was able to scan all in attendance, including the adversarial Emily Thorne at the back, arriving just in time for the presentation to begin. Yet Victoria's attention on her was momentarily lifted as she noticed Jack Porter re-entering his bar from the back door with a curious package tucked under his arm. Reserving her thoughts for later, Victoria took her stand by her husband and listened as Eli began his speech.

"From 1996 to 1999, I lived at Miss Hayward's house with several other children, including Amanda Clarke," Eli addressed the audience bravely. He paused to look out at Emily and then drew his glance back to Miss Hayward, who stood but a few feet away on stage. With courage, he took a breath and uttered his next words. "Those were the darkest days of my life."

Emily flinched in interest, stepping forward. Despite a trying day of investigating Aiden's actions on the _Amanda_ whilst trying to allay Jack's own suspicions, trusting Eli to handle Miss Hayward was something she hadn't worried about up until this moment. And yet it seemed clear, she should have anticipated his deviating from her plan. She narrowed her eyes as he went on.

"Under the guise of discipline, Miss Hayward ruled her house with fear and intimidation," he divulged, speaking rapidly to get it all out, as a hush went through the crowd. "Pocketing government and charity money while frequently withholding food and water from us—" he continued.

"E-Eli!" Miss Hayward stammered, rising from her seat to come over in attempt to interrupt him while the crowd murmured beneath.

He plowed on, facing her boldly. "Keeping us _locked_ in a metal coal bin for hours, or even days at a time!"

"No, no. None of this is true!" she insisted, turning to the audience first and then to Victoria and Conrad, who were now both out of their seats.

"Now this abuse went on undetected for years and continues till this very day!" Eli finished, as Victoria arrived at his side, staring daggers at Miss Hayward.

"None of this is true, any of it!" Miss Hayward continued to insist. "Victoria, even as a boy, Eli was pathological," she rushed frantically. "I'm afraid I was just naive enough to believe he'd changed—"

"You don't have to take my word for it," Eli interrupted her, still in front of the microphone. He turned to look out at the crowd. "Take _theirs_ —" he gestured, and on cue, several members of the audience began partially disrobing to reveal lifelong scars and bruises. "The faces of Hayward House grown-up," Eli introduced them. "But still bearing the scars of our time spent with Mrs. Hayward. Now we've come here today to tell our stories!"

At that Miss Hayward pushed forward to take over the podium. "Then tell them what you did to your dear little sister!" she insisted angrily, her eyes blazing at him. "Tell everyone how you set the fire at my house and let Amanda Clarke take the blame, for which she did _five_ years in juvenile detention!"

Stunned by her admission, Eli turned nervously towards the crowd to lock eyes with Emily, whose jaw had begun to drop in shock. Embarrassed, Eli dropped his head, giving Miss Hayward the opportunity to continue pressing him. "Tell them!" she demanded. "I should've let you burn—" she continued and again a hush went through the crowd in horror.

Immediately, Victoria stepped in, ending the presentation and with a glance back at Conrad his security detail was ushering Miss Hayward off the stage, along with Eli James just beside her.

Still in shock, Emily dipped her head down in disappointment, and her peripheral vision finally caught sight of Jack a few feet away in the back. With a disgusted look, he shook his head, disappearing upstairs with a package clutched under his arm. Emily's face hardened, and as the anger in her gut deepened, she stormed outside.

Her path connected with Eli's in moments and she stood back a few paces, listening as Victoria scolded him. _"Upset?"_ Victoria was repeating in a shrill voice. "I am livid! You told me this woman was a worthy cause?!"

Eli did his best to console her on the defense. "I had to keep you out of the loop to keep your hands clean, Mrs. Grayson please understand—"

"You just shredded every bit of this foundation's credibility!" Victoria declared bitterly. "Now I don't care whether you had the best intent or not, as of this moment you are no longer welcome in this foundation, or in my home!" With that, Victoria stormed back inside to deal with the fallout, leaving Emily the opportunity to accost him on the docks once they were alone.

"Is it true?" Emily demanded in a still breath. " _You_ set the fire?"

Eli lowered his eyes in admission. "Yes. The one you lit burned out. So I restarted it." Emily shook her head in disgust, jutting out her bottom lip as she processed his betrayal. Sensing her discord, Eli reacted insistently. "But only to get you in trouble – I didn't know how out of control it would get," he pleaded, reaching out for her.

Emily shook him away, unforgiving. "Do you have any idea what lighting that fire did?" she accused him, her voice shaking. "My whole life could've been different, Eli!"

Again he threw himself at her mercy. "It was selfish, I know, and I'm _sorry_ ," he insisted. "But I'm trying to make it up to you now—"

"The only way to do that is to leave!" she cut him short with a stern look.

"I'm already leaving," he promised, glancing back at where the security detail had went back through the doors. "Victoria just put me out of her house—"

Emily nodded gratefully, continuing with urgency. "And if you so much as even 'think' about exposing my identity—"

It was his turn to interject. "I would _never_ do that to you," he swore, pressing his hands together penitently. "Look, I'm trying to make things right between us. You'll see."

With that he left, leaving Emily alone on the dock to consider if everything she had tried to accomplish that day, despite her intent, had actually failed.

 **SCENE**

"Hey – what's all the commotion?"

Jack barely looked up as Declan trailed into the bedroom, slugging his backpack to the floor. He was focused on the television, fast-forwarding through the tape he had put in. "There was some backfire with the foundation presentation," he mumbled in response, still concentrating on the footage. "Some big recipient of the first charity act turned out to be a fraud."

"Oh, great," Declan suddenly understood now, seeing that it explained why it was nearly empty downstairs, leave for the camera crew breaking down equipment. "I'm sure I'll be hearing all about that from Charlotte," he thought to himself, anticipating her disappointment. He finally followed Jack's concentration. "What are you watching?"

Jack finally acknowledged him with an honest look. "Footage from Lydia Davis' apartment," he confessed, and Declan came closer to sit by him. "Turns out the guard Conrad was paying off installed a camera as insurance, in case he ever needed it."

"And you were able to get your hands on it?" Declan asked excitedly. "Jack, that's huge!"

"Yeah, well don't celebrate too fast," Jack calmed his brother. "Cause from the looks of it all this proves is that Lydia Davis is definitely pregnant and gets her morning sickness in the evening—nothing the world didn't already know from that news article."

"Wait—what's that?" Declan zoned his attention in on the screen and Jack stopped the fast-forward to allow the frame to play. They could clearly make out Conrad walking through the apartment but he quickly went off-screen. "Hey, turn it up," he pressed. "We can still hear them talking."

 _"Darling, don't you think it's time you come up with an explanation for your growing midsection?"_ Conrad was saying.

 _"Other than the obvious?"_ Lydia replied. _"Conrad, I told you I don't want to be in hiding anymore."_

 _"By all means then,"_ Conrad obliged. _"Don't. But please, find someone, anyone to be your consort and allow them to proudly wear responsibility for your condition."_

"Jack, this is it!" Declan exclaimed, triumphantly looking over at his brother who was still glued in concentration. He gestured wildly as they heard Lydia offer his campaign manager's name next. "Look, we've got them on tape, admitting this is all a cover!"

"Shh," Jack urged him gently, still paying close attention as the audio played.

 _"I see you already had your way with Jack Porter,"_ Lydia was saying. _"That was an impressive front you put up on live television, supporting his wife. Did you do it out of guilt, or for your campaign numbers?"_

This time Declan froze, listening just as intently to hear out Conrad's response.

 _"Well if there's any recompense for Amanda Clarke's untimely end I have you to thank for that, my pet, remember?"_ he replied. _"Fortunate for us both, Mr. Porter doesn't suspect a thing."_

At the final remark Conrad walked back into camera view, exiting the apartment and Jack finally stopped the footage. "My God," he sighed.

"Jack, what does that mean?" Declan asked anxiously. "This was all Lydia's idea?"

"I don't care whose idea it was," Jack digressed angrily. "Conrad orchestrated this whole thing." He shook his head and faced his brother. "That son of a bitch ordered a hit on Amanda and then tried to profit on her death for his own sick campaign."

Declan allowed it to digest, ready to jump into action. "We gotta take it to the police, we gotta do something-!" he insisted as Jack took the recording out of the player, storing it for safekeeping.

"No, we can't go to the police," Jack quieted him with a wave. "We can't trust them. The only people we can trust are each other."

Declan reached over to take the recording from his hand, holding it up as a reminder. "Yeah, but this is proof! Jack, we have _blackmail_ about Conrad's lovechild, that could finish him."

Jack continued to shake his head, attempting to refocus. "I don't care about that, I want justice for Amanda." He took the recording back, concentrating in thought.

Declan studied him, incredulous. "Wouldn't that qualify as justice?"

With darkness in his eyes that sent a chill up Declan's spine, Jack met his gaze. "No. Ruining his campaign isn't enough. I'm gonna make sure everything Conrad and Lydia did to Amanda comes back around to them – an eye for an eye. And I'm gonna do it the only way I know how," he explained, recalling an invitation Conrad had once extended for him to come work for his campaign. "By giving it to them myself."

 **SCENE**

Aiden was in no condition to talk as he stormed the halls of his house in the late evening, angered and burdened by the failure of a day it had turned out to be. So when his phone continued to ring for the fifth time since he had begun the walk from his vehicle to the door, he was going against his better judgment by answering, but was too annoyed to hear it yet again.

"Daniel—" he answered sharply, partially out of breath from moving swiftly. "How is it you've been avoiding my calls for several days and suddenly now you want to talk?"

Daniel's voice was urgent yet apologetic on the other line. "I know, I'm sorry," he confessed right away. "But look, I had to get in contact with you, it's important." He took a breath, calming down. "First of all, though, I should tell you what you probably already know. I didn't tell Emily the truth that night."

Aiden rolled his eyes at Daniel's tender manner of stating the obvious, wedging the phone between his shoulder and jaw while he dismantled his weaponry. "Yes, I deduced as much when she didn't accuse me of it outright," he acknowledged.

"It just wasn't the right time and things were so hectic already—" Daniel explained.

Aiden rushed over it, uninterested in the details. "Well, that's on you," he scolded him, stashing the rest of his equipment away. "There was a window of opportunity to disclose and you didn't – now that window has passed."

"Yeah well now I think I have to," Daniel inserted anxiously. "She's beginning to figure it out, today she asked me about calling you on the _Amanda_."

"Mm, her second attempt at that question," Aiden observed in thought, retiring to his bedroom to begin changing clothes.

There was noticeable silence on the other line, implying Daniel was a bit unnerved. "Wait, you talked to her?" Daniel questioned.

"Not intentionally," Aiden clarified. "She sought _me_ out," he tried to smooth over but it helped little. "Daniel, I'm sorry you've not been made aware but my day was full. Nolan and I were on the heels of taking out the Initiative in entirety."

"What?" Daniel rose from where he had been hunched in his office chair. "How could you not tell me about that?"

"The circumstances were such that we had to act immediately – Padma's father's life was threatened if we did not deliver." Aiden set the phone down, placing him on speaker so he could finish disrobing.

"What happened?" Daniel demanded.

Aiden sighed. "She was compromised – and a very sensitive piece of information fell out of our hands."

Daniel's hands immediately went to the bridge of his nose in duress. " _Carrion_ ," he concluded right away, knowing no other setback could cause the despair he sensed in Aiden's response. "This is unbelievable."

"As you can imagine I've got my work ahead of me," Aiden agreed, glad he was finally catching up.

"You certainly do," Daniel chided him, his temper rising.

Aiden returned the phone to his ear. "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence—"

"What do you expect me to say, this is exactly what I was worried about!" Daniel bellowed back, and then it was Aiden's turn to retort.

"Would you prefer Ms. Lahari's father be delivered to her in a box, Daniel? Because that's what kind of people we're dealing with!" He paused, allowing his words to sink in before he went on. "The Initiative doesn't make idle threats," he surmised, growing impatient. "Look—Daniel, I've had quite the setback today so it'd be appreciated if you could just deal with your conscience on your own this once."

Daniel began to protest in response but it was clear that Aiden's patience had been tested beyond return and the conversation was reaching a quick end.

"But as of right now," Aiden continued forcefully. "Emily and Nolan are doing everything they can to save Padma's life so if you'd rather not disrupt her chances, I'd recommend you keep your confessions to yourself."

At that he hung up, retiring to take a shower after his long day while Daniel slowly set down his receiver on the other line, pondering over the complexity of his predicament. He was staring off in thought when his dilemma intensified even further by a knock at his door. "Come in," he sighed in exasperation and his assistant walked through.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Grayson, but this was marked 'urgent'," Grace apologized, placing a manila envelope on his desk.

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Daniel opened the package once she had gone, already anticipating the source of its contents. He slowly removed a large picture and turned it up right to reveal a photo of him and Emily at lunch earlier that day. His heart sinking at the thought they had been watched, he emptied the remaining weight of the package into his hands and grimly understood the meaning to be that they were now a target – the picture was accompanied by two medium-sized gold cased bullets.

 **SCENE**

"Daniel?" Emily answered the phone in the kitchen, confirming the hour with a glance at the wall. It was still fairly early in the evening, but she knew better that Daniel's calls after work hours were usually accompanied by a concern or a request. She wondered which it would be as he greeted her in return.

"Hey, are you ok?" he asked, a note of urgency in his tone.

Emily shrugged in her loose sweater, leaning on the counter. "Yeah, I'm fine why?" She listened closely, the background noise on Daniel's end cluing her in that he was calling from the road.

"Ah, just worried about you since lunch," Daniel explained carefully, trying to think up another good excuse. "I heard there was a fiasco at the ACF presentation? Figured you had something to do with it," he whispered through a smile.

"Unfortunately, I can't take credit for that one," Emily digressed, recalling. "Eli went rogue on his own agenda."

"Still good news though, right?" Daniel verified. "I mean bad press for my mother's foundation and my father's campaign has to be music to your ears."

Emily chuckled to herself. "There's more to it, but I can't go into detail right now," she sidestepped. She had no intention of hiding it but was just less in the mood to rehash the whole thing. She fidgeted, lifting her dinner knives in and out of the wooden block on the counter. "I won't know the full story until I talk to Eli anyway – he's dropping by soon."

Daniel mulled it over in thought. "How long will he be there?"

Emily turned down her lips. "Not long, I expect." She glanced towards the door. "Nolan only just left a few minutes ago – there was a setback with Padma today. He's pretty upset." There was a prolonged silence on the other line as Daniel did his best to feign ignorance, and Emily furrowed her brow when he did not respond. "Daniel is everything alright?"

"Yeah," he answered hurriedly. "I- uh, I just want to know you're safe if I can't be there, that's all." He glanced over at the manila package that sat on his passenger seat, still troubled by its implications. If the stunt with the Initiative had truly gone as poorly as Aiden let on, he had more than enough reason to be worried about Emily's well-being. Even though, he thought, she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Still, the possibility made him uneasy.

Emily picked up on it, surprised by his protective nature. "Well if that's your concern," she began; prepared to boldly assure him she was more than safe on her own. But a tender voice in her head forced different words out of her mouth. "Why don't you come by later?" she found herself asking softly.

It was Daniel's turn to be surprised. "Yeah?" he half-mumbled.

Emily pursed her lips, still playing with the shaft of one of her kitchen knives. "I feel like our lunch got cut short earlier," she reminded him. "We didn't really get a chance to, ah," she paused, pushing it back firmly into the wooden block as she stood up straight. "Catch up."

The motion of Daniel's lips curling up into a smile could almost be heard on the phone. "I'll be there soon," he finished in brief, his reasons for urgency quickly growing another layer.

Emily hung up the phone and as if on cue, answered the knock she was expecting at her back door. Eli stood on the other side, appearing ready to leave town with a packed bag and his overcoat on. "Hey," he greeted her, and handed over an envelope.

"You were able to get the letters?" Emily assumed, opening it.

"No," Eli clarified. "A confession. She sold the letters to some guy years ago."

Emily nodded, grateful for the valuable statement in her hand, despite her disappointment. She scanned it over with her eyes. "And Hayward?" she inquired, once she confirmed that she had owned up to everything.

Eli snickered deviously. "She'll live," he stated in short. "The less you know, the better." He paused and Emily met his eyes with a respectful nod, giving him a chance to see if there was any mercy in them. "You think you'll ever forgive me?" he begged again.

But this time, Emily showed compassion. "What's done is done," she resolved.

"Right," Eli accepted graciously. He gave a quick once-over, grabbing his bag as he started down her porch steps. "Well, you take care of yourself," he bid her farewell. "Good-bye."

Emily started to let him go, but still felt as if more needed to be said between them. Despite what had been a most trying day, the mere extent Eli had gone to in getting Hayward's confession and possibly more meant it wasn't a complete loss. There was still victory on the horizon.

"Eli?" she called out and he half-turned on the bottom step. "Thank you," she added, and held up the envelope symbolically. "For Hayward, and for trying to get back the pieces of my father I missed."

Eli nodded in welcome, raising a curious eyebrow. "Hey, any guesses to who she sold the letters to?"

Emily could not help but smirk in return, a person firmly fixed in mind. "There's only one person it could be."

 **SCENE**

"What, no cake?"

Emily stared back in response to her companion on the other side of the glass as he settled into his seat, her having been in the same position once before across from Daniel. The visitation room of the prison was one she had frequented in the past two years, though this time her opposite was someone she cared for significantly less. "You've been keeping something from me, Mason," she answered back expectantly.

Mason Treadwell grinned on the other side, ready with a sarcastic quip. "My guess is, you're not referring to my recipe for brewed-in-the toilet prison wine?"

Emily challenged his look with a stern one of her own. "I'm talking about the letters from my father. The ones that you bought from Meredith Hayward?" she implied pointedly.

"Hayward gave me up, did she?" Mason lamented.

"Give me the letters, Mason," Emily insisted, not allowing him to distract her.

He put on a pretend pout. "Sadly, I cannot. Those letters were reduced to smoke, my dear, along with everything else I owned when you burned down my house last summer."

Emily shifted in her seat, unfazed by her own hand in destroying the items she sought. "You obviously read them so you know what he wrote," she countered. "Tell me," she insisted.

Mason began to protest, but quickly remembered the leverage she held over him and decided to give in. "Oh well, why not?" he reasoned. "Makes for better conversation than what I usually get in here." He relaxed, beginning his elaborate story. "David was worried about you being in some kind of Dickensian foster home, 'cause he had witnessed firsthand the anguish of another parent who surrendered her firstborn son to just such a facility many years ago—"

Emily picked up on the inference immediately. "Who was he talking about?" she interjected.

Mason rolled his eyes upwards in recollection. "A very lonely, very frightened 16-year-old girl who would mature into someone with whom he was very close after your mother left you," he hinted.

With barely a sniff, Emily was onto his scent. "Victoria," she stated, and suddenly put together the intricacy of Mason's revelation. "She has another son."

Mason beamed with pride at her keen observation. "I imagine you'll exploit this fresh little morsel with your usual flair," he assumed, knowing he had just handed over another wrecking ball for Emily to use for her destruction of the Graysons.

For her part, Emily could not deny it, a fire igniting behind her calculating eyes.

"You can't even begin to imagine."

 **A/N: Hello again Revengers! Sorry for the long hiatus getting this one posted, it's been rather busy and as this chapter required a lot of tweaking for me to include important plot points, I wanted to take my time to get it right! But I hope you've enjoyed and I did my best to include a fair share of Demily in an otherwise Demily-lite episode! I also threw in some healthy interaction for her with Aiden & Jack, just to keep things interesting! So I hope you enjoyed that too. More developments are on the horizon in the next episode and I'm kind of glad the Eli arc is over so I can focus on our main characters! But in the meantime, please leave your thoughts! How do you feel about Jack's discovery and his own quest for Revenge? Did you expect Conrad/Lydia's convo to resurface? And with Emily getting closer and closer to finding out the truth, will Daniel finally cave? Or will he listen to Aiden and keep his mouth zipped now that his opportunity is passed? Stay tuned to find out! I hope you guys are still interested, please let me know because I have big plans for Masquerade and I need your support to finish them out! Ok thanks everyone! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	18. Chapter 18: Masquerade

**Chapter 18: Masquerade**

 **A/N: Hello faithful readers! Just a little heads up, the opening chapter is going to be styled much like the episode on the show – six weeks into the future and with a montage of scenes that will bring you up to speed on everyone's whereabouts. A few things have accelerated since the last chapter so keep alert :) And of course, it is meant to be read along with the corresponding lines of Emily's voiceover … Enjoy!**

 _All too often, we mask truth in artifice…_

Victoria snipped the ribbon enclosed over the package sitting on her vanity table, lifting the lid to remove its contents. An intricately decorated mask – raven black and utterly mysterious – it made the perfect accessory for the upcoming evening. Despite the unsavory awareness that she had to add Conrad's presence on her arm to the forecast, it rather pleasured her to claim public ownership of him, especially as Lydia entered her final trimester. While her nemeses seemed to grow in number, the regality that came with hosting elaborate events always gave her a sense of the upper hand over them. She held her mask up to her face to gaze back confidently at her reflection, excitement building as she anticipated her favorite event of the autumn season – the Masquerade Ball…

 _Concealing ourselves for fear of losing the ones we love…_

Emily flowed into Daniel's arms as he pulled her to his face, parting her lips with his insistent mouth while shifting her atop him beneath the bedcovers. She gasped as they connected and despite it being six weeks since Daniel had moved back in, his spontaneous raptures never ceased to fill her with a dizzying rush. The sensation called to mind the first night he had come back, arriving within seconds of her return from visiting Mason Treadwell. Though she had much to share, when Daniel came in it had all quickly been postponed as she surrendered to the urgency in his eyes, an urgency he repeated in fervor on this morning. Yet, whether it was the crisp fall air outside, the contrasting warmth in her bedroom, or just the change in season, Emily's energy surged to best him in intensity, sending wild tremors along his nerves…

 _Or prolonging a deception for those we wish to expose..._

Jack settled the large campaign placard announcing the Town Hall Meeting outside the _Stowaway,_ dusting his hands off to stand back in resilient determination. As much as it revolted him to see Conrad's banners decorating his homestead and livelihood, it served as a reminder that the election was only just around the corner, which meant the climax of his plan to bring Conrad to his demise was imminent. A quick glance at his brother doing his best to salvage a half-carved pumpkin gave him further incentive, reminding him that family was the only thing he truly valued. Furthermore the only way he could avenge his family, both present and departed, was to continue working in the ranks for Conrad, buying out the right time to strike with an inside advantage…

 _We hide behind that which brings us comfort from pain and sadness…_

Amanda thrust her head back from the sink full of water, using a dark towel to wipe the last of the dye running away from her roots. With the final touch of a blackened, shorter coif, she was now barely recognizable. She stood back to examine herself in the mirror, noting the creases in her toned arms, shoulders and abdomen – the product of weeks of rigorous training. Her former notion of beauty seemed like a thing of the past, sacrificed in favor of learning poise, speed, and how to wield a steel blade. But life in Japan had given her more than skills of a warrior and a slimmer physique. With grace, she balanced her weight on her toes to begin her evening breathing exercises and recalled the other ability she now possessed – inner peace of mind. With advancement made, she knew not only would Takeda grant her the freedom to return, but she became one step closer to the absolution of her enemies…

 _Or use it to repel a truth too devastating to accept._

Nolan tapped a small piece of chalk anxiously on his window, writing out lines and lines of algorithms as his mind expelled bursts of possibilities in disjointed form. He rubbed his face in desperation, the sweat on his brow making him nimbly aware that he had not eaten nor slept in days and yet he was still alive while Padma's existence was left to question. Despite all his technological know-how and his superiority in code genius, it all amounted to little lead way and what appeared to be a dead end. And yet he would not accept it, only continued to plaster his office wall with formula and photos of potential clues, persistent that he could not give up hope…

 **END MONTAGE**

"Daniel? _Daniel._ "

Daniel felt a strong tugging at his collarbone, shaking him out of what appeared to be a unsettling sleep. "Ah!" he gasped as he woke; peering up thankfully at Emily's concerned eyes over his shoulder.

"Nightmares again?" she asked, having roused him out of a fit for the second time that week.

"Yeah," he mumbled as reality quickly sank in, relieving his nerves. Despite following Aiden's advice not to reveal the truth to Emily, inwardly the time that had passed was doing a number on his subconscious. Besides being concerned for her safety, a thought which prompted him to stay close, he continuously worried his dreams would betray him. He did his best to shake away the stress, hoping she wouldn't read too much into it. "Sorry I – I guess I'm on edge," he apologized bashfully.

Emily smirked, shaking her head a slight. "And here I thought you would be _more_ relaxed," she whispered sweetly, running a finger over the small of his back in reference to their passionate morning.

Daniel rolled over to face her, propping his head up on his hand to mirror her position. "Oh no," he assured her with a sleepy grin. "Trust me, I am relaxed. In fact," he reached over to caress her chin softly. "I could lay here in bed all day with you."

"Mm," Emily beamed at the thought, but naturally had other plans. "As much as I'd love that, I'm afraid our agenda for the day is full."

" _Our?_ " Daniel batted an eye comically.

Emily sat up to impress more seriousness in her tone. "After weeks of online sleuthing, browsing through records – last night I finally got something."

An expectant look came over Daniel's face as he rose to match her position. "You found my brother?" he asked.

The subtle acknowledgment in her eyes confirmed his guess was right and he took a moment to recall her stunning admission a month and half before. He had long accepted his mother's deceit as tantamount to her character, and it only renewed his decision to remove himself completely from the fold, moving out of Grayson Manor. Timely, he thought, imagining how his mother might welcome his long lost and unknown sibling with open arms to take his place – that is, when she eventually found out.

"I probably could have found him sooner if I had Nolan's help but," Emily continued, bouncing up to exit the bed first. "Well, you know how he's been since everything happened with Padma."

"Do I," Daniel affirmed, throwing the covers off as he swung his legs over the side. "I thought giving him temporary leave from the company would help him clear his head, instead he practically lives out of his office." He got up to start towards the bathroom and shortly after Emily heard running water. "I'm doing my best to keep suspicion down but even his direct employees are starting to complain," he called out.

Emily pondered it while slipping a shirt over her head, running through her mental list of things to do for the day. "Which is why I'm heading into the city today to check on him," she decided aloud.

"Oh, good," Daniel emerged, drying his hands on a towel and coming back over to embrace her. "We can ride in together."

"Not today," Emily countered back, noticing that Daniel was quick to suggest carpooling of late. "I need you to stop by the Manor for me," she requested, garnishing an annoyed look from him.

"Ah, here comes the _'our'_ in the agenda," Daniel deduced with a wry look. "Em, you know the sight of my mother and father and his twisted triangle with Lydia Davis disgusts me—it's bad enough we have to see them tonight—"

"Well, say you need to pick up a few things you left behind," she cut in with determination and handed him a small envelope. " _Tonight_ is why I need you to go."

He studied it with an odd look. "I thought we RSVP'd already for the Masquerade Ball?"

"It's not for us," Emily confirmed. "It's for _him,_ " she hinted meaningfully.

Daniel reexamined the envelope again and realized that she had postmarked it 1973, signifying the year of his brother's birth. Additionally, a foreshadowing phrase was written on the back in red pen, _expect the unexpected._ He looked up in realization."Wait a minute, you're doing this _here_?"

Emily shrugged. "What better time than an evening cloaked in darkness for him to emerge from the shadows?"

He rolled his eyes. "Emily—"

"Daniel, don't you want to know who he is?" she pressed, revisiting a heightened feeling of curiosity. It puzzled her how he always seemed to dodge the subject when it came up. "Don't you have questions about the brother you never knew existed?"

He pulled away suddenly. "No, actually, I don't," he asserted, in a firm but even tone. He handed the envelope back over. "And you'll have to excuse my desire not to get close to yet another of my mother's endless secrets," he apologized. "But can you blame me?"

Emily allowed him his point, her sister coming to mind. "Of course I don't blame you," she acknowledged fairly. "I blame Victoria. I just know if it were me…" She trailed off; staring at the envelope in hand and then suddenly raised her eyes with determination. "Every day I can't tell Charlotte the truth hangs over me like a weight on my chest. Even once this is over, who knows how she'll react. But you have an opportunity I sacrificed to avenge my father. You have the chance to start fresh." She glanced down again at the envelope and then back in Daniel's now troubled eyes. "Don't you even want to know his name?"

Daniel continued to think it over and finally digressed. "No," he answered honestly, but he reached over to take the envelope back from Emily. "But I'll agree to this, if only so my mother can get what's rightfully coming to her." He tapped it in his hands thoughtfully. "You know, last year she had to cancel this whole affair because of my murder trial?"

Emily nodded, returning an embrace to acknowledge his compromise. "I remember," she recalled. "Well, this year her children will be in attendance," she offered with a tantalizing smile.

"All of them."

 **SCENE**

Victoria enjoyed the quietness of her parlor by the patio, using the early morning hour to sort through the remaining responses for the ball that evening. The turning colors in the trees made for a brilliant background, though the draft from the cooling temperature sent a chill through the room. She turned to inspect it and was surprised to find it came from the open patio door – Daniel had just come strolling through.

"Daniel," she greeted him in surprise. "Yours is a face I've dearly missed around here of late."

He breathed into his cupped hands, warming them as his suit jacket did little to trap heat amidst the fall air. "Well, don't get used to it," he shot back dryly, to a disappointed look from his mother. "I just stopped by before heading into the office to pick up my winter things from storage. You know, in case a storm comes?" he hinted.

Victoria frowned as he walked past, wishing his visit meant he had decided to return. "Well, then I'm sure you know by now where to find your belongings," she stated, returning to her desktop. Daniel brushed by, adding another envelope to her pile.

"By the way, this came for you," he added discreetly. "I found it mixed in with my mail." He made his way towards the foyer, pausing at the doorway to steal a glance back at his mother for the intended effect.

Just as predicted, Victoria drew in a raspy breath as she stared at the postmark, a date that signified one of the skeletons she had dearly hoped to bury quite some years ago, but that now stared her in the face, resurrected yet again. Memories of anguished choices made at a tender age flashed in her mind as she opened the contents and read the response card, and her face paled at the inscription. It was checked 'yes' in acceptance and beneath it read, _From your loving son._

 **SCENE**

"How long have you been here?" Nolan jolted up from behind his desk as he hung up from yet another leadless call with Southampton PD. He watched as Emily wandered the inside of his office in fearful awe, observing the array of papers and writing attached to the walls.

"I'm worried about you," she confessed honestly, her eyes growing large. Nolan stood before her barefoot, half-dressed in a suit and loosened tie, his hair a mess and face pale. She set down a brown paper bag containing a warm lunch on his desk, inviting him to eat.

"After I lost Padma, I found this," Nolan divulged blindly, ignoring her attempt at looking after his well-being and fumbling with a tattered note from his desk. He came over to read it to Emily. "She says that she's lucky that I didn't abandon her after everything that happened. She said she'd wait for me forever—" Emily began to protest, ushering him to sit back down but her friend persisted. "She's somewhere, out there, Ems! Waiting for me!"

She tried to silence him, placing an assured hand on his shoulder to escort him to his chair. "Nolan –" she attempted.

" _Look, I have to believe it_!" he exclaimed, collapsing into the seat from sheer exhaustion. Emily looked on sympathetically, as her friend sighed in reflection. "Even if every alley that I run down is a dead end, I have to find a way to get to her. Think about it – every time I try to help – whether it's with Padma, Amanda, or even the white-haired man last year, I fail."

"That's not true," Emily corrected his thinking. "Don't forget that you saved Jack's life," she reminded him, just as an alert on his phone went off.

He grabbed for it anxiously, hoping it was a lead. "Wow," he exhaled instead. "Start your revenge-ines. That's him, right on cue."

Emily nodded, already adding him to the list of concerns that Nolan topped. "I heard he's getting in deep with the Graysons. Please, tell me you're working with him on that?"

Nolan turned up his lip in disappointment. "Sorry, Jack still won't let me in." He swiveled in his seat away from the window back towards his desk, to finally pick at the food she had brought him. "Neither will Aiden – he hasn't returned a call in weeks now. I'm sure he holds me responsible for missing the clear shot at Trask."

Emily shook her head instinctively. "Nolan, you're wrong. Aiden's gone completely dark; he's probably blaming himself for the misjudgment just as much as you are." She sighed, seeing no benefit in either of them wallowing in who was at fault. "Regardless of what happened, you can't keep hiding away in this cave. Your friends need you."

Nolan looked up into her eyes, and she nodded to insist he knew she was right. He ducked his chin in agreement, slowing following her lead back towards reality. "I know," he conceded. "I just don't know where to begin."

"Start with Jack," she recommended. "If he's getting close to the Graysons, he has to have some sort of agenda." She gestured towards his phone. "If he's already reaching out to you, there may be a way you can help." She stood up from where she had been leaning on his desk, allowing him to pull himself together. "And in the meantime, if we're gonna find Padma, I think I have a good idea how."

 **SCENE**

"You're certain this is the way you want to go?"

Daniel finished scribbling on a piece of paper at a table in a private conference room and stood up to hand it over to Aiden, who questioned him from the other side. "Positive," he affirmed confidently. "Do it."

Aiden shook his head as he read the instructions, finding it hard to believe that Daniel had concluded the action on his own. "You realize with this move you'll be torpedoing all of the Initiative's investments – there's no telling how they'll react?"

"I'm aware," Daniel acknowledged. "In fact, I'm counting on it."

Aiden eyed him cautiously and suddenly made sense of it, lifting his chin in pious air. "Emily's asked you to do this, hasn't she? This has her fingerprints all over it." Daniel shrugged and Aiden continued to press. "Right, then, well why not execute the transactions yourself? Why go to the trouble of calling me in to get involved?"

Daniel folded his arms expectantly, as if scolding a child. "I called you in, because despite being a board member you still have a company presence to uphold, and my partners are getting suspicious in your absence." He paused to read Aiden's facial expression, but with little response he went on. "And plus I wouldn't rob you the opportunity to speak to Trask personally when he shows up."

With a guarded chuckle, Aiden tucked the paper into his palm. "Well with this move, there's no doubt he will," he replied with a steely gaze. "But please let's not act like you had no personal benefit in store from this. It's clear that Emily is now relying solely on _you_ to advance her plans – and you wanted to make sure I knew it."

Daniel dropped the pretense, allowing a stern look to enter his eyes. "Aiden, this was part of our deal—"

"Oh, to _hell_ with the bloody deal," Aiden suddenly exploded, enclosing in on Daniel's space as he spoke in a menacing whisper. "You know exactly what this means; it's my walking papers-!"

"Aiden, that's not what this is—" Daniel tried to interject.

"Admit it, Daniel!" Aiden searched his eyes, already sensing the truth behind them. "You've had enough of being forced against your will to keep the truth from her. And now that you believe you're her sole ally you're ready to get on with it," he paused to wave the paper in Daniel's face. "Do you think I'm a fool? I know you could use this trade to terminate me—"

"Alright, enough!" Daniel finally bellowed back at him, his eyes ablaze. "Even if I do use it to fire you, I'm saving your life!" He stared him down angrily. "You've been underground searching the Initiative for over a month now and what have you come up with? Nothing! Meanwhile they've got a highly destructive program in their possession and God knows what else in the works—"

"Daniel, this move is a _risk,"_ Aiden protested. "We need more time—"

"We don't have it!" Daniel yelled back. " _This_ move puts them in the building within the hour. Now I have done everything you asked without question up until this point; it's _your_ turn!" Aiden stepped away to pace, giving him a chance to simmer down. Daniel approached him after a few seconds had passed, his voice calmed. "Aiden, I promise I'm not cutting you out of anything. I just want to help Emily finish this."

Aiden huffed, turning his gaze sideways at him. "Well from the looks of things," he asserted, using his insights to predict the outcome. " _You_ will." Daniel sighed in exasperation, convinced he still did not understand his true intent but Aiden waved him off from arguing any further. "Save your explanations, I'll make the trades," he conceded, striding over to the conference room door. He glanced back meaningfully. "But when Trask arrives – he's all mine to handle."

 **SCENE**

"…And when I'm elected, I'll maintain the working-class stake in ownership and distribute dividends at all levels."

Conrad concluded his rehearsal speech for the Town Hall meeting at the center of the _Stowaway_ , surrounded by his fellow campaign assistants as his practice audience, among them a heavily pregnant Lydia, and his newest addition in the recent month, Jack Porter. Jack observed Conrad's grandiose speech intently, piping in on the last sentence.

"Don't say 'working class'," he recommended. "Some of these people aren't working. Say, uh, say 'your', 'your stake in ownership.'"

Conrad graciously accepted it with a wide sneer and faced the rest of the group. "Mr. Jack Porter, everyone," he patronized. "The voice of the populace, the voice of reason, and the man who helped me close the gap to four points!" With his final accolade he started up a round of applause, causing Jack to grin forcibly at the role he played in pushing Conrad to frontrunner of the election.

While Jack returned to wiping down the counter, reminding himself of the endgame behind the temporary assist, Conrad rested at the other end of the bar to take a break, joined by Lydia. "And," he added privately, just to her. "The man I want in my ear during the entire Town Hall discussion."

"Already taken care of," she confirmed, passing him a small earwig, while Jack caught the aside from a few steps away. "This will ensure you'll be prepared for any unexpected questions. But I doubt you'll need it – that was stunning, Conrad," she flattered overtly before elevating her voice again. "Knock this out of the park, and Stoddard won't know what hit him. Make anyone with a mic feel like they're the only person in the room. Tap your inner Clinton," she encouraged.

Just then Evan Spradlin breezed by, inserting a snide remark as he glanced at Lydia's belly. "Your inner Clinton taps quite enough already," he snared.

Conrad glared at the public reference and glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one heard. "Not anymore," he whispered under his breath.

Lydia glowered at Evan's back, her eyes falling on Conrad. "Just ignore him, he's still bitter over being your cover story," she explained in a low voice. "He's getting tired of pretending we're together."

"Then why should he go on pretending?" Conrad shot back impishly, shifting his tone to one of annoyance. "Lydia, as much as I've enjoyed our time together, even you have to admit these past few months things haven't been...the same?"

Her face dropped with a scowl. "Conrad, you know I haven't been feeling myself—" she began.

"Sh, sh, sh," he cajoled her like a baby. "And no one is expecting you to, my dear; you're more than entitled to be out of sorts. But seeing as you've had to make several public appearances to substantiate your connection to Mr. Spradlin, why not give an _actual_ relationship the chance to flourish?" He raised an eyebrow, hoping the suggestion would be well received. "You may even find it to be for the best… long-term?"

Lydia seethed, speaking through a clenched jaw. "Conrad, you've come this far because of _my_ support; I have invested everything in your campaign. You know I don't want to leave your side," she practically begged, getting the familiar feeling that he was attempting to cast her off.

He hastened to squash the conversation, detecting Jack coming over to their end of the bar. "Yes, well _Victoria_ will be by my side this evening," he reminded her painfully. "A fact you'd do well to remember."

"What's that about this evening?" Jack asked brightly as he broke up their private quarrel, pretending he had heard nothing prior.

"Ah, the annual Masquerade Ball," Conrad deflected with an inviting smile. "You'll be there won't you, Jack?" he added warmly, prodding Lydia. "I believe Ms. Davis already took the liberty of buying masks for you and your brother."

He nudged her as he walked away, leaving Lydia to gather the disappointment from her face. "Uh, yes," she confirmed flatly, turning to fumble in her bag and then flinging a box on the counter. "Do hope you plan on attending," she added drably as she followed Conrad out.

Jack chuckled at her obvious frustration, his eagerness heightened when he imagined her own downfall. The thought of his plans coming to fruition only made him look forward to the event all the more as he removed his mask. "Wouldn't miss it," he commented to himself.

"Bold choice of eyewear," a voice surprised him from the doorway. Jack looked over to see Nolan coming over to greet him at the bar, eyeing the mask in his hand. "Though I've always pictured you as more of a thick-rimmed-specs-kind-of-guy," he jested. "But then again, a lot has changed. I'm gone a few weeks, and you've already replaced me with a new B.F.F?"

Jack snickered, realizing how much he missed Nolan's snarky comments and familiar face. The past aside, there was no questioning the level of trust and comfort he felt in his company, compared to his associates of late. "Nolan," he welcomed him with a grin. "Where you been hiding? You haven't returned any of my calls."

Nolan shrugged bashfully. "Before we get into that saga, why don't you tell me yours?" he leaned in, lowering his voice amidst campaign members still trailing through the premises. "Has Connie really converted you into a true believer? Because, uh, last we spoke, you were hell-bent on carrying out Amanda's wishes."

"Oh, I still am," Jack confirmed with a fire in his eyes. "But Conrad has me coaching him through an earwig for this town hall meeting," he explained. "I wanted to use that opportunity to trip him up."

Nolan perked up, intrigued. "Earwig? Sounds riveting," he observed, nearly in stitches from the irony of how similar Jack's approach to personal revenge was to Emily's. "So, how do I become a member of this unholy alliance?"

"Boom – you're in," Jack welcomed him with a gesture towards the upstairs. "There's something you need to see."

 **SCENE**

"Apologies for the intrusion, Victoria," Emily announced her presence in the doorway of Victoria's bedroom, spying her out on the balcony alone.

Victoria turned to address Emily as she came walking over. "An intrusion is gracing my foyer unannounced," she replied icily. "I don't think I have a word for what this is."

Emily put on a pretentious smile. "You can call it a peace offering," she insisted with open palms, now at Victoria's side joining her gaze into the distance. She nodded towards her beach house. "I know it's been unpleasant for you since Daniel left home and decided to move in with me. _Again_." she added with incentive, feigning sincerity. "And while he may have his reasons for staying away, I certainly wouldn't want you to think it has to affect _our_ relationship?"

Victoria raised an eyebrow. "And exactly what relationship is that?"

Emily shrugged broadly. "Well, a working one, of course," she answered. "Seeing as Eli's departure left me as co-chair for the Amanda Clarke Foundation." Victoria scowled, none too pleased with the memory of Eli's departing request as he exited the Hamptons. She ignored the reminder with a stray look as Emily went on. "But more than anything else, I would hope we could still be amicable?" Her eyes danced upwards. "After all, I am dating your son and dear friends with your daughter – your children are practically _family_ to me."

Victoria took in a breath to bear the sting of her words, but was relieved from response as Emily's attention suddenly drifted beyond her in greeting. "Speaking of – Charlotte," she called out happily, and Victoria turned to see her youngest walking in with a large bouquet of black roses in her arms.

"Emily, hey," Charlotte greeted her with a half hug as she set the flowers on the table. "Mother, these just arrived for you – I told Marta I would bring them up." She stood back to observe, turning up her face. " _Black_ roses, though?" she commented. "Freaky. And it's one rose short. Who sent them?"

Emily stood next to Charlotte to watch as Victoria opened the card at the center of the bouquet. She had timed the delivery just right to observe her reaction, knowing the second message from her anonymous son, informing her he would be wearing a black rose that evening would only shake her nerves.

When a moment passed and Victoria remained deep in thought reading the card, Emily jumped to her aid. "I'm sure it's just a memento to preview the ball tonight," she turned to her sister. "Did you decide on a dress yet, Charlotte?"

"I guess," Charlotte answered absent-mindedly. "Though it's hard to think about dancing," she lamented. "My mind's been on Amanda a lot lately."

"Of course," Emily sympathized, slipping an arm around her shoulder. "Well hopefully you'll be comforted to know that some of the proceeds from tonight go towards her foundation. We're going to keep her memory alive for a long time." She glanced over at the other, still waiting for a response. "Isn't that right, Victoria?"

Victoria finally snapped to attention. "Yes," she replied, hearing Charlotte's concern on delay. "Yes, dear we'll be certain to make a donation," she insisted, using it to segue way into a farewell to Emily. "We'll see you there, Miss Thorne?"

"See you tonight," Emily accepted her sly dismissal with a nod.

"Mom, the flowers?" Charlotte continued to press as Emily left.

"Hmm?" Victoria pulled her gaze away from staring down Emily as she departed. Aware of Charlotte's still unanswered question, she glossed over it, tucking the card away. "Oh, they're just from the florist, thanking us for our business. Very thoughtful."

Charlotte gave the bouquet another look. "A symbol of dying love? Seems more disturbing than thoughtful," she commented before trailing out of the room. Inwardly Victoria agreed, but knew better to keep her thoughts, haunting as they were, to herself.

 **SCENE**

"That was genius!"

Nolan could barely contain his excitement as Jack slipped upstairs and secured the door behind him, leaving the dissipated scene of the concluded Town Hall meeting below. Not only had Jack cleverly planted a townsman to question Conrad about David Clarke's trial, but as he stammered in response, Nolan had been able to play the recording that Jack showed him earlier over his earwig – the conversation he had with Lydia admitting to plotting Amanda's death.

"Thanks, buddy for your help," Jack acknowledged him gratefully, helping Nolan stash away the equipment he used, including the audio file from the videotape. "You should have seen him scrambling down there, he was spinning around like a ballerina!" he snickered.

"I heard it all," Nolan agreed with a smile. "Nice save, pitching relief to the question – that'll take the attention off of you." He stretched in thought. "And, knowing Connie, he'll assume Lydia made the recording to scare him out of tossing her to the wayside." He shook his head in disbelief. "Still can't belief he's the one that knocked her up. Dra-Ma," he added.

"Tell me about it," Jack agreed. "Now let's just hope that upset had an impact on the polls tomorrow."

Nolan tossed his jacket on, preparing to leave with his handiwork done. "I still can't believe you're not releasing the recording to the press. I mean, proof of a love-child with his mistress? That's a full blown scandal, Jack; you could sink him if you let this out!"

"Trust me, that time may be coming," Jack assured him. "But I want the world to be reminded of what he did to Amanda and her father before I play my trump card." He glanced over at the picture of Amanda and Carl on his nightstand, thankful that his son was with his great-grandmother for the weekend and not subject to the hypocrisy around them. "Conrad deserves more than being remembered just for some affair with his communications director. I owe Amanda that much."

Nolan sympathized, once again seeing so much similarity in the integrity between his closest two friends. Speechless for how he could describe it without saying too much, he merely straightened his jacket and nodded in agreement. "Well, it's been nice working with you again," he resolved, figuring it was goodbye. "I guess I'll see you tonight."

Jack gave him an obvious look and then reached out to extend an appreciative hug, solidifying they were once again friends in case it was still in question. "Thanks again, Nolan," he repeated over his shoulder. "This means a lot to me."

Nolan obliged with a grin and after hugging him back, slipped out the back with a renewed sense of hope. Once again, Emily had been right – his friends needed him.

 **SCENE**

"I can't believe that you dragged David Clarke into the conversation one week before the election!"

Victoria scolded Conrad from her dressing room, affixing her diamond earrings as the final touch to her elegant ensemble. Conrad sauntered in shortly afterwards in his tuxedo, responding to her reflection in a demure tone. "Well, I was double tapped with a rogue question," he explained. "I gave the only answer I knew would stop their next salvo."

" _Their_?" Victoria questioned, turning to face him. "I thought you assumed your expectant mistress was behind it?" She could not help but smile at her impression of a clever stunt by a scorned Lydia Davis.

Conrad sneered back. "Yeah, I did, until I found _this_ \- accompanying the bouquet of black roses in the garbage downstairs." He raised his hand to reveal the mail response Victoria had received earlier that morning. " _From your loving son,_ " he quoted, as Victoria flinched in reply. "Well, we can be certain that's not Daniel," he assimilated, handing the discarded envelope back over to her. "And here I thought I knew all the skeletons in your closet by name."

Victoria palmed it unsettlingly, sucking in her cheek. "You're so certain it's not one of your _own_? Perhaps Lydia is making a prediction about her intent to give birth on the ballroom floor?"

Conrad snickered, not buying it. "Deflection, my dear," he assessed. "A tactic that never quells doubt; and yet while that technique would fit the bill were she lashing out at _me_ , the envelope was addressed specifically to _you_ ," he disproved her, as she flipped over the card in realization. Conrad's name was in fact crossed out with her own handwritten over it in red. "Never mind the fact that Lydia has been insistent to stay in my good graces of late, despite my attempts to rebuff her," he added thoughtfully.

Victoria glanced up in interest. "Oh, Conrad," she mocked. "Try not to make me blush with your _sweeping_ romantic overtures." She scowled at him and began walking past, but he stopped her with a swift tug at her arm.

"Victoria, whether or not I've been upstanding in the past, I _do_ want to be faithful to you now," he promised, eliciting a sharp chortle from his wife. He leveled out his argument. "Besides, we are _this_ close from actually having a shot at winning, so I'm asking you, please – no other secrets."

She gazed at him with contempt, seeing no real obligation to be honest when his track record more than excused her. But despite her disbelief in his sincerity, she had been reliving memories all day and sought to finally purge them. "I was pregnant once," she confessed openly, reflecting as her eyes drifted off in thought. "My mother's boyfriend… It was the worst time of my life… that someone has obviously chosen to haunt me with."

Conrad made an effort to be sympathetic, remaining nearby in support. "Could it be _him_?" he considered.

She batted the notion away with a wry look. "Suffice it to say, that's not possible."

"So the pregnancy was terminated?" he assumed, without giving her a chance to rebut. He clasped his hands around hers with assurance. "Then we will make it through this, Victoria, together. And trust me, not only will I ferret out the guilty party – I will keep true to my vows to you. And I will ensure your dignity is preserved in dealing with the result of my own indiscretion with the utmost delicacy."

She winced as he kissed her hand to seal his promise, repulsed by the thought that he actually found his own self-righteous declaration comforting. "Thank you for understanding, Conrad," she replied graciously anyway. There was no point in trying to see him humanized when she had not been entirely forthright. "I try to keep the ghosts out… but they always force their way back in."

 **SCENE**

"Let the Masquerade commence!"

The time that passed between her conversation with Conrad and arriving at the elaborate ball felt like a blur to Victoria as she took cautious steps through the crowd. Amidst the damasked themed decorations, dark backdrop and rich red drapery, she felt much like a young girl, trekking through an enchanted forest. She found herself studying the lapel of each young man that passed her, looking to see if any were wearing a black rose, but to no avail. As her eyes begin to fixate on one gentleman in particular, her path was suddenly interrupted by Emily's presence.

"Victoria!" Emily exclaimed, startling her. She moved her mask aside, its crystal embellishment matching her white evening gown and also contrasting Victoria's black ensemble in perfect symmetry. "Were you looking for your _son_?" she ventured slyly.

"Emily," Victoria gave her a sour reply, playing off of her convenient phrasing. "Yes, where is Daniel?"

"Delayed, I'm afraid," Emily answered, smiling at the double meaning. "He should be here any minute." From the corner of her eye she spied Nolan, and took advantage of the easy exit. "But I'll be sure to send him over to you as soon as he arrives."

"How very thoughtful of you," Victoria remarked in ire. "And notably out of character to consider my wishes above your own?"

Emily took her jab in stride. "Well, I told you I wanted to renew our relationship, Victoria," she explained, elevating her mask to her face before stepping away. "And if you like, you can pretend I left Emily Thorne at the door."

She could feel Victoria's self-serving sneer on her back as she walked away, but could only sigh in relief as she made it over to Nolan, garnishing a breather. "Thank you for helping Jack today and for making my father's case a campaign promise," she whispered to him, relaxing her mask to her side. "That was more than I could hope for, Nolan."

Nolan obliged her with a kind look. "Of course, Ems. But I have you to thank for getting me over there in the first place." He sipped at the drink in his hand, reflecting. "This afternoon was the first time I felt myself since…" he trailed off, thinking of the unknown void that still worried him.

Noticing it, Emily stepped in. "We're gonna find her," she promised. "As soon as Daniel gets here I should hopefully have an update," she cut herself short, as Jack and Declan approached. "Well, hello there," she greeted them. "Who knew the Porter brothers could pull off masks?"

"That's exactly what I want to do, is pull this thing off," Declan quipped, doing so a moment later. "I'm off to look for Charlotte – and free grub," he added with a grin before stepping away.

"Sounds therapeutic," Nolan agreed, following him a step behind. With him and Declan gone, it left an open space for Emily to move closer to Jack.

"I heard about what you did for Amanda today," she said softly, hoping to have a friendlier exchange than their last. "It's really wonderful," she praised him.

"Just looking for justice where it's due," Jack acknowledged, his emotion concealed behind his mask. Regardless, he caught something in Emily's demeanor that incited his interest. "Are _you_ okay?"

"Yeah," she responded, quicker than she planned. "I um- I just miss her that's all."

Before Jack could relate just how much he knew the feeling, they were interrupted by Daniel, cutting through the crowd to reach Emily's side. "There she is," he greeted her warmly, planting a kiss on her cheek. "We need to talk," he whispered and Emily nodded immediately, while Daniel turned to address Jack. "Porter, sorry it's been a while."

Jack nodded and shook the hand Daniel extended. "Same," he replied. "I hear you're running the family business?"

Daniel swallowed, not thrilled with the concept. "And I hear you're in business with my family," he rephrased back, a hint of disappointment in his tone. "I'm surprised you can stand the air of politics – especially working for a man like my father."

"Daniel," Emily whispered, ready to leave.

Jack took the underhanded reference, though he was surprised to hear Daniel so candid on his opinion. "Well look at it this way, the more electable he is, maybe he'll stay out of your way."

Daniel agreed, and soon followed Emily's insistent look. "Mm, I'll drink to that."

 **SCENE**

"You don't find it the least bit odd that Jack Porter has suddenly become my father's biggest campaign ally?" Daniel queried as he and Emily found a private corner to talk by the bar.

"Never mind that," she glossed over it, anxious to get the latest. "So how did it go today when you made the trades, did the Initiative show?"

"Actually, they did," he replied, shifting uncomfortably. "But ah – I didn't actually make the trades. I asked Aiden to do it."

A stunned look crossed her face. "Aiden? You said he's been out of the office for weeks?"

"He has," Daniel answered truthfully, concluding by her reaction that Aiden had been telling the truth – she had not been in contact with him. "But I called him in."

Emily sighed in frustration. "Daniel, Aiden is their _target_ – I thought you wanted to protect him?"

"And that's exactly what I was doing. I've been thinking of how I could manage getting him out of the spotlight without being conspicuous and suddenly your plan this morning made it all come together. By having him make the trade, the Initiative terminated their relationship," he took a breath to finish. "I have grounds to terminate him."

Emily stewed over it, growing silent for a moment. "That _may_ actually be the safest option," she considered. "But we can revisit that later – tell me who showed up from the Initiative?"

"Trask," Daniel replied. "He pulled the plug and even confirmed something I had long suspected before he left—"

"You let him _leave?_ " Emily stopped him, incredulous. "Daniel, I needed you to stay on him to get intel on Padma."

"Calm down, I had Aiden follow him, he's supposed to touch base as soon he finds something—" Daniel cut himself short and licked his lips, realizing his misstep. His eyes anxiously fell on Emily in anticipation.

"You had _Aiden_ follow him?" Emily questioned, wrinkling her face in confusion and then relaxing it with a jolt. "Daniel, does he know you knew about Padma's kidnapping? About the Initiative?" An alarming thought suddenly jarred her and she took a step back. "Did you tell him you know who I _am_?"

Daniel's instinctive reaction was to justify his actions, leaning forward with his hands pressed together to explain. "Emily, don't get upset it's not like I didn't already know about _him_ alright, we've been all through this before—"

She shook her head adamantly, gazing downwards. "No, no, Daniel this is not the same, Aiden was never supposed to know I let you in—"

"What difference does it make?" Daniel insisted, scrunching up his face in protest. "The plan is still the same right? We're still taking down the same people," he searched her face, her reaction starting to prod his insecurities. "Em, he already knows were together – did you honestly intend to let him think you were playing me this whole time?"

"It doesn't matter," she rushed angrily, starting to walk away. "I can't believe this."

"Em, wait," Daniel continued, turning to follow. "Where are you _going_?!"

"I have to find him—" she breathed, lifting the hem of her dress so she could walk faster.

"Emily, _stop_ this, what is wrong with you!" he tried to stop her and she finally whirled around.

"Daniel, you don't understand," she burst back in a breath. "Finding out that you know will only translate as a threat to Aiden's mission—"

"Hey," he continued in a softer tone. "Relax, he _trusts_ me," he began, despite knowing he could not reveal the details of why. Again, the secret nagged at him, but considering the uproar Emily was already in he didn't dare add that to the pile.

Again she shook her head. "Why would he trust you, Daniel? Even if it seems like he does, that's what he's been _trained_ to do. To deceive you," she sighed, catching her breath with a hint of embarrassment. "We both were. And even if I found a way to see you for who you really are, he'll only see that as a weakness. You're a _Grayson,_ " she emphasized, knowing it would pain him to hear it but ultimately needing him to know the truth. "No matter what Aiden says or does, to him you're still the enemy."

Somewhat jarred by the deeper insight into Aiden's way of thinking, Daniel froze in his place, pondering what that meant for the partnership he thought they shared. Taking advantage of his lapse in attention, Emily touched his hand sincerely, knowing he was hurting but still brooding with urgency.

"Daniel, I'm sorry but I have to get to him before he does something terrible," she explained, and before he could break his pensive trance to look up, she was gone.

 **SCENE**

Despite having no expectation for where she would begin to find Aiden, Emily stopped short in the gala square just outside the event to find him on premises, talking with Nolan. She walked over with purpose, observing him put his hand on Nolan's shoulder as her best friend broke down in tears.

"What is it – what happened?" she asked, speeding up to their side as they both turned to address her. "Nolan," she lamented, assuming his grief could only be for one reason.

"She's really gone," Nolan exhaled in a rasp, choking back sobs that finally released as Emily pulled him into an embrace. "Ems, she's gone."

Emily's heart sank, immediately feeling for him, aching for his pain, wishing desperately she could erase it. "My God, Nolan I'm so sorry," was all she could whisper in reply, squeezing him tight. Over his shoulder, Aiden's look was also downcast – his eyes cold, hardened and Emily could only imagine what he had done after confirming Padma's death.

Anxious to quell his own wave of sadness, Nolan soon pulled away from her. "Six weeks of holding out hope… I have to get out of here… and you've got to get back in there," he insisted, remembering the plan that still remained on tap for the evening.

"No—" Emily persisted, while Nolan continued to shake his head in pleading. "Nolan, I'm not leaving you alone—"

He stopped her with a grasp on her hand, forcing it. "I love you too," he replied, and the tears still glistening in his eyes broke her heart. "I just have to deal with this on my own, okay? I'll be alright, I promise."

As much as she hated to let him go, Emily conceded to his wishes as Nolan walked away, leaving just her and Aiden behind. She searched his eyes for anger or betrayal but there was none – only the same cold darkness that she saw a moment prior. "Where've you been?" she asked, choosing first to bridge the six-week gap since she had last seen him.

He elevated his chin, guarding his answer. "Tonight – with Trask," he stated flatly.

"He killed Padma?" Emily restated in confirmation.

Aiden nodded, and for the first time she noticed his jaw was quivering. "Yes. And her father – and Colleen," he added.

Emily closed her eyes in sympathy and dared her next question. "Aiden, where is he now?"

He stared back for a few seconds. "At the bottom of the East River," he finally answered, not ashamed in the least. He knew Emily feared the cavalier way in which it did not faze him to take a life, especially when in retribution for another. But after the past 24 hours, he didn't care.

But Emily did not judge him, only lowered her head in acceptance. "This was never supposed to happen," she digressed. "Padma got dragged into this because of Carrion…it isn't fair."

Aiden fidgeted with his jacket. "No," he agreed. "But that's why I made sure it's not all been for nothing. The Initiative is less one today…as is Grayson Global," he added, referencing himself.

She looked over at him, anxiously. "Daniel told me what happened – that he told you he knows my identity," she confessed.

"Is that all?" he asked, remaining rigid.

Emily exhaled through her nose. "Isn't that enough?" She watched his eyes. "Aiden, tell me what you're thinking—"

He took a step backwards to exit out of her sight. "I'm thinking my services here are finished."

"Aiden—" she began but he continued on.

"And I'm thinking Nolan's right – you need to get back in there," he redirected to her, gesturing towards the event just beyond her as he turned away to leave. "The show must go on."

 **SCENE**

"Well your date certainly held up to her two faces."

Daniel turned from where he was perched at the bar, his mother's voice disquieting him per usual as she crept up from behind. "Oh?" he questioned, already feeling a slight buzz from the two cocktails he had downed.

Victoria joined his side triumphantly, explaining her meaning. "She promised to send you over to me the minute you arrived and clearly had no intention of doing so."

Daniel turned to face her eye-to-eye. "Emily had an emergency; for once you can retract your talons," he scolded her, growing annoyed. "Besides, you're one to preach about having more than one face."

She raised her eyebrow in alarm. "Excuse me?"

Daniel rolled his eyes, reaching into his pockets to come up with two bullets. "I believe these belong to you?" he accosted her, revealing that he knew she was responsible for the threat issued to him. It only took one conversation with Trask to determine that his organization would not make an idle threat and from that point it was easy to decipher his mother's handiwork. "That was a nice photo you had taken of us by the way," he added.

"Daniel—" Victoria began, but he was finished.

"I'm thinking of submitting it to Page Six for a cover story on our reunion," he continued with a grin, tapping her on the shoulder as he prepared to relocate. "Oh and one last thing, next time you try to send a threatening message? Just remember what goes around comes around." He left her side at the mention, well aware that her own brush with the unexpected was still in tow for the evening.

He settled into new surroundings at the other end of the bar, still hoping that perhaps Emily might return to the party. When a few minutes passed he was about to concede to yet another drink when he felt someone brush up against his shoulder.

"Pardon me," a sultry feminine voice whispered at his side.

"No problem, sweetheart," he passed over it, ignoring the woman to catch the bartender's attention.

But a second comment from her interrupted him again. "Mr. Grayson?" she fawned in recognition, and this time her voice sounded vaguely familiar. "I can't thank your family enough for the invitation; it is _such_ a pleasure to be here."

Daniel finally graced her with a glance, observing she was an attractive young woman, her shapely figure sheathed in all black though her face was hidden by an applique mask and a cheek length bob. "Ah, sorry—do I know you?" he asked, squinting.

In a matter of seconds, recognition came thudding to him as the mystery woman lowered her mask, staring back at him with harrowingly dark, but clearly familiar eyes. "My God," he gasped, barely able to contain himself. " _Amanda_."

 **SCENE**

"…couldn't they at least have made it a real costume party?"

"Like you wouldn't have still slutted it up?"

"No, you moron – just to rattle these corpses, I would've come as Amanda Clarke..."

Charlotte tried unsuccessfully to block out the nearby voices as she and Declan walked the upper deck of the Masquerade Ball, but on the mention of her sister's name she immediately slowed to a halt to look over. "Is that Regina from school?" she whispered to Declan.

"Just keep walking, Char," Declan encouraged her, clasping her hand, but it was too late. Charlotte's attention was captured and she stopped short to overhear the rest of the conversation.

Regina's tall male companion spied Charlotte nearby. "Hey – don't you think that's crossing the line?" he tried to reason.

"Eh, I guess you're right," Regina shot back, following his glance to stare Charlotte right in the face. "That would _still_ be slutting it up."

Charlotte couldn't restrain herself, breaking away from Declan's grasp. "Charlotte!" he called out but she was already inches away from them.

" _Shut up,_ Regina!" Charlotte scorched her at once.

"Hey, chill out, harlot," Regina continued to antagonize her, putting a hand out. "I mean, everyone knows that drugs made Amanda think she could fly—"

The words had scarcely left Regina's mouth when Charlotte's fist was suddenly impacting, pummeling her face in anger. "Hey!" Declan shouted, coming over to restrain Charlotte while the other caught Regina's fall to the floor. "What just happened? You okay?"

"No, I'm not – this bitch and her boyfriend just insulted my sister—" Charlotte cried.

"Hey, hey, whoa calm down," Declan tried to quiet her, still pulling her away. "Look you guys gotta go," he turned his attention to the other two.

"I'm sorry," Regina's male friend apologized, as he helped her up. "I don't know what got into her—"

"I don't care, buddy," Declan insisted, pointing towards the exit. "Now!"

 **SCENE**

"You can't be here," Daniel whispered under his breath, his wishes for Emily to return quickly switching to the polar opposite. He glanced around in a panic. "If Emily finds out the truth–"

"She won't," Amanda assured him, lifting her mask to cover her face again. "Not yet. This is my first test – to see if I can be invisible."

Daniel studied her, making sense of her explanation with another look at her hair and noticeably slimmer physique. With a pause, he also noticed something else about her that was different, though he couldn't quite place it. "Well I may not have recognized you right away," he conceded. "But I can't say the same for my mother – or Jack."

Amanda started in surprise. " _Jack's_ here?" she gasped.

He nodded emphatically in return, gently nudging her to follow his glance over to where Jack stood; talking with Victoria. "Yeah, not what you expected I bet," he acknowledged. "But he's been working on my father's run for governor. I haven't a clue what he's up to—"

"I do," Amanda stared off wistfully, locking her eyes on Jack with a delicate, inward smile. Though she couldn't show it openly, she was overcome with emotion at the mere sight of him. She lingered for a second and finally looked away, and as she did Daniel finally noticed the difference about her. Despite her evident concern, she was eerily calm, possessing a stillness he had never seen in her before. His few memories of her nature were generally impulsive, emotional, and even flippant at times. But before him stood a transformed woman – and with a start, he realized she reminded him of Emily.

He discarded the somewhat confusing thought to continue pleading. "Amanda, if you go to him—"

"I can't speak to him," she assured him before he finished his thought, shifting her gaze back. "Or anyone else. That was the deal."

He felt a slight wave of relief. "So why did you come back?" he asked.

She looked over him cautiously, and he thought he detected pity in her eyes. "I can't tell you right now," she resounded mysteriously. "But I did want to thank you in person. I couldn't have done this without your help," she glanced over at Jack, reminded of her vow to stay hidden. "I still can't," she added.

Daniel tightened his face, weighed down by the pressure of still remaining discreet. "I can't do this for much longer, Amanda," he swore. "She needs to _know_."

She placed a hand over his. "She will," she assured him, still prolonging the inevitable. Holding her mask securely to her face, she then turned to disappear out of sight.

Not a fearful minute later, Emily appeared beside him, stunning him with the near-miss. "Emily," he breathed anxiously. "Y-you're back?"

She nodded solemnly, lowering her head. "Believe it or not, Nolan forced me," she resolved, lifting her head. "I caught up with Aiden just as he was giving him the news. Padma's dead."

Daniel closed his eyes in grave acceptance. "Emily, I'm so sorry," he sympathized, taking her hand, and his guilt from the encounter with Amanda only fueled his penitence. "And I'm sorry about everything with Aiden, look I never meant to jeopardize all you've worked for—"

"It's not your fault," Emily waved it off, owning the blame. "I chose to trust you, and you've done everything you could to help me," she admitted appreciatively, lowering her gaze. "Including making the right choice about letting Aiden go… Let's just hope he goes quietly."

Daniel nodded slowly, burdened by the lack of insight in her words but unable to tell her. "All I care about is you," was all he could manage honestly, and the reciprocation in her eyes gave him enough comfort to get by. He gestured towards the door, hoping to escape the scene and any further risk of encountering his secret. "You want to just go home?"

Ever the soldier, she mustered a strong breath. "No, not yet," she declined, and glanced up towards the second level of the ballroom. While there appeared to be a brief scuffle, her accomplice was still at his mark where she requested him to be. "There's still one surprise left for the evening." She met his eyes. "Hopefully it will be the last."

He followed as she gestured towards the ballroom floor, and joined her nervously for a dance, gulping a deep breath. "Hope so."

 **SCENE**

Amanda could not contain her intrigue from seeing Jack in person and found herself making her way nearby to where he stood with Victoria, watching unnoticed by the two. It was absolute torture not to run over to him, but she put her training into practice and concentrated her focus to remain still, listening in to their conversation.

"…It's a lovely party," Jack made small talk lightly. "Everyone seems to be having a good time."

Victoria only glared back in response. "I was just told Charlotte hit someone," she countered flatly. "Must be that blue-collared influence her father's so keen to embrace."

Jack shifted in offense and on his other side; Amanda could feel his anger welling up from the insult, muddled with her own. But much like her, he remained eerily calm. "Well, Mr. Grayson did a remarkable job at the town hall meeting today," he defended positively.

Already unnerved, Victoria would not soften. "You mean by endorsing the quest for David Clarke's pardon? Well that would be a victory for your late wife."

That did it. Jack removed his mask in disgust, allowing Victoria to see the contempt in his eyes. "There's no victory for Amanda," he corrected her sternly, leaning in a pace. "She's _gone_ , which is why my child is being raised without a mother."

On his last three words, Victoria felt a gnawing sensation in her stomach, and as Jack walked away she found herself once again reliving memories of her past. Amanda kept a keen eye on her as she began pawing through the crowd in a panic, and then suddenly stopped short, her eyes fixated on a masked guest with a white jacket and a black boutonniere. Amanda followed closely behind to make out what she was doing and stopped short as she spied Emily from afar, also intently watching Victoria's trek to the middle of the dance floor. Desperate to remain discreet, Amanda was forced to turn away, just as Jack came walking back her way. She kept her head down, brushing past him but he did not notice.

Meanwhile, Jack had returned, intent on giving Victoria a final piece of his mind when he found himself interrupting some stint of madness. "Victoria—" he began and then noticed how dazed and shocked she appeared, staring up in the eyes of a masked guest. "Are you okay?"

She was barely able to turn as she abruptly swooned, falling to the floor with just enough time for him to catch her. He looked up in surprise, trying to make out what about the guest had sent her to a shock but the man had disappeared, and the surrounding crowd quickly closed in the gap, including a worried-looking Conrad. "Victoria!" he called out to his unconscious wife, as Jack stood aside.

He moved away seconds later and stood back to watch, catching a glimpse of Emily out of the corner of his eye. And for just a moment he thought he made out a sneer of victory ever so slightly grazing her lips.

 **SCENE**

As he reached over to the light switch in his bedroom, Aiden suddenly got the distinct feeling that he was not alone – a feeling that only intensified as he decided to take a step further and wait before turning it on. He licked his lips, immediately guessing what awaited him, even spying out a faint silhouette in the chair by his window. "That was an impressive entrance you pulled off," he called out into the darkness.

"What can I say – my teacher was an expert," a calm voice responded, proving his suspicion right.

He grinned to himself and finally hit the switch, bathing the room in light to reveal Amanda rising to her feet in the corner. "Funny," Aiden responded, walking over to meet her. "I've never considered myself an _expert_ in subterfuge." He paused to remove his mask from that evening, finishing, "especially considering I've used my real name my entire life."

Amanda sent an unimpressed glare his way, stepping past him. "A dangerous choice for you, but I was talking about Emily," she made her way to the door and Aiden could see she had changed into casual clothing, her hooded jacket brought up around the crown of her head. "After all she was the first to teach me how to change my identity. But don't get me wrong," she assured him. "You're still an expert at training. I appreciated you coming to Japan to help these past weeks – and asking Takeda's permission for me to return. He would have never let me go on my own."

Aiden turned to face her, wearing a proud expression. "Well it was my pleasure to convince him," he resolved, recalling the time they had spent in each other's company. "And anyway you needed the chance to practice with someone more your stature." She smirked in agreement as he gestured further. " _And_ you needed a first test – which you passed with flying colors."

Amanda lifted her chin, defying him slightly. "I'm sure it didn't hurt making Daniel squirm, either, did it?" she suggested, to which he looked away sheepishly. "I scared him half to death with that stunt." She shook her head, not proud of the result and still trying to determine why Aiden had pushed for her to do it. "You're really jealous of him and Emily aren't you?"

Aiden remained silent, sluffing off his jacket in distraction and Amanda took a step away from the door to persist. "He _loves_ her," she reminded him. "He wants desperately to tell her the truth. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Because he could never understand her the way I do," he snapped in a breath. "Emily and I are alike, we can relate to each other. Our relationship wasn't shrouded in deceit from the beginning."

Amanda raised a contrary eyebrow. "You know, you could say the same thing about me and Jack," she argued, resting a hand on his bed frame to prove her point. "That doesn't change how I feel for him." She allowed him a moment to ponder it, sighing afterwards as she fought to bury feelings of desperation just from seeing him for a moment that evening. "And you know what; he has every right to hate me once he finally finds out. Have you ever considered Emily might feel the same – might even hate you _both_ for lying to her?"

"Is that a threat you're making, Ms. Clarke?" Aiden objected, averting her question.

"It's a reminder," she sighed, keeping an even disposition. "But, no – I haven't forgotten what I'm here to do—"

"Good," Aiden cut her short, gaining the upper hand to remind her just who was the teacher and the student. "Then I suggest you do it. And leave the life decisions to the _real_ Amanda Clarke."

She absorbed his command willingly, biting her tongue. But as she strode back towards the door, she could not help but pause for one last word of advice. "Aiden, even if both Emily and Jack hate us when they find out – just remember it doesn't matter if we lose them," She stared at him intently. "As long as the people we love are _safe_."

Aiden dropped his head to nod acknowledgement, taking a slow walk over to see her out. "Yes, I know. I've not forgotten that lesson," he confirmed, reaching for something just beyond the door.

Amanda began to turn to leave and he suddenly called out to her. "Aye!" he jeered, and lunged out to strike with a staff, as Amanda swiftly turned to deflect it with skillful precision, catching it firmly between her palms. For a moment he lingered in place, staring into her eyes proudly as she continued to prove her sharpened skills. He retracted with a smile, allowing her to catch her breath as he pulled away, letting her go. "Looks like you haven't forgotten _your_ lessons either."

 **SCENE**

"So, it was a success?"

Emily stared off in into space as she undid the clasp of her elegant gown, barely catching the tail end of Daniel's question. Her eyes remained fixed on the mask sitting at her bedside and she palmed it for a moment, only looking up as Daniel came around to her side to get her attention.

"Hey," he spoke to her again, flinging his tie from around his neck onto a chair. "You alright?"

Her trance finally broke and she looked up to acknowledge him. "Sorry," she apologized quickly, turning slightly so he could undo her back zipper. "I was thinking about Nolan."

"Mm," Daniel nodded in understanding, helping her out of her dress. She slipped away to her walk-in closet and he remained behind, sitting down on her side of the bed. "I was talking about your October surprise for my mother," he continued, raising his voice slightly so she could hear from the other room.

"Yes, that was… more of a reaction than even I anticipated," she called out from the other room. She paused for a beat and a thought occurred to her. "Did that bother you?"

Daniel snorted, clearly not opposed. "Are you kidding me? My mother excels at melodrama, it's what she lives for," he shook his head, finishing the buttons on his dress shirt. "As much as it was a shock to her I'm sure she's basking in the attention."

"And you still don't want to know?" he heard her reply.

He slipped off the rest of his clothing, tossing the rest on a chair to attend to later. "Know what?" he asked cautiously.

She returned to the room with a knowing look, staring him down as she approached her side. "Daniel, you know he was there," she explained, and he absorbed the reference to his brother. "You were inches away from him when your mother fainted."

He nodded, palming the fringe of her negligée as she stood over him. "I know this is going to sound strange to you, but after tonight," he looked up to gaze into her chocolate brown eyes. "I don't think I have the strength to talk about another hidden skeleton."

Emily tilted her head in understanding, running her hand along Daniel's neck. "Fair enough," she stated, and suddenly Daniel felt himself being pushed to the bed as she hovered over him. His eyes met her in expectation, quickly anticipating her intent. "Then let's not talk at all," she confirmed.

Their descent into pleasure commenced rapidly, activated if only by Daniel's determination to put the elusive evening behind him and Emily's own desire to use distraction as a coping mechanism.

Yet in the subsequent minutes that followed their interlude, Daniel found himself still awake, his mind racing instead of falling into his usual exhausted sleep. Continuously he replayed his encounter with Amanda, fearful more than ever that her arrival in the Hamptons indicated a reveal was inevitable. And though he had promised to be discreet, he was now regretting it with every muscle in his body, and felt himself unable to comply.

"Emily? Emily, I have to tell you something," he whispered, gently tapping the shoulder that faced him.

To his surprise, she too must have been awake and she quickly turned on her side. "Daniel – what is it?"

He realized there was no possible introduction, no particular words to ease the truth so he resolved just to say it. With a breath he spoke, "Amanda – the real Emily Thorne, I mean. She isn't dead," he confessed. "She's alive."

He held his breath as his eyes concentrated on her, waiting anxiously for a reaction but to his alarm she barely budged. Instead, an eerie haze entered her chocolate pools, the darkness in them intensifying. "I know," she replied stoically.

Daniel could barely contain his shock, sitting up in bed. "What?"

She rose slowly to mirror his position, and her expression made him fearful. "I've known all along, Daniel," she continued. "Did you really think things were over between me and Aiden?"

His heart was nearly pounding through his chest, jolted with astonishment. He leapt out of bed in a fury, staring her down. "Wait— _what?_ What are you saying—why wouldn't you tell me—"

"Because we were waiting for the right moment to _kill_ you," Emily finished with a wicked grin, and as Daniel found himself shuddering at the thought, suddenly the bedroom door behind him burst open and Aiden entered, dressed in all black.

"Hello Daniel," he sneered, raising his hand to reveal a knife.

"No," Daniel could barely gasp, glancing from Aiden to Emily. "No, no this can't be happening—"

"Oh come on, Daniel," Aiden pressed, advancing towards him. "Haven't you learned just yet how to harness your emotions?"

"NO!" Daniel shouted out again, shuffling back towards the bed when he found Emily's arm gripped around his neck, pulling him close as she whispered into his ear. _"NOW do you wonder if any of it was real?"—_

Daniel's eyes suddenly snapped open in alarm and he gasped aloud, finding himself back in bed, the covers slightly overturned, with Emily softly caressing him. "Hey," she soothed him calmly. "Daniel, it's okay – you were having a nightmare again."

With a heavy, long-winded sigh he clutched at his chest in relief, bracing himself on the bed to catch his breath. "Em," he whispered, eternally grateful that it was only his own subconscious driving him into wild oblivion. He pulled her close, nestling his face into her hair. "Oh, thank God. I'm—I'm sorry."

She furrowed her brow somewhat in surprise, but continued to be sympathetic. "It's alright," she responded a bit awkwardly, nudging him to lay back down. "It must have been some dream—" she began.

"It was," he insisted, wiping away sweat from his brow. "But it's over now. It's over," he repeated and pulled her back into his arms, closing his eyes and hoping to return to their comfortable position. "Let's go back to sleep."

She made a noise resembling a laugh and nodded, sinking back into her spot on the bed. "I was just going to say," she finished. "It must have been some dream because you called my name – my real name."

Daniel's eyes snapped open behind her in fear, but she did not stir, only whispered a soft goodnight and rested her head on the pillow. He swallowed, a lump forming in his throat as he quickly realized his discretion had yet another threat to be restrained – his own subconscious.

"Heh," he forced a laugh. "Imagine that? Goodnight, Emily."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: BOOM! Sorry my dear readers but after a chapter like this I don't have many words – I have pretty much been writing almost upside down with all these twists and turns lol! But I hope you liked them and I'd love to hear your opinion on how they all turned out. Bottom lines – Amanda is back, Aiden's her new mentor, Emily knows Aiden and Daniel are both openly in the know, but she still has yet to meet her namesake! Oh and Daniel's having some very bad dreams lol… Please feel free to ask any questions, and there is also a hidden character that will be explored more in the future, not sure if you noticed. But enough rambling, I do hope you enjoyed and if you could leave a comment it would sincerely brighten my day! I will answer any question you ask! PS – Did ya like the extra dose of Demily! I know many of you were sincerely missing it ;) ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	19. Chapter 19: Identity

**Chapter 19: Identity**

 **A/N: Welcome back, dear readers! Before I begin I just have to give all of you a huge shoutout for your outstanding support and 100 follows on this story – thanks so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying and I continue to appreciate your reviews and feedback. Ok, so on with the show… Starting off this chapter in a similar style as last with an opening montage tying in with the theme and title of the episode – hope you enjoy!**

 _A person's true identity can often be difficult to discern, even to themselves…_

Emily emerged from the shower, using her hand to wipe away the steamed bathroom mirror and stare back at her reflection. Though not intentional, she found Daniel's outburst two nights before to be a trigger, making her ponder on who she used to be – and the person she had become. In her mind's eye, she had always pictured the persona of Emily Thorne as a short-lived path, a temporary respite until her father's life had been avenged. But after being with Daniel for some time, admittedly she was comfortable in her new skin, and she felt her alias merging with the girl she was at heart, Amanda Clarke. She stared ahead boldly, as if searching her own eyes for the truth. Did she have to choose whether to be the confident heiress with a penchant for retribution or the tortured girl struggling to find inner peace? Or could she possibly now exist as both?

 _Causing one to question their character, their calling, their very existence..._

Amanda swung her feet over the side of her bed, stretching at once to relieve her joints of a less than comfortable night of sleep. Despite Takeda providing her with upscale accommodations at a veiled hideout in the Hamptons, it was not the luxury of the bed, but rather its emptiness that affected how Amanda slept. Responding to the tugging at her soul, she rose to walk over the mirror and focused on the small clipping she had wedged in the crease. It was a folded picture of Jack from the paper, taken at some point during the campaign. Even just a glimpse at the tenderness in his smile made Amanda's heart swell, but with purpose she unfolded the rest of the picture, revealing Conrad & Lydia on either of side of him. Her eyes darkened and averted up towards her reflection, a stinging reminder that she had left her simple life with him and Carl behind in favor of a new journey. With resolution she took a breath, searching her own eyes for where she belonged, knowing inside that even if she did make her way back to her two loves, things would never be the same.

 _For most, time provides clarity, but for others, these questions remain unanswered…_

Aiden stepped out of the elevator to his floor at Grayson Global, his early arrival giving him the opportunity to wander the quiet halls unnoticed. He paused just outside Nolan's office, hoping to find him there but it was clearly empty, though a mess of papers and stray items lay scattered on the floor. With a grimace, Aiden deduced it to be a sorrowed reaction to Padma's death and he tightened his jaw as he continued to his own office. In a manner of self-condemning and agitation, he angrily set down his briefcase and grabbed a box, beginning to pack his things. Despite preserving Amanda's life and forging a new alliance as her mentor, his presence at Grayson Global was still a reminder of his failure to stop the Initiative, and whether Daniel followed through on terminating him or not, he wanted out.

 _For, an identity cannot be fully defined when it is a guarded secret…_

Daniel's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of yet another nightmare waking him as he lay alone in Emily's bed. He closed his eyes again to sort out the reality and recalled with relief that Emily still did not know the truth about Amanda, but had only deciphered his coalition with Aiden, and that both were fully aware of her dual identity. As he cringed in knowledge that she was still quite close to discovering the truth, the concept of identity beset him, feeling as if he had abandoned his own some time ago. Her words plagued him from the Masquerade Ball, describing him as merely 'a Grayson', and while he knew she did not mean it personally, he felt an urge to rid himself of the punishing label. And in tandem, he questioned just how secure his alliance with Aiden truly was if he indeed viewed him only as the enemy, per her suggestion.

Minutes soared by as his mind wandered, giving Emily enough time to fully dress and reenter their room, finding Daniel still in bed. He kept his eyes closed as she walked over and when he detected her grazing the nightstand to take her phone, he suddenly reached out to take hold of her wrist.

"You know I've missed your mysterious exits," he chided her with a start, as his eyes snapped open. He smiled for her benefit, but it helped to calm his nerves as well. "But I took that to mean I regained your trust these past few weeks… I guess that's changed now?"

Emily exhaled a breath, grinning back. "No, nothing's changed," she assured him, and relaxed to let him pull her to the edge of the bed. "I just didn't want to wake you. You had a rough night again."

Daniel nodded, propping himself up on his elbow. "Safe to say we both did," he glossed, concentrating his glance on her. She seemed distant, her mind elsewhere. "You still worried about Nolan?"

She came out of it, agreeing in part. "The police have had him in questioning since yesterday – I'm sure he's close to losing it right now."

"They're not charging him, are they?" Daniel asked in concern, furrowing his brow.

"No," she assured him. "But he can't exactly name Padma's murderer without implicating his own involvement." She shook her head and stood up in her overcoat. "Just one of the many things I'm dealing with today."

Daniel watched her rise. "What else is going on?" he prodded nervously.

She leaned her head back thoughtfully. "I've been thinking about what you told me at the Masquerade Ball," she turned to face him as his heart rate quickened. "About Jack getting close to your father? Nolan told me Jack planted that question at the Town Hall Meeting – I think he's planning his own revenge."

Daniel exhaled noticeably, without realizing he was holding his breath. Anything else was a welcome distraction. "Well, it's a relief he's not cozying up to him in good faith," he replied to her watchful eye. "But I'm guessing you don't want his help either?"

"He needs to stay out of this," she affirmed with minimal acknowledgement. "I'll see what else Nolan knows when I pick him up from the station," she concluded, heading for the door.

"Hey, give me five – I'll drive you," Daniel offered, getting out of bed to follow her into the hallway.

She half turned uneasily, slipping a scarf around her neck. "Ah, I think it's better if I go by myself," she reasoned, to a downcast look from Daniel. "Sorry," she apologized, realizing she had said it rather coldly. "Nolan's just more likely to open up around just me."

Daniel came close, a glare brimming in his eyes. "You know that's the second time you alluded to my presence making someone you know uncomfortable—"

Emily dropped her head in regret. "Daniel, it's not that—"

He shushed her with a finger at her lips. "Hey, it is what it is," he accepted, leaning in close to her face. "It's just a little unsettling. I've never been reminded so much of my own identity."

She gave him another apologetic look. "Yeah well, neither have I – you called me Amanda again in your sleep," she reminded him, to which he shifted uncomfortably. But she continued to stare into his eyes, staying on topic. "Daniel, believe it or not, Nolan actually _does_ trust you. This is just a hard time for him. But you've already proven to me where you stand," she leaned in to plant a kiss on his forehead and then tapped him reassuringly as she made her way to the stairwell.

Daniel remained behind, calling out before she disappeared. "Maybe it's time I prove it to everyone else," he thought aloud, and she paused to look back. "My father's been begging me for weeks to appear in his TV interview today. It may be my only chance to speak out – let the world know where I stand when it comes to my family's corruption."

Emily rested on the step, a bright look coming over her face. "That's a huge step, Daniel," she acknowledged, inwardly proud of him. "You know you don't have to do that for me," she offered, pausing for a beat. "But if you need to do it for yourself… you have my support."

He grinned back, getting the reaction he was hoping for. "Well, I'd like to get it in person if it's not too much trouble," he propositioned. "I know you've got a lot on your plate – but maybe you can find the time to swing by?"

She leaned on the railing to ponder for a moment. "I'll think about it. You just have to promise me one thing," she bargained.

"What's that?" Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Try not to out me as Amanda Clarke on live TV," she finished, jesting at his night fits. Yet, while she was able to walk away with sly confidence, smirking in reply, Daniel barely allowed a nervous grin to cross his lips as he responded to himself.

"I'll try."

 **SCENE**

"I wasn't aware that you were working from home today?"

Victoria sauntered into her living room, her presence prompting Conrad to stand and several of his private employs to leave. She paused to allow them to pass and then took her seat in her favorite chair, sighing as she rested.

"Excuse us," Conrad dismissed the rest and then turned his attention to her. "Well I wanted to be here for you, my dear. Someone's responsible for what happened at the Masquerade Ball and I intend to find out whom," he paused, waiting until the house had finally cleared and he expression suddenly dropped in seriousness. "And being the intuitive man that I am, something tells me you will know more than any of my investigators?"

Victoria rolled her eyes at his conviction, taking a sip of tea that Marta brought over to her. "Still playing detective?" she guessed with poise. "Well it was rather a haunting evening. I nearly mistook one guest's costume for Rosemary's baby," she slung at him with a sneer. "But then I realized it was just Lydia."

He glared at her aside, raising a finger. "You're not going to play that tune again – there is an explanation for why you ended up _unconscious_ on the ballroom floor, and I want to hear it from your lips."

Feeling partially cornered, she set her cup down on the table. "I was upset," she began to explain. "Because not only does our son continue to defy us, but now our daughter has been throwing punches at party guests. And after you browbeat me into reliving memories that were best laid to rest, it's no wonder I fainted."

"Or could it be," Conrad replied, unimpressed by her defense. "That you've lied to me about the pregnancy you _claim_ to have terminated?"

"You want proof?" Victoria challenged him.

"I want something I can _believe_ ," he settled firmly.

"Fine," she conceded with disdain. "I'll give it to you, but you will never speak of this again."

He nodded at her obedient reply, rising to his feet. "Oh, and I'll need it _before_ the interview this afternoon," he added, gesturing in kind. "Which I might remind you, will require your attendance by my side."

Victoria shook her head in disgust. "What could you possibly stand to gain by continuing with any kind of display on national television?"

"Well, once you've obtained said documents we will stay ahead of the press," he reasoned, migrating into the study to pour himself a drink. Victoria followed behind slowly, folding her arms as she listened to him assuage his conscience. "If they try and break your scandal this evening we will simply tell them you were a sixteen-year-old girl, the victim of horrible abuse by your stepfather. Your own mother banished you to the streets." He held up his drink as if to toast to his health. "Now detestable as it is, the truth, in this case, would only work to our advantage and highlights the campaign's promise of full transparency."

While he paused to take a swig, Victoria bit her lip in anger. "The cavalier way that you exploit my personal pain is appalling," she declared.

Conrad pretended to beg for reprieve. "Oh, my dear Victoria, I thought you would be pleased?" he balked. "Our public appearance is but another clear showing of my loyalty to your side!" He ticked his finger, stepping in close to whisper, "Honestly I expected more after I went so far as to pledge my loyalty to you the other night, in spite of your ever perseverant demons."

Victoria could barely stand the sight of him. "You are _deranged_ if you think that I'm going to sit by your side on live TV while I expose my personal life to shore up your voting base!" she exploded.

"Well my darling," Conrad continued despite her resistance. "Your presence is mandatory, so I suggest that you be on the chopper at five."

Victoria dared him with her eyes before storming the room. "And I suggest that _you_ go to hell!"

 **SCENE**

"Twenty hours they kept me in that place—"

Nolan panted, striding anxiously through Emily's kitchen to search her cabinets for whatever liquor she had on hand, speaking choppily in between. "Shoving pictures of Padma in my face – the crime scene, her _body—"_

Emily followed behind shortly, securing the door behind them as they returned from the police station. "Nolan, I know how you're feeling," she sympathized, coming over to soothe his nerves. "I'm sorry. I want to help you." She watched as he finally settled on an old Merlot below the counter and shakily popped the cork open.

"Yeah, well your friendly Brit buddy already took Trask to the chip shop," Nolan lamented over his glass. "So there's not much else you can do."

She reached out to steady him. "Trask isn't the only reason Padma's gone - if it weren't for the Falcon, the Initiative would never have been able to force Padma into delivering that program," she paused. "Or frame my father."

Nolan conceded to her argument but remained resilient. "Look, believe me, I'm all for making the Falcon pay," he shook his head, overwhelmed by the thought. "But he's been underground for two decades. No one knows what he looks like – let alone how to contact him –"

"He has to be on the Graysons' payroll—" Emily suggested adamantly.

"Ems, please," Nolan begged and she finally shrunk back. "I just want to be done with it all," he resolved, adding a cushion to his refusal. "Thanks, I know you mean well. Just… tell me what's going on with you?"

She sighed, postponing her offering of revenge for his comfort and refocused on her concern from that morning. "I've been worried about Jack," she recalled. "I have a feeling he's planning something bigger for Conrad than just derailing his Town Hall Meeting. Did he mention anything else to you when you helped him?"

Nolan's hand suddenly went up to his mouth and he stroked his forehead in realization. "Oh my God, in all the commotion I forgot to tell you," he confessed. "Jack's sitting on a golden nugget, Ems – he's got evidence that Lydia's baby is _Conrad's_."

Emily snapped to attention, following along. "Then maybe it's time for it to finally come out," she predicted.

"Uh – I wouldn't do that," Nolan discouraged her adamantly. "Jack specifically said he's saving his attack – he wants to avenge Amanda—"

"Jack's intentions are noble but he has no idea what he's dealing with," Emily interjected, knowing better. "The Graysons will know it's him behind it and they'll use any means to turn the tables on him."

Nolan digressed, agreeing sheepishly. "Ah, they already did – that recording also includes a shady conversation between Lydia and Conrad – sounds like she was in on Amanda's death too."

Emily steamed, resting her weight on the counter to help her stay focused. "Then that settles it," she finished firmly, while Nolan stopped downing his glass to look intently at her. "Lydia is our next takedown." A thought appeared to enter her mind as her face brightened intensely. "And I think it's time to call in a long distance favor to help."

Nolan nodded, realizing he was unable to dissuade her and furthermore ready to get his own revenge regardless. "Then let's take the bitch down."

 **SCENE**

"I'm just collecting my things," Aiden began to explain as he heard the entry of someone into his office. He turned suddenly from the box he was packing to see Daniel barging through and securing the door behind him.

"That was quite the unexpected appearance the other night?" Daniel accosted him anxiously.

Aiden watched his eyes with a hint of confusion. "Ah, I was barely there for a moment, I came to deliver news to Nolan –"

"Yeah we'll come back to that later," Daniel bypassed it. "I'm talking about Amanda – she was at the Masquerade ball," he declared firmly. Aiden gave him a blank stare in response and Daniel shook his head, incredulous. "Don't tell me you didn't know that?"

Aiden slipped a few items into his box, still coy. "Are you sure you're not mistaken? Sure you didn't have a few drinks and imagine it?" he challenged.

Daniel shook his head vehemently. "I'm certain it was her, Aiden what is she doing back here?"

"I'm sorry," Aiden continued to deflect, putting up an apologetic hand. "I'll have to contact my boss for that information," he continued with a pause and a look around his office. "And seeing how I've lost my position at Grayson Global, I'm sure he'll have other matters he'll wish to discuss first—"

"Don't bother calling, I already did," Daniel intervened, addressing Aiden with a confident stare. "Takeda's flying in today."

That finally elicited the reaction Daniel was looking for. Aiden set down the items in his hand to step around his desk, stopping inches from Daniel in shock. _"What?_ " he questioned in disbelief.

A clever grin crept across Daniel's face as he owned his decision with pride. "Yeah, you're not the only one who acts firsts and talks later."

Aiden took a moment to digest, raising his hand to his brow. "Daniel, please tell me you didn't mention your knowledge of anything?" he pried nervously.

"Again with this," Daniel rolled his eyes, casting a look aside. "You and Emily seem to be taking turns treating me like a loose informant – and so what if I did?"

"It could be catastrophic!" Aiden nearly exploded, lowering his voice as he drew close into Daniel's space. "Emily's _life_ would be in danger," he explained and this time it was Daniel's turn to look back in disbelief.

"What do you mean her _life_ could be in danger – I thought Takeda was her mentor?" he fired back.

Aiden shook his head, whirling about to pace back and forth before turning again to finally reveal the truth. "Alright here it is, Daniel," he began and it became evident a confession was next. He calmed himself with a breath before going into explanation. "When I made the deal with Takeda to save Amanda's life it came with a price. At the time I thought it meant just keeping Emily in the dark to fuel her revenge… but it's beyond that now."

Daniel's eyes remained fixed intently on him, bridled with fear. "What does that mean?"

Aiden gestured to help him follow along. "Takeda believes Emily's completely lost her focus," he paused, leaning back to reemphasize. "She's no longer following the path set out for her."

"But Amanda said she was trained to help Emily _finish_ her mission—" Daniel piped in, not understanding.

"He didn't train her to help," Aiden clarified, casting an uneasy glance around the room before refocusing on Daniel. "I can tell the difference - he's training her as a _replacement._ " He waited, allowing Daniel time to process and took another fateful breath. "I think he wants to _eliminate_ her." Again, Daniel's eyes lit up in disillusion and shock but Aiden swept in with more explanation. "It's just an early guess on my part but all signs point to it – he even sent Amanda here to test out her ability before putting her on task."

"So you _did_ know about her being here?" Daniel established, glaring his way.

"Yes, I helped orchestrate it," Aiden admitted openly. "Amanda was assigned to take care of another loose end – but I believe Takeda's also using her as a pawn." When Daniel's expression clearly questioned what for, he continued. "To see how far off Emily is, how close she's gotten to you – perhaps even just how much _you've_ been made aware of."

"And then?" Daniel sighed.

Aiden swallowed. "He hasn't said," he answered honestly. "But if he finds out you've been brought into the circle, he'll see it as a violation of loyalty. And you can count on him to give the instruction to take you out." He paused, allowing the reality to sink in for his next statement. " _Both_ of you."

"My God," Daniel gasped, and suddenly found himself sinking into the guest chair across from Aiden's desk.

Aiden leaned on the desk in front of him, guiding him to continue paying attention. "Now you see why I was concerned of your discretion?" he affirmed. "This whole business with the Initiative, with Trask, our failure with Padma – he sees it as a sign that Emily's quickly become a liability–"

"But this is all she can think about," Daniel pleaded expressively in her defense. "All she works for, all she _lives_ for – it's everything to her-!"

"And you and I both know that," Aiden agreed with a raised hand, calming him down. "But Takeda is not so trusting. And unfortunately you have your family's legacy to thank for that." He eyed him with the reminder, while once again Daniel resented his heritage. "I know it's hard for you to accept and believe me, no one would argue your case more than Emily but Takeda cannot afford another failure." He leaned back, resolute. "And considering the collateral damage endured, you can hardly blame him."

Daniel continued to stare off into the distance, still grappling with Aiden's revelation. "What if I severed ties with her?" he brainstormed, desperately trying to rethink everything. He recalled his earlier proposition about the television interview. "Or with my family – what if I publicly announced I have nothing to do with their schemes—"

"It's too late for that," Aiden dissuaded his attempt, again using a hand to calm his nerves. "Actually that would be the worst thing you could do. You said it yourself; he's on his way here. He can't see anything out of the ordinary – anything that would make him question her confidence." He stared at him severely. "Daniel, I'm asking you – please tell me you didn't let on to what you know when you called him in?"

"No," Daniel answered in a low whisper, relieved that was at least one thing he could say he did not pursue. "I only ah," he stammered, trying to recall the specifics. "I said I had concerns about our working relationship," he paused to look at Aiden. "Yours and mine."

Aiden nodded. "That's fine," he accepted. "Then keep it all business – you can even suggest expanding our affiliation with Takeda Industries but don't mention anything else." He rose to stand to his feet, buttoning his jacket. "Once you're done, send him over to me."

Daniel mirrored his position, standing with determination albeit still being uneasy. "What are you going to do?" he probed.

Aiden pondered thoughtfully. "I'm going to try talking to him. Perhaps there's still time to change his mind."

 **SCENE**

"You sure know how to hit."

Charlotte stopped mid-stride to her next class, overhearing Regina's familiar voice just beyond her in the hallway. She turned on her heels to head over to her, sighing with a flippant expression. "Looking for round two?" she challenged her.

"Ah –no," a deep voice interrupted them and Charlotte looked up to see Regina's tall friend from the Masquerade Ball, this time hastily slipping between the potential redux. "I'm sure it was just a compliment, in fact," he added, looking down at the former. "Isn't that right, Regina? Weren't you just telling me how you had learned your lesson?"

Regina huffed in his face, still shooting daggers at Charlotte. "What, from this overachieving 'Ivy Leaguer'?" she jested, having overheard a previous conversation between Charlotte and Declan. "Weren't you a 'spoiled, angry party girl' last year? Which one's the _real_ Charlotte Grayson?"

Charlotte began to retort but again the handsome intruder interrupted. "Actually, I think its _Clarke_ ," he defended her, turning his body so he was now partially blocking Regina but facing Charlotte. "And I know that because we share fifth period Science – isn't that right, Char?" he asked, continuing to diffuse the argument.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes, finally zoning in on him. "Who are you, again?"

"You can call me Rick," he answered, extending his hand. Charlotte shook it hesitantly, while he cast a look over his shoulder towards Regina that essentially said, _Get lost._ "And you can walk me to class?" he proposed.

Charlotte dismissed Regina with a glare and finally conceded. "Alright," she replied, and they both watched as Regina took the brush-off and finally walked away. Rick only shook his head while Charlotte continued to steam as they walked in step. "What the hell is that girl's problem?" she vented.

"Ah, go easy on her," Rick bypassed it, shifting his books as he accompanied Charlotte down the hall. "She's carrying a lot of baggage."

"I'll say," Charlotte agreed, still worked up. "As if one black eye wasn't enough to carry around on her face," she added.

Rick chuckled but remained fairly grim. "Well, she's been through a lot. Her brother overdosed last summer," he explained, and Charlotte's countenance quickly shifted as she listened. "He swallowed, like, half a pharmacy. Regina's said she always wondered what he was feeling before he died – I'm sure lashing out at you was just her strange way of trying to understand him."

Charlotte swallowed, changing her view. "That really sucks," she sighed. Feeling awkward, she glanced over, trying to think of what to say next. "How long have you and Regina been going out?"

He countered with a gesture. "Oh, Regina's not my girlfriend – she's just a friend," he clarified. "I know, probably a strange choice but ah, I just transferred so, I don't have many options."

Gradually, Charlotte felt herself relaxing more as he spoke, quickly relating to him. "I understand how you feel," she sympathized. "This school can be pretty hard on outsiders – my boyfriend was just telling me how hard it is for him to fit in."

Rick paused mid-step. "Oh hey, then we have something in common. Maybe we should all hang out?" he offered kindly. "I'd love to meet him."

Charlotte brightened up, looking up into his eyes that she soon realized were unmistakably blue. "Yeah," she stammered, distracted for a moment. As much as she should not be thinking it, it was hard not to acknowledge how attractive Rick was, a fact she had overlooked the first time she saw him. "How 'bout today after school?"

"That sounds great," he agreed, then suddenly gave a drawn look towards the direction of their class. "But do you think he's available now? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind ditching 5th to grab a coffee or something – I think our Science teacher is a little looney tunes," he joked.

Charlotte broke into laughter, agreeing. "He is _really_ weird," she echoed, and caught herself staring into his eyes again. She glanced away, and thanks to their slow pace the halls were now nearly empty. "But ah, Declan is probably already in Advanced Lit, so…" she trailed off, stalling.

"Alright then never mind, let's go to class," Rick appeared to give in, before stopping short. "Unless of course you want to ditch anyway?" he suggested, thinking on his feet. "I mean, we _could_ always say I had to save you from Regina again? Or—should I say, saved her from you?"

Charlotte chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Definitely had it right the first time," she joked. "After finding out what she's been through, she might've leveled me this round."

"Oh no, not with me here," Rick insisted subtly, giving her a wide smile. He maintained his offer, raising his hands with his palms open. "So what do you say – one cup of coffee? Celebrate a near-miss?"

Charlotte grinned back, glancing down the hallway in uncertainty and then back again before finally giving in. "Well alright – maybe just one."

 **SCENE**

Daniel hung back in the hallway, watching as Aiden bowed a farewell to Mr. Takeda from his office. Once he made his way out of the door and down the hall, Daniel stepped forward, watching him all the while and then finally meeting Aiden at his office door. "So?" he addressed him. "How'd it go?"

"Still going - he's meeting me for a drink," Aiden answered briskly, turning to go back into his office. This time, he closed the door behind them, while Daniel paced over to the other side.

"I still can't believe Emily's own mentor would consider doing that to her," he vented, unconsciously loosening his necktie as he replayed the ultimatum that continued to ring in his mind.

Aiden remained calm, eyeing Daniel suspiciously as he removed his own jacket. He walked over slowly, returning to where he had left off packing earlier. "Well, this isn't the first time he's had to take extreme measures because he didn't trust her to complete her mission," he reminded him with a wry look, shoving his hands in his pockets expectantly. "I believe it even involved the same players then as it does now?" he confirmed.

Daniel watched his demeanor, sensing that his visit with Takeda uncovered more information than he was privy to before. "What are you talking about?"

"Last year," Aiden answered, furrowing his brow as a subtle hint for him to think back. "Since learning of Emily's identity, have you never wondered about that murder charge that came upon you?"

For the second time that day, Daniel's expression darkened in intensity. "She swore she had nothing to do with that," he led in.

"And to a degree she told you the truth," Aiden countered. "But despite no direct involvement, your relationship diverted her back then, very much the same way it has now." Daniel gave him a curious look, and Aiden nodded in the direction of the hall, divulging that his information came from Takeda. "According to him, she became so distracted that your friend Tyler was able to discover her identity. He was about to reveal her until Takeda… silenced him."

Daniel jerked his body half way around to gesture backwards. " _He's_ the one who shot Tyler?!" he exclaimed.

Aiden ducked his chin in affirmation. "And threatened Emily for forcing him to that position," he added, thinking it out. "Which is why I imagine she fought so hard to have you cleared of the charges," he concluded, taking a seat behind his desk and pressing his two palms together pensively.

"He's been running her all along," Daniel realized aloud, finally putting all the pieces together to make sense of everything. As much as he found it alarming, there was a strange degree of relief in understanding that part of Emily's inertia came from a distant force – an extemporaneous control that was pushing her. Perhaps it humanized her in his eyes, reassured him that despite her drive, it was all a result of being pressed from the start. "All this time she thought she was avenging her father," he surmised. "When really—"

"She's just been his soldier," Aiden finished for him, lifting his head. "We both have. My father was a pawn in the downing of Flight 197 too. Here we thought Takeda was helping us but it seems he's been manipulating us for some grander purpose."

"But what?" Daniel pushed, echoing Aiden's next words. "What does he stand to gain from it?"

Aiden leaned forward to sit up again, shaking the thoughts from mind. "That's what I have yet to figure out," he divulged secretively. "But until I do, I have to act business as usual. And so do you." He watched him with intensity in his eyes. "You can't give off any sign that you are aware of Emily's identity or that you've played a part in compromising her again. Do you understand? Takeda has to believe that she is infiltrating your family by using you and has not lost sight of her mission…" he trailed off, realizing while it was hopeful it still did not guarantee no further action. "Perhaps it will hold him off," he yearned.

Daniel grimaced, angered by the awkward position it put him in, but knew better than to gamble with Emily's life. "I can do that," he agreed, sucking in a deep breath. He faced Aiden conclusively. "You just make sure you talk him out of going after her," he paused and then glanced around his office, making a snap decision. "Until then – you're still employed with Grayson Global."

 **SCENE**

"This was a lot of fun," Charlotte surmised, walking ahead of Rick out of the café. "And that place is awesome, I had no idea it was here."

"Well, the coolest places are the hardest to find," he commented, holding the door open for her. "Same goes for people," he added with a grin.

"Definitely true in your case," Charlotte agreed, trying her best not to blush afterwards. She looked down at her feet as they strolled along the sidewalk, suddenly realizing how late it was. "Wow, did we really miss the rest of school?" she realized.

Rick glanced at his watch, nodding in response. "Yeah, I guess we did," he answered her sheepishly. "Is that gonna be a problem for you?"

She shrugged. "Probably," she laughed to herself, turning to answer his uneasy look. "I'm sure you know by now, I don't have the luxury of being invisible. If I mess up, my parents know about it within ten minutes."

"Right," Rick acknowledged, stopping short. He clenched his hands in his pockets, hanging back. "Sorry, I just forget all about the whole 'Grayson' identity when I'm with you," he added reflectively, looking into her eyes. "You know I've watched you in class and even at the Masquerade Ball… and you're nothing like the rest of your family."

A tender smile curled onto Charlotte's lips, and again she lowered her head in slight embarrassment. Again she felt a twinge, her conscience reminding her of Declan as her attraction to Rick became more evident. She lingered in thought, while he noticed.

"Am I right?" he pressed, grinning. "Or do you resent that?"

"No," she answered hurriedly. "No, trust me I don't resent it at all – sometimes I want to get as far away from them as possible."

He shrugged his shoulders. "So do it," he supported her, brainstorming. "You deserve a chance to clear your head. Hit the town tonight. Call your boyfriend – Declan, you said his name was?"

"He can't," she shook her head regretfully. "He's working on his college essay tonight," she trailed off, leaving out that she had agreed to help him with it. But there was suddenly a tugging in her to do something daring, to change her plans. Something about Rick's eyes kept drawing her in, pressing her to stay in his company. "But your right, I do need a break—" and before she could think about it, she was asking him. "Will you come out with me?"

An uncertain look draped over Rick's face. "Oh, hey Charlotte, I don't know—" he stammered.

"Please," she begged, already set on getting her way. "I feel like I can tell you anything," she emphasized. "I know we only just met pretty much today but… I feel like I've known you all my life," she chuckled.

He grinned, appreciating the kind thought but continued hesitant. "Are you sure your boyfriend would be alright with that?"

She tried not to dwell on the concept, bypassing it coyly. "Sure he will," she insisted. "He's understands what I've been going through." Rick appeared unconvinced and his expression only reminded Charlotte that she was probably underestimating him. So instead, she took the safe route. "Or," she suggested, her eyes sparkling. "Maybe we just don't tell him?"

 **SCENE**

"I'm off to the interview."

Emily cascaded her stairs in a new ensemble, adjusting her earrings as she spied Nolan still at her kitchen counter, typing vigorously on the laptop. She walked over curiously while Nolan gave her the once-over. "Mm, sharp as ever," he complimented her cobalt blue dress. "But aren't you late leaving?"

"Daniel called," Emily sighed. "They changed the location to Grayson Manor. Apparently it's the only way Conrad could get Victoria to participate."

Nolan grinned. "Good save, Connie – we need her for your plan to work."

"The second part of it is in place," Emily confirmed in reference to the plan, watching Nolan's screen. "Now for the first – were you able to access Victoria's medical records?"

He nodded with further meaning. "Indeed, and it turns out – I'm not the only one," he typed in a command and a digital code appeared on screen. "Look what the trail led to again," he pointed.

"The Falcon," Emily read aloud, shaking her head. "I thought you said you weren't up for this?"

Nolan tilted his head back and forth. "Well… curiosity got the better of me," he admitted, stretching his hands to crack his knuckles.

Emily tapped him reassuringly, glad that he was coming around. "Perfect timing, then," she remarked, moving towards the door to put on her coat. "This is your chance to defeat him, Nolan. With the evidence you have, you can finally take him down," she added.

"Well, I can at least go hunting," Nolan agreed, focusing on the screen. "Let you know what I catch…"

Emily nodded, flipping her hair over her collar as she turned to exit. "As long as those records are leaked to the media by Victoria's segment of the interview –the Falcon won't be the only one who gets caught."

 **SCENE**

Emily entered Grayson Manor with a cavalier stroll as if walking into a lion's den, awaiting the first attack. Knowing she had arrived ahead of Daniel, she took her time going through, glimpsing the usual suspects throughout the house. Conrad and Victoria were bantering in the common area while the camera crew set up the makeshift studio in the living room. She smirked, anticipating their impending fallout and then scanned for her ultimate target. Emily spotted Lydia at last, standing back amongst the crew, but much to her chagrin she was in conversation with Jack. She made her way over cautiously, hoping to catch a few words.

"This must be nerve-wracking for you," Jack was commenting to Lydia, as her eyes remained fixed on Conrad. She raised an eyebrow in response and he explained. "I mean, Conrad taking this interview on live TV? Certainly leaves potential for anything to happen…"

"You mean like at the Town Hall Meeting?" Lydia glared back at him, resting her hand on her large belly protectively. "As I remember you were one of the few people who had access to Conrad's earwig that day," she inserted with caution.

Jack was ready with a defense. "And as _I_ remember, I was the only one that came to his aid," he rebutted, eyeing her up. "Shouldn't that be _your_ job as Communications Director?" He pretended to recall something. "Or is it an exception when the subject is David Clarke?"

Sensing the conversation could quickly spiral into accusation, Emily chose that moment to jump in. "Lydia, Jack," she greeted them both enthusiastically, gesturing with her open overcoat. "Nice to see you both in the daylight and out of costume," she joked lightly, referring to their last encounters at the Masquerade Ball.

"Don't be so sure," Lydia retorted, still seething at Jack. "Looks like some of us are still wearing masks," she hinted strongly at him, and then turned to walk away, barely saving a glance for Emily.

Emily exhaled a sigh at her abrupt departure and then looked at Jack expectantly. "What was that about?" she asked.

"Nothing," Jack brushed it off, despite still clearly stewing it over. He moved to dismiss her as quickly as his thoughts. "I should get ready for standby, it's almost time—"

"Jack, wait," Emily reached out to him, not letting him avoid her again. "Listen, I'm worried about you. It's not like you to go starting up trouble," she lowered her voice and glanced over her shoulder. "Especially with Conrad's aide-de-camp?"

Jack bit his lip at her implication, and ran his hand through his hair before leveling it in her direction. "Listen, Emily with all due respect, I don't need you worrying about me," he insisted firmly. She swallowed at his bold rebuff and watched the intensity in his eyes. "I know what I'm doing and I'm fine without your help."

Emily dropped her hand, showing a slight hint of offense. "Fine," she accepted, despite planning otherwise. "But you know I can't help being concerned. I made a promise to look after Amanda's family—"

"While shacking up with the one that ruined hers," Jack finished vehemently, and Emily followed his gaze as it traveled beyond her to where Daniel had just come in the door.

"Jack," she began to protest, but he had finished making his point, pushing past her to exit the room. She turned about in response but held her tongue, conscious of Daniel now coming towards her.

"Hey," he greeted her with a nervous smile, planting a kiss on her lips. "Sorry, I'm late I had to make a stop. Glad you made it."

"Yeah," she stammered slowly, recovering. "Déjà vu all over again," she added and then took a closer look at his face, noticing a wrinkle of concern. "Hey – are you sure you're ready to face the cameras?" she observed.

"Heh," he sighed, trying to circumvent what he knew she was expecting. As of that morning she was under the impression that he was going to publicly announce his dissent from his family, but since his conversation with Aiden – things needed to go decidedly different.

Emily softened her expression, sensing his conflict. "Daniel, I know you're nervous but you can do this," she assured him, taking his hand in hers. "I want you to know how proud I am of you for even wanting to make your stance public. And if all goes to plan," she continued. "It won't be the only truth set free today."

Daniel sidestepped his own thoughts long enough to concentrate on hers. "Well that certainly sounds ominous," he observed, his face pinched with worry. "You've made headway?"

"Mm," she confirmed. "The end of Lydia Davis is imminent – and it won't even be me that takes her down."

"Then who?" Daniel continued to pry, while he felt Emily shift in his close embrace to step out.

"Victoria!" she suddenly called ahead, as his mother walked into the foyer, followed by Conrad a step behind. Emily spread a broad pretentious smile for their benefit, linking her arm with Daniel's. "And Conrad, so nice to see both of you again so soon – just thought I'd drop in and support the family," she assuaged.

"Oh, Emily," Victoria acknowledged, her presence doing nothing to change her insolent mood. "Well, your support is always welcome," she lied casually. "And certainly when it brings the company of the son we rarely get to see." She cast a fond gaze over Daniel while he glowered at her fakeness.

Testing how far she would go in complicity, he suddenly perked up, taking Emily by the hand. "Well, I'm glad to hear that, mother," he replied. "Because the producers are pushing for Emily to join me in my interview," he turned to look at his blonde companion, watching her eyes widen in genuine surprise. "And I think it's a great idea."

"Daniel, how quickly have you forgotten?" Victoria protested right away. "Emily values her privacy," she insisted, hoping to force her way.

"Actually, I'd love to do whatever I can for Conrad's campaign," she backed Daniel, matching his witty smile. "What's good for one Grayson is good for all of you isn't it?"

"I'm grateful as I am humbled," Conrad replied, appreciating that at least one of the women in the room was agreeable with his wishes. He sent an icy glare to Victoria before heading into the prep area.

"Then it's settled," Daniel concluded, grinning his mother's way as he turned to usher Emily into the room. He masked his lingering concern with a final look of reassurance and tapped her arm, knowing he was about to disappoint her greatly. "We're on."

 **SCENE**

"So, Daniel, the last time you sat down with Nightline, you had just endured a grueling murder trial, Grayson Global was on the verge of financial collapse…"

Daniel tried to remain focused as JuJu Chang from NBC sat across from him, enumerating his headlines from the previous year. But despite the brightly lit room and Emily's intensely staring eyes beside him, he was a million miles away, wrestling with how he could please her and yet still follow Aiden's instructions. There was one thing he had in mind, but he still had his reserves.

"And yet, here we are a year later," JuJu finished. "You're C.E.O. of the family business, you're reunited with your fiancée, and Vanity Fair went so far as to call you 'this generation's John-John and Carolyn.'"

He grinned bashfully at the comment, locking eyes with Emily. "I don't know about that last part," he deflected humbly. "But, um, I won't deny I'm thrilled to be back with Emily," he saved another sweet look for her, caressing her hand.

JuJu smiled at the affectionate gesture. "Well, in keeping with your father's platform for transparency, perhaps you'd like to comment on the flip-flop from last year's interview?  
Back then, you vowed full support for your father, and yet, recently, there have been reports that you led a coup against him at Grayson Global..."

Daniel took a nervous breath, and could feel Emily's eyes on him, waiting and watching. This was it – this was the opportunity he could finally make his stance known, could tell the world just how much he opposed his father, dismantle his campaign and win Emily's favor forever. And with a final gaze into her expectant pools of wonder, he knew he would throw it all away, if only to save her life.

"All due respect," he began, his breath growing shaky as he spied his parents looking on anxiously from the background. "That was simply the press trying to stir up a story," he continued, feeling disgust mount on his tongue. It pained him to support people who were so clearly wretched but he had no choice. "No, my father stepped down to focus on his political career, and I humbly filled the vacancy."

Once the words were out, he could feel Emily's discomfort next to him, sensed her shifting in surprise at his lack of forthrightness. But for JuJu's sake, she kept an alert and pleasant disposition, ever conscious not to appear unhinged. "Fair enough," JuJu remarked, turning her attention to her as Daniel's heart continued to sink. "Now, Emily, the press is clamoring for details about your rekindled romance. And yet, you don't seem to share the Graysons' policy for transparency?"

Emily bore the question with elegant poise, seemingly unfazed. "Well, Daniel and I aren't ones to kiss and tell," she answered and Daniel wondered if her vague reply was punishment for what she assumed to be cowardice on his part.

"Actually," he suddenly inserted, taking both women off guard. He looked at Emily with clarity of feeling and she turned in response, curious if he was having recourse. "Ah, Emily has every right to her privacy," he explained. "Up until this point, we had yet to discuss what the future holds for us – " he paused dramatically for emphasis. "That is until now."

JuJu's expression intensified noticeably. "Daniel – am I understanding this right, are you suggesting as of this interview, wedding bells are in the offing?"

Daniel caught a peripheral view of his mother edging closer in anticipation but kept his focus reserved just for Emily, who was furrowing her brow at the surprising turn of events. "Not in the offing," he corrected her, squeezing Emily's hand. "But as soon as possible," he raised her fingers to his lips, kissing them gently. "If she'll have me again?"

A hush went through the room as the household of guests watched the display unfold, and JuJu clamored in excitement, keen to boast the proposal of the decade on their network. She eagerly prompted Emily, "Ms. Thorne, I believe that was a proposal – will you break your vows of secrecy on live TV by gracing it with an answer?"

Emily's mouth had partially dropped open, watching as Daniel kept his eyes dead set on hers. A stirring in her heart convinced her that the moment had to be real – that as much as she felt the pretense in his first response, something about _this_ appeared to be sincere. And yet, she kept still, searching for a reason for his sudden change of plans with an instinctive glance around the room. Her gaze fell on Victoria, and the ease of Emily's answer quickly came next.

"Well one thing that I've learned is that you never can be certain what the future holds," Emily addressed JuJu's question carefully. As much as she wanted to honestly open her heart, she needed time to consider if his proposal had come in truth or convenience. But regardless, her eyes filled with promise as she looked back to Daniel. "That being said, I can't imagine an honor greater than joining the Grayson family."

Daniel exhaled in relief, just as Victoria's countenance dropped in clear disappointment. Emily caught it in her peripheral view and broke into a bright smile, lauding the victory over her shaken nemesis. Victoria turned away at just that moment, and it was only then that Emily noticed Jack had been standing behind her. The clear disgust in Jack's expression partially deflated her triumph, but she continued to save face for Daniel's sake, listening as JuJu commented in response.

"Well, from where I'm sitting, it's a perfect fit!"

 **SCENE**

Victoria tensed in her seat as she tried distractedly to appear interested while her husband babbled through his portion of their joint interview. It was hard to concentrate after watching Daniel's proposal just moments before, and she found her eyes drifting regularly to where he and Emily now stood a few steps beyond the camera crew. While the two were not overly affectionate in the afterglow of the leading announcement, something in Emily's eyes appeared triumphant, a look Victoria could only attribute to yet another successful manipulation of her son. She watched as Emily looked down suddenly at her phone and then looked up again with a tight grin, following Daniel over to watch her and Conrad take their turn in front of the camera.

"…the challenges that we have faced as a family have only fortified our commitment to truth, openness, and accountability," Conrad was finishing when Victoria snapped back to attention. She did her best not to glower at how her husband used his illustrious vocabulary as a clear smokescreen.

JuJu, on the other hand, appeared to catch on as she responded, getting a nod from her producer. "Well, I have to say, I'm so happy to hear that, because my team has just independently confirmed a tip that we received about a long-secret pregnancy—"

Conrad quickly put up a defensive hand while Victoria lowered her head, allowing him to handle it per their agreement. "Uh, Juju, I'm gonna stop you right there. Apparently, it was only a matter of time before my opponent would use this painful chapter of my wife's past against me." He paused to reach over and take her hand, squeezing it emphatically.  
"Victoria faced a tragic choice in her adolescence, and I know that if she had the opportunity to do it over, she would obviously have chosen _life_."

JuJu appeared stunned and confused. "Mr. Grayson, I'm sorry," she clarified. "Just to be clear, are you saying your wife had an _abortion_?"

"In 1973, yes," Conrad answered quickly, without noting the confusion in JuJu's tone. Meanwhile, the perimeter of onlookers drew close, including Lydia, who stood at the helm next to the producer, a look of concern smeared across her face. "And while we wish we could've kept the matter private, we're not afraid of the truth," Conrad continued to insist.

"Wait," JuJu replied, suddenly turning her attention directly to Victoria. "Wait – for the record, Mrs. Grayson, are you now denying that you abandoned a six-month-old boy named Patrick to enroll in a European art school?"

As the weight of her question resonated, the entire room fell nearly silent. Victoria's mouth remained pinched in a tight line, as if holding her breath. Meanwhile, while Daniel's brow had furrowed in surprise when his father suggested an abortion, he was now poised in anticipation as the truth was being unearthed. And while both Lydia and Jack were concentrated on Conrad, watching for pangs of embarrassment, Emily's eyes were fixed only on Victoria, awaiting the inevitable.

With a breath, Victoria spoke. "The story is true," she admitted to JuJu, and for a moment it seemed as if she might run from her seat. But instead, she merely turned to her husband, facing his alarm with head held high and continued. "Unlike the stories my husband has been telling," she added, a hint of vindictive anger in her tone.

Her eyes blinking at a furious pace to keep up with the revelation, JuJu pursued it. "Are you saying your husband has been _lying_ on your behalf?" she prodded.

"Not just mine," Victoria added, and craned her neck once more to look just beyond JuJu, where Lydia stood. "But his own."

"Victoria, don't—" Conrad begged, but there was no stopping her.

With a pained smile Victoria plowed ahead. "Ask Conrad who the father of his Communication Director's child is?" she declared boldly and suddenly all eyes followed her gaze to stare at Lydia, while JuJu looked back to Conrad in shock. Lydia's face crumbled in embarrassment and she shrunk back, edging her way backwards through the camera crew.

Conrad sunk his head into his hand in disbelief, while Victoria basked in the moment of retribution, removing her microphone and then excusing herself as she got up from her seat, leaving the interview.

 **SCENE**

" _So sorry_ I'm late!"

Charlotte apologized ardently as she climbed out of the backseat of her driver service and stepped onto the pavement, flashing plenty of skin underneath a noticeably short party dress. She dashed over to where Rick was waiting for her outside the nightclub, feeling a wave of giddiness when she caught him eyeing her ensemble. "You won't believe the insanity that's going on at my house right now," she explained.

"Unbelievable, I'm sure," he humored her, still fixated on her outfit. "Not a far cry from that dress you have on," he added, and at the mention Charlotte did a little pose. "How did you manage to sneak that number past them?"

Charlotte giggled flirtatiously. "It's called a fur overcoat," she leaned in to whisper into his ear, swaying when she stepped back to find her footing.

"Whoa," Rick replied, watching the misstep and extending an arm for her to hold on to. "You okay?" he asked and smiled as she laughed at herself.

"I'm _fine,_ " she insisted, staring up into his eyes wistfully. "Trust me, I'm way better than my parents right now—" she cut herself short, suddenly breaking away to walk towards the club. "Hey, let's go in, I really need a drink—"

"Hey Charlotte, _wait_ ," Rick called out, trying to stop her but she was rushing along, pushing through to the front of the line. He caught up to her, pulling her aside as other patrons entered the club. "What do you mean better than your parents, what happened?"

A look of embarrassment spread onto her face, cornered by his question. "Nothing, just your run-of-the-mill night for them," she struggled to answer. His eyes pierced hers to go on and reluctantly she bowed her head to finish. "Both of them admitted to having other kids – on live television."

Rick's expression intensified, listening with full attention. He nudged Charlotte to look at him with a finger under her chin. "What?" he gasped.

"Yeah," she confirmed, fighting off emotion. "My dad is having a baby with one of his campaign runners – also my mother's ex-best friend, I might add," she confessed. "And my mother? Well she's had a son for over 25 years that she's never told anyone about." She shook her head angrily and folded her arms in disgust. "Can you believe that? I have an older brother I don't even know!"

Rick watched her sympathetically as she plunged her head into her hands, wishing he could do something to help. "I'm so sorry, Char," was all he could manage, and instinctively pulled her into an embrace.

She relaxed in his arms, giving into a brief sob while he rubbed her shoulder. "See now why I need a drink?" she tried to joke feebly. "It's no wonder I almost ended everything last year. My family makes me crazy."

He nodded to be understanding, despite clearly being against the idea. He gently pulled her from him to look her in the eye again, hoping to encourage her otherwise. "Charlotte I know you hate them right now," he whispered softly, staring into her eyes. "But you can't harm yourself because of it. They're not worth it – and you deserve so much more," he assured her.

Brimming with emotion, Charlotte felt herself unable to contain what she was feeling, and at the sweetness of his words she was suddenly reaching out, planting a kiss on his lips and throwing her arms around his neck.

He kissed her only for a moment before pulling back instinctively, shocked by her reaction, but too late for the cameras that were nearby. "Hey, check out Charlotte Grayson!" someone yelled, and within seconds the paparazzi were flashing, taking in every second of her desperate affection.

"Char, hey," he tried to push her off, and with a jolt she yanked back, scarred by his response.

Filled with embarrassment yet again, she looked around in dismay as he rebuffed her and then suddenly took off, storming out of the side alley and down the street. "Charlotte, _wait!_ " Rick called out, not intending to make her upset, but the damage was nearly done.

"Charlotte!"

 **SCENE**

"Nice takedown, sharp shooter."

Emily pursed her lips as she answered Nolan's call from the comfort of her kitchen, still in her dress from earlier but with a heavy sweater thrown on top. "I should be congratulating _you,_ " she redirected, hovering over her open Infinity Box on the counter. "Clearly you were able to bring down the Falcon in time to release those records to Nightline?"

"Oh yes," Nolan recalled in delight, leaning back in his desk chair at his office. "Although… she didn't go down without a fight."

Emily arched an eyebrow. " _She_?"

"That's right," Nolan confirmed. "Edith Lee – turns out _Miss_ Falcon was a consultant for Grayson Global. Back then, she was just a computer prodigy brought in to design the company's internal network. And when the Graysons needed an expert to fake evidence against your father—"

"They used someone in-house," Emily finished, quickly putting it together. She shook her head in disbelief as she picked up the retreat photo from the box, zeroing in on a young girl.

Nolan nodded to himself. "After that, she erased her identity – went off the grid to bask in her hacking skills triumph," he paused to flex his hands, still sore from a rousing game of Street Fighter. "That is, until now," he added.

"There was a girl in the retreat photo," Emily surmised. "She never showed up in any of my research. I always just assumed she was an employee's daughter."

Nolan chuckled. "Another face for you to cross off," he celebrated. "Which makes two for today, including Victoria's seamless destruction of Lydia Davis," he paused. "Or three, if you count _yourself._ Did you see Daniel's romantic take-down coming?"

"Actually, no," Emily recollected with a sneer. "I didn't." A sound at the door told her she would need to continue description later on. "But, I'll have to talk about it more later," she bid him, not before snapping a quick picture of the retreat photo. "In the meantime, the red 'X' is all yours – picture coming your way." With a gentle whisper she said, "To Padma."

After Emily ended the call, Nolan looked at his phone and saw a photograph of the retreat picture come through – Emily's way of letting him do the digital honors. He smirked and used his editor to place a red 'X' over the Falcon's face.

Meanwhile, Emily turned in expectation to face Daniel, who had walked in slowly with a sheepish look. "An evening of surprises?" he greeted her, one hand tucked in his pocket.

"I'll say," she answered a bit flatly, though her expression still held warmth. She crossed her arms to impress her mood. "Nothing like having my boyfriend sandbag me on live TV?"

" _Boyfriend_?" Daniel repeated, grinning in reply as he neared closer. "You know, that's the first time you've called me that since we got back together," he commented. Emily's eyes still fixed on him, waiting for explanation and he finally sighed in response. "Listen, I'm sorry for what I did… I just, ah," he paused to search for words.

"You couldn't go through with it," Emily provided for him, nodding in acceptance. She looked down at the floor, pressing her lips together. "Yeah, I had a feeling when the time came it would be too much for you."

Daniel leaned forward in defense. "That's not it at all, Em—"

She brushed over it shortly. "Daniel, I'm not upset," she insisted. "I told you it wasn't something you needed to do for me. I already know where you stand," she affirmed and then brightened up, hoping to change the topic. "And the plan succeeded – your mother gave up Lydia without a moment's hesitation and your father finally was forced to dismiss her." She reached over to hand Daniel the retreat photo and a red marker. "Here – perhaps you'd like to do the honors on her behalf?"

Daniel gazed at the photo; following her ritual to place an 'X' on Lydia's face, when he noticed one was there already. "Should I just trace over the first one?"

Emily concurred flatly. "She was the first person I came after – and has proved to be a stubborn one."

Daniel shook his head, putting the cap back on after he finished the last red stroke. "Wonder how my father's campaign holds up from here on out," he thought aloud.

"He'll manage. I called in a favor," she replied. She turned to walk into the living room, but Daniel pulled her back after a few steps, sensing the unrest in her short replies.

"Emily, wait," he begged her, still intent on discussing the interview. "I know you don't need to hear this but the truth is, I still want to make my stance clear—"

"Daniel—" she put up a hand, but he kept on.

"I wasn't scared, alright?" he clarified. "Well I was scared, but not for the reason you think _._ I was worried it might draw negative attention to you." He waited hopefully for her reaction, relieved to say he was telling the truth at least in part.

She took it in stride, though her opinion differed. " _Or_ ," she offered smartly. "You just wanted to pin me down first?"

Daniel smirked, using it as a platform to address a feeling he had long held on to. "Well you haven't left me much choice," he began, taking her wrist into his hand and turning it so her tattoo faced upward. "I used to think this meant history repeating itself." He glanced into her eyes meaningfully. "But now I understand what it truly means. It's a symbol of the one thing that's given you motivation all these years – infinite love."

Emily lowered her eyelids as she listened to Daniel accurately describe her truth, feeling emotion well up at the sensation. Her hand grew slightly limp, but Daniel kept his grasp and then reached over to take her other hand along with it.

"Now I may not be able to compete with the love you shared with your father," he went on. "Nor would I ever claim his place in your heart," he paused to reach into his pocket, pulling out the item he had had been holding since he walked in. Emily glanced down and finally saw it – the engagement ring she returned at the end of the previous year. "But when I tell you I know that the love I have for you is infinite," he continued, lifting the shimmering diamond into view. "It's my way of doing it right this time around – my way of asking David for his daughter's hand."

Emily blinked and found herself sniffling in response, barely having noticed the moisture that had formed in her eyes and nose as she listened to Daniel's sweet words. She watched as he tilted the inside of the ring for her to see, and with surprise she noted he had made one alteration to it – a very small, barely visible infinity symbol was engraved on the inside of the band.

She gasped, looking into his intently focused eyes. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Em-," he finished, adding, " _Amanda._ Amanda _Clarke._ " She smiled at his correction to make it an honest proposal, while he chuckled in return but then grew serious. "But only if you want the same?"

Emily tried to contain her emotions, but despite some reserves her inclination was first to melt into his arms. As much as she felt a part of her resenting his decision not to publicize his stand against his family, she knew he was still growing into a new person before her eyes, and she would be forever touched by his loyalty. She reached over to pull his lips to hers in a kiss, deepening it as Daniel embraced her in return, despite still holding the symbol of his love in hand.

A few moments later Daniel broke away, desperate to get her answer. "So, is that a yes?" he confirmed.

Emily exhaled a sweet laugh, resting her forehead against his as she bit her bottom lip. "I suppose I should say it out loud," she replied through a smile. "At the risk of history repeating itself," she added.

"No – then don't," Daniel quickly put a finger to her lips to stop her, cracking a grin. "I don't want to do anything the same this time as before." He thought quickly on his feet and suddenly opened Emily's palm to place the ring inside of her hand. "We're different now, you and I – and our identity as a couple should be different too."

"Okay?" Emily furrowed her brow, trying to follow his thinking.

"Tell you what," he decided. "Take a few days – think it over. And by this time next week," he squeezed her palm shut over the ring. "If you've decided to put that ring back on your finger, I'll have my answer."

Emily exhaled a chuckle, but found the extra time comforting. There was still much on the table regarding her plans for his family – things he would need to be fully aware of were they to truly enter into a happy union. But despite her concerns, something about this choice seemed less daunting and she easily predicted her answer would remain. "Alright," she agreed. "You have a deal."

 **SCENE**

"If you're thinking of jumping, allow me to assist you."

Conrad allowed his icy offer to resonate while he approached the balcony of his bedroom with a glass in hand, saving a death-dealing glare for his wife.

"I'm in no mood for your gallows humor," Victoria spat back angrily, not even turning to face him.

"That's ironic," he retorted, taking a heavy swig. "Considering how you hanged my reputation tonight."

" _Your_ reputation?" Victoria spun around at once. "I don't give a _damn_ about your reputation!"

"Yeah, or your son you've been covering up," Conrad asserted vehemently. "Or how did JuJu put it?" He pretended to stew thoughtfully. "Oh yes, you _abandoned_ , all those years ago."

Victoria glowered, steaming beneath her skin. "Your hypocrisy is incredible," she accused. "Here you stand before me only seconds after banishing your mistress and lovechild to save your pathetic chance at governor while you rebuke me for my past—"

"A fact that only stands because of your lies, complimented by a selfish act of retaliation—" Conrad argued.

"You had it coming!" Victoria belted. "I _begged_ you not to force me to do that interview!"

"Only because you _knew_ of the secrets that stood to be revealed in the aftermath!" Conrad roared back, inches away from her face.

"YES, you fool!" Victoria screamed back at him, glaring into dark eyes that seemed to only hold evil. "And you refused to let well enough alone," she chided him. "I should say you earned every second of your embarrassment!"

Conrad bit his lower lip and shook his head, floored while not fully surprised by her audacity. "So be it," he finally replied, his voice lowered. "But while I still stand a chance at being a part of my unborn son's life, just remember you sealed your relationship with yours when you _shunned_ him in favor of luxury," he sniveled into her face, as Victoria backed away from him. He smiled, still owning a sense of victory as he drowned the last of his glass. "Well it's only a matter of time now before the media bloodhounds drag him out into the open."

As Victoria stood in pain by his final words of cruelty, Conrad departed, set to finish the night apart from her, drinking away his sorrows in his private study downstairs. "I'll leave you to your demons…"

 **SCENE**

"Your emotions for Emily have endangered her mission."

Aiden straightened up from where he sat at the bar as Takeda came up beside him, having fallen into a relaxed position after waiting hours for him to arrive.

"What kept you?" Aiden asked, though not really expecting his mentor to feel obligated to respond. His eyes flickered up at the television, having its media coverage fresh in mind to lean his case. "And you're wrong. Didn't you see her interview? She practically inducted herself into the Grayson family – she's more dedicated than ever."

Takeda sat and turned to face him sternly. "I share your optimism," he replied. "But it is not her that holds my concern. It is _you_."

Aiden became quickly disoriented, having prepared his mind for hours to defend Emily's cause and never expecting that Takeda's angle could be anything else. "Wait, what are you saying?" he pursued in confusion.

"Mistakes," Takeda enumerated, pausing for emphasis. "Unnecessary loss," he added. "You have lost focus because of your emotions for her."

"Lost _focus?_ " Aiden repeated in disbelief, suddenly filling with rage. "This path you've led us down leads nowhere!" he suddenly exclaimed, and a look from Takeda made him conscious to lower his voice. He leaned closer to do so in a whisper. "You see, I killed the man who murdered my sister. It gave me no peace. So vengeance isn't the answer."

"That is why you are decommissioned," Takeda responded numbly, and again Aiden reacted in shock. He looked to him with wisdom in his eyes. "This should not alarm you – you have long been training your replacement."

Aiden balked at the realization. " _Amanda?_ " he replied, stunned.

"After you aid her with her final training test, she will take your place," he confirmed in response. "She is dedicated to assisting Emily, whereas you –will only be her undoing."

Unable to fathom that all along his assessment had been wrong and Takeda was now insinuating that it was _he_ that brought her danger, he continued to protest. "No, no, you're wrong about this – all of it," he insisted. "Even Emily would agree, she's started to search for meaning in her life, she needs more—"

"Emily needs _revenge_ ," Takeda corrected him as he stared ahead and Aiden felt a twinge of relief that he had cut him short before he nearly admitted Emily's true involvement with Daniel. "And she always will. She can control her emotions," he paused to stare back at his insolent student. "It is _you_ that cannot accept this – because of your love for her… and your jealousy for the boy."

With his keen assessment, Aiden was quickly on his feet in earnest denial. "You're _wrong,_ " he hissed in disgust. "And I'll prove it to you. You'll see that my judgment is not clouded when I end this, fast, and with no exceptions to the enemy," he swore, taking his jacket in hand before he prepared to storm out. He leaned forward to say but one more thing to his former master before doing so.

"And there's nothing that you can say that would change my mind."

 **SCENE**

"Well, that was Nolan again."

Emily speared her entry into the bedroom with her phone in hand, coming over to where Daniel was waiting for her in bed. In synchrony, he also held his cellular device, setting it down on the nightstand as she joined him under the covers. He did his best to mask his concern, despite being worried that he still had not heard back from Aiden on how his conversation with Takeda went. Despite his lingering anxiety, the prospect of Emily being his fiancée yet again was enough to motivate him to put on a smile for her benefit.

"You tell him the good news?" he joked as she nestled against his bare chest.

"Not until its official, remember?" she jested back, reminding him of their deal. "But no, as it turns out your mother stopped by his office."

Daniel glanced over at the clock. "This late?"

"Well a mother's instinct knows no time boundaries," she quipped smartly. "Turns out she wants his help… to find her long lost son," she explained.

"Ah," Daniel followed, shrinking away at the subject. He still had no interest in finding out more about his half-brother. "Well, tell Nolan to get at least a good payoff out of her before he goes handing over the address," he recommended, knowing they were well aware of where he resided.

"I did," Emily replied, shifting to get comfortable. "She offered sole ownership of his company back."

Daniel chuckled, stroking her hair. " _Nice_ ," he commented, knowing his approval on the board of Grayson Global would be required. "I'll make sure to give her a hard time before letting her 'twist' my arm," he added sarcastically.

Emily smiled. "As a matter of fact, he had every confidence that you would," she assured him, calling back their conversation from that morning. "See – I told you he trusts you."

"Mm," Daniel absorbed appreciatively. He leaned in to kiss her again, still relieved that the pressure of the interview was over and relaxed, letting out a great sigh. "So," he continued. "Back to basics – what happens next with my family?"

Emily turned up her lip. "Well, finding her son should keep your mother busy and your father…well, he'll be his own undoing."

"Fair enough," Daniel agreed. "He's no more a hypocrite than my mother – now they can boast their bastard children together." He shook his head ruefully, recalling how obvious it had been post-interview that he had dismissed Lydia from all affiliations with his campaign. "I wonder how he succeeds now without his trustworthy communications director?"

Emily snickered devilishly. "Oh, I think he'll manage."

Daniel wrinkled his nose. "You know something?"

"I told you – I called in a favor."

 **SCENE**

"Quite a show."

Conrad froze in place as he leered over the roaring fire in his study, identifying the clearly familiar tone of voice just beyond him. He turned slowly to confirm it, watching as the slender, beautiful woman came near and recognizing her immediately – a returned Ashley Davenport.

"You know, if I were still your trusted director of communications," Ashley continued, walking into his clear view. "I would've advised _against_ live television."

Conrad lowered the glass in his hand, surprised and yet, relieved to see her. "Yes, well, hindsight is always… 20/20," he relegated, watching as she approached.

"Or 'Nightline' in this case," she added coyly, smiling through bold red lips. She was an intimidating sight, ever the fashionista in fine fur and elegant heels, boasting the clear evidence of Salvador's fortune.

"Ms. Davenport—" he began.

"It's _Grobet,_ " she corrected him regally. " _Mrs._ Grobet."

He half-grinned at her reply. "Ah, _Mrs. Grobet,_ " he rephrased. "Did you really come all this way back to the Hamptons to vaunt your ability to gloat?"

She bore an innocent look. "Is that all you think of me, Conrad?" she humored him, clicking her tongue. "How careless of you – I also came to help." She reached into her purse.

"Oh?" Conrad's face befell with shock. "Has Victoria appointed you to sink my chances at Governor even further into the ground?"

Ashley glowered as she produced a photo and held it out for him to see. "Lucky for you, I no longer answer to the Queen of the Hamptons," she explained, letting him examine the detail of the capture. In the photo, a heavily pregnant Lydia was boarding a train, clearly depicting her swift departure.

"And to what purpose does this serve?" Conrad questioned, failing to see the significance. "Further proof that my reigning scandal is coupled with desertion?"

"You don't seem to understand," Ashley continued. "I'm giving you the opportunity to have a relationship with your _child,_ " she explained. "I have the means to ensure Lydia and your offspring remain hidden from the public, affording you the chance to visit them at your discretion."

"A kind gesture," Conrad replied, still not following. "But ultimately necessary if I'm not in position to be a public official."

"The public will forgive your transgressions when they are no longer reminded of them," Ashley declared, handing over yet another item for him to look at, this time a medical printout. "And _this_ will help – evidence of conception _before_ you & Victoria exchanged a second set of vows." She raised an eyebrow. "Something I could conveniently find a way to leak if I'm so inclined…?"

Conrad reacted in interest, studying the page. "Hm," he pondered. "This would do wonders to convince the public eye that I'm not the philanderer Victoria would have them believe."

"Well," Ashley disagreed slightly but ignored it. "That's a bit presumptuous… but as noted, these are all just a glimpse of the damage control I'm willing to do in your behalf should you restore me to your service?"

Conrad's inertia was rejuvenated, seeing her precious bit of information as a godsend. With little hesitation, he gave over his consent. "Welcome back, Mrs. Grobet."

 **SCENE**

Lydia clutched at her belly and braced herself as she endured every vibration from the train ride as it barreled away at high speed. She bit her lip, reminded constantly of the state of humiliation to which she seemed confined forever. Despite all her attempts to affix herself into Conrad's life, her surroundings spoke volumes to her failure. Her alliance with the Initiative had amounted to nothing – terminated with the death of Helen Crowley and cessation with Grayson Global. Her place in the Hamptons was all but dissolved, ruined by Victoria's rueful admission of her secret. And last of all, Conrad too had turned his back on her, following suit in what she knew to be his pattern of self-preservation, choosing his campaign image over her without hesitation. The only smidgeon of relief she nurtured was the child she carried, hoping at long last it would mean some possibility of happiness in her life. Yet if the tremors on the train were any indication, she would find out the latter sooner than later.

With a halt, she suddenly found her discomfort regress, and glanced out the window to confirm they had in fact stopped. Finding it odd, she lumbered her way to the door of her cabin, briefly checking the hall to see what the trouble was. To her dismay it was empty, leave for a lone figure, a man, dressed in all black and walking the opposite direction.

"Excuse me?" she called out, her impatience rising. " _Excuse me?_ Do you happen to know why the train has stopped?"

When the man did not turn she followed him yet another step, and upon reaching out to get his attention, he turned around revealing himself to be fully masked and with a weapon pointed straight at her head. She gasped, her heart dropping, but he put up a hand to keep her calm and swiftly motioned for her to return to her cabin.

She did so immediately, extending her hands in the air out of fear, and once she had reentered again she froze in shock, seeing a woman waiting for her, also dressed in black. The woman appeared to be wearing the same garb as the man, leave for a face covering, and instead she boldly let her features show, standing to meet Lydia upon entry.

"Who are you?" Lydia accosted her right away, still gasping but now more curious than fearful.

The woman looked at her strangely. "You don't recognize me, do you?" she challenged her, leaning in closer. "I'm the girl you tried to murder."

Lydia's eyes widened in surprise at the mention and watched carefully as the woman shook out her short black hair, tousling her natural curls until they fell around her face – and suddenly brought her identity into plain view. "Amanda," she hissed in conclusion. "How are you still alive?"

Amanda chuckled, enjoying the revelation. She gestured towards her accomplice, who shut the door to Lydia's train car, leaving the three of them alone in the room. He then tossed his weapon over to Amanda who caught it with quick reflex. "Ah," she sighed playfully, hints of her old personality shining through as she settled into the chair across from Lydia. "Looks like you underestimated your foe?"

Lydia shook her head in disbelief, sneering through bared teeth. "Not as much as you think," she countered. "For one, I know you're not going to kill me."

"Oh?" Amanda humored her, wrinkling her face in mock surprise. Her eyes then fell on Lydia's protruding belly. " _Oh_ ," she pretended to realize. "You think I'm going to show mercy because you're a mommy-to-be? Kind of like the same mercy you showed to me on my honeymoon night, huh, Lydia?" She thought again. "Or to Jack? Or to my father, David?"

Lydia bore her clever comparison, clenching her jaw to ignore it. "That may have been your honeymoon night – but David was _not_ your father. You're not Amanda Clarke."

Amanda brought her gloved hands together to clap three times, mockingly and then broke into a sinister laugh. "I won't even deny it. It's true," she agreed, jumping to her feet. "But unfortunately," she digressed, putting on a matching pout to continue taunting her. "You'll never be able to tell anyone."

With a determined eye on her captor, Lydia braced herself, expecting Amanda to raise the gun to her head – but instead suddenly felt her world plunge into black as a needle punctured the skin at her neck, rendering her unconscious.

Amanda caught her head as she slumped over, containing her in a natural position to ensure she was asleep and looked up at her accomplice. "Is that it?" she asked.

Her accomplice removed his mask, revealing it was Aiden. "That's it," he confirmed, putting the needle away and shifting out from under Lydia's weight to stand back.

"And that serum is safe – it won't harm the baby?" Amanda verified out of genuine concern.

Aiden nodded at Amanda with pride. "Yes. You did well. Our work here is done."

 **SCENE**

"Hey – thanks for watching Carl."

Declan flinched as his brother announced his entry upstairs, quickly clicking off of the screen he had been looking at online. After of hours trying unsuccessfully to write his paper, he had finally given up waiting for Charlotte's help and decided to browse the internet. It was then that he came across something that made him wish he had never parked in front of his computer in the first place.

"You alright?" he asked Jack, careening his neck to make out his brother's disposition. "I was watching the Grayson interview on TV – whole family is a train wreck, aren't they?"

"Yeah," Jack agreed, out of consideration adding, "except for Charlotte." But Declan's expression insinuated he was including her in the statement, though Jack did not notice. Instead he took a moment to peek in on his son, replaying the debacle he had just witnessed in mind – from the unearthing of Conrad and Victoria's shocking secrets to the unpleasant scene of watching Emily just about re-engage with the heir to the Grayson throne.

Intuitive to his thoughts, Declan pursued. "So this, um, Emily and Daniel thing is that," he stammered. "I don't know, is that weird for you?"

Jack slumped on the bed, angrily removing his boots. "I'm done with Emily," he resolved, the last lingering image of her refreshed in mind. "I don't want her around my son anymore."

He recalled as her countenance fell when they caught eyes moments after she expressed her willingness to join the Grayson family. But he could not bring himself to find any understanding in his heart for her actions, no matter how much she pretended to care for him and Carl. It was clear her loyalties had to be in question.

Unbeknownst to him, Declan was thinking along the same lines about the youngest Grayson family member when his brother approached him. "Dec, from now on we gotta be careful who we trust, alright?" he reminded him, clapping his shoulder before he left the room. "It's been a long day, I'm going to bed."

"Yeah," Declan agreed nimbly. "Goodnight."

He waited until Jack had gone before pulling up the video he had been watching just before his arrival, becoming saddened all over again. There as clear as day, was footage of Charlotte with another guy, whom he vaguely recognized as Regina's friend from the Masquerade Ball. Not only had Charlotte lied to him in favor of going to a nightclub with someone else, but he watched in disgust as the capture showed them kissing – sealing her betrayal and his broken heart all in one.

 **SCENE**

"Did he take it?"

Ashley answered Emily's question via phone while she leaned against her vehicle the next day, poised outside of Conrad's campaign office. "Yes, just as predicted," she replied, with a discreet look to scan her surroundings. Despite arriving in the early afternoon to begin her services in subterfuge, she was wary of any of other employs overhearing her discussion. "I must admit though, I never thought I'd be back in the Hamptons."

"I know," Emily could relate as she treaded the parking garage at Grayson Global with purpose, on her way to meet Daniel for lunch. "Thanks for coming back, Ash," she expressed her appreciation warmly. "I'm sorry to get you mixed up in all of this again—"

"Please," Ashley begged off with a soft gesture. "I didn't have much of a choice." She lowered her head, holding her device to her ear. "While I'm not ashamed of marrying Salvador for his fortune, I _am_ disgusted with myself for not assuming his addiction to women would ever stop."

Emily tilted her head in sympathy, now on the elevator. "He was unfaithful?"

"Not even a _month_ after the ceremony," Ashley lamented, rolling her eyes. "But he _was_ faithful to his promise to provide for me, which I've used to my advantage. And at least I know while I'm away exercising _all_ of his major credit cards… he'll have company."

Emily sighed at her friend's light way of poking fun at herself. "Well I appreciate your help," she emphasized. "Keeping tabs on Conrad's skeletons isn't easy but it's the only thing I knew he'd be willing to bargain with. It's nice to know I can trust you."

"Don't mention it, doll," Ashley obliged with a sneer. "I wouldn't pass up a chance to give the Graysons what they properly deserve." She paused to think for a moment. "Speaking of… is that your angle with Prince Charming? Or are the rumors true, have you two really rekindled your flame?"

"Why do I feel like you asked me the same thing last time we spoke?" Emily replied coyly, buying time to respond. The elevator arrived at Daniel's floor giving her an easy out. "Listen, I'd love to finish the girl talk, but—"

"But, you're on your way to meet him," Ashley finished intuitively, squinting in understanding. "I understand. So I'll just leave it that I've got my eyes on Conrad and I'll let you know if anything else develops."

Emily nodded, ending the call as she entered into the hall. "I appreciate it."

Ashley put her phone away with a smirk, turning to walk into the building when she suddenly stopped short, surprised by the bystander she hadn't noticed was waiting inches behind her. "Jack!" she gasped, recognizing him. "My god, it's you?" Her mind moved at a furious pace, trying to piece together the latest updates. "Listen, I'm so sorry about Amanda—"

"Save it," he interrupted her, putting up a firm hand. "I heard everything you just said," he confessed, an accusatory tone forming as he crossed his arms. "Who were you on the phone with?"

"Ah," Ashley stammered, trying to be cautious. "A friend from Croydon," she lied feebly.

He raised an eyebrow, challenging her. "Really? Do they know you're here to extort the Graysons?"

Feeling caught, Ashley immediately broke into desperate pleading. "Jack, I'm sorry—"

He cut her short one last time, stepping into her space. "Don't be," he insisted and an intense look in his eyes told her he was not angered but relieved. "I'm not judging you… I want in."

 **SCENE**

Grace looked up with a smile as Emily strolled over to her desk, punctual as always to meet Daniel. She paused her current conversation to greet her. "Mr. Grayson's just finishing up a meeting, Ms. Thorne – I'll tell him you're here."

"Thank you," Emily nodded, stopping to wait patiently in the hallway. She took a brief turn about the room, observing the hallway and self-consciously glancing towards Aiden's old office. A thought suddenly occurring to her, she took a step towards the reception area again. "Grace, do you think you could help me with something?"

Daniel's assistant looked up at once, covering the receiver end of her phone again. "Sure, what can I do for you?"

Emily opened her mouth to respond and then paused, just as she glimpsed Aiden out of the corner of her eye, emerging from his office. "Ah," she quickly regrouped, facing her. "What's your policy about using the roof?"

"The roof?" Grace repeated, narrowing her eyes in confusion. "Um, I can look into that for you with Facilities?"

Seeing that Aiden had spotted her Emily delayed, and then finally responded. "Yes, please would you?" she answered. "Excuse me."

While Grace nodded and got right on task, Emily stepped away from reception, headed for where Aiden was standing. "What are you doing here?" she spoke in a low whisper, keeping an eye on the direction she had just come from.

Aiden replied slowly, savoring the opportunity to see her in the flesh with a yearning in his eye. "I have an appointment."

"I thought Daniel let you go?" Emily countered suspiciously.

"He did," Aiden lied cautiously, trying to keep relaxed. "This is my exit interview."

Emily watched his eyes, wondering what he was hiding behind them. She swallowed away her concerns in favor of pursuing further information. "What will you do?" she posed.

Aiden gave a shrug in reply with his hands in his pockets. "Return to Japan, I suppose," he guessed, looking away. "You and Daniel seem to have his family right in your grasp. It's only a matter of time until they crumble under the pressure."

Emily lowered her head in acceptance, realizing this was quite possibly the last time she would ever see him again. As much as their relationship had been strained and she had clearly made her decision long ago, she felt closure was needed between them. "Aiden," she began. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done."

He raised his brow in surprise. "Done?" he repeated. "I thought I'd ruined everything for you?"

She digressed. "It's taken me some time to move past Amanda's loss," she admitted, lifting her head to face him with a sense of hope. "But I know you tried to save her – just like you tried to save Padma. And because of you, the Initiative seems to be no more."

Aiden struggled to bury his emotions. "For now," was all he could manage.

Emily went on. "I just don't want you to leave thinking you're walking away with nothing…" she trailed off, looking to him for assurance.

"But I'm not," he answered and a slight tugging in his mind called back Amanda's reminder, one that he thought he would never come to agree with but now saw as more true than ever. "As long as _you're_ safe," he impressed upon her. "I walk away with everything."

Emily found his words hard to process, knowing she stood before a man who cared for her deeply and was accepting the fact he could never have all he wanted. "Daniel and I—" she began, feeling she owed him an explanation.

"Yes," he stopped her, not needing it. "I heard of your somewhat confirmed re-engagement." Emily nodded, realizing he already had acknowledged as much. With a bold stare he plunged ahead, asking the one thing he had to know before he let go of her and followed his own path forever. "Do you love him, Emily?" he asked.

She swallowed; taking a moment to stare away first and finally lifted her eyes to respond. "Yes," she answered confidently and by the assurance in her deep brown pools, he knew it had come from her heart. It was her proclamation of who she was; her unconscious decision of the person she wanted to be. With clarity he realized she had managed to merge both identities into one: she was both Amanda Clarke… and Emily Thorne.

With resolution Aiden smiled back and caressed her cheek, then leaned forward to kiss the spot he had just touched. He lingered to whisper into her ear before breaking away. "Then marry the son of a bitch," he commanded, pledging his support. "And take them down once and for all."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Long live Emily/Amanda! Well, my dear ones I do hope you enjoyed this chapter! I apologize for the delay in getting it posted, it's been quite the busy past few weeks but I so wanted it to be perfect before completing. With a TV Interview, 2 takedowns, a proposal (2 if you count the private one), a kidnapping,** _ **and**_ **the return of an old face, this "episode" has to top out as one of the hardest to write lol. So I hoped it all tied together well for you and laid the groundwork for more exciting things to come in the last three chapters of this "season". Hope you enjoyed the Demily moments and all the drama and with that I will leave you to your thoughts! I do so hope to hear your reactions as they continue to make my day whenever I read. And I am happy to take your suggestions in consideration when writing the next chapter – this is all for YOU, guys! Thanks a million and have a great weekend! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	20. Chapter 20: Engagement

**Chapter 20: Engagement**

 _Engagement can be a commitment to love… or a declaration of war. One must enter every battle without hesitation, willing to fully engage the enemy, 'till death do you part…_

"Emily?"

Emily turned from where she was casting a thoughtful gaze over from the uppermost ridge of Grayson Global, down over the darkened city below. Daniel had finally arrived at her invitation to a private dinner on the rooftop, something she decided to orchestrate after his proposal the week before. Ever punctual, she intended to provide him with a response just as he had asked, despite pondering what their potential union would include in nearly every waking moment since. But with Aiden gone and his pledge of support upon leaving, she had felt a sense of confidence, as if it was the final push to goad her forward. Things were finally beginning to fall into place and she was reminded of the sensation she felt from the previous year – when suddenly she felt the potential of happiness within her grasp.

"When you said you were bringing me dinner at the office…" Daniel trailed, admiring the linen cabana, romantic lighting and life-size chess game that decorated the setting of their date.

Emily brightened up and walked over to meet him, showing off her shapely figure in a slender black cocktail dress, her hair tied back in a low ponytail. "Well, I wanted to do something a little bit more private, less in the limelight," she explained genuinely, greeting him with a kiss.

"You look beautiful," Daniel sighed, his eyes ensuring how intently he meant it. With excitement, he intertwined his fingers between Emily's, feeling for the ring in her left hand.

But Emily quickly caught on and slipped out of his grasp, not wanting to give anything away just yet. "Thank you," she accepted gracefully and instead led him over to the cabana. Grace had assisted her with the elaborate setting, and all the little details became more visible as they neared the table. "Le blanc ou le rouge?" she gestured as the attendant arrived with the wine.

Daniel smiled, his senses tickled whenever Emily spoke French. Not only was she a proficient at the language of love but her accent could easily convince anyone that she was a native to its romantic capital. "Red," he answered, wondering if the theme was not a coincidence. Emily nodded for the waiter to comply and then he swiftly departed, leaving them alone as she had requested.

"I know that devilish grin of yours," Daniel continued to observe, still with an eye on her hand though she kept it concealed. "What are you up to?"

"Well, I've been thinking about what you said," Emily responded honestly as they took their seats. "What you asked me," she clarified.

Daniel nodded readily in anticipation and watched as she opened her napkin on her lap. "And?" he pressed.

Emily paused to give the intensity of the moment a chance to sink in. "The truth is, Daniel," she began, leveling her eyes upon him. "Most girls have dreams about their wedding. What dress they'll wear… what flowers they'll have…" she took a breath, shifting her tone. "But ever since I found out the truth about what happened to my father, all I've ever dreamt about… is revenge."

Daniel lowered his head in concern with the direction of her response but still remained fast at attention.

"… How I would punish the people who took everything I'd lost," she continued grievously. "And unfortunately the people I've wanted to punish the most," she hesitated, prefacing her words with caution as she stared back at him. "They're your family. And as much as you stand against them – that's never going to change."

Getting a sense that she could turn him down, Daniel finally interjected with passion. "Emily, please don't take my proposal to mean I want us to have _anything_ to do with them," he insisted, leaning forward to gesture emphatically. "I want nothing more than to see my parents exposed for who they really are—" he swore.

Emily replied before he could continue. "Wait, " she stopped him, grazing his left hand with a gentle touch from her right. "I wasn't finished." He relaxed and she went on. "As much as your parents have taken _from_ me," she acknowledged, looking away and then up into his glimmering pools. "Together – they made _you_. And that's the one thing I can't hate them for."

Daniel settled in his seat, deeply touched by her honest admission – one he would have never expected to even come from her lips. Something about her sincerity touched his heart, and with torment he realized that Emily's vulnerability, rare as it was, only resurrected his own guilt for not being completely honest with her. He felt a push to unload the truth yet again, but as she continued to pour out her heart he did not dare stop her.

"Daniel, when we met last year, the feelings I had for you were real—and they still are," she was saying. "But despite your desire to support the path I'm on, I could never expect you to have the same convictions as I do." She paused for effect, using the hand that still rested on the table to lift the silver lid off of the plate before him. "And you shouldn't have to. So the only solution is – this."

Daniel broke his trance long enough to look down at the plate, upon which rested two printed documents – airplane tickets. "Paris?" Daniel read them aloud, his intuition on the French motif being proved correct.

Emily nodded slowly, finally bringing her left hand up to sip at her wine glass. With relief, Daniel observed she was in fact sporting the unmistakable symbol of his love on her ring finger, sparkling in the candlelight. "We leave it all behind and start a new life together," she expanded on her proposed solution. "Far away from here."

Daniel stared back in amazement, taking it all in. This was the moment, she was actually and finally saying yes. And yet, something continued to trouble him. "But what about your plans?" he asked with interest.

"It's time to let them play out on their own," she replied with a slight nod of her chin. "Ashley is certain your father's secrets will continue to emerge – derailing his first term if not devouring his campaign beforehand; and your mother," she trailed off in thought. "Well, any parent that has abandoned a child will have much to contend with once they finally return. I would expect Patrick Osbourne to be no different," she assumed, knowing it to be even truer than she led on.

Daniel suddenly became fixated. " _Osbourne_?" he repeated.

A startled look came over Emily's face, knowing she had had a rare slip of the tongue. "Daniel I'm so sorry," she quickly apologized in a whisper. "I know you didn't want to know his identity."

To her surprise he shrugged it off. "Don't worry about it – Nightline already tipped off his first name during my mother's interview," he reasoned, and Emily recalled he was right. "And at least I know who he is," he ascertained, his eyes lighting up with possibility. "So I can send him a postcard from Paris."

An enchanted look lit Emily's expression, taking his response as acceptance. "Yes?" she confirmed.

Daniel raised himself midway in his seat, gesturing for her to do the same so they could meet halfway, hovering over the table in a brief kiss. He smiled excitedly after their lips touched, basking in the glow of their commitment.

"Let's do it."

 **SCENE**

Aiden gazed wistfully out of the airplane window, resting his head back on the cushiony seat of the private jetliner. His view was dull for the moment – only the tarmac below as the plane had quite some time before takeoff. But for him time seemed to run together, a solemn blur of days and hours as he spent the past week tying up loose ends before departure. While he was not content he still did not feel anxious, only out of place, or as Emily would oft describe him – lost. He brushed aside the stray memories of her, relieved to be jarred out of his concentration when the flight attendant approached.

"Will anyone be joining you, sir?" she asked kindly, eyeing the open seat on the aisle.

"No," Aiden replied huskily, clearing his throat to be more polite. "No, I'm afraid it's just me." The flight attendant nodded and walked away, and just as quickly as Aiden had accepted her reminder of his lone departure, the seat suddenly filled.

"Actually you're wrong," his companion differed upon sitting down, and Aiden looked over. It was Amanda. She turned up her lip, staring him down indignantly. "You're not going anywhere either," she presumed.

"What are you doing here?" Aiden questioned her, glancing around instinctively. "You shouldn't be seen in public, it's too risky for you."

She relaxed her hands into the pockets of her short leather jacket, shrugging. "I convinced Takeda I couldn't stay behind without you," she explained. "Told him I still needed your help."

Aiden stifled a chuckle. "You don't need my help, the job with Lydia is finished," he countered.

"Lydia may have woken up at a rehab facility with part of her memory wiped," Amanda acknowledged, describing the former's present condition. "But _our_ work here is long from over." She asserted her viewpoint with a signature glare.

Aiden absorbed it, glancing off out of the window again. "Takeda decommissioned me," he replied with resolution, explaining his weary demeanor.

"He can't do that—" Amanda protested.

"Well he _did_ ," Aiden snapped back angrily, facing her.

She leaned forward in a sharp whisper. "You don't _work_ for him, Aiden," she insisted, despite him giving her a look that argued otherwise. "Neither do I," she added, sitting back to reflect. "While I was in Japan hiding out the first time, I spent so much energy learning how to take commands I forgot to answer to the only one that really mattered – my heart." She paused to let her statement hang in the air. "And while the second time helped me learn more skills as a warrior, it hasn't changed the reason why I choose to fight." She leaned forward again, impressing her point. "Aiden, if we're gonna sacrifice everything we ever wanted with the people we love, then we get to do it our way. No more taking orders."

Aiden pondered her argument, seeing plenty of reason in it despite not feeling compelled to jump to support. He turned slowly, dignifying her with his gaze while keeping resolute. "I think you'll do just fine at that without my help," he asserted.

Amanda settled back, realizing she would not soon convince him. "Suit yourself, then," she resolved, rising to her feet. "But if you change your mind, the offer stands." With a calm breath she left him to his thoughts, leaving one last for him to mull over as she departed from the plane. "Do you want to be just another soldier for the rest of your life?"

 **SCENE**

"Thought you went to school?"

Jack raised his brow from behind the bar as his brother suddenly came storming back through the front door, headed for the tip jar that held the family stash. "Charlotte flaked on me again," Declan replied sheepishly, trying to restrain his annoyance. "She was supposed to drive me."

"Does it have anything to do with that paparazzi video of her with that guy?" Jack piped in, eliciting a sharp look from his brother. He looked past it, more concerned with why his brother concealed the fact that his always-claimed-innocent girlfriend was cheating on him. "Why didn't you talk to me about it, man? I gotta hear about it from a group of barflies? What's going on?"

As expected, Declan came to her defense, fending him off automatically. "She's in a really dark place, alright?" he explained. "She has been ever since Amanda passed—" he started to excuse but Jack was persistent.

"She into drugs again?" he pushed.

Declan finally stopped to deliberate, wishing he didn't have to figure it all out in that moment. "I don't know," he answered honestly, with a heavy sigh. "Maybe…that guy in the video goes to our school, but I don't know a whole lot about him or why he and Charlotte are even hanging out. But it's pretty hard for me to tell with her blowing me off every day." He shook it off, continuing to dig into the stash and coming up with a wad of crumpled money. "I need money for bus fare," he explained, pocketing the stash.

"How many buses are you taking?" Jack jested under his breath, despite not really minding. His instincts were more just protective over his brother getting hurt again.

Declan sensed as much as he continued towards the door. He glanced back at his brother. "What, are you gonna drive me?"

"Ashley's coming over," Jack explained, wishing he could.

"Ashley Davenport, wow, it's like last summer all over again," Declan recalled with a nod. "So she's gonna help you out with Conrad?"

"It's Ashley _Grobet_ now," Jack corrected him. "And I'll know soon enough," he added with assurance. "Whatever he's up to, there's no way I'm gonna let him slither his way into the governor's mansion."

Declan grinned thoughtfully, slipping partway out of the front door. He stopped short when a joke came to mind. "Hey, do you know why you're supposed to bury a politician 100 feet down?" he posed it, waiting for Jack to look at him for the punchline. He shrugged sarcastically. "'Cause deep down, they're really good people."

 **SCENE**

"Tell me, Conrad, what is your true intention? Because I know that you wouldn't sacrifice an asset as valuable as Nolcorp out of the goodness of your heart."

Victoria confronted her husband in the foyer, intending to start off her morning with an explanation of why he had suddenly done an about-face in the past week. After her enlistment of Nolan Ross to help find her son in exchange for full ownership of Nolcorp, she had been shocked to receive Conrad's full support.

"Well, with the Initiative and their sizable business out of the picture, paring down is what's best for the company," Conrad explained, coming out of his study with documents in hand. "And I've decided it looks better on our family image if we continue to _address_ our grievances rather than deny them."

"Family image?" Victoria smirked, folding her arms. "Forgive me if I find this sudden generosity rings about as true as one of your campaign promises," she balked at his claim.

"Speaking of broken promises," Conrad replied with a sneer, piggybacking onto the topic by handing her a handful of mail from the post. "It seems that every orphan born in '73 is trying to lay dubious claim to the throne." Victoria snatched it from his hand icily, giving him more reason to chuckle. "But of course, as long as you allow me the right to visit _my_ son when he makes his entrance into this world I am _more_ than happy to support your quest to find your own."

Victoria shook off his sly remarks. "How do you plan to even contact your son once he's born?" she posed thoughtfully, setting the mail down onto the table beside them. "If he hasn't arrived already – Lydia hasn't been seen in over a week."

Conrad took an uneasy breath, her observation reminding him he urgently needed an update from Ashley, despite not having told Victoria yet that she had reentered his service. "I have reliable intel working on that as we speak," he answered flatly, hearing the front door swing open.

Daniel and Emily walked through and Conrad took a step forward to greet them, with Victoria a moment behind. "Ah, perfect timing," he called ahead, extending the Nolcorp document in hand. "This is the Nolcorp transfer agreement," he directed to his son, changing his tone to one of condescend. "Now I know it was your first acquisition, so letting it go may be –"

"If I weren't good with it, I would have vetoed the board's decision," Daniel cut off his patronizing, tucking it under his arm to shift topics. "Emily and I have an announcement—"

"Another one? My, my, that's becoming a trend for you too of late," Victoria addressed them coolly. She averted her attention just to her son. "Before you shock the world yet again, Daniel, can I steal a moment with you?" She paused to watch him closely. "Unless, like your sister, you're still giving me the cold shoulder over the news?"

Daniel exchanged a glance with Emily beside him, rolling his eyes. He saw no point in feigning surprise at things he already knew long before they came out. "Mother, I'm neither upset nor surprised that you have yet another kid out there," he retorted smartly.

"Bite your tongue!" Victoria scolded him. "I think you know how that happened," she added in her defense, immediately looking at Emily as if to assign ownership of any poisoned thinking.

"Well, _since we're making new additions to the family_ ," Daniel mocked her in return, leaning forward to steer Emily into center view. "Emily and I are officially re-engaged."

"Oh," Victoria sighed with little reaction. "Is that all? Rather repetitious, don't you think?"

Simultaneously, Conrad spoke over her, ignoring her hostility. "Allow me to offer our congratulations," he added with a grand gesture.

"Why, thank you, Conrad," Emily accepted gracefully, turning to finally address Victoria. "And no, Victoria, that's not all. First, we're hosting a party tonight to share the good news," she began, a twinkle in her eye indicating to Daniel how much she relished the next moment. "But more _importantly_ , we'd like to announce that in two weeks, Daniel and I take off to Paris."

"That's where you're getting married?" Victoria assumed, unimpressed.

"No," Daniel corrected her with pleasure. "That's where we're planning to _live_."

 **SCENE**

"Really, Daniel?" Victoria desaturated in the living room as Daniel took a seat across from where Conrad was pouring them champagne flutes. She paced back and forth, hovering in front of her favorite chair. "Your first engagement to Emily was a disaster! What difference will Paris make?"

Daniel absorbed her coarse remarks with a practiced stillness, emulating Emily's ability to restrain from outburst. Considering that his parents were at fault for their failed attempt the previous year, he had to exercise great control in not lashing out with the truth. "You know, it's a good thing Emily had to leave for an appointment with the wedding planner," he responded. "Because this is exactly the kind of non-support we refuse to tolerate, and one of many reasons we're moving far away from here."

Victoria huffed at his reply disdainfully, but dialed back her opposition. "I just can't understand why you feel so attached to a woman who's brought nothing but contention into your life—" her response was cut short by both Conrad handing her a glass and Daniel's reply.

"Emily's the one, all right?" Daniel insisted firmly. "If you don't support me, then fine – I don't care. But I'm not letting her get away again. Besides, I'm sure you'll find my replacement before the week's out."

"Don't be cruel, Daniel," Victoria lobbied for sympathy. "You and I have both made mistakes.  
The difference is, I don't make them twice."

"Except bastard children, I guess," Daniel shot back without remorse, watching his mother's face pinch in pain from his remark. Victoria glanced briefly to Conrad in reaction, and then promptly exited the room, leaving her champagne glass behind.

Conrad paused uneasily, setting his own glass down in the wake of their offset. Daniel glared at him next, expecting further hostility. "I expect you feel the same?" he guessed.

But instead, Conrad grinned in spite of the insult. "On the contrary, Daniel," he divulged, settling into a place on the couch. "Between you and me, I'm thrilled. I've always wished a stable future for you," he pretended, revealing intent in his next reply. "Plus, if you were to rush an announcement into the Times, I predict a bump in the polls…"

"Of course," Daniel resigned. "Anything to further your precious campaign." He shook his head, returning his focus to what was next on the agenda. "Whatever, you can milk our engagement all you like. But in return, I want my trust fund withdrawn from the Amanda Clarke Foundation." Conrad furrowed his brow in question, but Daniel persisted with his rehearsed reasoning. "Since the Initiative's pulled out of the company, there's no reason to be hiding our assets anymore… right?"

"Well, perhaps, but your money's securely gaining remarkable interest right where it is," Conrad countered. "Right along with the rest of the family fortune."

Daniel expected as much but would not budge. And if his father's reply was any indicator, he knew he was on to something. "I don't care. It's my decision – just see to it that it's done by the engagement party tonight." He emphasized the seriousness of his request, just as his phone rang from his pocket. "And I'll hold up to my end." He stood to take the call. "Grace, you read my mind," he answered his assistant. "I need you to contact HuffPo to get an engagement announcement on the home page—"

"Already on it," Grace replied as Daniel spied his father smiling triumphantly from the corner of his eye. "And you also have an unscheduled visit – Mr. Takeda is here requesting a meeting, he said it's urgent. Should I have him set something up on the calendar?"

Daniel looked up in concern, not expecting to hear any further from Takeda after his last encounter with Aiden. To his knowledge all loose ends had been tied, Emily was in the clear and Aiden was back in Japan. What could possibly be left on the table to discuss?

He stepped away from his father, answering out of earshot to conceal the distress in his reply. "No," he replied anxiously. "No, tell him to wait there – I'm on my way in."

 **SCENE**

"What do you mean _disappeared_?"

Emily concentrated as she questioned Ashley across the counter back at her house, trying to follow the details. She had expected their discussion to be a brief update, albeit masked as a wedding-planner appointment, but Ashley had arrived with bad news instead, causing Emily to worry that her and Daniel's plan could be off track.

"Exactly that," Ashley explained, gesturing for effect. "My hired investigator says he was tracking Lydia on the train up until she stopped upstate and _she never got off_." She rested a distressed hand on her hip. "For all we know she could be cross border by now."

" _Or_ more seriously, if she was diverted from the start she could still be close," Emily guessed, considering all options. While Lydia being off the grid posed no immediate threat, the potential of her still remaining local and emerging at the wrong moment was of concern.

As both women deliberated, the back door opened and Nolan popped his head in cautiously. "Ems?" he called out, walking into the kitchen.

"Thank goodness you called him over," Ashley sighed under her breath to Emily in relief. "He was going to be my next suggestion. Maybe he has more access to track her down?"

"Ash?" Nolan greeted the other in surprise. He glanced back at the door in a double take fashion. "I'm sorry, did I just walk into a portal from the past, or are you just dying to take another shot at planning the Thorne-Grayson wedding?"

"See, its words like _'shot'_ that worry me with them," Ashley replied smartly, adding aside to Emily, "Congratulations, by the way." She ducked her head respectfully, forgetting to acknowledge the big announcement in all the commotion.

Emily barely stopped train of thought to thank her. "Ashley is back working for Conrad," she explained to Nolan, who nodded with authentic realization. "She answered my request in support of our … _unique_ position regarding his campaign," she worded with care. "And was just sharing an update on his latest scandal."

"Yes," Ashley affirmed to Nolan, who acknowledged her partial entry into the inner circle. She glanced back over to Emily. "Although I stand to lose my sole bargaining chip for your soon-to-be father-in-law if I can't produce his second family," she digressed with worry. "His trust was predicated on me assuring him safe visitation with Lydia and their child."

Emily went into damage control, recognizing Lydia's takedown could mean they needed a new angle with Conrad. "Just try to stall for now," she recommended. "Persuade Conrad to focus on his image."

"As in?" Ashley proposed.

"Supporting Victoria's quest to find her son," Emily responded with a shrug, recalling the tail end of the Graysons' earlier conversation.

"Oh yes, I heard about this," Ashley nodded in confirmation, turning thoughtfully to Nolan. "I thought she had _you_ on the job, as a matter of fact?" Her expression grew skeptical. "You've got more access to personal information than the bloody government; won't that task run out of steam rather quickly?"

"Well fortunate for us," Nolan sighed, winking egregiously. "I can stall as long as necessary – _I'm_ the genius behind the operation," he admitted with a sweeping gesture of his hand.

Ashley took a moment to stand back and observe the combination of Nolan's computer genius and Emily's tactical intellect. "You know, I should've guessed long ago that you two worked perfectly together," she observed, folding her arms as she glanced from one to the other with intrigue. "Just how long have you been plotting to take down the Grayson dynasty, anyway? And how does Daniel feel about all of it?"

Emily brushed away Ashley's concerns, certain she was far from figuring out anything of real significance. Nolan watched his friend handle the daring question. "My sentiments exactly, Ash," he tacked on, pretending to wonder the same thing. "Ems?" he played along expectantly.

She shot him a glare. "We don't have time to discuss this at length," she answered them both. "But I can assure you, Daniel and I are in complete confidence about everything." She stared directly at Ashley for emphasis. " _Everything –_ alright?" She acknowledged with a relieved signal, relaxing her arms to her side. "Now, I need you to focus and keep on that trail, Ashley – can you do that?"

"Right," Ashley agreed, snapping back to attention. She pulled up her tablet, paging through with a swipe. "My contact is at the airport checking domestic, international and even private flights." She checked her watch, and was quickly wrapping up, slipping her device into her purse. "I'm late for an appointment but I'll circle back when I have an update."

"Thank you," Emily appreciated as Ashley pranced swiftly out of her house, shutting the door behind her.

Once she was gone, Nolan came around to face Emily, shooting her a sly glare as he leaned on the counter. "Well, that was interesting— _Ashley,_ in the inner circle?"

"She's not in the inner circle, Nolan," Emily corrected him without hesitation. "But she _is_ an ally. And as much as I don't like reversing a takedown, she does need leverage on Lydia to remain close to Conrad."

"Oh, well correct me if I'm wrong but it sounded like she's also trying to keep Conrad _in_ office?" he posed back in surprise.

"Not in office," Emily alluded. "Just in the public eye," she hinted.

Nolan gave his lip an upturn, his wheels turning. "By any chance, can she use those skills to check up on Jack too, since you've recently been exiled from respective godmother duties?" he proposed.

Emily bypassed the stinging reminder of Jack's decision to have nothing to do with her, saving her insight for reply. "Where do you think she was running off to?" she shot back, and Nolan bobbed his head in realization. "I had a feeling when I called Ashley back into town that she would not only come in handy for Conrad but also to keep Jack safely occupied." She paused meaningfully. "It's going to be all the more necessary once I'm no longer around."

Once again, Nolan found himself not following. "What – like during your honeymoon?" he asked.

Emily braced herself, not relishing having to share that which would be difficult for her dearest friend to hear. "I haven't told you the news," she began, lowering her gaze.

Nolan sniffed, used to Emily's secretive instincts. "No, of course you didn't—but I heard her congrats," he assumed, referring to Ashley. "So you made it official?"

"That and," Emily elaborated. "I'm leaving," she paused to reword as the countenance on Nolan's face quickly dropped, letting her finish. " _We're_ leaving. Daniel and I are moving to Paris."

 **SCENE**

The sound of Aiden's phone ringing from his pocket was barely audible against the roar of the engine as his private flight finally prepared for takeoff, nearly an hour after his early arrival. He retrieved it to answer, curious at his caller.

"You're a hard man to find," Daniel's voice chimed through when he picked up.

"I'm about to be even harder," he responded, glancing out of the window onto the tarmac. "I'll be flying over the Atlantic in a few minutes."

Realizing his time limitation, Daniel rushed into explanation. "Listen, you should know I've decided with our engagement to tell the Emily the truth about Amanda," he offered up first.

Aiden bowed his head in acceptance, feeling the reminders of their union to be never ending. "Well, then you have my blessing," he consorted. "My place here is finished."

Daniel shifted in his stance from his office, also gazing out of his large window into the city. "Aiden, I know we haven't always seen eye to eye," he stated, hoping his next words didn't reek too much of sentiment. "But you've been a trusted confidant – and a friend." He paused meaningfully to silence on the other end, and decided to go on. "You know, for some time I thought your agenda was selfish but clearly, it's the opposite."

Again Daniel paused, struggling with embarrassment but the silence continued. He glanced at his phone to ensure the call had not disconnected but it was still on, despite Aiden remaining fairly quiet in return to his admissions. "At any rate," he concluded. "I hope this hasn't cost you Takeda's trust – I appreciate you talking sense into him."

Aiden finally spoke, acknowledging Daniel's expression in short. "The cost was unexpected – but bearable," he admitted, knowing his return to Japan would likely come with a sharp scolding from Takeda and another season of rigorous training on how to control his emotions. "I'll put in a good word for you, Daniel," he found himself promising. "Discreetly of course, when I see him."

"Funny you should mention that, because I just concluded a meeting with him a few minutes ago," Daniel replied, and this time the silence on the other line had an eerie undertone.

"What are you talking about?" Aiden gasped, leaning forward in his seat. "He should have already returned ahead of me."

Daniel furrowed his brow. "Well, he must have changed his plans –he just left here. From what it looks like he wants to reopen all those portfolios you closed off with the Initiative – I assumed you already knew?"

Aiden stood to his feet, his consciousness taking in both the persistent roar of the engine and Daniel's words all in one. "No – I wasn't told about any of that," he replied anxiously, making his way towards the cockpit. "Daniel – did he tell you why, did he make mention of any reason?"

His urgency peaking, Daniel ransacked his brain, coming up regretfully short. "No, nothing, I thought it was part of your plan – some way to cover up all of the work you did, further investigation into the Initiative – anything?"

Disregarding Daniel's guesses, Aiden hastened his pace to the plane exit, pushing past a flight attendant that had begun trying to get his attention. "Sir—sir, the flight is about to takeoff—" but he ignored her, pushing his way to the exit, and running down the stairs that were just about to retract.

Now fully aware that Takeda had tricked him, Aiden took off with a vengeance, uttering his last words to Daniel on call before he hung up. "Never mind – I know what he's doing."

 **SCENE**

Ashley tapped anxiously at the bar in the _Stowaway,_ waiting for Jack to finish with a set of customers before being able to chat with him in confidence. While she spied that he would be occupied a few minutes longer, she discreetly pulled out her tablet, anxious to see if her investigator had an update. To her surprise, a notification was waiting for her with a photo from the airport terminal and an adjoining message: _No sign of subject – however noted a suspicious character leaving the private charter area._

Ashley clicked on the attached image and stared closely as it filled her screen. It appeared to be a youngish woman, traveling incognito with a hood pulled over her head and hands in her pockets. Something about her looked familiar but Ashley could not put her finger on it. She tapped out a reply: _Any connection?_

She waited a few moments, looking up to check on Jack. He nodded in notice of her, gesturing that he would be right over. In the meantime, a fast reply came back and Ashley pulled it up: _Pulled camera footage from subject's train at time of departure; possible match to airport visitor._ Her intrigue growing, Ashley clicked the next attachment that came through and this footage from the train was a slightly clearer image. She enlarged the photo and stared closely, and this time her heart nearly dropped as she made the startling realization. "Bloody hell…" she gasped aloud, recognizing the woman.

"Ashley!" Jack suddenly appeared, startling her from behind the bar. He watched her jump in response and immediately eyed the back of the tablet she held upright in her hand. "So, what'd you find out?" he pursued, lowering his voice to a whisper. "That anything we can use?"

"Um," Ashley flustered, blinking several times before minimizing the screen.

Again Jack's eyes fell on her tablet, glimpsing that she had just been looking at an image. "Looks like you got someone to flex their photography skills," he commented, growing interest. "Is it enough to derail Conrad's campaign?"

Ashley stammered yet again, trying to feel her way on what to do. "Actually," she began, setting her tablet aside while she thought quickly. "I may have a suggestion, but it comes with its own set of risks."

Jack creased his brow, trying to follow her bearing. "What are we talking about?"

She shifted uncomfortably, glancing up into his intrigued eyes with newfound power in her own. "How brave are you, Jack?"

 **SCENE**

"I always did love this ring."

Emily enjoyed a rare moment of contentment as her sister palmed her hand, admiring the beautiful diamond that decorated her finger. It was times like these that she secretly counted her blessings for choosing to give Daniel a chance, appreciative of the opportunity their bond afforded her to draw closer to Charlotte. And even if she had yet to tell her who she really was, something in their interaction always felt natural, as if both secretly understood the other to be her sister. With realization of how close the end of her journey was nearing, Emily recognized the time for full honesty might be even sooner than she expected.

"Well, we thought about keeping it a secret, but with all the press surrounding the family right now—" she played along in the meantime, smiling back sweetly.

"Ugh," her sister replied, letting go of her hand at once to vent. "Don't talk to me about overexposure. Did you see the online video of me?"

Emily narrowed her eyes, having been too distracted by Lydia's disappearance and bringing her mission to a close to even notice. "No, I haven't?" she began curiously.

" _Don't_ watch it," Charlotte demanded, shaking her head while she stared in her lap. "I can't bear you being disappointed in me too. I'm so embarrassed… I don't know why I went out with him, much less why I _threw_ myself at him," she lamented. "I _love_ Declan, honestly I do!"

"Charlotte, whoa," Emily calmed her, trying to understand. "First of all, I've never been disappointed in you," she assured her. "Concerned, maybe at times, but not disappointed. So tell me, what's going on – do you have feelings for someone else?"

Charlotte fumbled to find the words, shrugging in discouragement. "I don't know," she finally settled. "I thought I was starting to, but maybe I just needed someone in the moment…" she shook her head, too overwhelmed to explain, and even somewhat disgusted by the redundancy of her natures. "I keep wishing Amanda were here," she finally resolved. "She'd know what I was going through. It's a _sister_ thing."

With the stinging reminder of Charlotte's words, Emily retracted slightly, and knew that telling her the truth would be no easy task with her attachment to Amanda already being solidified, and further immortalized with her death. "Look, I know you miss her," she offered, agreeing wholeheartedly. "She can never be replaced." She took a breath, pausing to introduce what she hoped to be a comfort. "But we're going to be sisters soon, too. And I'm hoping that you'll be more a part of my life?"

Charlotte's brow wrinkled in appreciation as she looked up at Emily, treasuring the sentiment. Emily grinned back, restraining the guilt to take advantage of her sister's openness. "Which is why I'm here," she transitioned. "I was wondering if you would be my Maid of Honor." She glanced around in reference. "That is, if you'll leave this room long enough to come to Paris?"

Charlotte's reply was well worth the temporary discomfort. "Oh, my God, Emily!" she sighed immediately and wrapped her arms around her. "Of course!"

Emily squeezed her back, getting a warm stirring from the hug. "Ah, thank you, Charlotte," she exhaled when they separated. Perhaps there was still hope yet that Charlotte would forgive her once they were miles from the Hamptons. She stroked her sister's hair and rose from the bed, not wanting anything to ruin the moment. "I have to get back to working on the planning but let's talk more at the party tonight?"

"Thanks Emily," Charlotte agreed with a nod, and her countenance was visibly lifted.

The notion gave Emily a charge as she descended down the stairs, impelling her to take a confident stride in search of Victoria. She found her in the living room staring over a sea of mail spread on the coffee table, and couldn't resist an opportunity to take a dig in retaliation to her clear disapproval that morning.

"How disgraceful," Emily commented, sauntering into the open space of the room. Victoria looked up and Emily cast a shameful scan over the partially opened letters, beaming with her own knowledge of the true identity of Victoria's offspring. "All of these people trying to capitalize on your pain?" she remarked with artificial sincerity.

Victoria absorbed it. "Emily, dear," she replied, ignoring her question. "That extravagant ring on your finger does not give you permission to flit in and out of my house without good reason?" she challenged instead.

Emily smirked. "I was here asking Charlotte to be my maid of honor," she explained proudly, inciting her nemesis further. "She's really so excited to see Paris."

"She's already seen it," Victoria fired back without interest. "Multiple times."

But Emily refused to let up, dangling her foreknowledge in front of her. "I would assume that you of all people would appreciate the city of lights, Victoria?" she posed. "After all, isn't that where you attended art school all of those years ago?"

Victoria was nearly seething, but tempered herself enough to allow Emily's momentum to be broken by the visitor that suddenly appeared just behind her, escorted by the door maid.

"Sorry to interrupt," he announced himself, and as she recognized the voice Emily turned in surprise to see Jack. He shot an unsavory glance at her but returned his attention to Victoria. "Am I early?"

"Mr. Porter, of course," Victoria chimed, enjoying the awkward interaction. She left her seat on the couch to attend to him at once. "We have an appointment. And your timing is perfect because _Emily_ is just leaving." On her last few words she turned meaningfully towards the former, as if to suggest she get lost.

While Emily watched them in alarm and curiosity, Victoria led Jack by the arm into the study, boasting her small victory with a sneer. "Right this way. Shall we? We can speak privately in here." She turned to secure the doors, saving a final snarl for her departing guest who stood in amazement.

"Good-bye, Emily."

 **SCENE**

"What do you think he was up to?"

Daniel tried not to allow his underlying jealousy to shine through as he finished his tie in the mirror while Emily recanted the events of her day from the other room. He had his own questionable events to distract him but he continued to debate disclosing them openly. Aiden had not returned any of his calls since that afternoon, and he strongly suspected that something was amiss with him and Takeda. Regardless, he had committed himself to telling Emily the truth as soon as possible, sensing that something was brewing.

"It was one thing when he was working for Conrad, but what business would Jack have with your mother?" Emily questioned as she reentered the room, trying to secure her back zipper.

Daniel lent her a hand, nudging her to turn around. "Maybe he wants her recipe for devil's food cake?" he kidded, impressing his own low opinion. Emily glowered over her shoulder at his suggestion, leading him to continue more seriously. "Look all jokes aside, you and I both know if my mother's involved she's probably manipulating him." He finished the zipper, freeing Emily to sit on the side of the bed and put on her heels. "She's done a number on all of us, including Charlotte – who, by the way, just text to say she's not coming tonight."

"What? I was just with her; she said she'd be there?" Emily exhaled, looking up in surprise. Daniel responded by reaching over to show Emily the alert he had just received on his phone. She glanced at it, rolling her eyes as she went back to getting ready. "Daniel, I'm worried about her, she's been having a lot of highs and lows lately?"

"Well, she can't be that off balance," Daniel shrugged, reading the next alert as it came through. He grinned back at Emily from the mirror. "Looks like her memory is just fine – she just told me to trynot to shoot anyone."

Emily stood to her feet, towering close to Daniel's height. "Always good advice," she added starkly, remembering Ashley's similar side comment from earlier. "But seriously, I'm worried about bothher and Jack—" she stopped short, placing a hand on Daniel's chest while she expected a whine in return. "And not for any special reason," she assured him, knowing his insecurities well. "But if I don't know what he's up to, how am I going to do anything about it?"

Daniel placed a hand on top of hers. "Hey – you realize you can't protect Jack forever, don't you?" he reminded her, staring into her eyes. "I mean if everything goes to plan we're going to be gone from here forever, and then what? You can't control what other people do, Em."

Emily digressed, knowing despite how much they cared for each other that the topic would likely be a bone of contention for years to come. "I know," she acknowledged right away, appealing to his reason. "I know it was my idea, and I'm prepared for things to be different it's just…" she trailed off, finally admitting the truth that nudged her at heart. "I made a promise to look after Amanda's family, and I plan to keep it."

With her honest admission, Daniel felt the strongest twinge of guilt he had experienced to date and knew he was compelled to confession, especially if he ever wanted to see her truly at peace. While she lowered her head in thought, he tightened his grasp over her hands, not caring they had to be downstairs in minutes for the party, nor that she could likely reconsider everything after hearing the truth. "Em?" he began. "Before we leave, there's something I need to tell you—"

But he was interrupted by the persistent ring of Emily's phone. She turned at once to check it. "If that's Ashley, it can wait," Daniel preceded her in anticipation, already brought up to speed on her assignment to locate Lydia Davis. He felt the moment slipping away and did not want to miss his chance.

"It's Nolan," Emily corrected him with a shake of her head, pleading in return. "I have to take this – he's monitoring the ACF account. You spoke to your father this morning, right?"

"Yes," Daniel paused to recollect, giving her a chance to break away. "He should have made the transfer for my portion tonight, in fact—"

"Let me confirm," Emily begged off, raising her hand in soft gesture as Daniel started to protest. "I'm sure Nolan's just finishing the last keystrokes and he'll be on his way, this will just take a minute." She turned to step out of the room and he heard her trail off in discussion.

Sighing at the missed opportunity, Daniel decided with a houseful of guests on their way, perhaps it was for the best. Resolving that as soon as they had the house to themselves he would divulge the truth, he turned to finish dressing, catching his own nervous gaze in the mirror's reflection.

 **SCENE**

"Sorry, doll – old dirty _Connie_ 's still got your money."

Emily sighed as Nolan debriefed her on the balance of the Amanda Clarke Foundation, adding this to her growing list of concerns that seemed to all be interweaving just when she needed them to flow smoothly. "Alright, just keep checking," she asked again, not looking forward to telling Daniel the latest. "I can't say I'm surprised but worst case scenario, Daniel will just have to part with his investment."

Nolan shook his head, the blue glint of his computer screen serving as the sole light source in his darkened office. "If only I had _Carrion_ back," he lamented. "I could drain this entire thing in a manner of seconds – and give you and Danny an extra parting gift."

"It's not as important as everything else," Emily downplayed it, rubbing her brow in thought.

"Oh you mean like the fact that you're leaving for good and I'll never see you again?" Nolan digressed, still stewing over their last conversation. He nodded to himself. "Yeah, you're right I'd say that pretty much takes the 'wedding' cake."

Emily sighed, expecting her friend to give her a full reaming but pressed for time. "Nolan, you know it won't be that way," she assured him. "And anyway I expect you to visit us there, if not stay on for a while. You deserve a break from this just as much as I do."

"Hmm, if only," Nolan pretended to oblige, but quickly reserved a seriousness in his tone. "But I'll admit… I _have_ started browsing a few properties – nothing wrong with a little overseas real estate," he drawled.

The small hint of acceptance brought a grin to Emily's lips and relieved her in part. Hearing footsteps outside she hurried to end the conversation. "Listen, people are starting to arrive I've got to go," she informed him. "Just let me know if you get an update but don't stay all night – and I'll keep you posted if I hear from Ashley on Lydia."

"Will do," Nolan signed off and was back to concentration on his screen. He worked furiously, trying to overlay background code that surrounded the fund, even stretching his skills to see if the ACF would accept his _Carrion_ prompts. Much to his surprise, several of the combinations suddenly paired and granted him entry, absorbing so much of his attention that he barely noticed when a visitor suddenly appeared in his office, coming up behind the monitor.

"I need your help," the accompanying voice shocked him, and he flinched in recognition.

"Aiden?" Nolan gasped in alarm. "I—I thought you went back to Japan?"

Aiden wasted no time coming around to his side of the desk, and Nolan realized he appeared to be out of breath, clearly having rushed to his location. "Did you just hack your way into the Amanda Clarke Foundation?"

"Ah, I think I'm almost in, but—" Nolan begged off, still waiting for an explanation of his presence.

"We need to drain it immediately," Aiden motored on regardless. "The Graysons aren't just using that account to hide their fortune; it's a payout for the Initiative."

"Wait, Aiden – what is all this?" Nolan continued to protest, trying to calm him.

Aiden ignored his attempt, leveling a finger at the screen. "Pull up the mainframe for the transactions," he ordered and Nolan complied reluctantly, taking a peek. "See those routing numbers? Those are all from Conrad's assets—"

"Uh, yeah we _get_ that, Aiden," Nolan cut in with an obvious expression. "You don't think Emily already knows he's stashing his money there—"

"But look where it goes a day later," Aiden pointed out. While Nolan investigated intently, he continued. "Looks like a standard transfer liaison, right?"

Nolan shrugged, ready to explain. "Yeah, most private banking accounts use a third party bank holder, it's just like a —an online wallet going right back into Conrad's pockets," he added. "As we already _knew—"_

"But _why_?" Aiden questioned. "Why would Conrad set up a third-party to facilitate money back into his possession? All that would gain him is a money trail, when his original intent was to disguise it, it doesn't make sense," he paused to allow Nolan to follow his lead and then pointed again at the transaction history. "No, this third party is the Initiative; I recognize the routing format when Daniel had me jettison their accounts."

Nolan paused to decipher and realized Aiden's observation was correct. "My God, I—I think you're right," he began as Aiden interjected again.

"But that's not the worst part," he revealed, leading into the main focus of his analysis. "Take a closer look at the transfer liaison, the '' as you call it?"

Nolan followed along, scrunching up his nose. "The coding's reversed?" he observed.

Aiden stood back in full understanding. "It's not reversed; I've studied that kind of coding for years during my training operatives. Its standard format for subversive transactions—" he paused to define. "Underground, virtually untraceable and off the grid – the country of origin?" he paused emphatically as a mixture of disgust and angst filled his face. " _Japan._ "

It took a moment for the realization to kick in, but Nolan quickly caught on. "No… No you're not saying…?" he trailed off, turning around to face him.

Aiden began to pace slowly about the office, staring out of the window. "I was nearly on my way there when I put it all together. Daniel told me after I left, Takeda tried to reestablish the relationship with Americon Initiative and Grayson Global," he recalled, replaying the events in his mind. "While at the very same time Takeda calls me in, telling me I'm endangering Emily's mission." He sighed, getting the sense of it all. "It wasn't because of that – it's because I endangered _his._ "

Nolan stood slowly to his feet, taking deep breaths as he attempted to both decompress and confirm what he was hearing. "Whoa—whoa, Aiden, are you saying he's _part_ of them?"

Aiden turned to face him. "Yes," he answered bravely, still thinking it all out. "Perhaps against his will, which is likely why he trained us to infiltrate," he reasoned. "We were his way in. He used us to get revenge on the conglomerate he was bound to, but either way – he's been their pawn." Nolan covered his mouth, still taking it in while Aiden continued to fit the remaining pieces together. "It all makes sense," he concluded hastily. "When I jettisoned those accounts, when I killed Trask – it put him in danger of being exposed."

"And you are _sure_ that's what this is?" Nolan finally chimed in, nearly shaking from shock. "It's just—I mean, if Emily only knew—" he stammered, trying to sort out which stray thought he should pursue first. Noticing, Aiden took a step forward to calm him, realizing he was becoming overwhelmed. "I mean this isn't because of any of the other casualties, right? Padma, _Amanda_?" Nolan considered, the emotion in his voice intensifying.

Aiden took a deep breath, preparing himself to divulge the one reason he could be sure. "It's nothing to do with Padma," he whispered, grasping Nolan's shoulder. "And it certainly isn't because of Amanda – because she isn't dead, Nolan. Amanda's alive."

Once again, Nolan's face contorted in shock, barely able to stand the overhaul. But rather than let him respond Aiden continued with clarity of purpose. "Takeda's one remaining grace is that he helped save her life," he admitted, in realization. "But as of this moment – she's in danger."

 **SCENE**

"I talked to Victoria."

Ashley started as Jack came up to her desk in Conrad's campaign office. She waited anxiously for his response. "And?" she pressed.

Jack simply shrugged his shoulders. "She claims the footage I got of Conrad and Lydia discussing their conspiracy to kill Amanda didn't surprise her," he answered, in adherence to her instructions. "But she swears she had nothing to do with it – she didn't even try to stop me from releasing it… even though I still don't trust her as far as I can throw her."

Ashley let out a sigh of relief, proud of herself for following her instincts and _not_ telling Jack that she had reason to believe Amanda might still be alive. It was far more discerning to have him first feel out Victoria to see if she had any involvement in Amanda's supposed death, which could be useful to determining why she might still be alive. And while it appeared she had no part of the conspiracy, dangling the bait would expose whether she lunged at the opportunity to silence Jack or was unfazed by him holding evidence in his possession. Either way, Ashley needed time to see what Victoria's true reaction would be, but in the meantime it was best to keep Jack out of the loop until she had assurance that Amanda was among the living, and further whether it was even safe for her to emerge.

"If anyone's more committed to Conrad's defeat than us, it's Victoria," she smoothed over, reassuring him. "She's got a track record for keeping her men exactly where she wants them."

Jack nodded in agreement. "Yeah, including Daniel, apparently," he replied and Ashley tilted her head in question. "She told me I was the reason he and Emily broke up last year," he finished.

Ashley lowered her head in recognition, resolving that this particular bombshell was safe to share. "That's because you were," she admitted sheepishly. "Look, I should have told this long ago but… before Emily gave him back the ring, I saw the two of you at her house kissing – and I told Daniel."

Jack wrinkled his brow. "Why would you do that?"

"At the time," Ashley recollected. "She was engaged to a man that I had feelings for, while I assumed she clearly had feelings for you…" she trailed off, doing her best to remain respectfully distant from the situation. She watched as Jack's expression brightened and suddenly worried she had given him false hope. "But so much has changed since then and I realize now that I was wrong." His eyes flickered back over to her, hearing her out. "I respect Emily now – and honestly I think if you knew what was truly important to her, you would too. She's not what you think—"

"People like her never are," Jack quickly cut her short, his tenderness for Emily becoming a fleeting sensation as his anger towards the Graysons mounted. "Finding this out doesn't change anything about what I need to do."

"Jack," Ashley insisted, and began to question her decision not to tell him about Amanda. In his face all she could see was budding resentment, and it was clear he needed saving from the dark path he was about to go down.

"I'm going to see to it that the whole Grayson legacy is finally exposed for the monsters they are," he continued, confirming her suspicion. "And if Emily has to take the fall for her soon-to-be family…" he paused dramatically before storming away from Ashley before she could stop him.

"Then so be it."

 **SCENE**

"To Daniel and Emily!"

The couple of the hour looked on as Victoria led their guests in an elaborate toast, while they tried to cover their own repulsion for her disingenuous spectacle. Meanwhile, Victoria appeared to be in rare form, indulging the moment. Conrad even watched her curiously, trying to figure out why his wife was unrelenting on being insincere when it was clear how much she truly opposed their plans. "Hear, hear," he echoed as she concluded her speech.

"And I look forward to getting to know you better with each passing day," Victoria finished, reserving an intense stare just for Emily. "Starting now, if you'll indulge me in a little chat?"

With a knowing glance to Daniel, Emily kept face for the surrounding guests, hiding her contempt behind a smile. "How could I say no?" She followed Victoria out onto the front porch, joining her on her father's bench.

"Well, here we are," Victoria digressed, giving her a once-over. "That impressive ring once again on your finger, ready to spirit my son away to Europe!" Emily glared back in response but Victoria kept on. "Oh, Emily I was not born yesterday – I know more than anyone just how susceptible my son can be."

"We couldn't be happier," Emily countered with a shrug. "And for the record – Daniel is not as susceptible as you would have him be," she added in his defense. It was agitating how easily Victoria belittled her son, when in her opinion he had grown more honorable and trustworthy than ever in the past year.

"Hm," Victoria remarked, picking up on her tone. "Well I must say that's the first inkling of real affection for my son I've seen you display to date." She ran her tongue along the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. "Perhaps amidst all your beguiling, you've taken a liking to him after all?"

Emily sneered, shaking her head slowly. "Oh, Victoria why can't you just admit the truth?" she scolded her, lowering her guard in sight of the fact she would soon be parting forever. She allowed her gaze to fall down towards the porch and the bench on which they sat. "It's obvious why you're so on edge – being _here_ tonight…spending time in David Clarke's old house… on the very swing that Amanda told me he built for her…the memories of love and betrayal that must flood in?"

While Emily paused to let her taunting resonate, Victoria's face blanched in reply, despite not wanting to betray weakness. Emily used it to her advantage, knowing she had hit a nerve. "Perhaps it's _you_ that's in denial," she read her proudly. "Pretending to protect Daniel's interests when really, you simply can't bear to see anyone happy—not even your own son? Too much of a reminder of everything you lost so many years ago…" she stopped abruptly, conscious not to go too far with her toying. Instead, she stood to her feet, staring down her nose at Victoria below. "I'll give you a moment – since you so clearly need one."

With that, she made her way back into the party, clenching her jaw to fight off the urge to incite her any further. Within seconds, Daniel was in her path with a look of urgency. "Hey, what was that all about?" he questioned right away.

"Your mother's last attempt at dissuading me," Emily muttered angrily, striding full speed ahead into the kitchen. She couldn't wait for the charade to be finished and the final curtain to come down.

"Hey—wait," Daniel attempted to stop her, pulling her close to look for a private corner. "Listen, I still want to talk to you," he begged.

Emily tried to calm down. "Oh right, earlier," she recollected, easily forgetting after having her thirst for vengeance riled up. She sighed, placing a hand at her hips. "What is it?"

Daniel hesitated, feeling uneasy and rushed by the suddenness of the moment. He glanced around nervously, searching for the words. "Look, Emily I—" he began, and yet again was interrupted, this time by _his_ phone. "Unbelievable," he sighed in annoyance, just as Emily spied Ashley walking in. Daniel glanced down, praying that it wasn't important but Emily caught sight of the screen. "It's Charlotte," he explained with a pleading look.

"Daniel, take it," she urged him without hesitation. "It could be important – we can talk later," she assured him, still carrying over worry for their shared sister.

He shook his head in exasperation. "Char?" he answered, holding the phone up to his ear. Emily looked on as his face immediately scrunched in alarm. "You're _where_?" he nearly yelled. His patience waned and he held the phone away long enough to answer Emily's questioning look. "Charlotte just got arrested – I have to go."

" _What?_ " Emily exclaimed, immediately troubled. "I'll come with you—"

"No," he insisted, putting up a hand and looking around. "You stay here—I need you to hold down the fort. I gotta get her home before my parents catch wind of this—the last thing she needs is a lecture from those two 'model' citizens."

Emily shrunk back, unable to disagree. "Alright," she sighed, and Daniel pecked her with a goodbye kiss.

"I'll call you from the car," he promised, hoping he wouldn't regret it as he darted out of the back door.

On cue in his place, Ashley scurried over, observing Emily cast a gaze in his direction. "Please tell me he's not gone off for a walk on the beach again?" she asked partially in jest.

"No, it's Charlotte," she responded, taking notice of Ashley's anxious demeanor. "What's wrong?"

Ashley took a breath, whipping out her tablet at lightning speed as she peered around the party to make sure no one was nearby. "Alright, brace yourself because I've got something potentially _earth-shattering_ ," she breathed. "I wanted to tell Jack but something told me I should run it past you first, especially since it appears to involve our missing person."

Emily grew interested at once, narrowing her eyes. "Lydia," she assumed. "You found her?"

"Not exactly," she explained, pulling up the surveillance photos. "Look at this picture – tell me what you see."

Emily peered closely as Ashley queued up a photo from the airport and then a clip from the train in comparison. As Ashley zoomed in on the train photo, she suddenly felt a sinking feeling in her heart and took the tablet into her hands. "When was this taken?" she whispered in disbelief, trying to make sense of what her eyes were taking in.

"The photo on the train is from the same day as Lydia's departure – but the airport surveillance is this _morning_ ," Ashley explained, taking a close look for herself. "But you agree – it's the same person?"

Barely able to catch her breath, Emily stammered as she looked again from picture to picture. "Yes, it's the same," she gasped.

Unable to hold back any longer, Ashley finally asked. "So is that her – is that _Amanda_?"

 **SCENE**

"Amanda?"

Aiden called softly into Amanda's quarters, after taking care not to make noise while he entered. It was eerily dark, but he would not take that to assume she was not there, and certainly not after the truths he had just uncovered. While he had left to see to Amanda's safety, Nolan was still busy trying to hack the ACF account, now that they knew it linked the Initiative to whatever they were conspiring to do in the near future. But with newfound knowledge that their shared master was somehow tied into the dealings, Aiden would not leave until he was certain Amanda was out of danger.

Proving his concerns true, with his next step forward a flicker of light caught his eye, and he approached the open stretch of the living room only to find Amanda in a chair, seated alone in the dark. He began to lower the weapon he had raised in hand and then suddenly realized she was not alone at all – Takeda stood behind her.

Aiden returned his gun at careful aim on his master. "Let her go," he commanded in a husky voice that echoed against the walls, and as the room grew quiet Aiden could make out the faint noise of Amanda taking nervous breaths. "Let her go, _now_ ," he repeated with intensity.

"No," Takeda answered, his voice stern, his determination unwavering. "You have done this."

"Aiden—he found out your plane didn't leave, _I'm sorry_ -!" Amanda attempted to apologize but Takeda tightened his grip at her shoulder to quiet her, and only then did Aiden realize he held a large sword angled just at the crease of her neck.

" _Let her go_ ," Aiden demanded for the third time, edging closer as he lowered his gun. "If it's me you hold responsible, then it's me you should fight – not her."

Takeda eyed him, unflinching. "You have endangered years of work," he stated firmly and Aiden understood his continued banter as the start of an explanation. "I have been a slave to the Initiative since they took everything from me – and I will not let you ruin all I have worked for."

Aiden squatted down slowly to rest his gun on the floor and when he stood back up; his hands were extended palms up into the air. "And I will not let you make _her_ pay for it. We have been slaves to _you,_ " he insisted, despite enacting surrender. "You were never going to let us go, were you?"

While Takeda grumbled in return, the sound of Aiden's phone vibrating from his pocket suddenly filled the room. Taking caution, he reached over delicately to lift it, just to look at the screen. Takeda kept the blade tight at Amanda's throat but Aiden continued to move with precision. "It's Emily," he alerted his mentor carefully, extending the phone in a non-threatening gesture. "Would you like to tell her all of this personally – how you intended to use us for revenge forever?"

Takeda watched as the vibrating persisted, keeping his eye on Aiden. "Foolish boy!" he scolded him furiously. "Your emotions never ceased to cloud your path!"

Aiden taunted him back, lifting the phone up a smidge higher. "From where I stand _your_ path is crystal clear," he leered, watching Amanda. "Now let her go or I tell Emily the truth this instant!" he contended.

With resolution, Takeda suddenly pulled back his weapon and roughly tossed Amanda to the floor. Taking full advantage, Aiden dropped the phone and reached for the sword that hung just beside him on the wall fixture, while he yelled for Amanda to leave. "Amanda, _GO!_ " he belted, giving her just enough time to scramble out of the way while he charged his master at full speed.

They parried back and forth in the seconds that followed, each besting each other at various angles, scratching the other enough to draw blood but not close enough for serious injury. Their fury intensified as they fought, until finally Takeda cornered Aiden against the upright beam in the room center, knocking his blade from his hand. With all his might he lunged forward to make the fatal blow and Aiden used all the strength in his hand muscles to catch the blade before it pierced his chest. While Aiden broke into a sweat and shook from the tension, Takeda leaned forward to impress his point. "You are a soldier, _not a warrior_!" he swore.

Aiden resisted the urge to split his focus and instead concentrated, using the momentum to slither out of the way and let the sword plunge into the beam. Once beside it, he lunged with a powerful blow to chop the blade in half, and as Takeda fell at a moment's distraction, Aiden finally replied, "This is where your path ends!" With intrepid force he shoved him forward – right onto the protruding blade.

Takeda expired instantly, leaving Aiden to unwind in shock at the velocity and fatal end to their duel, while he stepped away to catch his breath. Yet no matter how much his eyes darted around the room taking in the reality, grasping all that it meant, the truth remained – Amanda was gone and Takeda – was dead.

 **SCENE**

Emily cursed aloud from the far end of her porch where she made try after try to get Aiden on the phone, certain that he was the only person that could help her make sense of what felt like a ghost before her very eyes. But after staring intently at Ashley's photo for minutes on end, there was no denying it – Amanda was clearly alive. And by the looks of it, she was somehow tied to Lydia's disappearance, and possibly another of her own if her presence at the airport was any indicator.

After failed attempt to get neither Aiden nor Takeda, Emily silenced the raging questions in her brain long enough to think and instead contacted Nolan, praying he was still at the office.

"Ems?" he answered to her relief, noticeably anxious on the other line. "Oh thank God—there's so much going on right now I barely know where to begin—"

"Nolan, listen to me," Emily stammered in a shaky voice. "Amanda's _alive!_ "

Nolan was nearly quivering at his desk from bewilderment. "Wait—how did you _know_?" he fawned.

" _You_ knew, too?" she ranted back, whirling to make sure no one heard her voice elevating from outside. "What the hell is going on, Nolan, how can this _be_ —"

"Emily, I just found out minutes ago," he clarified, racing to get ahead of her. "Aiden was just here—"

"You talked to him?" she fired back without pause. "Where is he Nolan, I've been calling and calling—he's _supposed_ to be in Japan—"

"Yeah, well he's back," Nolan found an opening, trying to share as much as he could. "And he went looking for her, he's scared something happened—Ems!" he interrupted himself, aware he had a short window before she would already jump to action. "You have to come _here_ first, whatever you do! There's something else you need to know—"

"Fine," Emily barked, her mind travelling miles ahead already. "I'm on my way now—" she hung up before Nolan could finish, leaving him flustered to end the call but still return urgently to the computer task at hand. Spinning, Emily made her way back to the door where Ashley was lurking, waiting for what to do next.

"Ashley, I need you to cover for me—" she quickly instructed her, barely breaking stride as she reentered the house, headed for the upstairs to change into loose attire.

Ashley trailed behind, clacking in her heels as she struggled to keep up. "Emily—what are you going to do-?"

"Don't tell anyone what you've seen until I can get it confirmed," Emily called back over her shoulder as she slipped up the stairwell, ignoring Ashley's question. "Especially not Jack," she paused to emphasize. "We can't have him go through this only to find out it's not true."

"Right, right," Ashley nodded, following along for the most part despite feeling turned upside down. "But, Emily—" she began to protest, feeling strongly that it had to be her and knowing Emily agreed.

"Please, Ashley," she begged sincerely, in spite of it. "I can't explain right now." She glanced around at the lingering guests; including Victoria peered over from Conrad's side across the room. Emily turned back so she wasn't as visible. "Look, I know you can handle this, you're an expert at diffusing these kinds of things. I just need you to stay behind when I leave and then discreetly start sending everyone home. If Victoria asks – I'm with Daniel. Alright?"

Ashley nodded at attention, sensing a change in Emily that she had yet to notice before, similar in form to the tactical skills she picked up on earlier. But rather than question it, she only followed her orders, knowing it was clear that Emily was depending on her. "Alright."

 **SCENE**

"What's going on, Charlotte?"

Daniel went into big brother mode as he settled beside his sister at the closest dining establishment to the police station he could find worth stopping at. "Hooking up with random guys from school, getting arrested?" he recanted, having been fully debriefed on her latest activity both online and off during the car ride. "That's not you," he prodded her.

She sighed, mortified yet again. After planning to show up at the bar Rick introduced her to in hopes of running into him, once again she had made a fool out of herself, this time following him out into the street to apologize. But instead of getting the chance, she had humiliated herself, this time garnishing the attention of the police and whatever hero-wannabe cop was on duty that night.

"I'm just tired of the way Mom and Dad ruin everything and _everyone_ ," she sighed, trying to feel her way to the root of the problem. "It's the reason I left the house that night of their awful interview and met Rick at the club."

"Rick—" Daniel repeated, trying to piece his sister's social life together. "Is that the new guy you're seeing?" he asked. "What happened to Declan?"

" _I_ happened," she responded solemnly, picking over her basket of fries. "And no, he's not the new guy I'm _seeing_ – well at least he's not anymore, I just—I don't know," she stammered. "Everything happened so fast. At first I thought I just wanted to be his friend – then I thought I liked him – and now I just don't want him to hate me." She rolled her eyes. "But with a mom like ours, what you can expect from her only daughter… I'm turning out to be just like her."

"Hey, don't say that," Daniel insisted, unwilling to hear her berate herself for things he held his parents accountable for. "Mom and Dad have made terrible choices, but that doesn't mean we're destined to follow in their footsteps," he paused to make a connection. "Take me and Emily – that's why we're out of here to Paris and we're not turning back. And you are more than welcome to come with us and figure it all out away from the confusion of high school romances," he quipped, nudging her.

Charlotte managed a halfhearted smile but remained glum overall. "Thanks for the offer," she replied thoughtfully. "It's worth considering… the last thing I want is to bring someone else into this family for them to hurt."

Daniel tried to follow her thinking. "Yeah, our other brother's better off staying far away – another reason why I have no interest in meeting the guy," he agreed, sipping at his drink.

Charlotte took a hefty breath, sighing with intensity. "I'm not talking about him," she responded quietly, and prepared for the reaction that would come to what she shared next.

"Daniel, I'm pregnant."

 **SCENE**

"Have you done it?"

Aiden's breathy question was like white noise to Nolan, who immediately jumped up from his seat when he saw him come lumbering back into his office. "Forget the account," Nolan accosted him, rushing over in anticipation. "Emily is _losing her mind,_ she found out the truth about Amanda?" he exclaimed, though it came out like a question.

"What?" Aiden was thrown back, shifting where he stood. " _How_ —" he started to demand before recalling his last conversation with Daniel where he had made clear his intent to tell her. "Never mind that," he quickly brushed it aside, stepping around him to access the computer. A pop-up appeared on screen for the prompt. "You're in," he declared anxiously. "Good, you need my login for this—"

"Wait, WAIT!" Nolan exclaimed, reaching over to grab hold of Aiden's hand just as Emily came rushing through the door.

"Aiden, NO!" she called out in near unison with Nolan, but both of their cries were seconds late as Aiden had already finished and promptly hit 'Enter' on the keyboard. "Aiden!" she sighed again, this time in desperation as she watched an alert signifying the start of a complete transfer, downloading every cent of the Amanda Clarke Foundation.

"Aiden, what is going on," she demanded, a sea of questions coming to mind. "What did you just do—and _where_ is that money going?"

"To its rightful owner," Aiden answered proudly, matching her intense stare with an elevated gaze of his own. Recognizing the sparks about to emerge from the faceoff, Nolan slowly slipped away, releasing his grasp on Aiden's hand to allow Emily space.

"It's rightful owner?" Emily questioned slowly, deliberately. She edged closer with a keen look in her eye, and Aiden could nearly feel the blend of despair and hope seeping through her pores. She gave her head a shake, as if to challenge him. "No, its—its rightful _owner_ would be Amanda Clarke – the _real_ Amanda Clarke," she emphasized, taking yet another step. "And she's standing right in front of you."

Aiden gave the slightest nod, choking back emotion as he clenched his jaw without reply.

Emily shook her head more emphatically, this time inches from his chin as he towered slightly above her stance. "But _Amanda,_ " she began, pausing as if afraid of what she was about to ask. "The Amanda that _Jack_ new, the Amanda the world believes is _dead,_ the Amanda—" she cut herself short as a lump lodged in her throat and tears sprang to her eyes. "The Amanda… _I_ knew…?" she finally finished.

Aiden only watched her, his eyes firmly fixed on hers for as long as she would look at him, as long as the inertia that drove him wildly in love with her would continue to pursue what she knew already to be true, but just needed confirmed from his mouth.

"Aiden," she suddenly restarted. "Is she alive?"

 **MONTAGE**

Victoria careened with purpose over to the bar area of the _Stowaway,_ ignoring Jack's reflexive mutter of, "Last call was hours ago."

She smiled at his greeting, knowing that he was unaware it was her that had just walked in, and waited for him to turn before replying. "Oh, a brandy would be lovely," she nearly sang behind a devilish smile, cavalier as if it were not nearly midnight. And with the lights dimly lit around them, one could argue just as much.

Jack humored her request with a shake of his head, but still obliged it, pouring her a glass and bringing it over to where she took a seat at the bar. He thought over his last conversation with Ashley, and wondered if despite her assurance that Victoria was firmly at odds with Conrad, had she possibly experienced a change of heart. He allowed his imagination to wander as he watched her sip her drink, until suddenly and unexpectedly, the flicker of brilliant bulbs above suddenly vanished and the bar was enveloped in shadows…

 **SCENE**

 _"We just received a startling tape that is sure to have a major impact on the New York gubernatorial campaign..."_

Conrad sneered with victory as he tuned into the news release, expecting without a doubt it to be the predicted surrender of his opponent, after breaking news of his health condition made it direct to the press. Ashley had promised him no less in her commitment to see him through, and to his own surprise the girl had delivered. He sighed to bask in the imminent glory of triumph, but was soon interrupted by the distinct lull of equipment powering down all around the campaign office, enwrapping his mission control in a sea of darkness…

 **SCENE**

Daniel held his sister in a warm embrace, his face flush with emotion as he wished to console her and yet reprimand her all in the same breath. But in spite of his protective instincts, he resolved to just be a support, rubbing her back gently while her faint weeping calmed down a bit. He pulled away to offer her the handkerchief from his inner jacket pocket, and found himself partially envying her ability to let a great secret off her chest. He wanted so desperately to do the same with Emily, and with angst he realized the opportunity would be prolonged even more as he would need to wait until after he dropped her off to finally get a moment alone.

Pushing the array of thoughts out of mind, the blaring television in the background caught his attention as he overheard what he thought was an updated related to his father's campaign, one that quickly disappeared as the screen went blank and the restaurant reduced to blackness, followed by soft emergency lighting. The interruption was enough to get Charlotte's attention, as they both sat up and looked around…

 **SCENE**

Ashley fumbled at the lock on Emily's door, hurrying to finish her task of closing up so she could check up on Jack. After his abrupt exit, she suspected he might be on a fast trail over, but when he didn't show she had simply followed Emily's instructions, ushering the last guest out moments before.

She started down the steps towards her car, her mind racing at all the outstanding items she needed to check up on when suddenly the outside light went out completely, covering the porch in pitch black leave for a sliver of moonlight. "Ugh, you have _got_ to be kidding me," she sighed to herself, and then realized the house had gone dark as well. Wondering if it was just a local outage or the entire street, she walked back up to the porch to look over towards Grayson Manor, when suddenly she heard the distinct sound of footsteps behind her.

"Emily, thank goodness—" she assumed, and upon spinning around was shocked to see a woman that was clearly not her. Taking a moment to stare attentively she gasped instead, barely able to believe her eyes. "Oh my God," she whispered. "It's really y-you?"

Amanda was walking slowly up the steps towards her, pulling her hood down to reveal her face, as if intending to be recognized. "I'm sorry – I came to see Emily…"

 **SCENE**

Nolan's office had already grown quiet from the tension between Emily and Aiden, broken up only by her repetition of the question he knew would destroy her view of him forever, hence his continued delay in answering. "Is it true, Aiden," she whispered yet again, and this time slowed her words so that they resonated like individual sentences. "Is. Amanda. _Alive?_ "

Without warning, and only by chance occurring in harmony with the charged reunion – the power systems at Nolcorp suddenly surged to a halt, some screeching as they powered down, but all of which plunging the office into still obscurity and darkness.

All three of them immediately rushed to the window in response, looking out as the city around them also became covered in black, spreading to the perimeter from the inside out.

"What the-?" Aiden finally spoke aloud.

"It's a blackout," Emily deduced, pausing off subject only due to the colossal nature of the events around them. She scanned with urgency. "The whole city's out."

"That's impossible," Nolan piped in. "Manhattan runs off several independent power grids—" he suggested before answering his own forthcoming question in fear. " _Carrion_ ," he suddenly realized, turning to Emily for confirmation.

With resolution, she put aside her momentary concern if only to acknowledge the beginning of the inevitable.

"It's started."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: As much as I loathe to be left on a cliffhanger myself, I'm afraid that's where this chapter must come to an end! I do hope you enjoyed however, I'll admit I used most of my time off the previous week to complete this key advancement as my revisit to Season 2 comes to a close (though not necessarily an end to the story). However each chapter from here-on will end in similar fashion – leading into the climax that I am anxiously excited to reveal! So please leave me your thoughts, how did you like the beginning Demily, the revelations, the conflicts, and the pairings! More is definitely to come but I sincerely hope I was able to grant your reading wishes! Look forward to your reviews and feedback and as always, your support is MORE than appreciated – it is deeply treasured! Thanks Revengers! ~MothToANewFlame~**


	21. Chapter 21: Truth (Part 1)

**Chapter 21: Truth, Part One**

 _Darkness scares us._

 _We yearn for the comfort of light as it provides shape and form – allowing us to recognize, to define what's before us. But what is it we're afraid of, really? Not the darkness itself… But the truth we know hides within._

"It's not just the power grids," Nolan deduced skillfully, making a sweep of his office while Emily and Aiden remained at the window, a small distance apart. "All the automated systems are fried – Internet providers, cell connections, WiMAX, LTE…"

"What is going on out there?" Emily sighed to herself, anxiously resting her hands on her hips.

Meanwhile, Aiden turned to face him. "Do you have a radio that still runs on batteries? Maybe a survival kit?" he asked, still focused on the ACF account.

Nolan shrugged a negative reply. "Sadly, my plans for the apocalypse consisted of making a list that started and ended with 'Call Emily'," he gestured quotation marks, checking on her with a worried look. Despite the interruption, he knew she had no intention of skirting the last topic they were discussing. "Wait," he suddenly realized. "I do have something solar-powered that could be of use?"

Emily turned to acknowledge them finally. "No, we can't wait until sunrise, Nolan."

"Well, actually, it's about a thousand miles above us in geocentric orbit, where it's pretty much sunny all the time," he explained.

"Nolsat?" Emily affirmed.

"What do you need to set up a connection?" Aiden piped in eagerly.

"Just a laptop with some juice," Nolan answered, springing towards the hall to scour for one. He was partially relieved to have the task, leaving the two to their unfinished business.

Emily took note of his absence, jumping on the opportunity without hesitation. She stepped toward Aiden, commanding his attention. "Aiden, you're not getting out of this," she reminded him in a forceful tone. "Tell me the truth—is Amanda really alive?"

With gravity, he met her intense gaze. "She was when I left her," he replied huskily.

Emily parted her lips and released a breath in disbelief. " _How_?" she whispered instinctively, despite caring more about _why_ she was just finding out.

Aiden ignored it in favor of his own question, elevating his chin. "So he told you, did he?" he pushed back, while her brow wrinkled in confusion.

" _Who?_ " She snapped with an edge, racking her brain for possibilities. "If you're implying Takeda had something to do with this, then no – I had to find out from Ashley. Yeah, she saw her on a surveillance photo." Aiden's face twitched and she wondered was it a reaction to Ashley knowing or her showing up on surveillance. She pursued instantly, folding her arms. "Funny, the same day she shows up at the airport – you end up not making your flight to Japan? I'm guessing that's not a coincidence."

Evading the momentary distraction that Emily had not found out from Daniel, Aiden acknowledged her clever assessment. "No, it isn't," he answered bravely. "And yes – Takeda is a part of this – a much bigger part than you realize. We worked together to save her but… he had a change of heart."

Emily could barely control her anger enough to demand further explanation. "Aiden, how could you keep something like this from me – how could _he_ keep something like this from me?!" she burst forward, the wells of her eyes reddening.

Aiden moved in to catch her, rushing to explain. "Emily, _trust_ me I wanted to—time and again I wanted to, but Takeda swore me to secrecy—"

"I don't believe you!" she barked back, pushing him away.

"It's the _truth—_ " he insisted.

"I _mourned_ her, Aiden—" Emily cut in, angrily wiping tears from her eyes. "I mourned her for months while you – you _knew_?" She shook her head in disbelief. "You knew all that time and never told me?"

"He _vowed_ me to silence to make sure you continued down your path!" Aiden spat in a hurry, trying to unload all the details despite her batting him off. "Emily, please listen—he's kept things from _both_ of us, he's been using us this whole time," he glanced towards the dark window. "Everything that's going on around us is because of him-!"

"You're _lying_!" Emily bellowed back into his face.

Aiden shook his head honestly, and allowed her to shove him away. "You're just afraid to accept the truth—"

"The _truth_?" she asserted with a fearsome look. "Why should I expect that from _you_ when you've been lying to me this whole time?!"

Unable to wait any longer, Nolan stumbled back in, using the break that followed Emily's retort to update them on the current situation. "Hey!" he interjected, putting up a hand as he glanced uneasily from one to the other. "I'm sorry to interrupt but – I've got something."

 **SCENE**

"So… what happened?"

Ashley tried awkwardly to make conversation after minutes of silence passed in Emily's living room. While staying behind had not been the plan, the blackout meant neither she nor Amanda had many options of where to go, and in the cold weather Emily's fireplace had been more than appealing.

Amanda poked at the fire with an iron without response to Ashley's question, and instead concentrated on warming her fingertips. She kept her eyes on the flame and finally responded. "Where do I begin?"

Ashley tilted her head to watch her, remembering the troubled look in her eyes, the distant quality of her disposition. While her traits were all familiar, there was still something different, as if she had changed during her time away. "Well," Ashley continued, leaning forward. "How did you do it— _why_ did you do it?"

"Fake my own death?" Amanda smirked, setting down the iron to cool. "It's complicated," she said without turning.

Ashley expected as much, electing to go with another question. "Alright," she moved on. "Where's Lydia Davis? I know you had something to do with her disappearance."

Amanda chuckled outright at that question, still staring ahead. "She's in a backwater rehab facility only a handful of people know about. Clearing her head," she hinted ominously.

"That's good to know," Ashley exhaled, filing away the update for later. As Amanda continued silent, she decided to cease asking questions in favor of offering up her own information, hoping it would spur her on to talk. "You know, Emily was floored when she found out about you," she started, glancing down at her palms. "I can only imagine what Jack's reaction will be…"

Amanda turned on that point, facing her. "Emily _knows_?" she repeated.

Seeing her method effective, Ashley reached into her handbag, where her tablet still had enough charge left to power on. She pulled up the surveillance photo and handed it over, as Amanda edged closer with intrigue. "Whatever game you're running," Ashley commented in reference. "You've not been that discreet. I showed her just before she left here tonight…" she trailed off, studying their surroundings. "It was her and Daniel's engagement party."

Amanda took in the stray bits of information but continued to stare at the photo, shaking her head before returning it to Ashley without a word. Aiden had advised her against being seen in public and for the first time since their training commenced, she had not listened. Already she could sense her old ways returning, the defiance in her trapped beneath a temporary cover of stillness and stoicism.

Ashley observed her struggle, as a thought came to mind. "But obviously for you to come here tonight – you must have _wanted_ her to know," she deduced. "Didn't you?"

Amanda sighed, preparing to open up. "I'm tired of hiding," she finally admitted. "I did it to try to keep Jack & Carl safe but… I'm not sure much has changed." She intensified her gaze, drawing on emotion from deep within. "And I miss them more than anything in the world."

Sympathizing, Ashley reached over tentatively to rest a hand on Amanda's knee, comforting her. "Of course you do. They miss you terribly," she whispered in an endearing tone. She watched as Amanda fought off tears, and tried feebly to continue encouraging her. "You couldn't possibly imagine how much Jack has suffered since losing you. He's been on a warpath to take down the Graysons ever since—"

"The Graysons can't find out I'm alive," Amanda snapped sternly, cutting her short. Her face softened and she explained. "Believe me, it takes everything in me not to run to Jack – not to hold my baby in my arms …" she paused, wiping moisture from her eyes before growing serious. "But the mere thought of them coming after my family again isn't worth the risk. I can't have that," her eyes fell over Ashley suspiciously. "And I can't have anyone telling them, either."

"Believe me, I won't say a _word,_ " Ashley swore, bringing her hand up over her heart. "The only reason I came back was to make sure those people got what they deserved. It's just that," she fumbled nervously, while Amanda watched her. "Well, the truth is there's quite a line building for that task." She gestured aside. "Emily seems to be leading her own coup… but Jack's not far behind. He wants revenge against them, Amanda – I think he's going to go after Conrad."

Amanda swallowed, realizing that no matter how much she wanted to protect her family, she could not control that which had already been set in motion by her supposed death. She listened as Ashley continued to elaborate.

"And at this point," she finished. "I think seeing you is just about the only thing that would stop him."

 **SCENE**

"This way – we're going to Dad's headquarters."

Daniel jammed his phone back in his pocket in frustration after failing at reaching Emily for the third time, and instead used his free hand to lead his sister outside of the restaurant. Charlotte followed closely, trying to keep up as her brother directed them down the darkened street amidst car horns and near accidents. "That's 15 blocks!" she exclaimed.

"Right now, it's safe," Daniel explained. He knew the only reason his father could even boast a secure worksite was likely due to some involvement in the goings on around them. But he couldn't think about that now, not while he could not reach Emily and certainly not after finding out his sister was pregnant.

Reading his thoughts, Charlotte implored, "Look you're not going to tell Mom and Dad about me being pregnant, are you? Because I don't even know what I'm going to do yet—"

Daniel half turned, his look giving her a clear negative response. "Look, you're going to talk about this with Declan and you two are going to figure it out," he assured her, placing a loving hand on her shoulder. "Either way, me and Emily support you, Char."

"Aw, Daniel," Charlotte whispered, appreciating the support. "That means so much." She leaned in to embrace him, letting out an admiring sigh at how easily Daniel spoke of him and Emily as if they were one flesh already. With heartfelt excitement, she gushed over his shoulder, "I hope to have what you and Emily have someday."

"You _will_ ," Daniel whispered back emphatically and then separated, lowering his brow. "But you have to tell Declan right away – you can't keep this from him," he offered in reflection. "Despite what you think, there's actually something I've kept from Em for a long time – and it's eating me up inside."

Charlotte narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "What is it?" she asked immediately.

Daniel shook it off, taking her by the hand again to lead her forward. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you until I tell her first—" he broke into a stride to override her protest, intent on reaching headquarters as soon as possible. "But if we ever get out of here – that's the first thing I'm gonna do."

 **SCENE**

"The power is out all up the coast."

Jack rubbed his hands together to create warmth as he returned to the bar where Victoria was now lighting candles. He watched her edgily, still unsure what to make of her presence. "Aside from a few boats, it's a wall of darkness out there. Phone's dead."

"My cell as well," Victoria responded, gesturing to him. "I imagine yours is, too."

"Tower's got to be down," Jack rationalized, concentrating in hypothesis. "It's gotta be some kind of freak electrical event." Again he watched her carefully, making small talk. "I suppose the, uh, upside to being so busy with Conrad's campaign is Carl's at my grandmother's for the week."

Victoria smiled as if his statement was a small personal victory. "How quickly the safety of our loved ones trumps other deliberations," she observed, unconsciously referencing a view she had held for quite some years.

Jack failed to take the bait, snipping back. "For me, those things are one and the same."

Victoria met his reply with fair acceptance, her pale features warmed by the candlelight. She rested her weight at the edge of the counter, ready to continue on their discussion from the previous day. "You know, Jack – that footage you showed me is far from a smoking gun," she hinted deviously. "Even if Lydia and Conrad appeared to bask in the aftermath of their conspiracy – with one of them disappeared and the other in a powerful position to override, I daresay there's little you'll accomplish with it?"

Jack stepped closer, taking her affront as a challenge. "I suppose I should've expected as much from you," he retorted with disdain. "Knowing how you felt about Amanda?"

"It was _she_ who came after my family," Victoria differed with a look of disapproval. "Not the other way around." She waited while Jack kept silent and then moved to play her next hand. "Given your low opinion of me, why trust me now? I could easily alert Conrad of your plans the moment the power returns."

Jack chortled, remembering Ashley's earlier suggestion to wait on Victoria's response. She was right – it was clear she was reneging on her previous complacency. But he would not give up just yet. "I had a feeling you'd change your tune," he alleged, prepared to handle it. "So instead I'll ask you a question. You were in love with Amanda's father, weren't you?" he posed boldly.

"Yes, I was," she answered wistfully.

Jack leaned forward to further test her out. "What if I told you that Conrad has a laptop in his possession that could prove _he_ was responsible for everything – everything that happened to David Clarke?"

Victoria pondered intensely, despite needing much longer than the moment she took to deliberate. "I'd want to know what was on it," she answered, unhesitant.

This time Jack leaned back, nodding in agreement. "Then we share a common goal – and that's all that matters. Cause whatever's on it; it was enough to warrant Amanda's murder." He stared her down, ready to push aside their matched caution to get to business. "Now, I've worked for your husband for six weeks. I've gone through your home. But he has a safe in his office that I can't get into."

Victoria peered at him from the corner of her eye while he rounded the corner from the bar, implying he wanted access. She thought carefully and finally gave in. "By all means," she responded. "Allow me to satisfy both our curiosities."

 **SCENE**

"Excuse me—excuse me, do you know if a Charlotte Clarke was here?"

Declan tapped nervously at the counter of the police station, despite being ignored by yet another officer that walked by. With just the emergency lighting available and the systems down, the station was frenzied with desk officers on their feet trying to work at a solution. He leaned forward; hoping to get another's attention and again was ignored. "Excuse me, Officer?" he tried again, while another came walking by. "Can you help me find my friend, please-?"

The officer gave him but a sideward glance and Declan sighed in exasperation, barely noticing when a tall figure came up beside him with papers in hand. "You looking for Charlotte?" the man said, having watched his desperate attempts.

Declan turned to acknowledge him. "Yeah – do you know her?"

"Her brother left with her about an hour ago," he answered, sliding a form onto the counter. "And just a word to the wise – mentioning the name _Grayson_ , instead of Clarke will get you much faster attention around here."

"Yeah, well that's the name she wants to go by, so—" Declan replied, trailing off as he suddenly recognized his companion. "Wait a minute; you're _Rick_ , aren't you? The guy from the video?"

Confirming his suspicions, Rick suddenly turned to speak to the officer that came over to collect his paperwork. "If that's everything, I'm going to try to get out of here—"

But Declan stopped him, standing in his path. "Now I recognize you, you were at the Masquerade Ball," he recollected, picturing him standing next to Regina around the time Charlotte wailed on her. "Hey, what's your angle on Charlotte anyway?" he pursued.

"Look, I don't want any trouble—" Rick insisted, putting his hands in the air, palms upward.

"Neither do I," Declan continued anxiously, conscious of where they stood. "It's just you see, I'm her boyfriend and when she shows up on YouTube kissing another guy," he shrugged satirically, while Rick continued to shift in discomfort. "Well, that's kind of a problem for me."

Rick took a breath, pressing his hands together calmly. "You'll have to take that up with her, buddy—" he began, pausing as he recalled his name. "It's Declan, isn't it? Declan – trust me, there's no angle," he glanced over his shoulder to gesture to the police counter. "I was actually here just giving a statement to clear her of any charges when the power went down."

"Oh really?" Declan pushed, folding his arms. "Then maybe you can tell me what really happened, why they arrested her in the first place?"

Rick continued to speak cautiously and respectfully. "There was an awkward run-in at the club and the cops just assumed she was harassing me," he edged in reply. "But, that's not what happened at all—"

"Yeah I bet," Declan cut in anyway, eyeing him up and down. "It's obvious _you're_ the one that's harassing _her_. What is it with you anyway? You know Charlotte's had a rough year, what are you trying to take advantage of her because she's under a lot of stress—"

"Look man, I _promise_ you that's not it," Rick tried to insist, gesturing.

But Declan's pulse had already begun to rise. "You just show up out of nowhere and suddenly she's wrapped around your finger –" he stopped himself short, a thought entering his mind. "Are you trying to get close to the Graysons or something?" he suddenly pressed, getting closer.

Rick dropped his hand, finally responding in kind. "What are you, jealous?!"

Declan leaned in sternly. "I'm not jealous – I'm just not stupid!"

"No I guess you're not," Rick asserted back forcefully, and then paused, realizing their exchange was catching the eye of on looking officers. He calmed himself as Declan did the same and took a deep breath. "You know what—forget it. I won't even try to BS you – yeah, I'm trying to get close to the Graysons," he replied mockingly.

"Wow," Declan fawned, standing back. "You've got more guts than I thought. So what do you stand to gain from them? Money? Fame? Attention – what?"

Rick shook his head in exasperation, reaching his boiling point as he realized some kind of admission was imminent. He took another glance around his surroundings, knowing they needed to leave where they stood before he said another word. "Once I tell you, you'll realize just how ridiculous this all is," he began. "But trust me – it's not what you think."

 **SCENE**

Emily crossed her arms as Nolan used his satellite connection to re-access the Amanda Clarke Foundation, confirming the contents had indeed been emptied. While he sifted through a web of coding, she sidestepped his progress to continue grilling Aiden from where they left off discussion.

"Why would Takeda align himself with the Initiative?" she demanded from her side of the desk, with Nolan juxtaposed between them like a mediator.

"He was infiltrating them Emily, just like we've been infiltrating the Graysons," Aiden explained to her, trying to maintain his patience. "He made the deal with hopes of destroying them but when things started to go haywire with Trask; he had to cut ties with his remaining risk—"

"You," Emily finished, starting to catch on. Aiden nodded and she shook her head condescendingly, recalling many warnings she had given him about taking matters into his own hands. Even without knowing Takeda's revelation, she had enough instincts to predict his actions would result in catastrophe. "So how does Amanda fit into all this," she continued. " _Where_ is she?"

Aiden tried to placate her with a calming gesture. "Somewhere safe, if she knows what's best for her," he assured. Still hoping to alleviate her worries, Aiden drew closer to her again, lowering his tone as he placed a hand on her arm. "Emily, trust me she can protect herself – I helped train her," he confessed.

Emily's eyes widened in alarm and she quickly snatched her arm away. "You two were _working_ together?" she gaped, leaning her head forward. "For how long?" Before he could even answer, pieces of the puzzle slowly came together. "Lydia," she realized. "Lydia's disappearance—that was you two—"

"She wanted justice for what they did—" Aiden rushed to explain, but Emily was in a frenzy, her hands at her forehead as she grasped the full picture.

" _Justice?!_ " Emily burst aloud, drawing Nolan to turn around at attention. "Aiden, what the hell do you think I've been fighting for this entire time—don't you realize everything I've worked at is now jeopardized because of you, you had no right to involve her in any of this—"

"It wasn't just _my_ doing _,_ Emily," he reminded her again. "That's what I keep trying to explain to you, this was all orchestrated by Takeda – _he's_ the one who commissioned her to get involved, _he_ decided it was you that needed her assistance to take down the Graysons—"

"So he had you fake her death instead of just telling me?!" Emily burst aloud, shaking her head in disbelief. "Aiden, none of this makes sense—" she protested while Aiden reached out again to calm her. "Take your hands off of me!" she snapped back, fending him off again.

Suddenly Nolan was interrupting them both. "Hey, both of you _listen!_ " he yelled, standing to his feet with arms outstretched. He glanced from one to the other, though his update was primarily for Emily's sake. "If what Aiden says about Takeda is true we have a bigger problem," he gestured to his computer screen. "He manipulated that account so that draining it would set off a chain reaction to activate Carrion, shutting down the power and implicating him in the process." He paused for effect, reemphasizing the significance with a pleading look to Emily. "He _set_ him up!"

Emily grew quiet, reading the screen while Aiden looked at her meaningfully. "Now do you believe me?" he insisted. "This business with the Initiative, keeping Amanda a secret – don't you see we've not been fighting the enemy; we've been helping him all along?"

Seconds passed and Emily continued to ponder, calming enough so that Nolan sunk into his seat again, waiting for her to make a collective reply. Her pupils twitched back and forth as her wheels turned, formulating the best way to proceed. "I need to find Takeda," she finally resolved. "He needs to answer for this. In the meantime Aiden; you need to go dark—"

"Emily, you _can't_ —" he started to argue, knowing better but she plowed forward.

"No, you listen to me," she nearly shouted in his face. "I'm not gonna sit back and watch Takeda _or_ the Initiative turn you into their next David Clarke!"

With that Emily stormed off, leaving Aiden behind in the room to look to Nolan for support. Nolan could only put up a hand helplessly, knowing Emily was unstoppable when she was like this. "If you're thinking about going after her," he preceded, guessing Aiden's thoughts. " _Don't_. Takeda was the only mentor she's ever had – and finding out all of this in one day – I can't imagine what she'll do. But either way, she deserves to get the truth from him."

Aiden exhaled to himself, knowing that was one thing she would never have. "It's not the truth that scares me," he confessed. "It's what she'll find when she gets there."

 **SCENE**

"We are back, people!"

Conrad raised his hands in celebration as the lights and power thundered back on simultaneously in his campaign office, followed by cheers from his remaining workers. He strode the center aisle with a smile, giving out quick instructions to recall the troops they had sent home. As he turned to address a few employees, he suddenly spied familiar faces coming through the front doors. "Well, there's a sight for sore eyes," he exhaled as Daniel and Charlotte came over to him. He dismissed the aides at his side to have a lone moment with his children. "How are you two? Where have you been?"

"Walking for the last _three_ hours," Charlotte whimpered immediately, leaning on a nearby desk. "I swear; I can hardly stand any longer."

"Here, take my key," her father responded at once, handing it over while Daniel looked on curiously. "Lay down in my suite upstairs—" he paused, only just noticing her skimpy outfit under the coat she hugged tight to her figure. "And I'll get my assistant to find you a change of clothes," he added.

Charlotte recoiled in surprise at his consideration, glancing over to her brother and back before finally accepting the kindness. "Um… thanks, Dad?" she murmured, accepting the key.

Daniel nodded for her to go, and took advantage of the lone moment with his father once she was gone. "You're in an awfully hospitable mood considering the impact the outage might have had on your numbers?"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Daniel," Conrad shrugged it off, peering over his shoulder. "With the systems back up and running they'll be able to capture the figures in no time. Besides," he brooded expectantly. "Haven't you been watching the news? As of last night my opponent was all but _vanquished._ "

"You're kidding," Daniel exhaled, a sarcastic response bubbling up immediately. "Who'd you get to take out the current governor?"

"Ah, no one but him _self_ ," his father corrected him slyly. "He confessed to having a condition that renders him unable to serve in office. And I'll overlook that blatant insult you just lobbed at me to inquire as to the whereabouts of your fiancé?"

Daniel rolled his eyes, not so easily convinced that his father was not somehow entangled in his opponent's resignation. "I don't know," he replied truthfully, checking his cellular again. "Phone's not working – I haven't been able to reach her." With urgency, he realized he had to save his suspicions for later in favor of getting to Emily first. "I gotta get back to the office," he resolved, turning to head back out. "I'll try her from the landline there."

Before he could make headway his father was reaching out, grabbing him by the arm. "Daniel, I would steer _clear_ of Grayson Global today if I were you," he insisted, and Daniel glanced menacingly at where his father had his arm grasped, prompting him to gradually release it.

"You know something?" he huffed back disdainfully.

Conrad chose his words with care. "Well, just, uh, take it from someone who knows it's better to err on the side of caution," he alluded. "The Initiative is a dangerous conglomerate, and it wouldn't surprise me if they just targeted a slew of critical infrastructures..." he trailed off, watching Daniel's disbelieving expression intensify. "Son, trust me – if that's the case, you can expect investors to be terrified that their money isn't safe. I mean, they could be marching up from Wall Street with torches and pitchforks before this is over," he attempted to laugh it off.

Fully convinced there was more to what he knew, Daniel challenged him. "Well then, its best I make sure of the safety of my employees," he retorted coyly. "So I still need to report in."

Just then, Conrad's aide returned, interrupting them with an update. "Mr. Grayson, your helicopter is waiting?"

Conrad acknowledged it, still preserving a cautious look for his son. "I'm off to pick up your mother," he explained, resting a hand on his shoulder. "But, heed my advice, will you? Shut down the office, send the employees home, and then get yourself back here in front of the cameras with your family where you belong, hm?"

Daniel nodded, but cast a wary gaze over his shoulder to watch him walk off, wondering what his motives were in urging him to avoid Grayson Global at all costs. Certain that going there would be the only way to find out and further, the only way to reach Emily, he discarded it for the moment and hastened to get on his way.

 **SCENE**

"Emily?"

Nolan edged into Takeda's Hamptons hideout, pushing open the front door that was left ajar. As soon as he entered, he felt an eerie coldness in the room and something told him Aiden's foreshadowing had rung true. While he had left not long after Emily's exit, Nolan had taken advantage of the power returning to run his program on autopilot and come be by her side. And as he finally caught sight of her seated in the common room, her head hung forward in her hands, he knew he had made the right choice.

"Ems," he called out, rushing over only to feel ill-equipped at the sight of Takeda's motionless body on the floor beside her feet. "Oh God!" he gasped, putting a hand to his mouth.

"He's gone," she whispered, and Nolan could see her struggling to keep composed beneath her tear-stained face. She looked back down at Takeda's body in disbelief, shaking her head as the memories of her first days of training came flooding back to mind, each more painful as she now understood their true meaning. "He was like this when I got here."

"Ems, I'm so sorry," Nolan settled beside her, placing an arm around her shoulder. Seeing her in pain was enough to bring tears to his own eyes, and they glistened while he tried to understand. "Do you know what happened?"

She shook her head, shutting out her emotions in an attempt to let the sharpness of her instincts kick in. "Whoever did this must have gained his trust," she deduced, looking to Nolan in response.

"The Initiative?" he guessed, but Emily's mind appeared elsewhere.

She lifted her clenched hands and for the first time Nolan could see she was holding something. "I found this," she explained, handing over a small newspaper clipping. Nolan took note, recognizing the photo taken of Conrad and Lydia with Jack in between from when he first joined the campaign office. "Amanda _was_ here," Emily continued. "That was upstairs, along with the rest of her things," She trailed off with a worried look. "She must have left in a hurry..."

Nolan deliberated, following her lead. "You don't think—" he started, looking from Emily to the clipping, to Takeda's body and back again. " _She-?_ "

"I don't know," Emily replied swiftly, her voice trembling. She shrugged, still fighting off tears. "Maybe she found out the truth… maybe Aiden was right," she guessed, but that's all her thoughts were, uncertain guesses and stabs in the dark, attempting to make sense of so much she didn't know. "If Takeda _was_ using her all this time, she wouldn't have taken it well," she conjectured aloud. But another glance at his fatal wound dissuaded her. "But I can't imagine her being able to defeat him?"

"Aiden _did_ say he trained her," Nolan added in recollection. "If that's true then… Ems, this isn't the same Amanda that sailed off on her honeymoon with Jack," he realized. "This is someone who had her life taken from her by the same people who took yours, someone who was forced into hiding, trained to be a warrior—" With sudden epiphany, Nolan paused to sum it all up. "Emily, she's reliving everything _you_ did when you first started _._ "

Emily lifted her head, seeing the eternal irony in how they shared each other's identity and seemed destined to be the same person. With angst, she shook the thought from mind. "I could never have done something like this," she defended herself, knowing Amanda's capacity for murder held less shame than her own. "But regardless of what she's done – if Amanda has a chance to live again I won't let her suffer the same fate I've had to," she resolved, taking the clipping back from Nolan to study Jack's picture. "She has a family – she needs to be with them."

Nolan looked around, trying to search out what to do next. "So what do we do – wait for her to come back?"

Emily stared ahead, thinking. "No," she replied wisely. "She would know better than to return." She glanced down at the body again. "There's only one katana, which means either she has the other weapon, or..." she trailed off, looking for Nolan to provide his own estimation.

"Or someone _else_ took it," he hypothesized. "To protect her?"

She nodded in agreement, as her mind immediately went to Aiden and her only option to investigate. "Someone who knows a lot more about this than we do."

 **SCENE**

"I believe it was Yogi Berra who once said, 'this is like Deja vu all over again'."

Conrad grinned devilishly as he made his grand entrance into Grayson Manor, coinciding with Victoria descending the stairwell with an unimpressed glare. "Your glibness never ceases to chill me to the bone," she replied, folding her arms and squinting in the late morning sun. "Have you not given a moment's thought to your children? Neither came home last night."

"They are both safe and sound at campaign headquarters," Conrad asserted, which only gave her assurance enough to stroll right past him into the dining room. He followed behind impatiently. "And I brought the chopper to personally escort you to town for a camera-ready reunion."

"Mm," Victoria rolled over his suggestion with disinterest, selecting a few items to nibble on as she took a seat at the head of the table. "Well, you seem awfully confident that this election's going to turn in your favor," she surmised, sipping at her tea. "Whereas, had you been privy to my discussion with Jack Porter last night… perhaps you might feel different?"

Conrad hastened his steps to meet her sideward glare with a concerned look of his own. "Jack _Porter?_ " he repeated.

"He knows what happened on the _Amanda_ ," she explained matter-of-factly. "And thanks to my foresight in visiting him to discuss it," she dangled deviously, knowing she had his attention. "I uncovered much about his true intention for joining your campaign."

"And what, pray tell, might that be?" Conrad followed anxiously.

Victoria smiled, enjoying having something of value to use to her benefit. "Well, I'm not certain I can say," she pretended, hiding behind her teacup. She gestured to their surroundings. "After showing him around our abode into the wee hours of the night… I'm afraid my memory is rather fuzzy of his exact words."

Growing irritated, Conrad leaned forward onto the chair beside Victoria. "You brought him _here_?" he restated. "Why on earth would you do that?"

"Well to put his suspicions to rest, of course," she sneered, aware she was flirting with danger. "As I recall," she dragged. "He was determined to find the computer that led to Amanda's death – he's convinced it was you that stole it back from him."

Conrad creased his brow. "No, it wasn't me?" he insisted honestly. "Up until this point I thought it was deteriorating somewhere on the ocean floor."

"Oh," she replied, pleased with his answer. Now that she could confirm neither of the two had it, she could proceed with her bargaining point. "Well, then I suppose that's all there is to it," she pretended to finish.

Conrad sighed, knowing he wasn't getting out without making a deal. "Alright, Victoria – what is it you want?"

"Confirmation," Victoria responded in kind. "That the moment you are elected, you will leave for the governor's mansion in Albany, releasing me from any obligation to be by your side again. And once your initial term is firmly established? You grant me the legal separation I requested at the start of the summer."

Conrad sighed. "As much as that is a nearly _impossible_ feat to accomplish in the public eye, I suppose with my new son to occupy my time it's worth considering," he relented, raising a finger. "But, only if you promise not to shame our family's brand with any further skeletons leaking to the press?" Victoria nodded graciously and Conrad obliged. "Very well, then. What is Jack planning?"

"To sabotage your 4:00 press conference this afternoon with a recording of you and Lydia discussing Amanda's death," she answered flatly, sipping at her tea again.

Conrad rolled his eyes emphatically, floored at how mere moments of his private life always seemed to find their way to the forefront. "Dear heavens, as if Lydia hasn't already been through enough. Well, for starters," he thought aloud. "I'll simply instruct Ashley to make sure that he's barred from the gates this afternoon."

"Ashley? Ashley _Davenport_?" Victoria gaped, leaning forward in shock. "Conrad, are you telling me that slithering varmint is back in your employ?"

Realizing in all his frenzy he had forgotten to use discretion, Conrad backpedaled. "Now before you work yourself up dear, please recall that Ashley is now wife to our former comrade Salvador Grobet and could singlehandedly own the Eastern coast if she so pleased," he explained, assuming her generous pockets removed her from suspicion. "I have no reason to suspect she's anything but a smart, newly rich woman who's good at her job."

"She certainly is," Victoria smirked, shaking her head in disbelief. "And just how do you explain her sudden reappearance as it coincides to what I just shared about Jack Porter?" On Conrad's pause, she leered to answer it herself. "She's in it _with_ him, you fool!"

Victoria rose to her feet, letting her eyes fall over her husband condescendingly while he stood in place, sorting out the correlation for the first time. "Oh, my poor Conrad," she fawned, taking her tea in hand to finish in the parlor. "Yet another female conquest hell-bent on your destruction, it's like…" she trailed, recalling his earlier comment with a smile. "Déjà vu all over again."

 **SCENE**

Daniel paced his office, trying both Emily's home phone and her cellular for nearly the fifth time before finally giving up in a huff. "Where are you, Em…" he whispered aloud to himself, while bracing his weight on his desk.

Suddenly, he perked up at the noise of an elevator opening in the corridor, and rushed over to investigate – thinking it a stray possibility that she had come there to meet him. Instead, his countenance dropped as he saw it was just a repair technician. "Can I help you?" he called out, and the technician looked up at once.

"Afternoon, Mr. Grayson?" he asked. "I'm here to get your mainframe back online."

Daniel narrowed his eyes, watching him closely. "Uh, right," he stammered. "Well I've sent all the employees home already for the day so I think we're all good here," he tried to sluff him off. "Funny – I don't remember placing a call for the mainframe?"

As Daniel watched, the technician nervously lowered his cap, partially covering his face while he peered down at a clipboard. "Oh, standard procedure, sir," he replied. "We're contracted to come out within 6 hours of any outage to restore the mainframe for business continuity purposes." He attempted to proceed forward, but Daniel moved an inch to block his path.

"Well, like I said," Daniel continued to rationalize. "I've already sent my employees home, so I'm making the executive decision to continue business tomorrow. I'm sure my other partners have experienced the same issues across the board; there's no risk being down for one more day."

"Then lucky for you," the technician answered right back with a pressing grin. "We're looking at a full reboot starting with a comprehensive diagnostic, so I'd say it'll take several hours at least to run, plus another few hours until I can restore access. That should work out perfect to be up and running by tomorrow?"

This time, Daniel had no response to his evasion. "Right – perfect," he conceded, trying to come up with another excuse just as he spied his mother coming out of the elevator next. Her unexpected presence distracting him, he allowed the technician to slip by, headed for the server room.

Daniel sighed in annoyance at the missed opportunity, while Victoria stormed towards him and pointed to his office. "Ah, uh," he called out to the technician while following her. "Listen, I've got to attend to something but as soon as the servers are up I want to be notified—"

"You got it, boss," the technician answered hastily.

Daniel continued to get a sinking feeling but was forced to hold off. "Mother, what are you doing here?" he demanded right away, shutting the door behind him.

"I was just about to ask you the same," she replied sternly, clutching at her handbag. "Considering on the way over your father told me he instructed you to steer clear of Grayson Global and yet hours before his gubernatorial announcement – here you are."

Daniel levied another suspicious look to her. "Since when are you so supportive of Dad's campaign – much less any advice he has to give?" he asked.

"Since I recently uncovered the coup to derail it," she smoldered. "Led by none other than Jack Porter and this family's clearly revolving door – Ashley Davenport."

Daniel chuckled, finding his mother's delayed awareness to be comical. "Oh you're just finding that out?" he mocked her. "Well, what can I say, Mom – you and Dad are so full of secrets nowadays, you were bound to step on a few of each other's." He folded his arms in thought. "And it looks like after stepping on Ashley for years, it's finally come back to bite you."

"Ashley's presence in itself does not concern me," Victoria clarified. "But her coalition with Jack _does._ Especially since your dear sister is nearly attached to the Porter family, and has been acting strangely ever since the campaign's beginning." She stepped forward in presumption. "Now, I would hate to think she's had anything to do with a sabotage of your father, but with the two of them working together, who knows what information they may have tried to coerce out of her?"

"Oh you mean like Dad's lovechild with Lydia? Or our long-lost brother?" Daniel fired back, humored by her suggestion. "Trust me, mother, Patrick was news to us _both_ – Charlotte was just in the dark as I was—"

"I'm not talking about Patrick," Victoria corrected him, sensitive to the reference. "Jack had evidence in his possession – a videotape he planned to use and a laptop he was after that suddenly disappeared with Amanda's death—"

Daniel could not restrain himself. "And you think _Charlotte_ had something to do with it?!" he roared back, shaking his head incredulously. "You know, you and Dad are unbelievable," he started in. "Even when you're standing there covered in the evidence of your own guilt, all you can care about is how to cover it up and who else you can blame it on."

Victoria's eyes fell solemn, as she desperately tried to plead her reasoning. "Daniel, that's not true—" she insisted, but he talked over her.

"Do you want to know the real reason your daughter's been acting off lately?" he challenged, knowing he was breaking a promise but too enraged to think about it. "It's because she's pregnant."

A tremor went through Victoria's nerves as she absorbed the admission in silence. "Yeah, that's right, Charlotte's _pregnant,_ " Daniel emphasized with a nod. "She's bringing a child into this god-awful family and she's scared to death! Can you blame her?"

Again, Victoria remained painfully quiet, and Daniel left in favor of investigating the technician while he still had time to find out whether something sinister was afoot. On his way out he couldn't help adding, "So instead of playing detective, why don't you go across the street to be with your daughter, and try playing mother for a change?"

 **SCENE**

"Conrad, there you are!"

Ashley sped up to catch the former mid-stride as he made his way back into his campaign office, arriving only minutes earlier on the chopper. He turned to face her with an uneasy look, slowing his pace. "Miss… Grobet," Conrad greeted. "Just reporting in? May I ask where you've been all this time?"

"Caught in traffic from the outage," Ashley delivered her rehearsed answer. "I got the notification that you were sending all staff home until it could be restored – I came in when I heard it was back up."

"Admirable," Conrad bemused her, continuing towards his office. "But as I'm sure you're aware that stipulation only applied to my lower level staff," he paused for direct emphasis. "Not my _trusted_ close associates, hm?"

"Of course," she obliged, looking to her clipboard nervously.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Conrad prodded her, feeling her out.

Ashley assuaged him with a pleasant grin. "Ah, only that the press have been hounding me about moving your speech up to 3:00," she posed expectantly. "The staff is prepared to accommodate them?"

"The simple answer is no," Conrad cut in without a moment's hesitation. "We announced the speech would be at 4:00, and that is exactly the time I'm going be delivering it." He brushed over it, still uncertain if it was a legitimate request or a sign of her cahoots with Jack. "Now, will that be _all_?" he pressed again, prompting her to look at him oddly. "No news of our _missing person_?" he hinted.

"Oh yes!" she gasped, realizing she owed him an update on Lydia's whereabouts. "Um, it's actually come to my attention that um, well she's in a facility at the moment," she recalled based on her discussion with Amanda. "Resting before the big day."

With the confirmation that Lydia and his unborn child were well, Conrad relaxed. "Good," he replied, tapping her shoulder. "Well, if that's everything I think I'll try to make a few last adjustments to my speech before I go on. Oh, one more thing," he added, doubling back to implement a final test of her loyalty. "Be sure to let security know that Jack Porter is not allowed on-site at any time, for any reason."

Her eyes doubled in size, proving his Victoria's theory just by her reaction. "Jack Porter?" Ashley repeated. "But without his contributions, you wouldn't be where you are now in the polls?"

"Yeah, well, let's just say that I have reason to suspect that we'll be better off in the home stretch without him," Conrad explained, turning to enforce her complicity. "I do trust that you won't mention anything to him directly?"

She lifted her gaze, pretending to follow suit. "Of course not," she agreed, and swiftly walked off. But unbeknownst to her, Conrad kept his eyes fixed from afar, watching as she pulled out her phone and began tapping away rapidly.

While he believed his suspicions to be confirmed, Ashley looked down at the contact she was reaching out to – the number Amanda had given her before leaving Emily's. She decided to call and lifted the phone to her ear. "Listen, I know you said only to use this if it was an emergency but it is – I'm convinced Conrad knows about Jack's plans to sabotage. You have to stop him!" She paused, hearing only silence on the other line and lowered her voice to confirm. "Amanda, are you there?"

Amanda whispered in response, numbly holding the phone to her ear while she stared through the window of the _Stowaway._ "Yeah, I'm here," she answered, her voice cracking from the dryness of her mouth. "I'm at the _Stowaway_ right now."

Ashley perked up in excitement. "Oh thank God – listen you have to talk to him, tell him to stay away from the campaign office," she stopped short, brainstorming. "Hell, the moment he sees you he'll probably want to bloody run away!"

"I don't think so," Amanda responded slowly, and Ashley thought she heard a sniffle on the other line. "I can't do this – I have to go," she replied flatly and suddenly the line went dead.

Confused, Ashley spoke in a hushed tone. "Amanda?" she pressed. "Amanda, _wait-_!"

But it was too late. With shuddering realization, Amanda continued to stare at the reason for her recourse. Jack was seated at a bar table, an open folder spread out before him as his head drooped forward in his hands and his shoulders shook heavily from sobs. His anguish and desperation were imminent but more tangibly, at his feet were glass shards covering what Amanda could make out as their wedding photo. And despite all her hopes for rekindling what they had lost, her faith had waned as she watched him break into angry tears from the sight of it and then violently smash it to the ground.

 **SCENE**

"Takeda was murdered."

Aiden froze at the sound of Emily's voice over his shoulder and turned from where he stood over a packed suitcase on his bed. He had not even heard her come in due to the thoughts clouding his mind, blocking out nearly any trace of the outside world. But at last the final remnant of his fears had come to the fore, heralded by Emily's expected arrival with it.

He dropped the item of clothing in hand and braced himself as she approached with tears in eyes for the second time that day. "Amanda was there," she continued with implication. "You know what happened," she asked him, though it sounded more like a statement.

"I'm sorry," he responded habitually, realizing she might possibly have a different perception of the truth. In no rush to change it, he glanced back at his suitcase as a selfish thought came to mind. "Emily, I tried to stop you… I know you must feel incredibly lost right now – but you can leave this behind," he offered. " _All_ of it. Come away with me," he pled recklessly. "We've got the Grayson's fortune – we could disappear together."

Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she continued in spite of his plea. "What? Aiden, how can you even _think_ about that at a time like this?" she spurned. "You _know_ I'm with Daniel," she reminded him while he turned to block it out, running a hand through his hair. "And according to you that money is in Amanda's name and she's still out there, I can't just leave her behind—"

She suddenly cut herself short as her eyes caught sight of Aiden's inner arm while he had it raised. With shocking clarity, she came over to him, grabbing his wrist by the hand to inspect while her eyes darkened in accusation. "You," she unraveled angrily, seeing the lingering blood stains of a flesh wound made by a katana. " _You_ killed him?!"

Aiden shook his arm away. "Emily, he was going to kill her!" he confessed, rising to meet the fire in her eyes. She shrunk back while he continued. "Yes, that's right; Takeda was using Amanda to his advantage, not the other way around. When I found out, I threatened to expose him and he threatened to _slit her throat_ ," he stopped to take a breath, watching as Emily took in all that he was saying. "I told him to release her and fight me instead – you have to believe me."

In spite of her growing animosity, Emily could not deny that she did believe him but she continued to tremble at the puncture of his confession. "So that's it, then," she conceded, throwing her hands up in the air. "Everything I worked for and just like that—" she snapped a finger. "Takeda betrays us and you kill him? And once again I'm left in the dark to find out."

Sympathizing, Aiden stepped in to console her. "Emily, I know how hard it is for you to find out this way, how it must pain you to feel out of control—" He paused when she shot him a look to tread carefully and then softened his approach. "But believe me when I tell you it was _torture_ for me as well – I knew how much it meant to you, this obsession with revenge, this affair with Daniel," he enumerated, as she turned away in annoyance. He continued to press her, pulling her back. "You would never be free of it, it's consumed you and I _knew_ this, somehow I wanted to protect you – please, Emily I kept this secret from you because I _love_ you—"

Before he could finish, Emily had jerked around and slapped him clear across the face, interrupting his barrage with the sting of her hatred. While he flinched backwards, she leaned in to speak. "Don't you _dare_ try to make this about your feelings for me, Aiden!" she hissed. "If you ever cared for me you would have told me the truth! Not hidden behind it, pretending it was all an act of honor. I won't tell you this again – this mission is _mine_ to finish, not yours! And regardless of what you may have done to ruin it, I'm not running away," she reminded him, partially in reply to his outlandish request. She stepped back, just as her phone began to ring from her jacket pocket. "But I think it's time that _you_ did."

While Aiden remained stone-faced from her scolding she turned to answer the phone. "Daniel," she exhaled, feeling the slightest uplift from a harrowing day. She ignored Aiden's scowl in the background, taking relief from Daniel's voice instead. "Are you alright?"

"Emily, thank God," he sighed in unison, content to finally reach her. "Yes, I'm at Grayson Global," he breathed, hearing static on the connection. "Ems, I have to talk to you, it's important—"

"Daniel?" she repeated, hearing the same static on her end. She moved about in the room, stopping to look at the phone before raising it to her ear once more. "Daniel, you're breaking up—"

"Em?" he repeated anxiously. "Em, I said I'm at Grayson Global—" he started. "Can I meet you somewhere – where are you?"

"Daniel?" she repeated again, only able to make out 'Grayson Global' from the gurgled reply. "I'll be right there," she finally promised, and ended the call as the connection finally broke. She then stormed out of Aiden's room, saving an unsavory glance for him as he followed her out.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, keeping up as she strode down the hall.

"To see Daniel," she answered angrily without stopping. "Apparently he's the only person that's still telling me the truth!"

Unwillingly to let it stand, Aiden rushed to step in front of her, stopping her at the door despite the menacing look she gave for him to move. Knowing he stood little chance of halting her from going, he gave his last attempt at quelling his heart's desire with a provocative question.

"Are you quite sure of that?"

 **SCENE**

Declan rushed through the campaign office with urgency, nearly running into the security detail at the entrance. "Hey!" the suited guard stopped him short, holding him back with a hand. "You can't come in here, pal."

"Look I promise I'm not here to cause any trouble," Declan promised. "I'm here to talk to my girlfriend—" he cut short, suddenly seeing Victoria brush past him at the next entrance over. "Mrs. Grayson!" he called out hopefully.

"Ah, Declan," she appraised him with a disdainful look. A glance at his compromised position with security told her he was having difficulty getting in. "This one's clear for now," she informed them. "I'll escort him personally, there's something we need to discuss."

With Victoria's admonition the guards let him go, leaving her to lead him through to Conrad's empty office. Declan walked in curiously, as Victoria secured the door behind them. "Um… thanks for your help, Mrs. Grayson," he stammered. "Is Charlotte here? I need to speak to her, it's important."

Victoria pinched her lips in a thin line as she slipped off her gloves. "Charlotte's gone for a walk to clear her head," she informed him. "But I've always fancied us as having a healthy respect for one another, a respect born of the fact that you've understood your rightful place in this family," she paused, as Declan perked up with drawn interest. "In that you don't have one," she finished.

Declan sighed and shook his head ruefully while she continued. "So imagine my confusion when you have the audacity to show up here after everything you've done—" Victoria continued to berate him, until he finally interjected.

"Mrs. Grayson, that's what I came to talk to Charlotte about," he insisted. "That new friend of hers, Rick – I know you probably think he's ten times better for her than me. He's rich and charming, but you have no idea who he really is—"

"Declan, please don't take my aversion to you to be a matter of preference," Victoria took her turn to interrupt, drawing closer. "I am not asking you to leave on account of your family's annual income; I'm asking you to leave because of your insistence on leading Charlotte to a life of misery." When Declan creased his brow without understanding she added. "Please tell me you don't think the child you fathered to be a _blessing_?"

With a heavy thud, Declan allowed her words to resonate, flustering in response. "Wait—what? Child?" he fawned. "Are you saying Charlotte's _pregnant_?"

Victoria folded her arms defensively. "Oh, I see she hasn't told you," she observed, reading his genuine reaction. "And for good reason," she added.

"There's gotta—" Declan stammered. "There's gotta be a mistake," he concluded, dropping all signs of proceeding with his own news. His gaze dropped downward, giving Victoria the opportunity to usher him out the door.

"Oh, there is," she replied, pointed the way out. "And I am done looking at it.  
Stay the hell away from my daughter, or your ability to procreate will be nothing but a distant memory."

Declan shuffled out of the office at her request, taking slow steps as he exited, which gave time for Conrad to observe him in passing. He watched curiously and then looked to his wife in interest, coming up beside her. "It seems the Porter boys are causing this family nothing but grief of late," he commented. "What was that about?

"Nothing," Victoria answered instinctively, seeing no reason to inform him of Charlotte's condition. "I took care of it," she replied, prompting him. "Did you take care of the _other_ Porter?"

Conrad sneered mischievously. "Well, as much as I dearly hate to admit when you're right my dear, I investigated your concerns with Ashley and I do believe you are on to something." Victoria sniffed confidently, letting him continue. "I just took the liberty of obtaining her phone without her knowledge and sending a particularly leading text that should keep dear Jack from storming the press conference later on."

Victoria cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "Impressive," she flattered him. "You must have taken my advice to heart if you've resorted to getting even your _own_ hands dirty?"

Conrad snickered. "If you thought I was going to allow him to commandeer the podium, you've sorely underestimated me," he replied.

Victoria tipped her chin without regret. "Well, it's a habit of mine," she boasted, walking out.

He checked his watch cautiously, and took out his phone on cue while commenting to her back. "A habit you'd be wise to break…"

 **SCENE**

Daniel paced outside the server room, keeping a guarded eye on the technician. So far he seemed to be legitimately running tests on the mainframe, but he knew there was still something awry. He finally started back down the hallway to his office to wait for Emily, and upon entry the sound of his desk phone ringing disrupted his thoughts. With a grimace at the caller ID, he picked up. "You know, I'm really starting to suspect you know whatever is going on here," he greeted his father on the other line.

"Son, whatever nonsensical ideas are floating around in your head, I need you to dismiss them and get back over here at headquarters _immediately_ ," Conrad coerced back. "I need you by my side for a show of confidence, please."

Daniel read the time off of his phone – it was almost 3:30pm. Even if it was nearing time for the speech to begin, he knew better than to trust his father. "Yeah—yeah, I'll be there," he obliged him flatly. With that he slammed the phone down in exasperation, just in time to see Emily coming out of the elevator down the hall.

"Em," he breathed joyfully in a low whisper, just as she caught eyes with him. They rushed towards each other, locking in a warm embrace by his office doors and despite Daniel's deep relief; he sensed her own similar release by how she tightly held him. Noting it atypical to her usual show of emotion, he broke away to study her. "Are you alright?" he implored, tenderly cupping her face with his hands and stroking her hair.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine," she nodded anxiously, and felt the strangest sensation of being a little girl again in his arms. If nothing else, Daniel's unconditional love had always been a refuge for her, even when she plowed through the first few months of their pseudo relationship trying to bury her feelings. His gift at magnetically drawing them to the surface stemmed from his own vulnerability, and the trait was becoming contagious. Nevertheless, she bravely plundered on, noting the urgency in his eyes.

"Good," Daniel sighed, quickly moving to priority. "Look, we have to get out of here – I sent all the employees home after the blackout, this all has to be connected to the Initiative."

"It is," she agreed emphatically.

"My father is behind this," he continued with her support. "There has to be a way I can prove it, he's been acting strangely ever since the power came back and he's demanding I get over to campaign headquarters…"

As Daniel trailed off in thought to gather his things from his desk, Emily rushed to fill in the rest. "Daniel, your father may be working with the Initiative, but there's someone else you should know has been at the helm," she inserted staunchly. "Takeda is the third party on the ACF account. He used Aiden to initiate the transfer, and he's been using us all along to help him."

Daniel's jaw nearly dropped as he froze from clearing his desk. "He's _working_ with the Initiative?" he gaped.

"He _was_ , that is," Emily clarified solemnly with a gaze to the floor. She took a heavy breath before meeting his gaze again. "He's dead," she completed. "When Takeda found out Aiden knew the truth he cornered him into a fight – and he lost."

"My God," Daniel returned, instinctively reacting to the sorrow in her eyes. While she collected herself he processed the intricate revelation, purging his thoughts aloud in a moment he would soon regret. "So that's what he was onto," he whispered, recalling his last conversation with Aiden.

Emily squinted ever so slightly as she made out his reply. "He told you?" she questioned.

"Ah, we spoke briefly before he left, he was worried about some files Takeda was looking into," Daniel answered uneasily, continuing to draw Emily's interest. He tried to redirect, restating the implausible. "But I can't believe he _killed_ him?"

She took a step closer towards where he stood at his desk. "There was another factor in why he didn't have a choice," she offered, deliberating. "It's something I'm having a hard time accepting…"

Daniel watched her, feeling a gnawing in his stomach that signaled him to do something, but his muscles tensed and his jaw locked, willfully not allowing him to speak. Instead he merely lowered his chin, gesturing for her to finish.

"Takeda had… _Amanda_ captive," Emily finally said. "That's why he was forced to fight him. She's _alive_ , Daniel," she explained, waiting for the shock to fill his countenance. "All this time… she's been alive, and Aiden kept it from me."

If Daniel's face was unable to convey his surprise and dismay, the inevitable sinking in his heart sold the emotion instead. He quaked with fear at his inability to tell Emily first, his sore underestimation of the truth's eventual reveal, and lastly his own failure to react in honesty. Instead he merely came around the desk to embrace her again, kissing the nape of her neck while he gripped her tight. "Emily, I…" he trailed, knowing it was too late and that he could not bring himself to tell her now. "I… I don't know what to say?"

Subconsciously Emily knew something felt amiss but she continued to hold onto him, sensing the air between them was about to change once they separated. She wanted desperately to believe his sympathy, as much as he wanted her to in turn, but there was palpable tension present – unspoken and yet oddly undeniable.

While rehearsing in his mind what he could possibly say to excuse his response, Daniel's eyes suddenly fell on the hall up ahead where the technician was now headed for the elevator. He broke away suddenly, pleading. "Emily, I'm sorry but this is the guy," he rushed to tell her. "I think he's from the Initiative – wait here!"

He pulled away from her before she could follow and she watched him dash into the hall, frozen in place by a disconcerted feeling. A sea of memories was spinning away in her head, spurred on by Daniel's words just before their embrace. _So that's what he was onto,_ she heard him say again, and tried to think why it should stand out. She knew for some time that Daniel and Aiden had a level of confidence but now it unsteadied her, as if it were… intentional that she should not know? But for what reason, she asked herself. As she pondered gravely, another memory came to mind – the moment that Amanda's body was found. She cursed herself for not thinking to question it before and recalled with distress that _Daniel_ had been the one to identify her body – the body she now knew could not possibly have been hers. _It's alright;_ she recalled his words to the coroner _. I'm Charlotte's brother—I can make the ID._

Emily's head abruptly snapped up in realization and she fixed her eyes on Daniel as he continued talking in the hall. With final recollection, Aiden's words returned to mind, plaguing her with his taunt. _Are you quite sure of that?_ He had asked before she left to come here, while she was certain that Daniel was the only one still telling her the truth.

Before she could act on her suspicions, Daniel was soon hastening back towards the office. "It's them," he confirmed urgently, taking her by the hand once the technician was gone. "He doesn't know I'm onto him but almost 100% certain he's with the Initiative. We have to get out of here," he urged her sincerely. "I'm going to make a final sweep of the office and then we're marching across the street and cornering my father – I don't care whether he's taking the stage or not."

Emily studied his face with intensity, suspending her concerns to decipher his true intent. Despite all that connected in her mind, he seemed genuinely enraged and ready to take his father down without hesitation – everything that she believed he was moments ago, her partner in her journey and the man she had promised to marry with all earnestness. But the seed of doubt had been planted and distrust was beginning to collect in her heart. "You go ahead," she suggested, nodding swiftly to appease him. "I'm going to make sure Nolan is safe too, I think he's still down the street at Nolcorp."

"Alright," Daniel conceded, just relieved she would be leaving ahead of him. With a pressing need for reassurance, he leaned in to bid her goodbye with a brief but firm kiss. "I'll meet you over there." Emily allowed the affectionate gesture with a nod, not altogether removed from her feelings but passively trying to understand what they meant.

Still feeling unfinished, Daniel assumed her low countenance was a result of her concern for Amanda and insisted, "Hey – we'll find her, alright?" He watched her eyes for acceptance of his promise and added, "I _love_ you."

With determination she sold him on her complacency, but could not bring herself to say the words in return. Instead, she smiled through her pain, and simply returned the goodbye in kind. "I'll see you at headquarters," she replied.

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte? Charlotte, are you there?"

Declan moved briskly down the city sidewalk, hoping to get a hold of Charlotte in wake of the news Victoria revealed to him at campaign headquarters. His fourth call to her had finally connected, and he was desperate to keep her on if only for a moment.

"Declan?" she answered, finishing her stroll on the eastern side of the campaign office while unbeknownst to her Declan left from the west. Her heart fluttered at the sound of his voice, missing him undoubtedly but panged with guilt. "Declan, I'm so sorry for pulling away from you this past week," she apologized immediately. "I hurt you and I shouldn't have – I don't know what's wrong with me, I've just been so stupid—"

"Charlotte, that's just the thing," he rushed, just relieved to finally hear her voice. He stopped in place, not wanting her to continue a minute further before hearing his assurance. "I _do_ know what's wrong with you and I understand." He sighed heavily, continuing. "Your mother told me about the baby – and I think it's great."

"My _mother_?" Charlotte fawned, shocked that she had even found out. She brushed it aside to concentrate on his reaction. "Really?" she exhaled.

"Yes," he confirmed, hearing static on the line. He glanced up and kept walking, assuming the towers were still having trouble with connection. "Char – can you hear me?"

Meanwhile, Charlotte's momentary excitement was quickly interrupted as from the corner of her eye she saw someone approaching her. To her surprise, it was Rick. "Hey," he greeted her, ignoring the fact she was on the call. "Can we talk?"

"Um," she murmured nervously, hoping Declan had not heard.

"Is someone there?" he replied on the line, dispelling her fear. His attentiveness zoned in. "Charlotte, are you with Rick?"

"N-no," Charlotte stammered worriedly, signally for Rick to leave but he persisted, continuing to mouth that they needed to talk.

"Charlotte, I won't get upset," Declan tried to console her quickly. "But you have to listen to me he's _not_ who you think he is, he's been trying to get close to your family for a reason—" again he paused, hearing static on the line. "Charlotte, are you there?" he repeated.

Missing parts of what he said, Charlotte continued to insist she was not with Rick. "Declan I'm not with him, I'm," she stammered, looking to Rick to give her space while she thought of an alibi. "I'm with _Daniel_ ," she insisted nimbly. "Just –just meet me at his office," she asked.

Catching the tail end, Declan accepted it, content to end the poor connection in hopes of seeing her soon. He changed routes to head back towards Grayson Global, hoping she heard his last reply before hanging up. "I'll be right there," he promised.

Charlotte ended the call and started off to meet him but Rick grabbed her by the arm. "Let me go!" she demanded, pulling away. "I'm done following you all over town, Rick."

"Charlotte, wait—" he insisted but she remained resolute.

"Look, I haven't been myself lately but the truth is, I love Declan," she asserted, hoping it would make him go away. "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression but this—this relationship is over."

Again she tried to leave, but this time Rick held a more secure grip. "Charlotte, I'm sorry but I can't let you go just yet," he persisted and the determination in his eyes worried her, impelling her to remain still. "This may not make much sense to you now but one day it will. And as much as you think our relationship is over I can promise you – that it's not."

While Charlotte was remiss for response, meanwhile Declan was making headway in a brisk jog down the street, running so quickly he almost didn't notice when he nearly ran over his own brother headed the same direction.

"Hey!" Jack called out to him, recognizing his near-miss. "Dec!"

Declan stopped short and doubled back, surprised to see his brother also in a brisk stride, clutching a folder under his arm. "Jack – buddy what are you doing here?"

Jack glanced around nervously before answering. "I just got word from Ashley," he explained. "Victoria must have spilled the news to Conrad that I have his footage. He wants me to meet him at Grayson Global before his speech today. What are you doing here?"

"Meeting Charlotte," Declan replied, narrowing his eyes. "But she said it's just her and Daniel there, not Conrad. Isn't that message a little convenient for him to keep you out of the way?"

"I thought so too," Jack agreed sourly. "But after reading this over, I might have to hold off on my plan to expose him," he thrust forward the folder for Declan to read. "Victoria let me search their safe during the blackout last night. Of course I didn't find the laptop but I found this instead – it's a folder she kept on Amanda. And it's enough to discredit anything I try to bring against him."

"Mysterious accounts, overseas travel to Japan," Declan browsed aloud and then looked to his brother in understanding, noting the anguish in his eyes. "Let me guess," he ventured. "You took one look at all of this, and decided was it worth it to avenge someone you think you barely knew?"

Jack just shook his head in agreement. "She was keeping secrets, Declan," he admitted hurtfully. "Lots of them; I don't even know who _this_ person was?"

Declan closed the folder shut, shoving it back into Jack's hands. "I do. She was your _wife,_ Jack," he reminded him. "And my sister-in-law, and Carl's _mother._ And it doesn't matter what life she had before, she didn't get the chance to start a new one – all because of the Graysons."

Jack absorbed his pep talk, knowing he was right. "So you think I shouldn't give up?"

"I know you shouldn't," Declan confirmed. "And not only do I know it because you're my brother but you're a _good_ person. And you're going to do the right thing, I'm sure of it." With an assuring pat on his shoulder, he leaned in as his brother pulled him into a thankful embrace, relieved at the support. Once they separated Declan continued, "Besides I just came from getting kicked out of the campaign office and I know for a fact that Conrad _was_ there. Ashley's been lying to you."

With realization, Jack filled with urgency, determined even more so to plow ahead. "Well then, looks like I'm going to headquarters," he started away. "You still heading for Grayson Global?"

"Yeah, I've got to talk to Charlotte," Declan insisted, gesturing towards the building. He motioned to say more but knew it wasn't the right time. "And… to you too at some point."

Jack knew his look to mean it was something important but thought better of calling him on it at the time. "Well, whatever it is," he stated, echoing his brother's sentiment before going his separate way. "I'm sure you'll do the right thing."

"I hope so," Declan returned, waving him off. "I'll see you later."

 **SCENE**

Emily had barely made it into Nolan's office when he leapt from his seat at the sight of her. "There you are!" he exclaimed urgently, setting down the phone he had started to dial. "I just finished the last diagnostic on the emptied account. I couldn't trace the owner but I have a routing number we can hopefully use to find Amanda if Aiden was telling the truth about transferring it to her—" he began.

"Save it for later," Emily instructed him urgently. "I just came from Daniel, whatever the Initiative is planning, they're doing it now! Come on, we have to go," she motioned to him while he begged a hand in protest.

"W-w-wait, Ems," Nolan reminded her. "I left Aiden a message telling him to meet us here; I thought we were going to try to figure out what happened—?"

"I already know what happened," Emily asserted, ceasing her pace to explain. "He was there when I got to his house," she informed him, to a confused look in return. Knowing she had no other choice she finally sighed. "It wasn't Amanda that killed Takeda. It was _him,_ Nolan _._ It was Aiden."

Nolan lowered the computer in his hands back down to the desk to absorb her words, his face contorting in shock. "Aiden?" he merely repeated in a low breath.

Emily edged closer to continue. "He fought him to protect Amanda – Takeda had taken her captive," she explained, looking to his eyes for solace. "But that's not the worst part… Nolan, I think Daniel knew about Amanda too."

"Wait, _what?_ " Nolan's expression became even more shaken on that admission, studying his companion for answers. "How do you know?"

"Think about it," Emily urged in comprehension. "Daniel identified Amanda's body," she listed. "He admitted to speaking to Aiden while he was on the boat, they've even had full disclosure between each other since the Masquerade Ball, maybe even sooner!" She drew back, watching as Nolan pieced it all together and allowed a disquieting thought to enter her mind. "My God, he's even been saying her name in his sleep, I've just been so distracted I never saw it coming!" she trailed off, shaking her head at her own ignorance.

Nolan comforted her with an assuring gesture, seeing his friend starting to unravel. "Whoa, Ems – calm down! None of this means he's trying to betray you—" he interrupted himself when her expression begged to differ. "Ok, ok, where is he now?" he asked instead.

"He's clearing the office, but he wants me to meet him at campaign headquarters across the street," she recalled, starting to calm down. "He says it's our opportunity to corner Conrad during his speech but Nolan, how can I be sure he's even telling the truth?" She brushed off his attempt to allay her concerns again and kept on. "He backed out of taking a stand on live TV; he could have some motive in all of this!"

"Emily, you _don't_ know that—" Nolan tried again.

"Then why wouldn't he tell me?!" she belted again, blanking in disillusion. "Why would either of them do this, I just don't understand—" she raised her hands to massage her temples. "I don't know who to trust anymore," she whispered in a defeated tone.

"Hey, hey," Nolan rushed to her aide. "Ems, you can trust _me_ alright?" he reminded her, taking pity on her conflicted state. "And I knowDaniel _loves_ you. No matter what he's done – even if he and Aiden did keep Amanda a secret, the point is, they were protecting you—" he stopped when she tried to protest but talked over her. "Either way, it's _good_ news, right? I mean…. Emily, have you even stopped to think about it? She's _alive._ "

For the first time since learning the truth, Emily took advantage of the silence following Nolan's words to let it truly sink in. As much as she had spent the past day in anguish over finding out the truth, she could not deny that when it was all said and done, she was gaining someone she thought she had lost. And while they had yet to find her, it was more hope than she could ever wish for – more reward than seeking revenge would ever beget.

"You're right," Emily finally conceded, pulling herself together. A lack of sleep the night before certainly was contributing to the intensity of her emotions but she needed to focus. "But I still need to talk to Daniel," she insisted, conscious of the time. "And we need to get out of here."

Nolan agreed with a nod, grabbing up his computer once again and adding, "If he is taking down Conrad, then all you two need to be talking about is how to do it _together._ "

Once again Emily saw the insight in his words. "Alright – let's go."

 **SCENE**

While his father stood mere steps away from him, ready to take the stage with an arrogant smile, Daniel lurked in the background, both watching for the right moment to make his move and scanning the audience for Emily. Just as Conrad breached the walk to the podium, he felt determination fill him inside. He owed her this, especially considering the lie he had allowed her to believe and the fact that soon enough, Amanda's eventual return would see the full truth revealed. Hoping to lessen the blow with his pledge of support, Daniel began to take a step forward to interrupt his father's speech – but was suddenly pulled back.

"Hey!" a voice whispered into his ear, and he turned to see Ashley yanking him onto the sideline, just out of sight of his parents onstage.

"Ashley, what the hell are you doing?" Daniel rebuffed her, shaking her off.

"Daniel, it's _urgent_ ," she implored him. "I need to talk to Emily—where is she?"

"She should be here," Daniel assumed, realizing that despite not seeing her in the crowd perhaps he had relied too heavily on her assurance to meet him there. He watched as Ashley pulled up the guest manifest, shaking her head.

"She hasn't checked in with security," Ashley insisted. "And it's incredibly urgent I talk to her, you won't believe what's happened when I tell you."

Something in Ashley's eyes told Daniel it was somehow connected to Amanda and instead of disregarding her concerns he thought better of it and pulled out his phone. "Alright, just wait here I'm going to try and reach her," he instructed, stepping away to mutter under his breath. "Emily, come on, pickup – please tell me you're not still over there…"

As worry filled his heart, he listened and listened as the phone rang without answer and finally went to Emily's voicemail. Cursing in distress, Daniel ended the call and began to try again – but not before the crux of his father's speech incited thunderous applause in the background, followed by an alert that suddenly appeared on his phone.

In unison, Ashley received the same alert not ten feet away from him, and both looked up at each other as they read the clearly ominous text message. _Long Live David Clarke._

 **MONTAGE SCENES**

Jack stepped away from the entrance of the campaign headquarters in defeat, starting a slow trail down the steps just as he saw Emily and Nolan come rushing to a halt from a run down the street.

"Hey—" he began, while their combined voices soon overtook his reaction.

"Jack, what are you doing here?!" Emily started in first.

He gestured backward with his thumb. "Getting blocked out by security," he answered curtly.

Emily's eyes darted from him to the glass window where Conrad could be seen at the podium giving his speech and back to Jack again. "You're here to come after Conrad, aren't you?" she asked below earshot of security, quickly answering her own question. "Jack, you don't have to do this, trust me – he's about to get his already, I just need to find Daniel," she assured him.

As she was halfway up the steps, Jack stopped her short. "Oh, you won't find him here," he inserted. "Daniel and Charlotte are at Grayson Global."

" _Charlotte_?" Nolan repeated, looking to Emily for confirmation.

Emily was close enough to take another glimpse through the window and could clearly see Charlotte onstage beside her mother, next to Conrad. But to Jack's point, Daniel _was_ noticeably absent. She doubled back, her face falling in disbelief. "Charlotte's inside—but Daniel was supposed to clear the building and come here, are you sure about that?" she asked.

Jack put his hands up innocently. "I swear, Declan said Daniel was _there_ ," he affirmed, suddenly growing suspicious. "What's going on, what do you mean he was supposed to clear the building?"

"Oh my God," Nolan sighed, just as Emily pushed past him, bolting the other direction.

"I have to go!" she shouted, calling back. "Jack—stay there!"

"Wait—what's going ON—" Jack insisted, just as he heard an alert sound on Nolan's phone beside him. He took his glance off Emily sprinting down the street to look over at it, reading the text in unison with Nolan. _Long Live David Clarke._

 **SCENE**

Aiden sighed deeply in the backseat of the taxicab that took him through town, taking the moment alone to remove his passport from his packed bag beside him. In his hand he held the key to a new identity, a new life, and the end of what seemed to be a lifelong quest to avenge his enemies. And yet, on the likely chance that his encounter with Emily had been his last, he found himself unready to leave. As much as he knew it to be his only option it was sobering to bare it with only her anger and disappointment as a farewell. He wondered why he strove so hard for her approval and chuckled to himself that it was rather feminine of him to let it provoke him so deeply.

At long last he realized his only source of relief was that despite the unfortunate ending to his estranged friendship with Emily, Amanda still lived and that alone was a saving grace. Anxious to ensure that she was in fact safe, he took out his phone to try reaching her on her private number yet again, but was distracted by another alert that came through in the meantime. With troubled intrigue, he read aloud as the four words appeared on the screen. _Long Live David Clarke._

 **SCENE**

Amanda took a breath as she slipped into the back of the campaign office, her hair and dress elaborately disguised to blend in with the press. But despite her appearance, beneath the surface was only clear determination for her true mission. No more than fifty feet in front of her stood Conrad on stage at the head of the room – to everyone else a symbol of a new term of governance, but to her, a clear target.

Her arrival onsite had taken longer than she predicted, and she had hoped to get there ahead of his speech commencing. But despite her latency the plan was clear as day in her mind and she needed only one moment of his time to make her final threat against him – one she was certain could not fail. She reached into her jacket pocket and took out a note while he spoke.

"…I implore you to make sure that your voice is heard in this election. Because it's not just a vote, it's an act of courage!" his voice thundered on the sound system.

Taking advantage of a brief break of applause, Amanda maneuvered her way through the crowd, keeping her head down until she reached the section where campaign aides were standing. Seeing Ashley was not among them, Amanda set her sights on the closest assistant and reached out to tap her on the shoulder. But before she could make contact, she was suddenly interrupted by a barrage of alerts in the audience.

She flinched at the oddly simultaneous sea of noise and immediately glanced to the stage. Even Victoria appeared to have received a strange notification which she stepped forward to show to her husband. Amanda could vaguely read Victoria's lips as she mouthed to Conrad, " _Long Live David Clarke?_ "

A shadow cast over Conrad's face as he gazed eerily up at the window to his left. Amanda watched intently as a mere second later Grayson Global suddenly exploded, the blast shaking the ground and sending an impact through the on looking crowd as they watched the building erupt into flames.

 **SCENE**

Emily fell to the ground from the shockwave and took cover as the building above her suddenly detonated, causing debris and burning cement to rain from above. She braced herself on the steps of the entrance, using the flap of her jacket to shield herself from falling ash. When the barrage gradually tapered she rose to her feet, her heart pounding in alarm as perception of the shocking reality finally registered. With fear she stared up at the burning structure, frantically whispering the name she prayed was not still inside.

 _"Daniel?!"_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **A/N: Sorry to end things with a big bang and a cliff hang but so goes part 1 of "Truth"! I do hope you enjoyed it and were able to keep up with its many twists and long-due revelations. It was my goal to ensure this chapter lived up to its name and with it I know some of you will be surprised and concerned but hopefully still intrigued! Without further ado please know I am diligently working on Part 2 so as not to leave you hanging too long as well as some way to wrap up the ominous ending for our star couple, who both seem to fear the other has been a casualty. But it will be a To Be Continued more than an end bc as I've revealed previously, I DO plan on stepping into S3! Before I do please let me know your thoughts, wishes, and what you liked about this chapter. Are you excited for the next? Can't wait to get your feedback and promise to return soon! ~love and revenge~ MothToANewFlame PS… to all my 'guest' readers out there, thank you THANK YOU for your kind reviews, I wish I could reply personally but please know your words are dearly appreciated! Xoxo!**


	22. Chapter 22: Truth (Part 2)

**A/N: A present from me to you…Enjoy! ;)**

 **CHAPTER 22 (FINALE) Truth, Part 2.**

 _When faced with a moment of decision, truth can often be fleeting – replaced by a reality we choose to believe in order to preserve our hopes… and ourselves. But it is only by facing the inevitable that we find relief, allowing us to have closure, and the truth to set us free…_

"Daniel!"

Emily rushed into the building in a frenzy, her close proximity to the destruction giving her the advantage to quickly get inside. When firefighters arrived at the scene shortly after impact, she had already made it to the upper levels, heaving a cough as she exited the stairwell into a barrage of fumes and smoke.

" _Daniel, can you hear me_?!" she called out again, stifling another cough to trudge through the wreckage. " _Are you in here_?!" Now covered in soot, she continued through the executive floor to where the walls were now torn open, leaving the sky visible amidst crumbled structure.

Emily searched fervently, her earlier thoughts of betrayal being replaced by fear and desperation that something terrible had happened. She shunned the torturous thoughts as she stumbled through billows of smoke to what remained of Daniel's office, and soon shuddered as she made out the faint sound of a man's voice moaning in the distance.

" _Daniel!_ " she exclaimed again, sprinting in that direction only to be caught in motion by a firefighter that appeared behind her.

"This way!" he commanded, pulling with a grip that overpowered her.

"Wait – there's somebody in there!" she exclaimed worriedly, but the firefighter continued to pull her to safety in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, additional firefighters quickly filled the room, heading towards the voice.

 _"There's someone trapped under the rubble!"_ she heard one say, as the others got to work. Despite her gasps of concern, her last sight of it ended in mystery as she was forced to leave the scene, her heart pounding in terror all the way out.

 **SCENE**

Daniel pushed his way through the crowd of people emptying from campaign headquarters, clutching his phone to his ear as he stared up at the towering inferno of Grayson Global. Once in the street he broke speed to run to the base of the building, only stopping as he spotted Nolan and Jack at the entrance behind a perimeter of firemen.

" _Nolan!"_ he called out ahead, and both turned to face him as he caught up.

" _Daniel?_ " Nolan exhaled, sighing in relief. "You're here—" he began.

"Where's Emily – tell me she's not in there?!" Daniel demanded before he could finish.

"She went in looking for _you!_ " Nolan swore, as Daniel's face fell in concern. He instinctively pushed ahead to try to get through, only held off by Jack pulling him back by the shoulder.

"Hey!" Jack accosted him with a stern glare. "We tried that already, they're not letting anyone back in—"

"I'm the damn CEO, Porter!" Daniel retorted warily, shoving him off. "And I'm not letting anything happen to her—"

Not to be slighted, Jack shoved back in defense. "Then what the hell are you doing _here_ , my brother told me you were in there with Charlotte—!" he yelled.

"Yeah well your brother's _wrong,_ I cleared the building myself!" Daniel shouted back, inches from his face. Jack's hands were quickly raised, ready to grab Daniel by the collar when Nolan stepped between them.

"Alright, alright!" Nolan intervened to break up the near scuffle. "Look, _none_ of this is helping – we can't confirm anything with this barricade up," he reminded them.

"I can," Daniel insisted, shaking free of Nolan's cautious hand to make his way to the fire sergeant.

"There's no entry into the building—" he was warned.

"Sir, I'm Daniel Grayson," Daniel gestured with a stony glare. "That's my company in flames up there; I need to know if there were any casualties."

The fire sergeant continued to hold him back but did a quick check on his radio to the men inside. After brief warble back and forth he turned to report. "So far we've got one female, blonde, injured from debris on the first floor—"

Daniel's heart sank at the description and both Nolan and Jack were at his side in seconds to listen in. "Is she alright?" Daniel begged anxiously.

Again the fire sergeant radioed before responding. "She's unconscious," he replied. "They haven't identified anyone else yet…"

The rest of the reply was blurred noise to Daniel's ears as all he could focus on was what he imagined to be Emily, somehow hurt by the catastrophe that rested all but on his shoulders to prevent. He grew numb as thoughts of confusion and guilt flooded in, burdening him to look away in the chaos and nearly miss when the fireman alerted him. "They're bringing her out now," he informed, while the company looked on intently.

As they each took in a breath, wincing at the sight of a woman being wheeled out on a gurney, their countenances soon changed as she neared closer into view and they could see it was clearly not Emily – but someone else all too familiar.

"Oh my God," Daniel sighed.

"It's not her, it's…" Nolan exclaimed next in relief, despite being troubled by the grim reality. The woman that was strapped down with an oxygen mask was badly bruised, her hairline bloodied, but the large protrusion from her abdomen under the blankets made her clearly recognizable.

Last to see, Jack identified her aloud. " _Lydia_?"

 **SCENE**

"All right, keep those people back because debris is still falling! We need volunteers to help form a search-and-rescue squad!"

Conrad mounted the top of a bench on the sidewalk to address the crowd, mainly made up of attendees from the campaign office and scattered press covering the wreckage. Ashley was among them, searching the area for Daniel who had run off before she could stop him, likely headed for the building. Despite her ticking senses worrying for both his and Emily's whereabouts, she focused her attention on Conrad, raising an eyebrow at the ease of his response.

"Shouldn't we wait for first responders?" she questioned.

He gave a proud look in return. "We _are_ the first responders," he declared, loud enough for the approaching press to catch live. "Now organize a team to start calling our Grayson Global family and friends. We don't rest until everyone is accounted for," he instructed.

Ashley nodded, but while the press moved in close with questions she instead got on her phone to try reaching someone else.

Unbeknownst to her, the recipient of her placed call was a short distance away – Amanda stood back amongst the crowd, blending in with the press thanks to her disguise. She ignored the call from Ashley and edged cautiously out of the crowd into an empty alley. Once alone she dialed a call of her own, that was answered almost immediately.

"Amanda?!" Aiden's voice responded crisp on the other line. "Where _are_ you?" he asked right away.

"Aiden, we have a problem—" she began, peering at her slim view of Grayson Global while it continued to emit billows of smoke. "I'm downtown by campaign headquarters."

Aiden let out an anxious sigh as he emerged from his cab, wedging himself between the open door to stare ahead into halted traffic. "What are you doing there—" he started before mentally guessing the answer. "Never mind that, what the hell is going on?" he asked.

"I think the Initiative just blew Grayson Global to kingdom come," Amanda answered nervously, her voice cracking.

"My God," Aiden declared, making sense of the impact that had been felt around the city. He stared ahead at the traffic and realized he was more likely to make it there promptly on foot than by car. "Alright," he absolved, formulating a plan while he removed his bag from the cab and quickly paid off the driver. "I'm coming there now, but you need to find Emily right away—"

"Aiden, there's something else," Amanda fawned, but he preempted her reply.

"Amanda, it's no use going after Conrad now," Aiden scolded her, assuming it to be the only explanation for where she was. "He's working with the Initiative – if they just blew up a building there's no telling what they'll do next. Just listen to what I said – find Emily and steer clear of the Graysons!"

With that he hung up, leaving Amanda to decide whether to listen to his strong admonition or pursue the nagging in her gut that she held responsibility for.

 **SCENE**

As she emerged from the building into a sea of faces staring off in the same direction, Emily let out a reprieve, seeing Daniel first amongst them.

" _Daniel_!" she called out and he turned just as the fireman guiding her let go.

"Emily!" he shouted, his face creasing with lines of joy. He broke through the barricade and ran towards her, their bodies thudding against each other once they met. Emily nearly lost her wind as he squeezed her tightly, filling instantly with relief that it had not been him trapped inside.

Meanwhile Daniel stroked her hair and upper back and then suddenly broke away to study her face again, clenching it between his hands. "Emily, oh my God," he repeated, stepping back to glance her over. "You're _hurt,_ " he observed, looking down at her bloodied hand.

"No, I'm fine," she assured him anxiously, feeling a tremor now that they were face to face. Despite it soothing her aching nerves and restoring her inner peace, a fear remained that she could only identify as lingering uncertainty from their last encounter. "I'm fine," she repeated, willing herself not to allow it to show.

"What were you doing in there?" Daniel continued, his pupils dancing back and forth while he studied her sweat-stained brow, the ash in her blond tresses and the arch of her long neck. He committed every inch of her to memory, allaying his fear of never seeing her again, and never experiencing taking in the sights of her all in one.

"Looking for you," she gasped in truth, and closed her eyes while Daniel allowed her reply to register, then pulled her face to his in a firm kiss.

"You're crazy, you know that?" he paused to reprimand her before repeating the kiss again. His movements were disjointed and abrupt and Emily grasped them to be signs of desperation; having feared just as she had that the other was lost.

Suddenly aware of their surroundings, Emily caught sight of Nolan a short distance away, and separated to go to him. "Nolan," she exhaled, hugging her friend. "Was anyone else hurt?" she asked.

"Ems, you're not gonna believe this," Nolan began. "But – Lydia Davis."

" _Lydia_?" Emily repeated, looking to Daniel for explanation.

"Emily, I swear I had no idea she was there," Daniel insisted with his palms raised. "I swept the building before I went to headquarters; I don't know how she got in, or why!"

Emily looked at Nolan meaningfully, but kept her thoughts private. Her gaze drifted to Jack, who paced at the foot of the steps on the phone and then began walking away from the commotion. "Is he alright?" she asked.

"He's worried about Declan—he's not answering his phone," Nolan explained, growing serious. "The fire squad only reported the one casualty from inside but that still doesn't explain where he is?"

"Maybe he went to find Charlotte," Daniel introduced a guess. "Last we spoke she had to tell him something important."

Emily digested it in worried silence, making a mental note to pursue that more later on. She glanced back to Nolan who considered the possibility but pressed on. "Jack said if it wasn't for Declan he would've been upstairs too," he added. "Ashley texted him just before the explosion, saying Conrad said to meet him _here._ "

"What?" Emily exclaimed irritably. _"Why?"_

"The same reason he told me to clear the building," Daniel inserted again angrily. "My father knew what was going to happen today, I'm sure of it," he paused; facing Emily directly. "Em, we almost _had_ him on stage," he declared regretfully, wishing he had been able to expose him during the speech as he intended. "This is _exactly_ what he planned—"

"Daniel!"

His dissertation was interrupted on cue by the source, Conrad and his booming voice coming over to break up the party. The three of them shifted uncomfortably when he did, with Emily sending a pointed look at Daniel not to spark uproar despite how much he wanted to.

"Son, these people need help!" his father beckoned him, waving towards a crowd on the street. A quick glance of Nolan and Emily with his son assured him that most were accounted for. "I'm glad to see everyone's alright – now, we need your assistance!"

Daniel ignored his plea while Emily stepped into his space. "You have to go," she whispered, glancing over. "Your father just tried to kill Jack; you have to keep him distracted—"

"Emily, if I go over there, I'm going to kill him _myself,_ " Daniel fought back angrily, but she placed a gentle hand over his balled fists.

" _Daniel_ ," she insisted, calming her voice to so tranquil a tone that it frightened him. "Daniel," she repeated. "We missed our moment. Alright? What's done is done. You have to play along now so he doesn't get suspicious," she insisted. "Maybe if you do, he'll even confess to everything. Do you understand?"

Sensing something behind her eyes, Daniel gave in with a nagging twinge of guilt. Even as she gently urged him to do the only conceivable thing they could, her words condemned him, as if she spoke of _his_ failure to seize the moment, and his errant need to play along. His thoughts wandered to the truth she revealed in his office mere hours before, cinching him with worry. But she could not possibly know what he withheld from her, he reasoned at heart. _Could she?_

"Alright," he agreed, watching her carefully before turning to go. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Just go." Still uncertain, Daniel went along anyway, squeezing Emily's good hand before trudging back down the street to follow his father's lead.

Nolan edged in to gain a pulse on his exit. "That didn't sound like someone who has his own agenda," he commented over her shoulder, expressing his trust in Daniel as they watched him walk away.

"No, it didn't," Emily admitted. "And I don't think he knew about Lydia either," she credited him, dismissing it while she turned to face Nolan. "But regardless, Amanda _was_ involved in her disappearance," she recalled. "And she would have known how to find her…"

Nolan nodded, following her thinking. "I still have the routing info for the account Aiden set up for her back at the office, I can try to use NolSat to tie it to a phone number or a location…?" he guessed.

"Do it," Emily instructed him. "If she had something to do with why Lydia was here, then she's got to be close." She prepared to depart, attending to the flesh wound on her hand before heading in the last direction she saw Jack disappear. "In the meantime, I'll try to catch up with Jack – we can't afford Conrad finding out he's still alive and then trying to finish the job."

 **SCENE**

Frustrated at still not being able to reach Amanda on the cellular, Ashley sought a moment of sanctum back at campaign headquarters, skulking in the hallway for discretion's sake. So when a figure slipped behind her without warning, she could barely catch her breath when she suddenly found a firm hand holding her captive.

"When I take my hand off your mouth, you don't make a sound, you understand?" a familiar voice whispered into her ear, and she immediately nodded in fear.

The hand released and Ashley whirled about to find Jack staring her down, his eyes darkened with anger. "I know you helped set me up," he swore, while she hunched back in surprise against the wall.

"Set you up for what?" she replied in confusion.

"You texted me to meet you at Grayson Global," he explained, holding up his phone. "If not for Declan warning me, I would have been in the building when it exploded!"

"Declan…" Ashley trailed without understanding, before allowing his first comment to register. "Jack – I didn't text you, I swear," she insisted, thinking on her feet. "But if anyone was trying to lure you into the building, it was Conrad—"

"Yeah, I'm getting that," he inserted. "I figured that out when Declan told me only Daniel and Charlotte were at Grayson Global."

Again Ashley's face contorted in disarray. "Well, that's not true either—both were here when the explosion happened, I know because I was with Daniel when he left to go looking for Emily?"

"Emily," Jack nodded, having pieced it together already in mind. "Another person who seemed to know about the explosion ahead of time, she ran off just before it blew—" he digressed in fury, flopping his hands. "What the hell is going on here, what are you all, working together?!"

"Jack, it's not what you think," Ashley tried to comfort him. "We're not the bad guys, all right? _Conrad_ must have gotten to my phone, you know just as well as I do that the Graysons are behind this—"

"Then they'll have to answer for it," Jack replied with determination, while Ashley reached out to stop him from leaving.

"Jack, please I'm begging you not to doing anything rash, you have more at stake here than you realize!" she hinted, drawing a bewildered look from him in return.

"All I know is I barely made it out with my _life_ ," he impressed on her, shaking off her grip. "And I still have no clue where my brother is, which means he isn't safe until I do. So don't tell anyone you saw me here." In dramatic demonstration, he suddenly dropped his phone and smashed it with his foot. "You can reach me through Nolan. The only advantage I have right now is that Grayson thinks I'm dead."

With that he stormed off before Ashley could stop him, leaving her anxious and dismayed but scarcely alone. She bent down to pick up the shattered remnants of his phone and turned to double back, only to find a partially disguised Amanda standing a few feet in front of her. Surprised yet again, she stopped dead in her tracks while Amanda took advantage of the silence to respond to Jack's departing words.

"That makes two of us."

 **SCENE**

"Daniel!"

For the third time in a span of minutes, Daniel turned to the sound of someone calling his name, only to be underwhelmed by Aiden at the helm, walking briskly toward him while attempting to remain somewhat inconspicuous.

Daniel left the group of responders he was overseeing to meet him, tension building as they came face to face. "Hey, I thought you were halfway to Japan by now?" he confronted him suspiciously, while Aiden put his hands up in defense. Daniel continued without recourse, lowering his voice as he purged his guilty conscience. "Emily knows about Amanda— what the hell happened?"

"A building's just exploded and that's the first of your concerns?" Aiden scolded him in return.

"You're one to talk," Daniel fired back. "Seeing as how your boss is a prime suspect – Emily told me Takeda was in with the Initiative, a fact you conveniently left out the last time we spoke?" he reminded him.

"That was news to me as much as it was to you," Aiden assured, while Daniel continued to crowd his space.

"Oh, well you didn't see fit to share the details – just like you didn't bother telling me you were going to tell-all to Emily before I had a chance to!" Daniel insisted, his temper flaring.

"Wrong again Danny," Aiden asserted with a glare. "While you were dragging your feet doing something you should have done long ago, it was Ashley that spied Amanda on surveillance—"

"I was _going_ to tell her!" Daniel swore again, responding to Aiden's taunting more than anything else.

Aiden snorted in disbelief. "Ah, so then you admitted to it when she cornered you?" he probed, expecting the opposite. When Daniel lowered his head without reply his guess was validated, prompting him to go on. "No, nor would you – just as you backed out of it before when you had the chance—"

"Aiden—" Daniel protested in mounting irritation.

"Neither did you use your knowledge about the Initiative to take down your father's campaign," he continued, trading in mere disappointment for an all-out attack. "And do you want to know why, Daniel? Because just as I always suspected, you are, and always have been, _a coward_!"

Provoked to his limit, Daniel leveled Aiden with a punch across the jaw, garnishing the attention of responders nearby, including the police that rushed over to separate them.

"Stop – stop this!" Daniel heard his mother's voice call out, and looked up to see Victoria nearby, joined by Charlotte at her side.

"Mom, get Charlotte out of here!" Daniel insisted, while the officers continued to detain him and Aiden a few feet apart. "And Mathis, if you know what's good for you, you'll disappear too!"

"What's the matter, Daniel – afraid of letting your family see your true colors?" Aiden continued to taunt while an officer tried to pin his arms behind his back.

Daniel glowered at the implication; while Victoria watched the two of them bicker with more attentive interest at Aiden's last words. The scuffle was enough to distract them so that when Charlotte turned to watch paramedics move past the crowd with an urgent care victim, her scream was the only thing that commanded everyone's attention.

"Oh my God, _Declan!_ " she suddenly shrieked, drawing Daniel to look over in concern.

"Move aside people!" the paramedics called ahead to a waiting ambulance that pulled up to the curb. As the company watched, Declan was indeed being wheeled out on the gurney, his face bloodied and covered in bruises as they lifted him into the open back doors of the ambulance.

"Found him trapped beneath the rubble," another paramedic informed the driver, as Charlotte trailed behind to follow them inside the vehicle.

"Charlotte!" Victoria called out to her, and the commotion was enough to temporarily distract the arresting officers, allowing Daniel to shake free. He watched his sister with deep compassion, suppressing his anger for the moment to sympathize with what she must be feeling. When he finally turned back to look for Aiden after the ambulance departed, he was gone.

 **SCENE**

"Tracking someone?"

Evening had fallen by the time Jack arrived at Nolcorp, noting the blue glare from the computer screen that lit Nolan's face against the backdrop of the night sky. In the time it took him to walk through the office, Nolan had navigated away from the page he was scanning, knowing better than to let on about the search for Amanda just yet.

"Ah, sort of," Nolan stammered, shifting focus. "Did Emily catch up with you?"

"No, I didn't see her," Jack answered flatly. "But I talked to Ashley – and she confirmed Declan was wrong about Charlotte and Daniel. Neither of them were anywhere near Grayson Global – which means Conrad has officially gone after my entire family."

Nolan let out a grand sigh, knowing it to be true. "Then you have to stay _out_ of his way, Jack," he insisted, hoping he would listen.

"I'm not here for protection," Jack asserted, his temper growing short. "I need you to help me find my brother."

Nolan shook in the affirmative and began tapping at his keyboard. "Of course," he obliged, but the phone's ring preceded his search. He glanced at Jack cautiously, who nodded for him to answer. "Hello?"

"Nolan, is Jack there?" Ashley hailed him in a low tone.

"Yeah," Nolan confirmed anxiously, putting her on speakerphone. "We're trying to find Declan."

"You can call off the search," Ashley continued glumly, her eyes darting towards something in front of her. "Apparently, the first responders reported it wrong - he _was_ inside the building." She paused, hearing the ghastly silence on the other line before finishing. "He's been injured."

Jack leaned close, in a panic. "Is he okay?!" he demanded.

"I don't know," she apologized, reading from the write-up at her desk. "They've taken him to the metro hospital. That's all the information I have." Another glance ahead told her she needed to end the call. "Jack, I'm so sorry, but I have to go."

While Jack and Nolan bounded to their feet out of Nolcorp, Ashley gingerly set the phone down on the other side, and met the watchful eyes across from her desk. Amanda's gaze held her in submission as if being forced at gunpoint, but it was her mere presence that caused Ashley to adhere without question.

"How did he sound?" Amanda probed immediately.

"Devastated," Ashley admitted wistfully, prompting her. "He shouldn't have to do this alone, Amanda. You should _go_ to him—"

"Jack doesn't want to be with me," Amanda interrupted with a cutting look. "I'm the reason for everything that's happened to him, and he knows it," she exhaled angrily. " _I_ know it. I already watched him break from it all; I can't bear to see him hurting again."

Ashley lowered her head in sympathy, keeping an eye out for onlookers. "So what are you going to do?"

Amanda lifted her head. "The only thing left," she hinted ominously.

Ashley wrinkled her brow just as a thought came to mind. She glanced down at the write-up again on her desk. "Amanda," she whispered, leaning forward. " _Lydia Davis'_ name is on this list of casualties next to Declan's – last night you were the only one who seemed to know where she was..." Amanda stared back brazenly while Ashley probed her question. "Did you—did you bring her to the building before the explosion?"

Amanda refrained from answering as her eyes fell on the campaign doors ahead, catching sight of Conrad coming through. Despite her sharp disguise she was unwilling to take any chances. "I see now why Emily trusts you," she replied instead. "You catch on quick."

Dumbfounded, Ashley continued to press. "How could you do that – how did you even know what was going to happen?"

Amanda stood to her feet. "I didn't," she answered honestly. "I was using her to get to him," she implied, flicking her eyes to Conrad who was now walking over. "But I guess now I'll never get the chance…"

With just the trail of her words left behind, Amanda dropped her gaze to the floor and walked away, softly brushing past Conrad without his notice while his attention remained fixed on Ashley.

"Thank you for all your assistance today, Miss Grobet," he greeted her. "Our search and rescue was a success and we turned heads with our response efforts. Now before our last press conference of the day—"

"Press conference?" Ashley interrupted, rising to her feet. "Are you sure you want to proceed with that?"

Conrad grinned smugly. "My dear, to cower in the face of adversity would not bode well for this campaign's message, now would it? Now I'll need a final count of the casualties to report; I expect the number to be low."

Ashley considered not saying a word in reply, but went with her instincts. "Low indeed," she confirmed, extending the document in her hand. "But there were two injuries from the building site you'll find unfortunate... Declan Porter," she enumerated first, allowing him to see the next.

"My heavens, what was Declan doing there—" Conrad stopped himself short as his eyes fell on the other casualty, and he released his grip on the page, sending it fluttering to the floor. "Lydia?" he whispered in shock.

"As I said," Ashley reprimanded him with a stern look. "Are you sure you want to proceed with the conference?"

 **SCENE**

"I can't believe this!" Jack panted as he rushed out of the glass doors of Nolcorp into the street still clamoring with police and straggling media. Nolan followed a few steps behind, urging him to slow down.

"Jack—wait!" Nolan tried, but his friend was far ahead. "You could be walking into a trap!"

" _Jack!_ " another voice soon called out to him, finally getting him to stop. They paused as Emily came running over across the street, stopping to catch her breath. "Nolan, it's alright," she calmed him, hearing the end of their conversation. A fresh bandage was wrapped around her hand, signifying that she had just come from one of the medical aid vans stationed nearby. "I asked around the paramedics – they told me there was another injured in the building. It sounds like Declan."

"See?" Jack whirled at Nolan in anger, shooting an unsavory glance back at Emily. "I can't believe this – how could you let this happen?" he alleged.

She gaped in surprise. "Jack, I had no idea—"

"You ran off just before that building exploded, you _knew_ what was going to happen—!" Jack continued to fire.

"Jack, I swear to you I found out only minutes before everyone did; I had _nothing_ to do with this!" she swore, wishing she could explain more.

"You have to trust her," Nolan insisted in her defense, stepping into the small circle. "I trust Emily with my _life,"_ he expressed and then exchanging a brief glance with Emily added, "So did _Amanda._ "

Emily looked over at Nolan on the mention of her name, knowing the time was fast approaching to tell Jack the truth. She searched his troubled expression, but Nolan only shrugged and shook his head, implying he still had yet to find her. Regardless, she knew it wouldn't be long and Jack needed to be there when they did.

"Jack, let me take you to the hospital," she offered, excusing Nolan from the task. "Nolan has to stay here – there are other people at fault in all of this and he's not going to stop searching until he finds them." She paused to get his verification. "Right, Nolan?"

"Right," Nolan agreed anxiously, needing the recourse to continue tracking Amanda.

Jack continued to debate whether to go along, knowing he was pressed for time but still resisting the idea.

"I know you're angry," Emily continued to persuade him. "But the Graysons are probably already there and you can't have them see you. Let me take you, I can distract them." She stared into his eyes with intent, hoping he could see the genuineness of her plea. "Jack, trust me."

Against his perception of what appeared to make little sense, Jack went with his instincts and gave in. "Alright," he conceded. "Let's go."

 **SCENE**

Victoria savored the lone moment with Charlotte in the hospital waiting room, despite sensing uneasiness from her daughter under her protective touch. As much as she knew Declan's condition was a major factor in her disposition, her motherly instincts told her there was more to it. "Darling," she began. "How are you holding up?"

"Just scared," Charlotte answered numbly. "He looked so frail on the ride over, Mom – like he was struggling to hold on?"

Victoria tightened her lips into a thin line, sympathizing. "I'm sure the doctors are doing everything they can, don't worry," she assured her. She continued to stroke her hair soothingly and dared to ask further. "Sweetheart, when you came back from your walk earlier – before everything happened – you seemed unnerved," she whispered to her. "Was there something wrong?"

Charlotte shifted nervously, and sat up straight to pull away from her grasp. "I um… I just found out something that's hard to believe, that's all," she surmised, recoiling.

Victoria tried a nod of understanding. "Do you want to tell me about it, dear?"

There was no way Charlotte could fathom telling her what Rick had divulged before she went inside, but as it happened there was plenty else to focus on at the moment. So instead, she lobbed her head in sarcasm, snipping back. "Don't try to placate me, mother – I know you're the one who told Declan I'm pregnant."

In grand display, Charlotte moved from her seat next to her mother to another chair further away, just as she spotted Emily walking through the entrance. "Emily!" she called out, standing to meet her.

"Charlotte," Emily sighed, drawing her into a warm hug. "I'm so glad you're alright. How is he?" she asked right away. "Any word?"

"Ah, the ubiquitous Emily Thorne," Victoria chided first.

Emily gave her a sharp look while Charlotte replied to her question. "They'll only talk to family, we're completely in the dark," she explained desperately. "Have you heard from Jack? He's not answering his phone."

On cue, Emily's eyes grazed over to where Jack was sneaking in the entrance, fully clothed in an orderly's uniform that she was able to swipe from outside. Continuing to hold Charlotte so that neither could see while he entered, she exhaled after the coast was clear to respond. "That's assuming he has reception," she begged off. "I'm sure he'll turn up eventually."

Charlotte nodded glumly and took her seat again, allowing Victoria another attempt to address Emily. "You know, it could easily have been Daniel in that hospital bed," she continued to scold her. "I would think that you would want to spend every precious moment with him, and yet, here you are, looking for Jack?"

Emily bit her lower lip to suppress her disdain, and turned to respond. "I'm here for Charlotte," she gestured, edging back towards Victoria. "And as a matter of fact, I told Daniel to meet me here."

Victoria cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, does he have some interest in the Porter family?"

Again Emily struggled to swallow the response she wanted to give, cleaning it up with a less sharp one. "Well, Daniel possesses a rare quality of actually _caring_ about others," she hinted meaningfully, then raising her chin in consternation. "But ultimately he wants to be here for his sister," she paused dramatically. "And his _father_ , of course."

"Conrad?" Victoria repeated, not understanding.

"Oh, I assumed you'd heard?" Emily repeated in mock sincerity, enjoying the feel of the next moment. " _Lydia_ was in the building and sustained serious injuries... she's in the maternity ward – where I'm sure you'll find your husband." While Victoria's face fell in shock and she rose to her feet, Emily stood back triumphantly, prepared with one additional remark. "I would think that you would want to spend every precious moment with him as well?"

Utterly speechless, Victoria stormed off without another look, leaving Emily to settle into the open seat next to Charlotte. She thought about apologizing for the display, but assumed by now she was used it.

It was of no matter as Charlotte was already prepared to speak first. "Emily?" she began, now that that they were alone. "There's something I have to tell you."

 **SCENE**

"Dec!"

Jack could barely contain his enthusiasm on sight of his brother, who was just starting to wake. He tried to ignore the harrowing sight of tubes and monitors hooked up to him, but the emotions were triggered regardless, causing his voice to crack noticeably as he approached his brother's side. "Hey, man," he said softly, lowering the cloth mask over his face. "It's me."

"Jack?" Declan replied, blinking a few times in bewilderment as he glanced him over. "Why are you a nurse?"

Jack chuckled, warmed by the relief of Declan's humor. "It was the only way I could get in to see you." His tone shifted to urgency. "What are the doctors saying?"

"I don't know," Declan responded, lifting a weak hand to palm the intravenous tube that was keeping him full of liquid. "I just woke up. What happened?" he asked.

"There was a bomb at Grayson Global," Jack explained. "I think Conrad meant it for me—" he said, and swiftly cut his digression short to praise his brother instead. "You _saved_ me, you realize that?" He licked his lips, doing his best to fight off tears while he took Declan's hand. "You're a _hero_."

"Ahh, I don't know about that," Declan digressed, remembering the last thing on his mind before going unconscious. He glanced up at his brother with a pained look. "Charlotte's pregnant, Jack," he confessed. "Carl's gonna have a cousin."

The pain in Jack's face soon transformed into a glimmer of hope, and despite Declan's partial embarrassment, he refused to see it as anything other than good news. "Hey," he comforted him. "Hey, that's nothing for you to be ashamed of," he said, placing another hand on top of the one he already held. Declan stared back in surprise, but exhaled in relief.

Still fighting back tears, the knowledge only impelled Jack to continue being strong. "Don't worry little brother – you helped me and now it's my turn to help _you._ We're going to get through this," he promised, adding. "Together."

 **SCENE**

Emily rode in the passenger seat of her car in silence, gazing out of the window as she replayed in her mind the events bringing the strenuous day to an end. It all seemed to blur together, as if a week's worth of actions and emotions were crammed all into a mere twenty-four hours. She realized she had not slept once in the entire span of time, leave for beginning to nod off towards the end of her hospital visit. After letting Charlotte confide in her, she sat with her for a while until Daniel finally arrived and offered to bring them both home in Emily's car, leaving his in the city. Charlotte had refused, insistent on staying at the hospital until allowed visitation to Declan, but Emily had accepted – too tired to think of her qualms with Daniel and the pent up tension that would likely exist once they were alone.

But now as they rode, the uncertain emotions returned, reminding her of the duplicity that loomed undeniably between them. Setting the inevitable reckoning in motion, Emily allowed her gaze to fall over Daniel's hand on the steering wheel and finally spoke. "How did that happen?" she asked.

He glanced down at his hand, where his knuckles were reddened and fingers bruised from the fight with Aiden. "I uh… punched a wall back at headquarters," he lied instinctively, flexing his hand while silently cursing his poor excuse. "I had to let out a little tension after spending all afternoon helping my father."

Emily sensed the embellishment right away, but continued to test him. "You're fortunate you didn't break anything," she hinted, and he remained quiet afterwards. She returned her gaze back out of the window as they finally arrived at her beach house, but remained still as the car slowed to a stop.

Daniel looked over at her reflexively, avoiding direct eye contact while Emily waited patiently for him to speak. When he did, he sounded distant. "Did Charlotte talk to you?" he asked.

Emily nodded, and waited for more. "She told me she's pregnant," she offered after a breath. "Did you know?"

"Yeah," Daniel answered, grateful for the honest moment. "She just told me last night." He watched Emily duck her chin in acknowledgment, but remained awkward; racking his brain for how to say what was on his heart.

Losing patience in the process, Emily finally gave up and exited the car abruptly. "Goodnight, Daniel," she said in finality, and started towards the house.

In a flash, Daniel was flustered, as if a mental timer went off telling him he had to confess before it was too late. He rushed out of the car to follow her, sensing the argument pending, but no longer caring. "Em, wait—" he called out multiple times, only catching her once she was at the top of the porch. "Emily, we need to talk—"

"How long were you going to pretend you didn't know, Daniel?" she exploded, whirling around.

Daniel froze on the steps and realized he was caught. His mouth parted and the blood drained from his face. "Amanda," he confirmed, and nodded guiltily. "Yes—Emily, I knew about her." She shook her head vehemently, and while her disappointment stung, Daniel continued forward. "Emily, listen to me – I _wanted_ to tell you—"

Agitated by the familiar reply, Emily turned away to continue towards the front door, but he reached out to beg her to stop. "Em, I promise – I found out the same day they pulled in the body—"

" _Another_ body," she reminded him, twitching in distress. "The body that _you_ identified – that you stepped _forward_ to make sure that you identified?"

"Yes," Daniel admitted, pressing his palms together in a penitent gesture. "Yes, alright I did, but you have to understand, Aiden came to me; he figured out I knew who you really were, he asked me to do this and swore me to silence—"

"Sure, blame Aiden," Emily challenged him, flapping her arm in the air. "You blame _him,_ and he blames _Takeda_ ," she recanted in annoyance. "And no one takes responsibility for anything—"

"No—" Daniel insisted, rephrasing. "No, you're right, okay? It was my fault, I should have told you and I'm _sorry,_ " he pleaded with emphasis. "All of it was before we reconciled, and once we were together I wanted to tell you so many times, Emily, I _promise_ I wanted to –"

"But you _didn't_ ," she reminded him sharply, and the fierceness budding in her eyes warned him that he would get no further than admitting to his apology in one night. She paused, shrugging her shoulders while looking at him helplessly. "You didn't," she repeated.

He leaned back in submission, knowing she was right and knowing there was nothing more he could say to dissuade her. And despite having no argument for the anger he was due in response, he hated accepting it – hated knowing that if only he had mustered the courage to tell her sooner, just once out of the many times he wanted to the day before, she would not be standing before him feeling betrayed and alienated.

But in spite of her displeasure, Emily found it in her to be gentle as she levied her due feelings and took a step closer to him. He flinched when she placed a hand to his chest, grasping the seam where his shirt overlapped. "Daniel," she whispered in a low tone, trying to prevent her voice from cracking. "If I hadn't just spent the last two days having everything I ever believed shattered…I would stand here and fight you," she admitted, and her voice cracked regardless.

Daniel's eyes brimmed with emotion. He clenched his jaw and breathed through his nose to stop it while he hung on Emily's words.

"But honestly, I have nothing left," she spoke through silent cries, shrugging. "Takeda is dead," she breathed, running down the list. "His memory is ruined. Declan is fighting for his life as we speak and your father is going to be _governor_. The Initiative won," she shook her head aimlessly while dropping her hand. "It's over," she conceded, and the words echoed like a sentence to Daniel's ears, breaking his heart. "Everything," she finished in a whisper, through trembling lips. "It's _over_."

Daniel had not taken his eyes off of hers for a second, so when he finally blinked, a lone tear escaped. "Emily, please," he pressed with determination, taking her fallen hand back in his. "Don't say that – we can still do this, we can _take him down!"_ he found himself near yelling.

"We?" she looked at him incredulously. "I have nothing, Daniel. You'd think that finding out Amanda is alive would be like… like getting something back but all I feel is emptiness." She peered back at him and even he could not deny the loneliness in her eyes, the feeling of total abandonment that he guessed could only have existed once many years before, when her journey began.

He bowed his head in despair and she squeezed his hand back instead. "Look at me," she asked him, and he did so. "Can you honestly say that you wouldn't feel the same?"

When Daniel's silence confirmed nothing else, Emily nodded and solemnly released her hand from his. "Goodbye, Daniel," she repeated, but this time it rung with finality as she unlocked the door and proceeded into her house, leaving him alone on her porch.

 **SCENE**

"My God… what have I done?"

Conrad rested his weight on the ledge of the window to Lydia's room, denied from entering where she lay unconscious in the critical care unit. He was restricted only to observation while her life hung in the balance, kept alive only by the incessant beeping of life monitors while her eyes remained closed, her body motionless. He lowered his head in remorse, so deeply engrossed in his own thoughts that he barely noticed his own wife sauntering down the hall, announcing her presence with a few words.

"A fair question," Victoria commented grimly, drawing a hateful look in return.

"Have you no ounce of compassion in your _being_?" he chided her in a husky voice.

"For you, dear Conrad?" she raised and lowered her eyebrows dismissively before answering. "No." He glowered while she took in her own view of Lydia's still body and continued without facing him. "Since by your own implications, you clearly had something to do with the explosion this afternoon," she paused to turn back. "Or you would not be holding yourself accountable?"

Conrad absorbed her fair assessment, only shaking his head while shifting to fold his arms. Victoria studied the fear in his countenance and softened a degree, allowing her faint sense of empathy to come through. "How is she?" she asked.

"Comatose," Conrad answered flatly. "She's fighting for her life."

Victoria nodded slowly, pondering. "And her—" she paused to correct. "I should say, _your_ child?"

Conrad swallowed the stone in his throat, mustering just enough willpower to respond without lunging at her like he wanted to. "Stillborn," he muttered under his breath.

"Mm," Victoria digested it, lowering her head respectfully. "Well, all animosity aside Conrad, I do sympathize for your loss," she expressed, running her hand along the ledge as she prepared to leave him to his solace. She remained a moment further, unable to resist the glaring punishment he had coming. "But unfortunately," she countered. "My sympathy has no more bearing on you than your regret has on that young boy just down the hall."

Conrad turned to face her, knowing she spoke of Declan, but numbly never giving it a second thought until that moment, when he too could relate to what Charlotte was going through in semblance.

"Because in spite of whatever your intention may have been," Victoria finished. "Your actions once again have caused those you cared for… nothing but pain."

 **SCENE**

"They say… I'm gonna be fine," Declan whispered, gazed into the beautiful face staring back at him.

Charlotte breathed a heavy sigh of relief, clutching his hand from the side of the bed. "Thank God," she exhaled. "I can't face all of this without you."

"You'll be a great mother," he assured her brightly.

"Based on what, the worst role models in history?" she challenged back. His lip curled into a grin and it gave her a brief moment of happiness, which quickly fled in advance of what she needed to share next. "Declan there's one other thing," she recalled, dropping her head. "It's about Rick."

"Hey, you don't have to explain anything to me," Declan inserted. He hated seeing her face fill with sorrow, and needed her desperately to keep a smile. "I talked to him," he explained, expecting what she was about to say.

"You did?" she replied, perking up. "So you know…?" she incited him. "He told you who he really is?"

"Yeah, but he didn't have to," Declan assured her. "I trusted you anyway."

Charlotte leaned forward to rest her head on his chest, overwhelmed with how much faith he had in her and ever reminded of how much she loved him and needed him to be alright. "I feel so sick every time I think about him, Declan—" she began to sob guiltily.

"Then don't," he urged her, stroking her hair and finally prompting her to sit up and face him again. He rested his hand on her cheek when she did. "Don't think about it. Think about this baby you're gonna have," he instructed her, his eyes glassy with memories. "Think about that first sunset I showed you, remember?"

She chuckled through a wide smile, willing to do anything he asked. "I remember – I still have that video you sent me."

"Yeah, that's it," he echoed in relief. "Go home and watch it for me, will ya? And while you're there, get some rest. Next time you see me I'll be good as new."

 **SCENE**

When Nolan arrived at Emily's the following morning, he half expected her not even to be awake, hopefully catching up on hours of missed sleep the day before, or even just allowing herself time to rest without concern. But as he approached her open sliding doors, it was clear she had been up for hours – in fresh clothes with her hair down around her shoulders and sitting at the edge of her couch, twirling something in her hand.

He edged inside and she looked up briefly to acknowledge him, while he was close enough now to see her engagement ring weaved between her fingers. "You alright?" he asked.

She blinked a few times and set it down on the table in front of her, giving him a shrug. "Daniel's gone," she answered first, unaware of where he had went after their farewell.

"Aiden too," Nolan added, taking a seat next to her. "I think he took your advice about leaving – I can't get a trace on his phone," he explained, adding bashfully. "And… still nothing on Amanda."

Emily stared ahead, shaking her head. "Without being able to locate her it's like… like she's still gone? Like never getting her back," she resolved, panged by the emptiness in her heart. "But it doesn't matter," she continued, facing her friend. "Dead or alive, everyone I ever loved – has lied to me."

Nolan winced, ignoring the untruth in her statement to focus on its source. "So Daniel knew?" he guessed.

She nodded, folding her lips into a line. "He thinks I hate him for not telling me," she surmised, reflecting on what she felt. "And the truth is..." she paused, leaving an eerie space so long that Nolan checked to make sure she was alright. Instead she appeared just to be coming to grip with her feelings, as if discovering them in that moment. "I don't," she finally admitted. "I don't hate Daniel… or Aiden… or Takeda." She turned to him. "I just can't find it in me to forgive them?"

Nolan sympathized, craning his neck in understanding. "I can see why you feel that way, Ems… but you're forgetting the one man in your life that taught you how to forgive," he paused with a half-smile. "Your _father_."

Emily remained still, pondering his meaning while he continued on. "And even if it feels like everyone you've trusted let you down right now, just remember at one time – you thought your father was one of those people. He kept the truth from you until you were ready, and once you found out?" He reached out to hold her hand, reminding her. "You forgave him."

Again Emily kept her thoughts guarded, though Nolan sensed that she was slowly starting to come around. "I guess I always regretted not making things right with him when I had the chance," she reasoned pensively.

"And no one would ever fault you for that," Nolan reassured her. "But even you can relate to being in his position. I mean, think about it," he articulated. "Someday this will be Charlotte, finding out the truth about who _you_ really are. Or… Jack? And a year ago – it was Daniel." He shook his head, seeing how obvious the solution was. "He accepted it and loved you regardless – and he still loves you. You owe him at least that in return."

Emily could not argue with his final point, knowing it solidified her need to forgive more than anything. "I guess I'm just a hypocrite when it boils down to it," she shrugged, turning the corner of embarrassment and self-condemnation. She rubbed the crease of her forehead, and Nolan worried perhaps he had pushed too hard. But instead, she attempted to brighten up, changing the subject to his prior mention. "How _is_ Jack, anyway?"

Immediately, Nolan's face fell in disillusion. "He never came back to Nolcorp." Emily furrowed her brow while he finished. "Wait, I thought—I thought you took him home?"

Emily's eyes narrowed in worry. "No, I came home with Daniel—" she began to explain, before calculating the worst. "Oh no," she realized, jumping to her feet.

"Conrad," Nolan read her thoughts.

"You go to the hospital in case he went to check on Declan," she instructed him, starting for the door. "I'll go to Grayson Manor to see if he went after them."

 **SCENE**

"You're finished."

Conrad turned at the sound of his son's voice behind him, barely audible against the windy skies and the street noise of the bustling city. The sounds were amplified from the empty space on the highest floor of Grayson Global, the open wall allowing him to survey the charred remains of what was once a towering empire.

Daniel continued towards his father, sensing irony at the sight of him standing in what used to be his office. "You've got nothing," he continued. "The Amanda Clarke Foundation is emptied and that check isn't worth the paper you wrote it on—"

"It doesn't matter," Conrad sighed, interrupting his son's barrage of grievances.

Daniel squinted in confusion as he edged closer. Despite expecting his father to be sullen over his extensive loss, he was decidedly more down than he anticipated. "What is _this_?" he questioned, studying the gloom in his face. "Are you actually feeling a twinge of remorse for everything you've done?" he mocked.

Conrad managed only a glare in his direction. "Lydia was taken off life support this morning. She and the baby…" he trailed off glumly, dropping his gaze to the depths below.

Daniel stood respectfully, and lowered his head at the confirmation of their passing. When he raised his eyes a moment later, his father was dangerously close to the taped off perimeter by the window, and for a second Daniel wondered if he was contemplating jumping. "You have nothing, Dad," he spoke aloud, not intending it as incentive. "Don't you think it's time to turn yourself in?"

Against Daniel's assumption, Conrad snapped an insolent look back at him. "Oh, I still have what matters," he swore arrogantly. "And the last thing I'm going to do is let this ordeal ruin all that I've worked so hard to maintain."

"And what is that exactly?" Daniel dared.

Conrad lifted his head, drawing on his inner pride to make the assertion. "Our _name_. We're Graysons. We stare down adversity. We rebuild, brick by brick. When the hour is darkest, we Graysons shine the brightest. This family's name is the one thing they won't ever take from me."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Nice speech, but you're standing knee deep in proof of what kind of name you've made for yourself," he alleged, casting a gaze around their surroundings. "And I won't be joining you on your crusade. Even if the public hasn't figured it out yet," he taunted, drawing Conrad's attention. "Once they do? I'll be the first one to testify to who you really are."

He began to walk out with his final warning, but Conrad wouldn't have it. "Is that a threat, my son?" he tested him.

Daniel turned back. "That's exactly what that is," he owned up. "You get on that stage later on and I promise, you're going to see every one of your sins exposed."

Conrad broke into a scornful laugh so sinister that it made Daniel's blood boil. "How quickly our children become ungrateful," he reflected through a broad sneer and walked over to him. "Here you are pretending to lay claim on _my_ life when the only reason you _have_ one, is because I wasn't about to let them KILL you yesterday!"

Daniel stood firm as Conrad heaved the words as a shout into his face. "So you admit it then," he goaded him. "You are with the Initiative?"

"Indeed, as I always have been," Conrad affirmed brazenly. "Ever since the bombing of Flight 197, since the framing of David Clarke, and onward all the while, I have done whatever was necessary to ensure that this family stayed protected," he said, quickening the pace of his words. "So you can imagine my astonishment when my only remaining child by blood not only questions my methods of providing for _his_ safety, but dares to challenge them!" he thundered.

"You really think I want to be a part of this?!" Daniel roared back. "You're responsible for the death of _hundreds_ of innocent people – including your own child and his mother!" Conrad's dark eyes dared him not to say another word but Daniel treaded carefully, lowering his voice. "If you think I'm going to stand by and watch, you're insane—"

"No, what I _think_ ," Conrad asserted. "Is that you're going to do just as you promised, and leave this country before day end." He stared at him suggestively while Daniel shrunk back in confusion. "Since you've made your decision to oppose this family obvious, allow me to match it with my own version of _exile_ , Daniel."

Daniel snorted a laugh. "You're what— _banishing_ me?" he contended.

"Banishing, disavowing," Conrad listed, bobbing his head in recant. "You can call it whatever you like, you can even compare it to your mother's sterling example in child abandonment, only in my case I am _saving_ your life, for the last time." He ducked his chin, prompting him to listen. "Now you either leave for Paris as promised or you can have my guarantee that you will not survive the next attempt on your life from the Initiative."

With that he turned to walk off, leaving Daniel stunned and enraged of the levels even he could not have predicted his father to sink to. Before he could seal the final image of his pure evil, Conrad doubled back to add a final remark. "Oh, and if you so much as even _think_ about trespassing campaign premises later on? You will see that prophecy fulfilled sooner than you can imagine."

Daniel absorbed his admonition and departed, wondering how he would begin to follow through on a plan to move to Paris when as of the previous night, he and Emily's relationship was all but severed. He spurred on regardless, reaching into his pocket to inspect perhaps the last beacon of hope to repair it – a recording device that had captured every last word of his father's confession.

 **SCENE**

Aiden took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the smell of engine fumes and cabin air for the second time in the past few days. However, this time he boarded his flight without feeling any desire to stay tugging at his heart. Instead, a fair sense of closure gave him the drive to proceed with his disappearance, knowing neither Emily nor Daniel wished him to be around any longer. Further, his instructor was no more and even though his student, Amanda, remained he assumed even she would take refuge eventually if she knew what was best for her. And as he pondered these things in route to his seat in first class, he was pleasantly surprised to feel a sense of relief in leaving it all behind.

The peaceful sensation soon turned to concern as he found the seat next to his occupied, by none other than his last accomplice. "Well this is familiar," Aiden observed, setting his bag down next to where Amanda sat, gazing out of the window. He chuckled at the distinct feeling of déjà vu. "And here I thought I'd never see you again," he said calmly.

She turned slowly to stare him down and he thought he spied regret in her eyes. "Lydia's dead," she informed him abruptly.

Aiden shifted his bag to sink slowly into the seat beside her. "What?" he gaped, wondering how. " _You_?" he proposed.

"I may as well have," she shrugged, looking away again. "Yet another reason why any chance of being with Jack again… is lost."

He watched her closely, fearing the worst. "You never went to Emily like I told you to," he guessed. "Did you?"

"I went to Emily's the night you told me to run," she answered without turning, recalling from the beginning. "But she wasn't there. Instead, Ashley told me about how Conrad employed her to track Lydia's whereabouts and I realized she was the perfect bait to get to him once and for all. And after Takeda turned on us, I knew my time was short so I checked her out of the rehab center and brought her to Grayson Global."

She sniffed, shaking her head at the haste in her actions. "She was barely coherent when we got there, but the building was empty and it was the safest place I could think of to leave her while I went across the street to blackmail Conrad." She paused, facing Aiden for the conclusion. "I was ready with the ransom note during his speech; it would've forced him to confess to everything. And then just like that – she was gone."

Aiden parted his lips, relating to her unforeseen dilemma. "Amanda," he began to comfort her. "There was no way you could have known about that explosion – if anything, Conrad brought this on himself—"

"Save your reassurance," she cut him short. "I've already asked myself whether or not I did the right thing, would I have done anything different if I had it again – and I realized I wouldn't." She stood to her feet while Aiden shrunk back, surprised at the coldness in her reply. "It's not my first time," she reminded him, conscious of her voice. "I'm a killer – just like you."

On her declaration, Aiden rose to meet her stance, closing the space between them so that others could not hear them speak. "That's not true," he corrected her. "That's not what we are, nor what Takeda taught us to be."

"Oh, really? Did you figure that out before or after you killed _him_ too?" she shot back, impressing her point.

He brought a finger to her lips, trying to keep her discreet. "All I've ever done – and all you've ever done – is what was necessary, and only that," he ascertained. "That's what makes us different from the people we've gone after."

Amanda sighed, shaking her head at him. "That's where I disagree. The only thing I believe that makes us different? Is that unlike the Graysons, I'm going to _win_ at this game."

"Are you?" Aiden challenged, glancing around at the plane on which they stood. "Then why are you leaving?"

"I'm not," she shrugged, resting her hands in her pockets. A still haze came over her eyes while she locked onto his. "I just came to say goodbye to you. And," she paused, removing one hand to hold onto his arm. "To thank you – for saving my life."

Conscious that this time the departure was real, Aiden released her hand from his arm only to pull her into a warm embrace. As much as he feared for her safety and her future, he knew better than to try to dissuade her. In so many ways her spirit reminded him of Emily's reckless drive, and yet he had grown attached to Amanda on quite a different level, beginning the night of her escape and all throughout the weeks of training. She was hardened and scarred, but her heart was full of passion and he admired her.

Amanda hugged him back tightly, hoping Aiden could sense the depths of appreciation that she felt inside. She pulled away before it could move her to tears, and then in an odd, friendly sort of way she found herself planting the briefest kiss goodbye on his mouth, barely grazing him with the touch of her lips. Before either could allow it to mean anything, she swiftly brushed past him and exited the plane, leaving him alone to watch her walk boldly towards her final quest of vengeance.

 **SCENE**

"I'm surprised to see you're not voting alongside your husband?"

Emily strode proudly into the parlor of Grayson Manor, her eyes catching the telecast of the election onscreen while Victoria stood before it. She turned slowly to meet Emily's brooding expression, matching it with a snide one of her own.

"And I wish I could say I were equally surprised to see you here unannounced in my home," she played back.

"Is Daniel here?" Emily pressed quickly, in an attempt to explain her appearance. But an odd look from Victoria told her she had accidentally betrayed a weakness instead.

"Daniel?" Victoria repeated, adding a sly grin. "You must be having a lover's tiff, to suppose that he might be _here_? He's not slept indoors for months."

Emily brushed off her mistaken assumption. "No, not at all," she lied swiftly, unwilling to cower before her. "We had plans to meet in the city, I just wasn't sure if he stopped by here first to wish Conrad well in the vote." Again she waited for Victoria to hint at his whereabouts, and this time she was successful.

"To my knowledge, Conrad is already well on his way to campaign headquarters," Victoria answered. "But let us not continue perpetuating this charade. You know just as well as I do that you've done everything in your power to ensure Daniel's opposition to this family – not his support."

Emily defied her with a wry look. "Well if we're being honest," she replied, taking a step forward. "It seems to me you have yourself to credit for that? After all the regret and misery from the last year, it's no wonder that Daniel's looking to leave it all behind." She flicked her eyes leadingly towards the upstairs. "Same with Charlotte," she added with yet another step. "She seems enchanted with the idea of Paris. Maybe she'll even want to raise her baby there?"

Victoria met her bold suggestion with a fiery glare. "And now you presume to know what's best for Charlotte as well?"

"Victoria, I don't make decisions for your children," Emily asserted through a painted smile. "I'm sorry that you can't see that—"

"What I see in you is unmistakable," Victoria cut her off. "I know this because I share the trait in common." She paused while Emily cocked an eyebrow in response. "Ferocity," Victoria finished, leaning forward. "An embedded determination to get whatever you want, no matter what the cost – but be clear, I have been at this much longer than you. And if you continue to try to tear my children away from me, I promise that you will not only fail, but you will suffer. And have no doubt I will show no mercy."

Her words barely elicited a response from Emily, who drew on knowledge of the pending doom that awaited Victoria to give her peace of mind. "How sad for you, Victoria," she replied behind a blank stare. "That of your three children, the two that you decided to acknowledge… want nothing to do with you. That's the truth."

With that she disappeared out of the room, having already gathered the information she needed to on Conrad to stay ahead of Jack. She stormed out of the front door and down the steps eagerly, also prepared to signal the final stage of her remaining plot for Victoria. Once she reached her car she made the phone call to do so, impelled to action more so by her relentless taunting than anything else.

"Patrick?" she spoke into the receiving end of her phone, and listened quietly to the response. It had been a significant amount of time since their initial speaking, but it was time to make good on their agreement. "Yes, I know I broke contact, but we had an unexpected turn of events," she acknowledged. "Are you ready?" she asked, and upon his confirmation, said only a few words more. "Do it today."

 **SCENE**

"Jack—!"

Nolan heaved an initial sigh of relief at the sight of Jack behind the curtained off hospital room, but soon trembled in alarm as he observed Declan missing from the bed. Instead, Jack was hunched over in his place, his head buried in his hands while his shoulders shook from sobs.

"Jack, no…" Nolan gasped, slowly approaching his friend as he deduced the worst had happened. Seconds later his fears were confirmed when Jack finally looked up at him, his face a reddened blur of tears and visible pain, despite hatred burning in his eyes.

"His artery ruptured," Jack was barely able to whisper, and Nolan immediately broke into mirrored cries of realization, attempting to console him with a nervous touch to the shoulder.

"Jack, I'm so sorry…" he offered weightlessly, knowing it would do little to console his grief. Instead his aching heart rested only on the one thing that might comfort him in this hour, and knew he could hold it back no longer. "Come on, let's just—let's hit the road alright? Let's grab Carl and get out of here, there's someone you need to be with—"

But instead, he quivered as Jack suddenly broke into an anxious panic, shaking away from his hand. "No, no, _no, NO_!" Jack shouted in a fury, slamming his palms on the bed. "No more hiding! The only person I need to see is Conrad—that man has taken _everything_ from me!"

"Not everything, Jack—" Nolan attempted, but there was no stopping him.

"NOTHING!" Jack belted in a guttural voice that made Nolan shrink back. "Not _you,_ or anyone else is gonna keep me from making Grayson pay for what he's done!" He slammed the wall angrily and barged out of the room, too swiftly for Nolan to stop him from his way.

Instead he barely made it out into the hall to call after him when he came face to face with a police detective who stopped him in his tracks. "Nolan Ross?" the officer detained him, flashing his badge.

Nolan took a moment to catch his breath before answering, still wiping fresh tears from his eyes. "Uh, y-yes?" he stammered.

"You're a hard man to find," the detective flipped back, putting his badge away while another, presumably his partner, approached. "We'd like you to come downtown to ask you a few questions."

"Ah," Nolan stumbled for a reply, watching Jack disappear out of his view down the hall. "Can it wait, officers? It's not a good time, a very dear friend just passed away."

The detective glanced to his partner before adjusting his belt in an unyielding manner. "I'm afraid not, sir," he declined. "We're awful sorry about your loss, but we need you to come with us right away." He reached out with one arm to guide him, but Nolan resisted.

"Ok, Ok," he conceded suspiciously. "Let me just um—let me just call someone first," he begged off, taking a step away to begin dialing immediately. The police conferred between each other while he broke away, anxiously hoping that the other answered. "Emily?" he rushed when she did.

"Nolan, what did the doctor say?" she replied from her car.

"Ems, Declan's dead," he informed her as quickly as he could. "His aortic artery ruptured."

"Oh no," she gasped, choking back emotion.

"I'm in a bind," Nolan hurried to continue, checking over his shoulder at the detective that was growing impatient. "But you have to get to Jack, he was just here and he's going out of his mind. He didn't even give me a chance to tell him about Amanda, he just stormed off in a hurry. I don't know what he's gonna do next!"

"—Alright, Mr. Ross that's enough. You're coming with us," the officers cut in, ending the conversation and taking him by the arm before he could hear Emily's response.

She swallowed, expecting the worst. "I do."

 **SCENE**

Victoria gingerly pressed the end button on the house line, lowering her head in grey acceptance of the information she had just received from the hospital. She began the long walk upstairs to Charlotte's room, rehearsing how she would possibly break the news to her daughter, who was not only still a frail child in her eyes, but as of late, an expectant mother.

She peered through the narrow opening of Charlotte's door upon arrival, and to her relief found her fast asleep, her laptop still open from use. A quick glance at the screen only added to her distress, showing Charlotte's search history of sites for teenage mothers and how to cope with the early stages of pregnancy. The unfortunate reality only incited her to relive memories of her own teenage dilemma and knowing better, Victoria merely pulled Charlotte's blanket up over her and refrained from waking her with the news.

The doorbell sounded as she made her descent back down the stairs, now with a glass of wine in hand from her private collection. Presuming her proximity to the door to be closer than the maid's; Victoria took a brief sip and walked over to answer it herself. When she did, she was met with the sight of a tall, handsome and strangely familiar young man waiting on the step. "May I help you?" she greeted him.

He looked into her eyes slowly, pensively, as if studying her carefully. "My name is Rick," he introduced himself with a deep breath.

"Ah yes, Rick. Charlotte's mentioned you before," Victoria recalled, though she could not quite remember ever having met him. "But I'm afraid she's indisposed at the moment."

Rick took a step closer and his gaze intensified. "I'm not here to see Charlotte," he clarified, suddenly wearing a downcast look. "Though, it is important that I apologize to her."

"Oh?" Victoria continued with intrigue. "May I ask whatever for?"

"Well I've been dishonest," he revealed openly, crossing his hands in front of him and looking away. "You see, I allowed her to believe I was interested in her, when all along—" he paused to affix his stare directly at her. "I've wanted to get close to _you_."

Victoria began to impulsively berate him in a fury until she took another moment to stare deeply into his eyes. Something about their familiarity entranced her, stopped the words from coming out of her mouth and willed her to attention until finally, with shuddering urgency she came to the realization—

"I also told her my name was Rick," he continued, with yet another step that placed him mere inches from Victoria's trembling face. "But my full name is—"

" _Patrick_ ," Victoria finished, making sense of it all. Her eyes widened in near disbelief as the recognition of his true identity hit her like a blow to the head. Shaken and overwhelmed, the glass in her hand fell crashing to the floor, while her firstborn stood before her unflinching, never taking his eyes off of her for a second.

"Hello, mother."

 **SCENE**

Emily elbowed her way through the growing crowd at campaign headquarters, making it halfway through the auditorium before being stopped by security. When the guard showed no record of her name on the entry list, her only option was to have him contact Ashley to bring her through, which she knew would take time for her to get there from backstage.

Making use of the few minutes she had to kill, she continued to scan the area around her and ducked away in the closest quiet corner to make a phone call. She fidgeted while it rang, and then inhaled anxiously once it connected. "Daniel?" she verified.

"Emily!" he exclaimed at the sound of her voice. "Thank God," he sighed heavily in relief. "I thought I was never going to hear from you again."

"Daniel, where are you?" she plunged ahead, covering one ear so she could hear over the crowd.

"I'm on my way out of the city," he explained right away. "My father barred me from campaign headquarters—he basically threatened to kill me if I didn't leave the country tonight," he paused to catch his breath, rushing to fill her in while hoping it did not translate as pressure for them to be together. "But Em, it doesn't matter because I've got proof that he's responsible for the explosion at Grayson Global. I've got his confession to everything – the Initiative, Flight 197—everything! Emily, I am so sorry—" he interrupted himself to plead. "Alright? I never should've lied to you, but I promise I have everything we need to finally make this right—"

"Daniel, slow down!" she entreated him. "Listen to me," she vowed, pausing before a great release. "I forgive you."

He nearly swerved off the road, clenching the wheel. "You do?" he repeated in disbelief.

"Yes. _Yes_ ," she reiterated, this time with added passion. "I forgive you, Daniel." A conscious reminder to check for Ashley at the entry kept her refocused. "But we don't have time to use whatever you have – there's something else. Declan didn't make it – he's dead," she reported grimly. "Jack is on his way here now and he's lost it – he's going to try to kill your father."

Daniel absorbed her words, brimming quickly with aggression. "Yeah?" he replied. "Well, maybe we should let him."

" _Daniel_?!" Emily shook her head, incredulous.

"What, he deserves it," Daniel alleged angrily. "You just said Declan's _dead_. Well, so is Lydia and the baby," he added, his turn to inform her. "My father's brought this sentence on himself – he's got it coming."

She grimaced, closing her eyes to process. "I can't," she insisted against his wishes, nearly surprising herself. Knowing that the death toll now included Conrad's unborn child and mistress seemed to partially balance the scale but regardless, Emily could still see no recourse in the taking of his life. "I can't let Jack do that, Daniel – it isn't the way."

He withdrew at her censure, knowing he had to be in a dark place to supersede even her drive for revenge. "You're right," he admitted, pursing his lips. He suddenly pulled into the far lane of the highway and hooked into a U-turn. "Look, I'm coming back. I may not be able to get in, but I can be there when you get out. Sounds like you're gonna need a fast getaway."

Emily sighed, grateful that he was coming around. "Good, I'll see you here." She gazed ahead to continue checking and this time spotted Ashley in the distance. "And Daniel?" she added as she walked back to her.

"Yeah?" he answered.

She allowed the smallest upturn of her lip, enough for Daniel to hear a hint of excitement in her reply. "Have those tickets to Paris ready." With that she ended the call, giving him more than just the satisfaction of her forgiveness, but a promise to lean on all the way there.

"Bloody hell," Ashley greeted her thankfully upon arrival. "If there's ever been a time I needed you it's now!"

"Jack's on his way here, Ashley," Emily started in right away. "We have to stop him."

"He's not the only one," she informed in reply, scurrying to escort her backstage. "I've just spent bits of the last twenty four hours with his counterpart, _Amanda_ —"

"You saw her?!" Emily shrieked right away, stopping to take Ashley by the arm.

"Yes," Ashley went on ruefully. "She came looking for _you,_ Em and she's been lurking around all this time—" she paused to lower her voice. "She admitted to being responsible for why Lydia was in that building, but it sounded like an accident…? Though God save me if she didn't sound hell bent on taking out Conrad with no regrets."

Emily did a combination of shaking her head and rolling her eyes at the irony of their growing problem. "We've got to tell Jack that she's alive," she resolved, sifting through the confusion to make sense of the quickest way to end all. "Where is she now?"

Ashley shrugged. "I have no idea; she keeps disappearing before I can find out." Her eyes drifted to a glimpse of Conrad, moving around backstage. She looked back over to Emily. "What can we do?"

"The minute Jack gets here I'm telling him the truth about Amanda," Emily decided without hesitation, continuing to scan the crowd. "I just hope I can find him before he finds Conrad. Watch the doors," she instructed her, taking steps back through the crowd.

"But what if—" Ashley started to panic.

Emily kept her calm with a finger, continuing to edge away. "Daniel is on his way here – see if you can sneak him past security," she added, trusting her to handle it as she disappeared into the sea of people. "And whatever you do don't let Conrad on that podium!"

 **MONTAGE**

Nolan sat in the interrogation room in a stupor, staring ahead at the video footage that had to be taken months ago of Padma, sorrowfully implicating him as a terrorist. Despite his assumption that she had been forced to do so against her will by the Initiative, likely just before they killed her, the pain of her words still stung him as he felt it sealing his fate and framing him not only for the execution of Carrion, but the bombing of Grayson Global. He winced as the recording ended and closed his eyes, allowing the withheld tears to finally release while he acclimated himself to the four-walled destiny he knew awaited him…

 **SCENE**

Conrad adjusted his collar in the mirror of his dressing room, counting down the seconds until he made his elaborate entrance onstage. He grunted through the lingering pain that weighed on his heart, tempting him to call off the entire proceeding in favor of just an evening to himself, a singular moment to mourn both his loss and his guilt. But ever stubborn, he muscled through it, using the memory of both his son's near treason and his wife's willful nonsupport as incentive not to give in to defeat. He would not allow anyone to dethrone him, ever reliant on his ego and his drive to emerge triumphant – no matter the cost.

Never one to own a conscience, he took the long walk out onto the stage, ignoring the strange voice in his head telling him not to proceed. But once again, he shook it away, spreading his signature defiant grin on his face and giving a hearty wave, thriving only on the high of victory that bellowed from the crowd.

 **SCENE**

Emily careened from the far ends of the auditorium, trying to get to a higher location to scan the room for Jack. Her instincts told him that he had to be coming there and despite not being able to find him, she knew without a doubt it was the only place he could be. She panted in desperation, wanting only a mere second alone with him just to tell him that Amanda still lived, to give him something to fight for – something to live for. Even if she could not prove it with her presence, she reasoned in her heart that if necessary she would even tell him the truth – that the real Amanda had been alive all this time and would never accept his willful surrender in the war that she was responsible for starting. She continued to stare in the crowd frantically, wishing she had an aerial view to survey the room, until it finally clicked. She glanced up at the balcony and knew immediately where Jack had gone – the only location that would give him the perfect vantage point to take out his prey…

 **SCENE**

Daniel raced his vehicle through the slick streets of Manhattan at a furious speed, hoping he could get there in time not only to save Emily but to save Jack from ruining the fate his father deserved. The more he contemplated it on the drive, the more he realized Emily was right – his father did deserve to live if only to face the exposure of his sins and render his due punishment accordingly. His own recorded confession burned in Daniel's pocket, making him anxious to release it to the authorities without delay, though by the sound of Emily's last words to him, she wanted them to leave as quickly as possible. Perhaps she wanted the chance to execute the ambush from afar, or perhaps she thought it safer that they not be nearby when it all hit the fan. Either way, all Daniel cared about was that she had offered her forgiveness, and even went further to solidify it by agreeing to Paris again. In his mind, all that translated to was confirmation that they would still have a future together and it was the only thing that echoed in his mind as he sped to her rescue…

 **SCENE**

Jack rested the duffel bag over his shoulder on the floor of the balcony, using his free hand to secure the door behind him while he edged to take his stance. Now alone, with everything he needed in place, he removed the cap and glasses he had used as a disguise to get in, and removed the hidden weapon from his jacket pocket. Sweat covered his brow but he wiped it away bitterly, determined not to let his natural sense of fear or anxiety ruin this moment. He leveled the gun in his hand and focused it to where Conrad stood below, a perfect target at the center of the stage waving audaciously at the crowd beneath. Jack took a breath and closed his eyes, allowing his mind to fill with all of the memories of pain he had endured in the past year, fueling him with ammunition to go through with it – this heinous act that he would have never imagined himself doing, but could now not see ending any other way. The visions trailed back, each more painful than the last – losing Amanda, nearly losing the _Stowaway,_ Declan's kidnapping and finally, the most recent and heart wrenching – the explosion that caused Declan's death. He opened his eyes before the torture could move him to tears and concentrated only on Conrad, seizing the gun tightly in hand and began to pull the trigger…

 **END MONTAGE**

"STOP!"

Jack froze at the sound of a feminine voice behind him and realized in spite of his precautions, someone had just burst onto the balcony. He glanced back and saw what looked like an employee in a suit and glasses, her hands outstretched in front, begging his compliance. "Sir, you can't be up here!" she pleaded.

He clenched his jaw in response but kept the gun firmly pointed ahead, unprepared for how to handle an interruption. "I don't know who you are," he answered, turning back to his target. "But you better leave now, for your own sake!" He waited and listened for her footsteps, praying that she left without forcing him to compromise his position any further.

But he heard nothing instead, leave for an eerie silence before a calm response. "I can't do that," she said slowly, and he closed his eyes in distress. "You see, I left you once before – and I won't leave you again."

At the confusing registration of her words, Jack finally lowered the gun and turned around to look at her closely. As he watched, she removed the glasses that concealed her face and took off the wig that hid her darkened but curly tresses underneath, releasing them with a shake. Her face was flush with emotion and her eyes were tired but there was no mistaking it – it was his wife, Amanda.

Jack paled in shock, staggering through the steps it took him to reach her. " _Amanda?_ " he whispered in confirmation, while his mind chanted her name over and over again in elation. "Is it really _you_?"

She nodded emphatically and before he could ask the first question of how, nor the second of why, he was simply grasping her into an embrace that shook him with excitement. She held him closely in response, wrapping her arms about his neck and burying her face into his chest. They heaved in matching sobs, both unable to fathom the moment that was happening, but neither willing to pull away in fear of stopping it.

The only interruption that broke its momentum was the appearance of yet a third person on the balcony – Emily, bursting onto the dais in a hurry, but stopping in her tracks upon sight of their reunion.

Amanda saw her first over Jack's shoulder and her eyes lit up in exhilaration, while simultaneously being reminded of what her presence signified. In a split second each woman knew they the other had come to save Jack and particularly, Amanda recalled with precision that the gun was still in his hand. She slowly pulled out of his embrace to gesture to him that Emily was there, using his distracted moment to slip the weapon seamlessly from his fingers into her own.

"Em," Jack exhaled through cries, staring from one woman to the other. "Emily, can you believe it – ? She's – somehow she's—" he was barely able to finish, allowing her to conclude the rest while he wiped away the streams from his eyes.

" _Amanda_ ," Emily sighed in completion, rushing to take hold of her next, and their reunion was just as climactic. "Thank God," she replied, finally feeling the sensation of seeing her in the flesh and being amazed at how quickly it wiped away any of the remaining conflict that existed in her heart from earlier that day.

"Emily, I've missed you so," Amanda cried back, knowing that unlike Jack the other had been made aware and this reunification only confirmed what she already knew to be true.

For a moment they just held each other tight, and if Jack had not been so overcome with emotion, he may have even sensed the depth of history in their relationship. But instead he only bowed his head in appreciation, trying to fathom how it was all possible.

Seizing the brief opportunity, Amanda hastily whispered over Emily's shoulder into her ear. "Please Emily – you have to get him out of here," she begged. "Don't let him do this!"

"I won't," Emily was already assuring her with a discreet nod before she finished. "I won't." They separated in unison, and Emily took a step back allowing Jack to speak to Amanda.

"How are you here?" he sought from her right away. "What—how—"

"Listen to me," Amanda rushed in response. "I'll explain everything. But you have to follow Emily out of here," she instructed him right away, bending down to pick up his duffel bag.

"What?" Jack shook his head in confusion. "No I'm not leaving you—"

"Just _trust_ me," she persisted, using her free hand to gesture to the badge on her lapel, implying she somehow worked for the campaign detail. "Security already reported that they saw a figure up on the balcony, I told them I would come up here to clear it." She squeezed his hand insistently. "You have to go now before they send someone else. I'll be right behind you as soon as I report back."

Jack found it nearly impossible to tear his self away from her, but fortunately Emily's foreknowledge and assistance was there to help. "Jack, she's right," Emily aided her in support. "We have to go _now_."

Recognizing he had little other choice, Jack conceded only pulling Amanda into a desperate kiss goodbye before following Emily's lead. Amanda caressed his cheek before watching him go away and mouthing with her lips. "I'll be right there."

Escorting Jack in front of her, Emily turned back briefly to nod to her in agreement and exchange a knowing gaze and a wistful smile, as if that between sisters. Once she was out the door, Amanda turned back to look down over the balcony, focusing her attention on the stage.

Meanwhile, Emily and Jack rushed down the stairwell, moving quickly before they were caught. They descended to the bottom just in time, missing the arrival of security by just a hair before turning the corner to where Ashley was waiting up ahead. Emily picked up her pace to come over and once they got close she realized Daniel was waiting beside her, ready to usher them out to safety. Ashley attended to Jack while Daniel locked his eyes onto her.

"Daniel!" Emily let out a brief whisper, as he hooked an arm around to hug her. "You made it," she sighed in relief and then hurried to summarize what happened. "She got to him in time – Amanda stopped him."

"Thank God," he sighed happily, realizing what else it meant. "You saw her?"

"Yes," she exhaled with a smile, looking back. "She's on her way down—"

The end of Emily's sentence was unheard as the loud popping sound of a gunshot tore through the assembly, causing all in attendance to shudder and duck down. Daniel instinctively placed an arm over Emily's form to shield her and when they both looked up in shock, chaos had erupted – the noise sending the crowd into a panic, rushing out of the auditorium.

"Oh my God," Emily spun around in realization, glancing back towards the stairwell. But where the security detail had just been standing, they were now scattered, running to assist the frightened bystanders.

"Amanda!" Jack clamored beside them; breaking away to run back after her but it was like paddling upstream. The crowd was rushing out at such a furious pace that the mob forced him the other way, enveloping him like the waves in the sea and pulling as strongly as the tide.

Daniel had taken Emily by the hand before she could follow and was eagerly pulling for her to come along but not before she turned and stood at length to see over the crowd. If all that was racing through her mind was true there was only one reason for the shot they heard – one explanation for what was quickly dissipating into ruin.

She fell in line with the sway of the running crowd but managed a final glimpse of the stage to prove what she feared – there, fallen besides a handful of screaming attendants lay the victim of the gunshot – Conrad Grayson.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: And so it ends my friends, and so it ends… at least for now :) Well I promised you a whirlwind, suspenseful conclusion and I do hope I did not disappoint! First off I must congratulate you ALL for your constant support of this "season" by means of my revamped storyline and for your kind expressions, sincere reviews, and never overlooked favorites/follows. It has been such a joy for me to write and I do hope it all paid off in a final joy for you to read. But with all things joyous, I feel it must go ON! So after taking a brief break to let my mind rest, I promise I SHALL return with the exciting first installment of "Season 3" of Revenge Revisited, beginning with "Fear". While most of the storylines have been wrapped up, it will explore the aftermath of the concluding elements of "Truth" as well as catch us up on whether Demily ever makes it to Paris :) But I'm so happy to say (despite some tearful moments), they at least made it back to each other! And for that, I am ever inspired to keep writing.**

 **So without further ado, thank you SO much for all your follows/faves/reviews and PM's and PLEASE be sure to leave some words for me on the finale and what you thought of the story as a whole! (And if you have ANY questions at all, I am happy to answer. Or if you just want to gush about the characters, that's cool too! Lol) Also keep an eye peeled for those future updates, can't wait to start this journey again! Love you all so much ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	23. Chapter 23: Fear

**A/N: Welcome back readers, I hope your 2016 is off to a good start! I apologize for the long hiatus but I am back, hoping to cheer you with a little guilty pleasure from our favorite nook in the Hamptons :) So here you have it, my Season 3 rewrite includes some notable deviations from the show, but also some inclusions that many still requested to stay. I do hope you can picture some of the "new" scenery as well – let your imaginations run wild! Oh and one promise… though the flash forward scene remains mostly unchanged, I can promise you the** _ **reveal**_ **will definitely not be who it was in the show. Hopefully that keeps you guessing in the upcoming chapters. So without further ado … ENJOY!**

 **Chapter 23: Fear**

 _Fear. It's a fire that burns from birth in even the coldest heart. It motivates and paralyzes the best of us or is used as a weapon by the worst…_

Emily cast a pensive gaze out over the sea, her illustrious mind an ever moving cluster of thoughts much like the rolling waves below. The sun was setting on the horizon, and from it she drew peace, imagining the hopeful destiny that awaited her. She stepped forward to rest on the railing at the stern of the yacht, aptly decked in her wedding gown while her veil lay discarded at her feet. The delicate fabric blowing in the wind brought a smile to her face, imagining the soft reprimand she would get from Charlotte for treating it so loosely. But much like her, the veil was about to become just another remnant of the life she planned to leave behind. Mourning the reality, Emily sighed and took a sip from the crystal flute in her hand, draining nearly all of the champagne just as she heard a resounding footstep behind her…

 _But when your path is one of treachery and deception, the greatest fear of all is that the truth is absolute._

… Emily retraced her steps and reached out gingerly, barely uttering a merciful plea. "I'm sorry—"

No sooner had the words come out of her mouth when she felt the impact of two gunshots piercing through her abdomen, knocking her from where she stood. She looked down in agonizing shock, barely able to clutch at the bloodied entry of the bullets before her breath caught in her throat. She managed one last gaze upwards to memorize the face of her assailant before finally tumbling backwards over the stern and plunging fearfully into the ocean depths below…

 **TWO MONTHS EARLIER**

"Rise and shine, _Mrs. Grayson._ "

At the sound of Daniel's voice the corner of Emily's lip curled upwards, but she kept her eyes closed, relaxing in the sun's warmth beneath a large brim hat. Her slight ignorance only elicited more persistence as he leaned forward like a prince in a fairytale and grazed her lips with the softness of his own to wake her.

She leaned into the kiss until Daniel finally pulled back and her eyes to fluttered open. "Not for another three days," she corrected him. "Until then… Je m'appelle _Thorne_."

Daniel parted his mouth into a smile and shifted so she could sit up in her lounge chair. She wrapped her arms around her legs and let out a pleasant sigh, absorbing the ornate view before them. Beneath the gleaming sun was their charming stonehouse rental, _Le Clos De L'eglise_ _–_ a large multi-bedroom villa that sat above a sleepy village in the Paris countryside. They sat together at the rear of their outdoor pool, just beneath the overhanging balcony from their bedroom. Quaint and peaceful, it had become both their home for the past six months, and a place Emily admitted she felt attached to, second to her father's beach house in the Hamptons.

"Well, if we're going on fine details," Daniel added, running a finger along her knee. "Your name is _Clarke,_ really." He dropped his hand, leaning in again. "But haven't we postponed this enough? I say we go downtown to make it official before lunch."

She laughed and squeezed his hand back, taunting. "This isn't Vegas, Daniel. You still need to pick up a marriage license application, remember?" Daniel tapped the brim of her hat and she stood to go sit by the edge of the pool. "Anyway, you know I can't get married without Nolan to give me away."

"Yes I know," Daniel acknowledged dryly. "It's why we've had to wait this long until his release and the same reason I made your flight reservation before I came down," he added, twisting around to face her. He removed a folded document from his jacket lapel and held it up for her to see, placing it on the chair beside him. "I know you want to be there to pick him up in person."

"I owe it to him," she replied appreciatively, then turned back to the water while wading her feet back in forth. "I just hope the terms of his release allow him to come back with me overseas…" she trailed off, still regretting her inability to neither foresee Nolan's wrongful arrest nor do anything to stop his conviction. Though his failsafe had finally come through to exonerate him, she still wished he had not been forced to endure a sentence in the meantime.

"I'm sure he can come up with an alias to travel under," Daniel suggested, his expression growing serious. "But if you have to fly back solo it's not the worst thing. I mean, we still have Charlotte here with us?"

Emily nodded indifferently, glancing up towards Charlotte's bedroom window. She was still asleep, which was for the best considering her delicate condition. Just over two months away from delivery, she needed all the rest she could get. When Emily glanced away, Daniel's eyes were still on her.

"You're not…" he started nervously. "You're not changing your mind, are you?"

"Of course not," Emily rushed in response, distracting herself with removing her hat. "Don't be silly," she added with a tentative smile and then dove from the ledge into the pool, swimming a long lap to the other side and back.

In the time it took her to resurface, Daniel swallowed and sensed that she was evading him again, a trait he had noticed more in recent weeks. It was hard to deny the difference between when they first arrived to now, when the dust had all but settled. At moments like these he assumed her indifference was a result of lingering tension from the secrets he had kept, but rather than gloss over them he preferred to confront it head-on.

"Any word from Amanda?" he asked when she emerged.

Emily hesitated noticeably but answered anyway, keeping her voice low. "I still haven't heard from her since that night." She hoisted herself onto the ledge, flipping her hair back and wiping beads of water from her face. "Ashley thinks she's still in hiding with Jack. The _Stowaway_ stayed closed through spring."

Daniel walked her towel over to her. "If that's true, then good for them – they deserve the time away," he stated firmly, pledging his support. "I'm only disappointed my father survived the shot."

Emily reserved a wary look for his forthright opinion. "Aren't _you_ the one who's always preaching forgiveness?" she challenged, walking around him.

Daniel remained for a beat, contemplating. He had never been fully sure that she had forgiven him and despite their distracting escapade overseas, he often took any opportunity to stress the importance of forgiveness in conversation. But this was different. "It forced him to step down from office and prevented him from making countless other lives a living _hell_ ," he argued. "I'd say on the basis of penance, Amanda's forgiven. Now, my mother on the other hand..."

Emily paused at the foot of the stairwell. "Should be completely enamored with her other son by now," she finished with pride, turning to face him. "Just in time for Patrick to slip out of her grasp again forever – right on schedule."

" _Now_ who needs to learn forgiveness?" Daniel bucked, raising an eyebrow. But Emily merely continued up the stairs while he went on. "Though I can't say I disagree with the poetic justice of having him vanish completely—hey," he suddenly took hold of her arm once they reached the landing and lowered his voice to a whisper. "I wasn't going to say anything but yesterday Charlotte mentioned going back to the Hamptons with you."

Her attention piqued, she relaxed her arm. "Why? She knows I'm only going for Nolan, I'm coming right back."

"Honestly I think she's homesick," Daniel admitted, glancing through the glass doors in the direction of her room. "Em, can you blame her – every memory she has of that child's father is thousands of miles away. You of all people would understand that." The look on Emily's face told him she did, despite still being strongly against the idea. "We can't keep her here forever? Come on, she just wants to at least visit Declan's gravesite," he pressed.

Emily nodded, despite knowing the inevitable. "Daniel, you know if she goes back the likelihood is she'll have to stay. She can't travel after another few weeks; she's in her 3rd trimester." She placed her hands firmly at her hips. "And if your mother gets wind of it, she'll only try to put her up at Grayson Manor – and I don't want her around Patrick."

Daniel absorbed her argument, recalling the revelation that Charlotte admitted to them within the first week of arriving in Paris. "I still don't understand why he used her that way," he relented. "But if he plans to take off like you said, then it shouldn't be a problem."

"Patrick cozying up to Charlotte was never on the agenda, but obviously he had his own plans last year," Emily emphasized irritably, dropping her towel to replace it with a robe before going inside. "And I'm not taking any chances if he decides to go rogue again."

"Yeah well the plan was never to wait this long to tell Charlotte the truth about _you_ ," Daniel recalled, causing her to pause midway through the glass doors. "But if history is any indicator...plans change." With that he pecked her on the cheek and continued through. "I'm off to the clerk – I'll see you both at lunch."

Emily watched him go, ignoring the discomforting sensation that remained as he departed. She could not quite be sure why it stirred her so, whether it was the knowledge that she still had yet to come clean to Charlotte, or the uncertainty of being so far from the plans that were yet underway in the Hamptons. Or perhaps it was the realization that they were just days away from their nuptials and the reality still had not sunken in. Either way, she was beginning to develop an itch – one that she was starting to feel could only be cured by one thing…

 **SCENE**

"I'm going to miss these special moments with you, son."

Victoria looked up into the crystal blue eyes of her beloved firstborn, slowing her pace to prolong their trek back to the stables after an afternoon of horseback riding. The outing was one of many treasured moments she had enjoyed in the past two seasons, fully embracing Patrick's presence there as the only remaining light in her life. With her other two children gone off to France without so much as a goodbye, Victoria fervently wished their time did not have to come to an end.

"I hope you understand that it's not a good idea for you to be staying here while Conrad returns? I didn't expect him to be released from rehabilitation before the Memorial Day kickoff – I was so hoping to host it here with just you by my side. That man's restorative powers never cease to amuse me…" she trailed off in explanation, but he raised his free hand to stop her.

"Don't apologize, mother," Patrick interjected. "You don't have to put me up. And you didn't have to spend these past six months with me," he paused to give her an endearing smile. "You sacrificed time you could have spent visiting him, and I won't forget it."

"Trust me, the decision came with ease," she sidestepped smarmily. "Besides, my sacrifice pales next to Conrad's. That man would have rather have _died_ than relinquish governor duties to his Vice while he recuperated." She reflected on the determination that Conrad's recovery would put him out of office for over two months, requiring his running mate to serve as acting governor until his projected return.

While she pondered, Patrick offered his own thoughts. "Still no leads on who did it?"

"Members of the opponent party were brought in for questioning," Victoria shrugged. "But none were ever indicted." She let a sneer cross her lips. "Conrad always suspected Jack Porter, but of course he had no proof."

" _Jack_ Porter?" Patrick asked.

"Declan's older brother," Victoria clarified.

"Right," he followed with a curious look. "Didn't he disappear after the investigation?"

"Yes, he did," Victoria admitted, having given it thought many times before. But she resumed her steps, dismissing it just as quickly. "But with no evidence tying him to the scene and no witnesses to come forward, it's all purely circumstantial. There's not much Conrad can do to pursue it." A grim look suddenly came over her face. "As for his other suspect – I wouldn't allow it."

Patrick stopped short as they just reached the stables. "My brother, Daniel," he finished for her, and her wistful gaze confirmed he was right. "He really thought his own _son_ would try to kill him?"

Victoria nodded regretfully. "Daniel threatened him the night of the election," she admitted. "But I know him better than that. He didn't disappear to Paris as a fugitive – he did it to hurt me."

"Why?" Patrick continued in interest.

She led her horse inside to the attendant. "Because he knows the one thing that's always been a source of contention between us – and he's chosen to exploit it to worsen my pain," she paused to caress Patrick's face with the back of her hand. "Unlike you, Patrick – Daniel has never found it in him to forgive me. Anything he does from this point forward is payback."

Patrick shrugged curiously. "Namely?"

Victoria tightened her lips into a deceptive smile. "Marrying Emily Thorne."

 **SCENE**

"No… No, you've gotta be _kidding_ me."

Daniel's steps fell short at the sight in front of him – a once active but now clearly boarded up clerk's office at the edge of town. He leaned in close to read the sign that hung on the doors.

"Pardon?" a soft, heavily accented voice appeared behind him. "It's been detained until further notice – or can't you read French?"

"I can read it just fine _,_ " he sighed sourly, turning around. His wrought expression suddenly lifted as he recognized his companion behind him – a slender female with an edgy blonde haircut and a barely-there mini dress. _"Margaux?"_ he uttered in surprise.

She cocked her head initially before recognizing him at once. "J'aurais dû savoir," she chuckled before pulling him into a warm embrace. "Daniel Grayson—whatever are you doing here?" she fawned with a smile.

"Margaux LeMarchal," Daniel returned, shaking his head. "Getting married actually –" he answered and then looked at the abandoned building. "At least, I thought I was!"

Margaux laughed again. "Ah, you opted for a romantic ceremony in Paris, how very American of you," she chided him. "But you know even if you find a proper Le Mairie that isn't detained, they require a long list of legal documents?"

Daniel tried not to appear too foolish. "Just how long?"

"Proof of residency, valid passport, medical certificate, law affidavits," she stopped and thought of another. " Original birth certificate and a French translated version to accompany it, generally preferred ten days in advance…" she trailed off thoughtfully while Daniel suddenly appeared downcast. "I hope I've not discouraged you?"

"No, no, it's just…my fiancé and I planned to wed this weekend," Daniel fumbled bashfully.

Margaux gave him an apologetic grin. "Mes excuses," she offered, tucking in her bottom lip. "I'm sure she'll understand?" When Daniel remained silent, Margaux did her best to make small talk. "Ah, Daniel – you haven't changed a bit. Always a million ideas, but never enough time to execute them?"

He laughed back. "I'll say," he added, shaking his head in disappointment. "I guess eloping in Paris wasn't one of the better ones…"

"Nonsense," she attempted to cheer him, leaning in. "First marriage – you are allowed to make mistakes." She paused cautiously. "This is the first, correct?"

Daniel grinned. "And hopefully, my only."

"Daniel Grayson, sweet as ever," she remarked. "Your fiancé is lucky to have you. I'm only sorry I will miss the ceremony – my endeavors are taking me to _your_ hometown while you declare your nuptials in mine."

"To the Hamptons?" Daniel verified in surprise.

She nodded eagerly. "I'm no stranger to bold ideas myself – I'm starting the American _Voulez_ there," she dropped her glance downward. "Against my father's wishes of course but, c'est la vie! My flight leaves tomorrow morning."

"What a coincidence," Daniel replied in intrigue. "So does Emily's." When Margaux wrinkled her brow in confusion he went on. "I'm sorry, _Emily_ is my fiancé."

"But of course," she acknowledged. "I've read about your whirlwind relationship – I just had no idea it was ongoing." While Daniel blushed slightly she continued in mystery. "And yet you say she is _leaving_ tomorrow?"

"Yeah, well you see it's – uh—" Daniel stammered, not certain how to explain Emily's brief departure. "Ah – complicated," he finally finished.

Margaux tucked her large clutch under her arm and glanced across the street towards an open café. "Well then you must catch me up before I go, old friend," she gestured for him to join her. " _S'_ _il vous plait_?"

 **SCENE**

"You think Daniel will be much longer?"

Emily looked up from her menu to meet Charlotte's glance, seeing a familiar troubled look in her sister's eyes. Inwardly she shared a similar notion of uneasiness, but for a different reason. "I hope not," she answered calmly, gazing out of the grand window of the restaurant. "Perhaps he ran into trouble getting the application?"

Charlotte stared down into her glass of water, and instinctively placed a hand over her swelling midsection. While it soothed her to think of the tender life inside her belly, it also had the side effect of causing memories to come up into mind. She took a shaky breath and looked up again. "I think I'm going to head back to the villa," she declared.

"Charlotte, are you alright?" Emily was immediately afresh with concern, rising to assist. "We can place our order ahead of him-?"

"No it's not that," she allayed her worries. "I'm not hungry, I'm just… feeling a little tired."

Emily lent her an arm to rest on and steadied her gaze, reading through Charlotte's guarded expression. "You mean… homesick?" she guessed aptly.

Charlotte came up with a guilty look. "Emily, it's nothing to do with you or Daniel," she insisted apologetically. "Being here in Paris has been so peaceful these past few months, and you've done nothing but take good care of me." She lowered her head slightly. "If not for you, I don't think I would have even made it through this far."

"That's because I care about you, Charlotte," Emily assured her with a loving grasp. "I only want the _best_ for you."

"I know you do," Charlotte acknowledged sincerely. "And I couldn't ask for a better sister-in-law. I don't know I just…" she trailed off.

Emily noted the source of her concern and spared her the admission. "You and the baby need a place to call home," she offered for her, nodding emphatically. "I understand." When Charlotte peered up at her with uncertainty, she repeated herself. "Really, I do. I'll talk to Daniel when he gets here about you coming with me tomorrow."

Sighing contentedly, Charlotte kissed her sister on the cheek with a thankful smile. "You're the best, Em," she replied. "I'll see you at the villa."

Emily nodded and let her go, taking a seat once she spied her safely off in their driver service through the grand window. She was in deep concentration minutes later when Daniel finally arrived, so she barely noticed when he joined her at the table.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, I ran into an old friend—" he apologized, realizing they were one short. "Where's Charlotte?"

Emily turned from the window. "She went back to the villa," she answered, finally meeting his eyes. "You were right – she misses home; her _real_ home." While Daniel appeared to have already accepted it, Emily continued. "Daniel, I can't leave her there alone. I hate to say it but… I just don't think a wedding is going to happen here. All signs point to going back." She watched him nervously, waiting for his reaction.

Despite his disappointment, he accepted it gracefully. "It's just as well," he lumbered on, straightening the napkin on his lap. "The friend I ran into happens to be managing a magazine in the Hamptons; it got me thinking..." He paused while Emily cocked her head in interest. "I mean, I can't just sit around eating croissants and mooching off of _you_ forever," he added with a chuckle, just as their water brought a plate of croissants to the table. Emily fluttered her eyes at the irony but listened on. "Maybe I should try to get a job back home?"

While Emily pondered how to respond it was Daniel's turn to watch her. Wisely, she pushed aside her skepticism to appeal first to his heart. "Well, a magazine is certainly a far cry from Grayson Global," she began with optimism. "It's different and creative – I like it already. But it's more important how _you_ feel about it?"

He grinned. "Honestly – I'm excited. See, when I was younger, I kind of," he stopped, becoming bashful. She prompted him with expectant eyes and he finished. "I had this knack for writing."

"Oh, yes...I know." Emily recalled, lowering her head sheepishly.

"You _know_?" Daniel furrowed his brow in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"What'd you say the magazine was called?" she dodged him.

"I didn't," he answered in short. "Em, what do you mean 'you know'?"

Emily fought the urge to glaze over it. "The first time we met," she finally sighed.

"My parent's yacht?" he guessed.

She pursed her lips. "That's actually not the first time we met. While I um, studied with Takeda… I researched you." He retracted and she went on slowly, boldly confessing the truth. "I hung around the bar you frequented in college – paid attention, picked up a few things, a few poems… You never noticed I was there," she paused, expecting his countenance to fall, but he remained attentive. She shrugged in conclusion. "That's how I know."

Surprisingly, Daniel's first response was to chuckle in return. "You stalkedme," he surmised, leaning forward. "And here I thought it was always _me_ pining for _you._ " Emily began to roll her eyes in protest but Daniel continued. "I suppose that should unnerve me except _my_ memory of our first meeting has so much meaning – I think I can overlook it."

"I spilled my drink on you to create a chance encounter, Daniel," she countered with a smirk. "I'm pretty sure any 'deeper meaning' you felt was your imagination."

"Well, that's because you don't know all of it," he retorted, lowering his voice to an intense whisper. "You see right before you spilled that drink, I was seconds away from taking, let's just say a _substance_ from a friend of mine." He watched her eyebrows rise and grinned in return. "Yeah, he had it poised right in my hand when you came up... and saved me from going down a much darker path." With that he leaned back, satisfied. "So you see; you're not the only one holding out."

Feeling somewhat bested, Emily relaxed. "I guess if we're going to be husband-and-wife we should start by getting to know each other?"

Daniel shrugged. "It only took _six_ months for us to finally be honest," he added dryly. "But that's always been a problem area for us, hasn't it?" When her silence answered him, he took advantage of the forum to push further. "Look, Em, you're not fooling anyone. I know Paris seemed like the perfect escape last year and I don't blame you for wanting to get away. But you've been holding onto something since we got here and it's time you face it."

Emily averted his gaze but not his question. "I know," she finally admitted with a deep breath.

"So what is it, then," Daniel pursued nervously. "I mean, has all of this delay been a little too convenient – do you not want to get married anymore?"

She wrangled with her emotions invisibly, but put him at ease. " _No_ ," she insisted firmly. "I _want_ to marry you, Daniel."

"But?" he pressed.

Her eyes flickered up to his and the determination that followed sent a chill down his spine. "The truth is – I _can't_ ," she began, barely giving him a chance to breathe before her final conviction. "Not until I finish what I started."

 **SCENE**

"Why not?" Margaux took her seat in first class next to Charlotte, continuing their conversation. "You'll be arriving with two days lead time – why break tradition?"

"Well, _traditionally_ the Grayson Memorial Day party is always hosted by my mother," Charlotte replied, explaining her planned absence to Margaux while Emily settled in the section facing them. She watched their interaction while Daniel lifted their carry-on items into the overhead. "And the sight of her _repulses_ me. So, that's why I won't be attending." She paused to fan herself, looking down at her stomach. "That, and the fact I look like a house."

Margaux recoiled. "Well, I certainly wouldn't want to ignite any bouts of morning sickness," she joked lightly, placing a gentle hand on Charlotte's rounded bump. "But don't be silly dear – you're glowing more beautiful now than ever."

"That's what I keep telling her…" Emily added, getting a nod from Margaux in support.

"Again, I must express my condolences on the loss of the father," she reiterated to Charlotte with a solemn expression. Charlotte nodded while Margaux continued. "But, it takes a strong woman to endure what you have – never be ashamed of that. And you never know," she shot a coy look back at Emily. "You may want to refrain from turning down invitations – it could always be a surprise shower for you?"

While Margaux waited for her hint to elicit excitement, Charlotte only shifted uneasily and removed her seatbelt. "Excuse me," she muttered, and started towards the restroom.

Surprised, Margaux looked to Emily, who was ready with explanation. "Ah, the family hasn't had the greatest history with baby showers," she replied, recalling memories of Amanda's fall at Grayson Manor. "But I was planning on having a private tea for Charlotte soon – perhaps you can attend?"

"That would be lovely, _merci_ ," Margaux expressed appreciatively. Realizing her attempts at making light conversation were floundering, she took out her cellular to check her emails.

"So, Margaux," Emily dissolved the awkward silence, just as Daniel finally took his seat beside her. "You're Pascal LeMarchal's daughter? I'm a huge fan of all of his publications – especially _Voulez._ I'm thrilled to see what you do with the American version."

"Yes, it seems you and Daniel are my lone supporters," Margaux acknowledged.

"What do you mean?" Daniel piped in optimistically. "You haven't even gotten started yet."

"Well, unfortunately a new magazine in the digital age is not an easy prospect, even with a strong brand behind it," Margaux answered, then held up her phone at an angle. "And it seems another of my investors has decided to drop out."

"Sorry to hear that," Daniel sympathized. "But certainly that won't stop a determined businesswoman like you?"

"Ah, Daniel you are too sweet, always," Margaux flirted back, and something in her infectious tone sent a rare twinge through Emily. She shook it away, irritated at even the slightest hint of jealousy in her exterior, and instead allowed her wheels to turn.

"I think we may know of someone who can help with that," Emily offered, with an aside to Daniel. His eyes perked up, expecting her to suggest a joint contribution until she surprised him with a different angle. " Ashley Grobet – she recently started her own investment firm."

"Ah, Salvador Grobet's widow?" Margaux verified, familiar. "Yes, I heard her worth tripled after he passed a few months ago. Even in spite of her affiliation to your father's unfortunate incident," she noted to Daniel.

"Did it, now," he mumbled in disinterest.

"I would love an introduction," Margaux commented emphatically. "Conrad made a foolish choice in letting her go. Though I'm certain he had his reasons – how is he recuperating by the way?"

"Better than he should be, I'm sure," Daniel sneered again, but Emily interrupted his dry reply.

"We'll know once we arrive," she volunteered, avoiding being omitted from the conversation. Daniel gave her another strange look, while she glanced back meaningfully. "I think it might be a good idea to pay him a visit?"

Daniel wrinkled his brow in shock, distracted by her wild suggestion. " _You do_?" he gaped.

Emily dared him with a clever look. "Of course," she insisted, gesturing back to Margaux. "To arrange an introduction, we have to RSVP to the party first." She shrugged. "If we do it in person we could even ask Conrad about giving _Voulez_ an exclusive on his past year?"

Margaux smiled. "That would be extraordinary – but I thought you had decided not to attend?"

This time Daniel chimed in. "Ah – apparently that was just Charlotte," he answered, beginning to follow Emily's train of thought.

Agreeing, Emily raised her chin proudly. "We wouldn't miss it for the world."

 **SCENE**

It was a humbling scene – Conrad walking gingerly through the halls of the rehab center with only a cane to aid him. But in spite of it, his appearance was still improved over the months before – reduced to bed rest and nurse's care due to the severity of his wound. To be walking now, even with difficulty, was a reason to have hope.

"I daresay I'll be able to grace the podium by Memorial Day," he declared smugly as he made his way back down the hall. His aide stood back to watch his progress while Conrad grinned, keeping his eyes fixed on his steps.

"That's cause for celebration," a snarky voice greeted him from a few paces away.

He looked up and nearly stumbled as Daniel's face came into view. Both Daniel and his aide reached over to steady him, but Conrad brushed them off. "Its fine, I can manage by myself," he grumbled, returning to his room. The aide looked to Daniel for confirmation but he waved her away.

Once she was gone he edged further into the room, where his father now sat on the side of his bed, putting on his glasses. "Looking better than the last time I saw you," Daniel offered uncomfortably.

Conrad barely gave him eye contact. "Oh, you mean when you abandoned me in the hospital bed to take off with Emily to Paris?"

Daniel rubbed his forehead, wondering why he even allowed Emily to talk him into bothering with the charade. "Listen, Dad I didn't come here to fight—"

"Really? Come to finish the job, then?" Conrad alleged sourly. He stole a glance around the room. "Well don't let my security detail stop you, take your best shot."

Immediately angered, Daniel leered closer to him. "Dad, you know I had _nothing_ to do with what happened," he scolded him. "If anything, _you_ were the one that told me to run for my life that night—"

"Then you're back to gloat? Well, by all means," Conrad taunted him, lifting his cane as an easy target. "Gloat away!"

Daniel lowered his eyes, shaking his head. Pushing angering thoughts aside, he sighed and continued. "That's not why I'm here. Emily and I have decided to move back to the Hamptons – and we're planning on attending the Memorial Day event," he paused, hating the next words as he forced them out of his mouth. "To show our support."

Conrad balked at the suggestion. "Ha! _Support_?" he repeated sardonically. "Please. Your new wife may be keen to debut her prominence as a Grayson, but you and I will always know just how little _you_ support anything I do—"

"She's not a Grayson," Daniel corrected him, quicker than even he expected. "Not yet," he added, when his father raised a brow. "We're still engaged, but we postponed the wedding."

That seemed to stoke Conrad's attention. "What a curious turn of events," he observed, crossing his arms over the hilt of his cane. "Well, at any rate, if you plan to attend I'll clearly have to up the ante on security—"

"Dad—" Daniel pressed.

"And if your return coincides with any request for monetary provision," Conrad continued, ignoring him. "I'll remind you that our family has fallen on hard times these days—"

"Dad, I don't want your money—" he interjected, annoyed.

"What with the emptied ACF fund, the dissension of Grayson Global, and being reduced to disability income following my near-paralysis," he went on, bracing himself to stand again. "You see my son; even _state governors,_ actively serving or not, can't avoid the waves of unforeseen occurrence."

Daniel nodded, wondering for the first time if his father's current state of affairs had finally taught him something. By his enumeration of events it seemed he had finally come to grips with a startling realization. "Well then," he concluded, watching Conrad hobble towards the restroom. "Perhaps you've learned something after all."

"Never to trust my flesh and blood?" he jested back spitefully.

Daniel chuckled. "No – never forget there are some things you can't control."

 **SCENE**

"Only took ten years to return the favor," Emily welcomed her sandy-haired friend as the prison gate buzzed and freed him to walk over to her. The scene brought back layers of déjà vu, her being on the other side of emancipation just a decade before, with Nolan as her savior then.

"I was kind of hoping you'd have to repay this one – never," he replied gratefully, wrapping her into a warm, fervent hug.

Emily hugged him back, reminded of how much she had missed her dearest friend, and knew in that instant she could have never left him behind had they still planned to return to Paris.

"Thanks for having them let me out of a side gate," Nolan added once they separated, looking her over. "Mrs. _Grayson_ , I presume?"

She shook her head no, and felt a hint of embarrassment. "We have a lot to catch up on."

 **SCENE**

Nolan followed Emily's lead as they strolled through the open clearing of a beautiful Hamptons residence, intrigued by the turn of events. "So, Amanda shot Conrad, Patrick nearly seduced his half-sister, you and Danny still have yet to tie the knot and your revenge is currently… unfinished?" he confirmed. "Well, I guess we all saw that coming when Conrad _survived_."

"It's his potential to return to office that concerns me," Emily clarified as they strolled along. "Before the election, Daniel managed to get him to confess."

Nolan perked up in interest. "To the bombing?"

"To everything," she replied, stopping mid-stride. "The Initiative, the Amanda Clarke Foundation, framing my father – everything."

"Well, then you've got him!" Nolan declared triumphantly.

She diffused it with a calm stare. "Unfortunately Daniel can't use it without implicating himself on attempted murder charges – he threatened Conrad on the recording, which looks like motive. Ashley and I can attest that it wasn't him, but that's only because he was with us on site," she paused thoughtfully. "When he was supposed to be banned from entry. So either he has no alibi or it raises question as to why he was granted access. When Conrad discharged Ashley shortly after, he made it easy to figure out the culprit. It's a tough case to prove, even with the recording."

"Wow." Nolan digested. "So, back to square one then. How are things on the Victoria front?"

Emily digressed. "She's another reason I chose to stay – I couldn't just leave Charlotte here alone with her."

"Right," Nolan commented, recalling Charlotte's pregnancy. "She must be pretty far along by now?"

Emily nodded. "Victoria may be occupied with Patrick but when he disappears, I won't let her start on Charlotte. She wants to be close to Declan's family but as far away from her mother as possible."

Nolan pondered the dilemma. "As much as I admire your Rebel Alliance of Danny and baby sis against the Grayson Empire – Charlotte's going to have a hard time blending into the Porter clan," he paused for emphasis. "I heard they disappeared?"

"After Declan's funeral, Jack packed up the _Stowaway_ and left with Carl," Emily confirmed. "There's been no sight of Amanda – Ashley thinks they're in hiding." She stopped to shake her head angrily. "This is not what I wanted for them, Nolan – nothing's gotten any better, things are only worse."

"Hey," Nolan consoled her. "That's why you're back – to right all of this." With an arm around he continued walking with her, promising his support. "And I will be by your side until we have taken down everyone who wronged the people you love – including _me._ " They reached the landing to the back door of the house and he stopped short to take in the view. "Especially if _this_ is your new summer pad?"

"Not mine," she answered with a smile, jangling a set of keys in her hand and then tossing them up to him. "Yours."

"For _serious_?" he fawned.

"If memory serves, I still owe you a house," she replied. While Nolan continued to flush with excitement, she edged forward nervously. "And a long summer of fun," she hinted, heading inside.

A thought came to his mind. "Ah, let me guess – beginning with Connie & Vicky's Memorial Day party tomorrow?"

"And if everything goes as planned," she affirmed. "It'll be the last one they ever attend."

 **SCENE**

Charlotte took a deep breath as her eyes fell on the marble grey headstone ahead of her, and prepared for the emotion she knew would follow. She leaned forward to rest the bundle of roses upon it, stooping to reread the familiar inscription. _Declan Porter, Beloved Son & Brother. _Charlotte allowed herself a faint smile as she stood back, and despite her brother's wishes was glad she had come alone. There was a sense of comfort in having this moment to herself, along with the freedom to say what was on her heart.

"And _father_ ," she whispered aloud, adding onto the inscription. She stroked her belly comfortingly as a tear made its way to her eye's corner. "He's getting so big," she went on. "I know you won't be here to meet him, but I promise you're still going to be a part of his life. I'm going to tell him all about you – your smile… your eyes," she paused, wiping the stream that had now formed down her cheek. "How you saved my life – so many times."

She stirred, feeling a presence behind her but ignored it, desperate to finish. "I miss you so much, Declan," she finished, reflecting. "I promise to take care of the family you left behind." Sighing, she completed her promise. "Your brother, Jack… your nephew, Carl," she breathed slowly and a pleasant look came over her face. "And finally – your son, Declan Jr."

"So you've named him," a voice crept behind her, the presence Charlotte had felt.

The pleasant look on her face disappeared as she turned to acknowledge, recognizing it. "Mother, I want to be alone," Charlotte asserted firmly.

Victoria nodded respectfully but didn't shield her daughter from the hurt in her eyes. She took a brave step forward. "I didn't come to disturb you," she insisted. "Your father told me that you returned with your brother and I thought you might be here."

"Yes, and I plan on staying with him and Emily, not _you,_ " she affirmed sharply, walking away as the tender moment dissipated. "So there's nothing for us to talk about." She continued to the edge of the cemetery driveway and stopped suddenly, seeing just her mother's car service parked at the curb. "You sent my cab away?"

"You needn't worry about Patrick, darling," Victoria assured her in penance. She forced a gentle hand over Charlotte's arm. "I sent him away too."

Charlotte eyed her suspiciously. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because I _love_ you," Victoria insisted behind pleading eyes. "And I want to be as involved as I can be in your life." Charlotte appeared not to buy it but Victoria went on. "Patrick may have been my first son but you are my _only_ daughter – please, let me show you that I've changed?"

 **SCENE**

While Nolan settled into his new home, Emily traveled to Montauk to pick up her dress for the next day. While there she couldn't resist a nostalgic visit to the _Stowaway,_ confirming for herself that it had indeed been closed up through spring. She wandered past the window to the entrance, picturing the familiar scene of Jack and Declan working on the outside deck – a memory she realized would never occur again. Instead, the inside was dark and deserted, the only noise coming from the ocean waves and seagulls above.

But as Emily's gaze trailed over the entry, she spied what looked like a jacket hanging on a barstool that was taken down beside the rest. She twisted the doorknob experimentally, and to her surprise it swung open, allowing her entry.

"Hello?" she called cautiously, glancing around the empty bar. She came over to the jacket and inspected it, vaguely recognizing the stitching on the collar, the cut of the sleeve—

"It's Amanda's," a voice startled her, and she dropped it to look up. Jack was walking towards her slowly, with a strange calmness she had never seen in him before.

" _Jack_ ," she gasped in relief. "It's so good to see you." But rather than come to her, he was halted in place, staring her down. "I didn't know if you were ever coming back; where did you go?" she asked anxiously.

He did not respond, only lifted his chin in expectation. "You want a drink?" he offered. When she declined curiously, he reached behind the bar anyway, pouring himself one. "I want a drink."

She watched him down it, and then tried a new question while still clinging onto the jacket. "Is—Is Amanda here? Is she safe?"

Jack set the empty glass onto the bar and folded his arms. "You tell me."

She shrugged in disillusion. "Jack, I haven't talked to her since that night – I've been worried about the both of you, no one knew where you were—"

"Amanda's with Carl," he cut her off dryly. "Making up for lost time."

Emily sighed. "Oh," she paused, studying the coolness in his disposition. Something clearly was amiss.

"As far as how safe she is," he continued, edging closer. He stopped just shy of where she stood and stared at her directly. "Only _you_ can answer that." When she raised her brow in confusion he finished. "After all – she's pretending to be you… Isn't she, _Emily_?"

Finally understanding, Emily's heart sank and she lowered her head in penance. "Jack, I'm sorry—" she began, but he would not allow her to finish.

"Amanda told me the truth – all of it. And obviously it's not _safe_ for her," he nearly spat, his temper rising. "Not only do the Graysons think she's dead, but if they ever find out she's alive they'll know it was her that shot Conrad. And why? Why, Emily – all because they think that _she_ is Amanda Clarke instead of you!" He clenched his jaw after the outburst, nearly shaking from anger while he looked to Emily for explanation.

"I am so sorry that I lied to you—" she begged right away, contrition gleaming in her eyes. "That I didn't tell you the truth in the first place; believe me, I wanted to—"

"But you _didn't_ ," he interjected, and Emily knew there was little chance of getting through to him. "Spare me the details, she told me about your revenge plan. Just tell me something, was it worth it? Letting her take the fall for you, was it worth it?"

"Jack—" Emily began.

"Did you know—" he cut in furiously, and caught a lump forming in his throat from emotion. He stopped to clear it and then continued. "Did you know all that time, that she was alive? Was that all just part of your plan?"

 _"No,_ " Emily insisted emphatically, stepping into his space. "Jack, I found out that same day – that's why I came there to the election to _tell_ you!" Her eyes pleaded sincerity but he could barely bring himself to look at her. "I know how much it pained you to lose her; I could never keep that from you!"

"Well, it doesn't matter," he spoke, disregarding her reply. "Because of you, she has to stay hidden until the Graysons are no longer a problem."

Emily sighed in acceptance, feeling deflated by his disappointment. "Jack, I never meant for any of this to happen – and I know I should have told you." She lifted her shoulders helplessly. "You don't deserve to be apart from her like this – not after all you've been through."

Jack finally took a moment to reflect, leaning back to look away. "I know Amanda's not free from blame in all of this," he admitted ruefully through clenched teeth. "But the first thing she did was tell me the truth – and I forgave her. Regardless of everything, she's still the mother of our child… and she's my wife." He watched as Emily absorbed it and then faced her intently. "But _you_? You, I can't forgive."

With that he started to walk away, and Emily followed a pace behind. "Jack, I promise – I'm going to make these people pay—"

"Oh I know you will," he snapped, whirling around. "Because I refuse to let this go on any longer than it has to," he swore, and the desperation in his eyes nearly broke Emily's heart as she listened to his ultimatum. "So as of right now, you have until the end of the summer to take down the Graysons – or I tell everyone who you really are."

 **SCENE**

"So, you thought Ashley would be a good fit with Margaux?"

Daniel did his best to make small talk as he entered the scene of the Memorial Day gala with Emily on his arm. They had little time to talk since their return, leave for a brief exchange that morning. While Daniel visited his father and got settled in the beach house, he assumed Emily had spent the day with Nolan for his release. He hoped it accounted for her slight distraction as he watched her at his side, scrolling through her phone.

"Sorry," she apologized, feeling his eyes on her. "It was hard enough getting her on the list; I just want to verify she's still coming." When an alert sounded in reply, she relaxed. "And she is." She quickly stashed the phone back in her clutch as they separated to go through the security check-in. When they emerged, Daniel was still watching her. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he pretended, taking her arm again. "It's just your ulterior motive couldn't be more obvious – just like going to this party." He rolled his eyes at the superior elegance around him, feeling a bit like he was being dragged through against his will. And while he admittedly enjoyed seeing Emily in action, dressed to kill, it felt lackluster compared to their private months alone.

Emily caught onto his indifference. "Well, you could have stayed at home with Charlotte," she dangled slyly, spying the crowd. She saw Margaux from afar in one section and ignored an awkward twinge, much like the one she felt on the plane. "I'm sure she would have appreciated the company?" she finished, collecting herself.

He chuckled. "Just 'cause we're not legally bound doesn't mean I'm going to let you go into the lion's den alone," he asserted. She softened at the mention and he slowed to a halt to speak quietly. "Look, I get it. You need to do this before we get married. But don't you think we should have an end in sight?" he begged.

"I _do_ ," she assured him, prepared with an answer. "The end of the summer. That being said, we can continue the wedding planning locally – here in the Hamptons, if you want?"

He raised a brow and listened thoughtfully. "And after that?"

"We leave forever," she replied with a sigh, casting a glance around the party. "And never look back."

Daniel relaxed more visibly, even sensing the start of a genuine smile on Emily's lips. Somewhat soothed by it, he nodded in agreement. "Alright, I can live with that. So – what's your plan this year?"

She sucked in a breath, releasing it sharply. "I'm not sure," she answered honestly, scanning the crowd. Her eyes fell on Ashley, who had just entered. "I have an idea, but I'm still feeling my way through…"

Satisfied nonetheless, Daniel stepped aside. "Well, can I get you something while you scheme?"

"Just water would be great," she smirked, letting go of his hand. "Thanks."

While he went off to fetch it, Emily made her way over to Ashley, who greeted her with a warm hug. "Why does it always feel like it's been forever since the last time I've seen you?" Ashley fawned.

"Ash, I missed you too," Emily hugged her back, whispering over her shoulder. "But right now there's someone I want you to meet."

"Oh, is this the investment opportunity?" Ashley deduced, following Emily's gaze. "Charmed, I'm sure."

"And sure to make an impression with that dress; _Voulez_ is all about the edge of fashion," she commented on Ashley's sharp choice. "This way," she led her over to Margaux, who had stopped Daniel on his way back from the beverages to chat by the fountain. "Margaux!" she greeted when they arrived.

"Emily," Margaux replied with a smile, leaning in front of Daniel between them to kiss her on the cheek. She eyed her dress with admiration. " _Magnifique!_ "

" _Merci beau-coup,_ " Emily thanked her as she gracefully led Ashley over. "Allow me to introduce Ashley Grobet nee Davenport – a prominent investor, public relations specialist and dear friend of ours." While Ashley shook hands with Margaux, Emily reached over to slip the bottle of water from Daniel's hand, replacing it with her fingers twined into his.

" _And,_ " Ashley added. "A personal fan of _Voulez_ , I might add – I'd love to hear what you plan to do with the American version."

" _Enchante',_ " Margaux nodded respectfully, while Ashley did the same.

"I'll leave you two to get acquainted," Emily begged off, taking Daniel with her by the hand. "We should go see your family dear, they just arrived."

Daniel could not resist an eye roll at the grand show she was putting on, but a part of him detected a territorial edge in her and he found that amusing. "Of course," he obliged. "See you ladies later on."

Once they had gone, Margaux turned her attention to Ashley. "Mrs. Grobet, it's such a pleasure," she chatted. "How did you and Emily meet?"

Ashley gave a thought to her reply. "My line of work brought me right into her path one day," she answered.

"Oh, how rude of me," Margaux suddenly stammered. "I never did ask what she does for a living."

Ashley turned to watch her friend walk off from a distance, having often thought exactly the same thing. If the previous year was any indicator, her return and the cavalier way she drawled over to the Graysons meant she was certainly up to more than met the eye. But to Margaux's question she gave the best answer she knew. "Emily works for a lot of different charities – giving people what they deserve."

 **SCENE**

"I knew my mother was lying!"

Patrick whirled around at the voice from an unexpected visitor in the reflection of his bathroom mirror, nearly losing the towel around his waist. Charlotte instinctively looked away as he did so, folding her arms and marching out of the hotel room at the South Fork Inn. "Charlotte?" he called out, recognizing her. "Charlotte wait!"

She stormed towards the door as quickly as her swollen ankles would allow her, scolding him without turning back. "I had to see for myself and sure enough, here you are! Is there no end to what my mother will do to save her skin?"

"Charlotte, what are you _doing_ here—" he came up behind her, raising a hand to push the door shut to his hotel room before she could slip out. She turned around finally, impelling him to step back at the sight of her protruding midsection.

"Oh, that's rich coming from _you_ ," she barked back at him. "My family is paying for this suite, but clearly it's on reserve as a hideaway for my mother to stash you in!" She shook her head emphatically. "So what are you, using her just like you used me?"

"Charlotte, I'm sorry – I never meant to hurt you," he promised, placing his hands together in a penitent gesture.

"Yeah, right!" she swore back at him. "You know you're _just_ like her," she decided with a closer look, shaking her head. "It's no wonder she could never deny you – you're just as deceitful as she is."

He took a step forward to plead the opposite, but she edged away, uncomfortable with the close proximity in light of his scantily clad appearance. He looked down to tighten the towel tucked at his waist and then met eyes with her again. "Look, you have every right to be furious with me," he admitted. "I was wrong for what I did, and I accept it. But now _you're_ wrong about Victoria – she has been nothing but gracious, generous, and kind to me."

"Oh really?" Charlotte humored him, ignoring her discomfort to step closer again. "Well, if you think you're just gonna enjoy the perks without the misery, you're wrong. My mother will draw you in and destroy you – it's what she does." She stared at him for a second longer and he waited for her to speak, imploring her with piercing blue eyes. For a moment, Charlotte lost her train of thought and remained in silence, just gazing back.

When she could take his serene stare no longer, Charlotte finally looked away, gathering her composure. "And if she doesn't," she finally finished, determination budding in her eyes. "I will."

 **SCENE**

Excited murmuring erupted through the crowd as an unidentified object leered in the distance overhead and then slowly came closer into view. While security immediately drew their weapons, guests gasped as the figure soon became recognizable – Nolan Ross, decked in a linen suit and landing almost gracefully by means of a parachute strapped to his back. He put his hands up immediately in a surrender gesture, reaching into his pocket only to produce an invitation.

"Hold it right there!" the chief of security ordered him.

Meanwhile, Emily spun slightly and shot a quick glance at Daniel before leaving his side to step into the perimeter. "What the hell are you _doing_ , Nolan?" she shouted at him.

"I meant to, uh, R.S.V.P.," he answered, passing Emily the invitation. "But I was unceremoniously detained."

She accepted it with an odd look, and then stole a glance over her shoulder back at Conrad, who was edging closer with his cane. "Conrad, I'm so sorry," she apologized as he came to meet Nolan's grand entrance. "I took the liberty of inviting him."

"You could have been shot, Mr. Ross," he scolded him irritably, while stopping to address his security detail. "Stand down," he ordered them. Once the perimeter was calmed, he hobbled closer. "I would hate to think you didn't take a lesson from _my_ ordeal last year?"

"My apologies," Nolan groveled with finesse. "I was just anxious to make my entrance in style."

Conrad absorbed it edgily. "Well, Emily is nearly part of the family now," he acknowledged, while she bowed appreciatively. "So as her friend you are welcome, but as a guest I'll have to ask you to check in with security."

Nolan shrugged in appreciation. "No problem," he obliged and slipped past them.

"Again, I apologize, Conrad," Emily continued once they were alone. "I can imagine any sudden events would be difficult for you." She cocked her head in sympathy, extending the bottle of water in her hand to him. "Here – you look piqued. Let's get straight to your announcement. Refocus the crowd."

Conrad accepted the water appreciatively. "Thank you, my dear," he drawled. His aide came to his side to give him his medication and he followed it with a long sip of water before leaving Emily to head towards the stage. "That sounds like a good idea."

Emily trailed behind, stopping short to stay back with Daniel while Conrad went through. "What was that all about?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"You know Nolan – he has to make a grand entrance," she glossed, heading in. "Shall we get this over with?"

He watched her walk ahead with a sly look. "The sooner the better," he muttered.

The rest of the guests took their seats, including Victoria who made her way to the front row. With everyone gathered, the main event began, starting with a speech by the interim governor. He concluded his address with an introduction to Conrad, escorted to the podium with the help of his chief of security. He took a heavy breath before looking out into the crowd and finally spoke.

"It's been no simple task for me to stand before you today," he began, amidst chattering and camera flashes from the press in the background. "As you all are aware, the attempt on my life at the end of last year not only impacted my ability to do mundane things," he paused, raising his cane in reference. "But also my privilege to service _you,_ my fellow citizens of New York – and for that I am truly regretful."

Emily breathed deeply as she watched him speak, knowing that it would only be mere moments before he announced his return. If there was ever a time for her apprehension to rise, it was now. Trying to prove an immense record of guilt against him would already be a challenge for the summer ahead, let alone if he resumed office as state governor.

"However, in spite of that I have dedicated every waking moment to my return, and it is with pride I can now—" he paused, stumbling over his words as he felt a sharp pain at his chest. He reached to steady it, and then tried to continue. "It is with excitement that I announce—" again he stammered, trying to suppress a cough this time. The crowd began to murmur worriedly, and despite his effort Conrad could not find the words. "The office of—uh, ah—" breathing heavily he suddenly lurched forward, clutching onto his cane for support and then finally gave out, crashing to the ground flat on his face.

"Conrad!" Victoria gasped, standing erect as his aides came rushing over to him. "Someone get help!" Both Emily and Daniel were on their feet next, looking first to Conrad and then to each other.

In a scene reminiscent to his shooting, he was soon surrounded by aides and clamoring press as everyone attempted to figure out what had happened. But amidst the chaos, only one individual knew the true cause, and as they secretly celebrated the triumph, they quickly fled the scene completely unnoticed.

 **SCENE**

"Well, the doctor confirmed it – his collapse was from severe nerve damage."

Both Emily and Victoria stood as Daniel entered the family waiting room of the hospital. They followed him out into the hallway, with Victoria at the lead. "Residual from the bullet wound?" she asked.

Daniel nodded to confirm. "Even though his therapy has been helping to heal the effects, it can flare up again under duress. At this stage it's uncertain whether he'll ever recover – he may need future surgeries, but even then nothing is guaranteed." With a sigh he finished. "If there's no change it could result in permanent paralysis."

Victoria closed her eyes in disbelief. "Well, it looks like he won't be returning to office after all," she concluded grimly. Daniel echoed her expression, but his eyes wandered over to Emily who stood with her arms folded, gazing down at the floor. "May I go in to see him?" Victoria pressed.

"Yeah," Daniel answered, rubbing his brow. "In fact I think he'd much rather see you than me right now." Victoria ducked her chin in acknowledgment, running her hand over his shoulder as she walked past.

"It's good to have you home, Daniel," she added just before going in.

Once she was out of earshot, Daniel turned his attention to Emily. "Feel free to jump in here, anytime," he accosted her dryly. She raised her eyes slowly and he challenged her with an assertive glance. "After all, this is your game isn't it?"

She stepped forward, shirking at his brazen accusation. "What? Daniel, I had nothing to do with this, it's obvious your father isn't fully recovered—"

" _Or_ someone made it _look_ like he isn't," Daniel shot back, prompting her with a knowing look. "Right before he was about to announce his return to office? Come on, Em, you think I can't recognize your handiwork?" He paused to pull out his phone, showing her a snapshot of his news feed. "Especially when I see it's been conveniently leaked to the press already?"

She shifted into an opposing stance. "Well maybe you should get all your facts straight, then," she countered. "I distinctly remember _Margaux_ leaving the waiting area an hour ago—"

Daniel interrupted her with a capricious laugh. "You know, it used to be cute when you lied, but now it's just insulting. Why would Margaux have any reason to leak my father's condition, let alone get the access to do so?"

Emily folded her arms, incensed at what appeared to be his defense of her. "Only that she's trying to stage her big break into the media," she reminded him. "You know I'm right Daniel, she was all over that exclusive with your father when I mentioned it on the plane."

"Wait, a minute—" Daniel scrunched his face in realization. "Is _that_ why you promised it? To draw her out?"

"I'm not going to stand here and argue with you," Emily cut the conversation short, feeling cornered. She slipped past Daniel to join Victoria in Conrad's room. "You can believe whatever you like but someone has to let your mother know there's a rat amongst us."

"Oh, and since when are you my mother's new ally?" Daniel questioned, reeling from confusion.

Emily paused at the doorway just long enough to answer him. "Since we decided to come back to finish this together – or did you forget that's why we're here?"

"No," Daniel asserted, turning to walk away. "But I think _you_ have."

 **SCENE**

Margaux emerged from the rear door of her car service and stepped out onto the tarmac at the airport. When she saw no one else present, she checked her phone to verify the message she had received from Daniel, requesting her presence. But soon enough, a limousine pulled up across from hers, followed by another in the distance behind it. She recognized the first as the same one Daniel had chartered from the airport when they first arrived back from Paris and relaxed. Yet, as she began the walk over, she stopped short at who stepped out.

"Victoria?" she greeted the first passenger, and then looked over to see Emily emerging from the other door. "Emily," she stated a bit nervously, putting her phone away. "I um, I thought I was meeting Daniel here?"

Victoria sauntered over with purpose, setting a hand on her hip. "I'm sorry to disappoint, dear Margaux," she greeted her icily. "But I have to ask, just what business did you propose to have at this hour my son – you realize he's engaged?"

"Nonsense Victoria," Emily chimed in smarmily, joining Margaux's side with a feigned air of defense. "I just had the pleasure of meeting Ms. LeMarchal this week, I'm sure her intentions were pure?"

"Perhaps you should reconsider," Victoria countered slyly. "Because shortly after I spoke to the doctor in confidence about my husband's condition it was broadcasted on Page Six, which is a subsidiary of," she paused dramatically. "Oh yes – _Voulez_ media."

While Emily pretended to step back in surprise, Margaux took a persistent step forward. "Victoria, I assure you it wasn't me that received the tip, news travels quickly—"

"Yes, and so do you," Victoria cut her off with a daring look. Her eyes averted to the private charter beside them and back. "Board the plane back to Paris, Margaux or you'll be reading your next headline from the unemployment line." Margaux stiffened in resilience and Victoria only leered closer. "I can only imagine the shame your father would incur from having the first issue of your venture run underground?"

"You wouldn't dare," Margaux threatened.

Victoria laughed it off with a sneer. "I would and I can – Pascal and I are old friends. We have something of a special relationship. And even he would agree the information you disclosed was private." She paused to reflect thoughtfully. "Wasn't he against your starting this anyway?"

Before Margaux could interject, Emily spread her arms out between them. "Now just a moment ladies," she attempted to pacify. "I'm certain there's some kind of compromise we can come to?" She cast a gaze back at the vehicle behind theirs, and its passenger finally stepped out of the car and walked over – Ashley.

"Mrs. Grobet," Victoria accosted her dryly. "What are you doing here?"

"What I do best," she sneered back, saving a friendly look for Emily. "Negotiations." She turned her attention to Margaux. "I've been informed of your predicament and I'd hate to see the Grayson monarchy run another promising entrepreneur underground. So I'd like to make an offer – 50% interest in _Voulez_ , and these lovely ladies disappear."

Emily winced at Ashley's reference to her and Victoria in unison. "Ashley?" she prompted her. But she disregarded it to wait on Margaux's reaction instead.

Margaux glanced between the women, assessing their intent. "Why would you make such an offer?" she posed back.

"Because I have no tolerance for collusion by bloodline," Ashley hinted, glaring at the other two. "I made my fortune thanks to my own decisions, and I can see you wish to do the same. And you can trust that despite inking a partnership on paper, I will ensure it remains your ship to run. So," she paused to extend her hand. "Do we have a deal?"

After a few seconds of pondering and studying the other women, Margaux finally extended her hand to shake on it. "Deal," she confirmed proudly, while both Emily and Victoria's countenance dropped. "As it stands," Margaux continued. "I will need my father's approval to clear the final details in person, but since these ladies have conveniently provided me a jet – I will take advantage." She grinned triumphantly back at the others, who stood off as she walked past.

Ashley turned to face them while Margaux boarded the plane. "Then I will stay behind to help oversee the launch," she raised an eyebrow primarily at Victoria. "I'm sure we won't have a problem?"

Victoria glared back. "A new adversary replaced by an old chew toy," she surmised, lifting her nose smugly and then glancing over to Emily. "No, I don't see a problem at all."

Ashley folded her arms at the insult. "You two are evil," she renounced back, with a side-eye at Emily.

"What we are, like or not," Victoria finished. "Is family." With that, she pranced back to her car, owning her seeming defeat still with a regal flare. Emily watched her depart and once she was out of sight, turned back to face Ashley – and promptly dropped the charade.

"Nicely done," she heaved a breath, giving fair commendation. "50% - you threw in even more than we talked about?"

"And when she returns I'm going to try for a controlling interest," Ashley sighed with a smile. "Just for the way I saw her flirting with Daniel at the gala – we can't have that now can we?"

Emily blushed at her observation. As much as she hated to admit it, she was right. "Good to be a team again," was all she responded in return.

"Good to have you back," Ashley agreed. "And looks like your vendetta against the Graysons is off to a heavy start – Victoria is slighted and Conrad collapses moments before announcing his return to office." Ashley raised an uneasy brow. "You're not playing around this year, are you?"

"Well, even though it set the stage for a nice win over Victoria and a one-way ticket back to Paris for Margaux," Emily reflected. "I have to confess – Conrad's fall wasn't on me."

Ashley's eyes widened in surprise. "Then who was it?"

 **SCENE**

Daniel leaned back in his chair and nearly dozed off at the desk in Emily's living room. It was nearly midnight and he assumed Charlotte had already gone to bed, though he hadn't gone up to confirm it. Instead he had decided to wait up for Emily, which only awoke feelings long suppressed. The process was one all too familiar in the backdrop of the Hamptons, despite rarely ever happening while they were in Paris. He realized he trusted her more overseas, while she seemed to trust _him_ less while they were in Paradise, possibly reminded more of her deep-rooted feelings when she was without distraction. The comparison weighed on him heavily, so much so that when she finally returned he found himself in a coarse mood, but insistent nevertheless.

She trailed in quietly, removing her heels and padding up behind him to massage his shoulders. "Hey, I'm sorry we fought today," she expressed immediately, surprising him with a rare instance of apology. He felt her place a gentle kiss at his neck and then wrap one arm across his chest. "Let's have the wedding soon as possible," she whispered into his ear.

He reached up to hold her arm with his free hand, but remained uncertain. "Is this your confession?" he pried, expecting her pleasant demeanor was only due to guilt.

Annoyed, she released him and stood back while he turned in his chair to face her. "I can't believe this," she sighed, dropping her heels to the floor. "Alright Daniel, you want the truth? Here it is." He edged forward in concentration and she started in, as if reading his thoughts. "Just before we left for Paris, I told you I forgave you for lying about Amanda. I thought I had. But the truth is, I couldn't forget it – not just because you didn't tell me about her, but because of what I could have prevented had I known."

He squinted; absorbing what he predicted was already the case. "So you still resent me for that?"

She declined to answer directly. "Amanda would have never shot Conrad if I had been able to get to her first, and we may have still been able to use his confession to exonerate my father."

"Are you saying anything you've had to orchestrate is because of _me_?" he challenged, shaking his head. "Emily, I'll give you that for last year but if you expect me to take responsibility for you _poisoning_ my father today—"

"I _didn't_ poison Conrad!" Emily belted, and the intensity of her anger filled the room. Her face scrunched at him in disbelief. "That's what I've been trying to tell you – there's nothing for me to confess because I didn't _do_ anything!"

Daniel lowered his voice, almost pleading with her. "Em, I saw you hand him that water before he went up onstage."

"I got that from _you—_ " she insisted, before something dawned on her. She replayed the moment in mind, remembering in specific that while Conrad drank the water she passed him, it was only after his aide gave him something to take. "Oh my God," she suddenly realized. Connecting the dots, she started towards the door, storming out onto the porch in stocking feet.

"Emily – Em, where are you going?!" he called after her, but she was already headed across the beach.

Emily paced the shoreline, grateful that she had chosen a home for Nolan that was close to her own. Certain that she had it all figured out, she rushed to get to him, knowing he might be the only person that could find out for sure. Yet her confirmation preceded her arrival to his house as she soon came upon a figure waiting several feet in front of her.

Emily slowed her steps, recognizing them immediately. And in spite of her lingering thoughts she still could not stop from throwing her arms around the person before her, and breathing their name aloud.

 **SCENE**

"Patrick, dear?"

Victoria entered the hotel room at the South Fork Inn anxiously, hoping to cheer herself from the day's woes by a visit to her firstborn. His face was all she thought about while en route, the only thing that seemed to give her comfort of late. She walked through the room, surprised to find it dark and switched on a light. "Are you here?"

With the room now fully lit, Victoria froze mid-step at the figure that awaited her in the bedroom. Instead of Patrick's face being where she expected it – it was Charlotte instead. "Missing your baby boy?" she greeted her, rising from the edge of the bed.

"Charlotte!" Victoria exclaimed in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"

"You're not the only that knows how to find someone, Mother," she replied coolly, prompting Victoria to look about the room.

"Where's Patrick?" she demanded, noting it was emptied. "What have you done?"

"What _I've_ done?" Charlotte snipped back. "What about what _he_ did?" She clutched her belly protectively while her voice shook with emotion. "Mom, he used me – he nearly tricked me into falling in love with him!"

" _Love?_ " Victoria shook her head vehemently. "Charlotte, you hardly knew each other—"

"I was attracted to my own _brother, Mom!_ " Charlotte was now yelling at the top of her lungs, batting away the hand Victoria tried to calm her with. "And as much as I pretended I felt nothing, he's the reason I told Declan to meet me at Grayson Global – because I was ashamed I was with him!" As the tears flowed freely down her cheek, Charlotte found herself short of breath and reached over to steady herself on a nearby chair.

Momentarily placing her disappointment aside, Victoria helped her sit down, and then knelt beside her with sincerity. "Charlotte please, you're going to work yourself into a fit," she encouraged, while her daughter took deep breaths. "Now listen to me - I forgave Patrick because I wanted _his_ forgiveness. Do you understand? I couldn't expect him to overlook my sins if I didn't do the same. I've done worse to him, darling – much worse."

Charlotte clenched her jaw at her mother's admission, repulsed even more. "Well then, like mother, like son," she declared, gathering her strength to stand again. Victoria stood back as she pushed her way forward. "'Cause no matter what you _think_ you know about your little angel? He had no problem leaving you for good when I asked him to."

"Charlotte, why would you do that—" Victoria began in a raspy whisper, but Charlotte continued forward, slowly waddling out of the room.

"Face it, Mom," she completed as she arrived at the door. "Some scars are too deep to be forgiven."

 **SCENE**

" _Amanda_ ," Emily sighed heavily.

Amanda returned the embrace, absorbing the reuniting moment's intensity before finally pulling back to look into Emily's eyes. Her expression betrayed a mix of emotions – relief, guilt, and finally, anticipation – unsure of what to expect from her estranged friend.

"I thought you were away, with Carl?" Emily began, addressing her previous knowledge first.

"I was," Amanda admitted, brushing strands of hair from her face in the wind. Emily observed, noting her hair had grown since the brief moment she saw her at campaign headquarters. "But I decided to leave him behind with Jack," she finished. "With Declan gone… I just don't want him to be alone." Emily nodded, remembering her jacket in the _Stowaway._ But her focus stayed on Amanda, who bowed her head in explanation. "Look, Emily I know I had no right to tell him the truth about us –"

"No, Amanda you had every right," Emily stopped her willfully. She would not allow her friend to make amends for the lies she had forced upon her. "And he's only protecting you because he cares about you," she reminded her. "Regardless of whether you're Amanda Clarke or Emily Thorne – he loves _you_."

Amanda lifted her head with a shrug, appreciating it. "It's so hard being apart again."

Emily nodded. "I know the feeling," she reminisced. In so many ways it felt like Amanda was still gone, despite seeing her alive and in the flesh just before they left for Paris. Without the constant reminder of her presence, it was hard to distinguish the difference.

"I heard you didn't marry Daniel," Amanda continued.

"Not yet," Emily confirmed. "I can't be happy until this is finally over." Her own words reminded her of the issue at hand, the very thing she needed to investigate. Letting her emotion subside, she pursued it with fervor. "But you already knew that – didn't you?" Amanda stared back with truth in her eyes, answering Emily's question as she pressed with another. "That was you today – you gave that pill to Conrad."

Somewhat uncomfortable, Amanda stepped away to face the ocean and inhaled the salty breeze. "I just came to finish what I started," she admitted.

Emily shook her head. "Amanda," she scolded her in a low tone, coming up beside her. "You've got to stop this – you could have killed him—"

"That's what I meant to do in the first place!" she snapped, facing her. "I'm only sorry I missed that night."

Emily sighed. "Amanda, righting wrongs is one thing but _killing_ people? That _isn't_ the way, you knowthat." She stopped, forgetting how stubborn she could be.

"No, it isn't _your_ way," Amanda corrected her. "Or Takeda's, or whoever else has kept you stringing this out forever." She opened her palms in a helpless gesture. "But unlike you I don't have endless time to wait – the longer this goes on, the more people get hurt and the longer I have to live without Jack. I can't do that anymore."

Sympathizing, Emily glanced downwards then back up to her. "Then I'll find a better way," she resolved. "It all ends here – by the end of the summer. I promise."

Accepting her vow as a pact between both friends and sisters, Amanda leaned in for a final hug, signaling her departure.

 **SCENE**

"August 8th."

Daniel looked up from where he sat at the bottom of the porch steps, relieved to hear the familiar voice. "Em," he whispered, watching her tread slowly up the walk, pulling her hair down to unravel at her shoulders. He gave her a tender look as she plopped down beside him.

"August 8th," she repeated. "And the wait is finally over." She took his hand into hers and nodded to him meaningfully.

He took a moment to digest. "You really do want to get married?"

"Of course," Emily shrugged, nearly forgetting the argument they had just left on. "I know it's only two weeks before Charlotte's due date, but it's the best I can do." She glanced back at the porch door. "We can tell her if she's up."

"She just got in actually," he clarified, to an odd look in return. "Yeah, apparently she caught my mother in a lie this evening – I'll let her tell you the rest." He took an uneasy breath and then shifted to face Emily, clutching her hand in his. "But unlike me, she was actually right about her suspicions. Whereas I…" he paused for emphasis. "Well I owe you an apology."

Surprised, Emily batted an eye. "So now you believe me?" she tested him fairly.

He nodded. "I shouldn't have accused you like that," he admitted sincerely. "Especially not when we both promised to be honest with each other. If we're ever going to fix our trust issues – I guess I have to start by actually trusting."

She absorbed his contrite words, enjoying them but also graciously understanding. "It's alright, Daniel," she resolved, letting it pass. "You were right about me putting a plan in motion – you just had the wrong players." He raised an eyebrow. "Let's just say for now, you'll have plenty to keep you busy this summer – including that position you wanted at _Voulez._ "

"Really?" Daniel fawned. "You talked to Margaux?"

Emily cocked her head in partial agreement. "Something like that," she divulged in part. "But as far as your father is concerned, I found out who was responsible." She stared into his eyes, growing serious. "Not surprisingly – it was Amanda. Again."

Daniel closed his eyes in oblivion. "Unbelievable," he huffed, irritated with himself. "I don't know why I didn't see that coming. So you saw her?"

"Just now," she admitted, gazing back towards the ocean. "She's going back into hiding while Jack stays behind with Carl, but she's desperate – they both are. They can't be together until she's safe and justice is served."

He absorbed it grimly. "Well that I can relate to."

Emily continued to reflect, staring out into space. "Hearing what it feels like for her to be away from someone she loves for that long…" she trailed off, looking over at him. "It made me think of us."

Daniel leaned in closer to make out her meaning. "You're afraid of losing me?"

Though it was a struggle, Emily answered him with a rare admission, intertwining her fingers with his. "I'm afraid of missing everything that's right in front of me," she breathed, fixating her eyes onto his.

With the truth in the open and her intent clear, any semblance of conflict seemed to melt away as their desire drew them to each other in a soft kiss. Daniel brought his hand up to cup Emily's chin and then slowly pulled away, meeting her insistent stare. "Then August 8th it is," he consented in a whisper.

She thanked him with a peck on the lips again, and then finally rose to her feet to head inside. He released her hand and stayed behind to take a moment alone with his thoughts, staring out at the dark, ominous waves of the ocean. When he closed his eyes, a vivid memory came to mind – a warm night in Paris where he and Emily had slept out on their balcony after a stretch of lovemaking, their bare skin pressed against each other beneath a thin cover…

 _"Tell me again," he whispered over her shoulder._

 _"What?" she asked._

 _"What it felt like," he intimated, stroking the curve of her neck. "When you thought I was still in the Grayson Global building when it exploded?"_

 _"Daniel—" she protested, turning up her nose sourly. "I try not to think about it."_

 _"Come on," he begged, somewhat impishly. "You never open up about how you feel. I told you what it was like for me – give me something?"_

 _Emily pondered and then finally spoke. "Fear," she stated plainly, hoping it would be enough. But Daniel's silence compelled her to elaborate and she gave in, defining it further. "Fear is the most primal of emotions... It can linger as a memory burned into one's mind of a parent taken too soon, or burrow into one's soul as self-doubt over a child's rejection..."_

Midway through the memory, Daniel found himself staring down at the sand beneath his feet. As a stray thought entered his mind, he picked up a stick from the ground and dragged in the sand, forming the figure eight once to signify the month of August, and then again over top to represent the day Emily had chosen. He stared at it closely, pausing to recall the last few words she had spoken that night in Paris, just before he drifted off to sleep.

 _"But the one thing we all fear the most – is the unknown."_

His intuition sharpened, Daniel turned his head to look at the figure he had drawn and it clicked: it was the infinity symbol tattooed on Emily's wrist. As a chill crept up his spine he shuddered in stark realization – he had just given willing consent to a summer of revenge.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: And the vengeance continues! So my dears, how did you like this revised opening to Season 3? I tried to specifically address the conflicts many of you thought should still exist btw Demily while still giving them plenty of hope, a realistic interaction and yet still tender moments – despite foreshadowing to rough tides ahead. :/ And as promised, Declan's legacy lives on in a big way :) If you're worried about any character appearances or absences fear not, there's plenty of time for more folks to show up! (And I already have some ideas) So now it's YOUR turn! Please review and tell me what you thought – your feedback means everything to me! And most importantly, do you want to keep reading? I promise to keep writing as long as you do. Love you all and thanks so much! ~Love & Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	24. Chapter 24: Sin

**A/N: Welcome back readers! Tying in with the theme of this installment, be on the lookout for the "seven deadly sins" (Google if you don't know them!) that all make appearances in this chapter - some even more than once! I hope they give you an extra edge when reading and add to your experience… while possibly making you reassess your faith in the characters by the end! *Foreshadowing Intended* LOL… anyway, hope you like it and for the east coast and some mid-west readers, hope this gives you a nice fuzzy feel for your snowy day in :) Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 24: Sin.**

 _It is believed that original sin can only be cleansed by the waters of baptism…_

Emily faced away from the nozzle in the shower, allowing the hot streams of water to pulse onto her back and over her head, soaking her hair. She closed her eyes and let the relaxing sensation soothe her spirit as she cleared her mind and readied her focus for the day ahead.

 _But it is the sins that follow that are not so easily washed away…_

At the sound of the shower running, Daniel woke and glimpsed Emily's empty side of the bed. He rubbed his eyes and arose sleepily, following the noise to her adjoining bathroom. But before entering, he noticed an unfamiliar woven bag at the side of the doorway and could not help peering inside. With a feeling of déjà vu, he recognized the infinity symbol etched atop a wooden box and traced it with his finger, having encountered its significance for the second time in the past week.

 _And since forgiveness of trespass is only granted to the truly penitent, pure evil can never be erased..._

Emily tensed at the sound of the shower curtain pulling open, but turned gracefully to meet Daniel's dreamy grin behind her. "Completely safe from prying eyes," he whispered, kicking off his undergarment and stepping inside. "And still, you flinch?" he teased.

She smiled apologetically, hoping he hadn't noticed. "Instincts," she answered, handing over the soap in her hand. "Good morning."

He eyed her wrist as she passed him the bar. "Instincts, huh?" he added playfully, planting a kiss on her back and drawing close. "I have those too." Emily arched her neck from the pleasant feel of Daniel's lips and listened to him continue to whisper against her skin. "Busy day ahead?"

"Yes," she replied longingly, closing her eyes.

"Mm," he continued between kisses, placing his arm around her midsection. "Can you push anything back?" he pressed.

She hesitated in favor of his wandering hand and purely enjoyed the moment, but was finally forced to answer. "Well, we're supposed to go over to the _church_ today to meet with Father Paul…?"

On the word 'church', Daniel abruptly stopped short. "Suddenly I feel very sinful," he confessed, retracting his hand from exploring further.

Emily smiled and opened her eyes, caressing him placidly as the moment subsided. "I need to get going anyway." She stepped out of the shower, toweling off while Daniel remained inside. "I have to drop by Nolan's first."

"Taking your box with you?" Daniel inquired pertinently from behind the curtain. "That's the one your father made, right?"

Conscious of his sharp memory and slight tendency to pry, Emily delayed before replying. "That's the one." She fiddled with her hair in the mirror, while Daniel continued.

"Yeah, I never did get a chance to see it," he reminded her. "You said you would show me one day?"

"Well, unfortunately it can't be today," she smoothed over neatly. "Being back here with Charlotte, I didn't think it wise to have it just lying around." She left the bath area to dress, her voice carrying from the other room. "And before you reprimand me, it's not because I'm hiding anything and certainly not because you don't know enough already about what my father went through. Someday I'll sit down with Charlotte to show her the whole thing – just not while she's expecting, and certainly not this week."

Daniel chuckled as he lathered himself in soap. "Did I _say_ anything?"

After a few minutes Emily suddenly pulled the curtain back and reappeared, fully dressed. "I know what you're thinking," she smoldered at his innocent look. "But she's been down the past few days and I'm worried about her. Ever since that night she came in late from seeing your mother, she hasn't been the same."

"I'll talk to her," Daniel promised, placing an assuring hand under Emily's chin. He pulled her in for a soft goodbye kiss. "You go ahead; I'll see you at the church."

Emily returned it with a tender, appreciative look in her eyes. "You're perfect."

 **SCENE**

Conrad shook awake at the sound of his bedroom curtains being thrust open and then squinted from the blinding stream of sunlight that shined through.

"Enough!" Victoria's brisk voice scolded as she paraded his room. "Five days of moping in the dark is the legal limit, even for former state governors," she added, with a hint of exasperation.

"I am not _moping_ ," he insisted staunchly, throwing off the covers and shifting gingerly to sit on the edge of the bed. "And I don't seem to recall this level of interest while I was convalescing six months ago," he glared at her meaningfully. "I take it this is a result of your son's recent departure?"

Victoria ignored his allegation and fixed a morning cocktail. "Conrad, we have _both_ suffered the losses of our respective children, in one way or another," she reminded him grimly, handing his drink over while she settled into a chair with her own. He took a sip, pondering the truth in her statement. "It's time we look after each other," she resolved.

He was unable to stifle a sharp snicker. "Heh, _you_ want to look out for _me_?"

"It appears to be my lot in life," she scoffed dryly.

"Mm," he humored her. "Well, if help is indeed your true intent I suggest you call in whatever investigator you appear to have kept on retainer these years." He picked up a folded stack of papers from his nightstand and Victoria nimbly realized he must have fallen asleep reviewing their bills the previous night.

Victoria cocked her head in interest. "Is this your request to finally meet Patrick?"

"No dear, to find the gunman responsible for my bleak future," he sighed, finishing off his drink while Victoria rolled her eyes at his melodrama. "But more importantly, to locate the whereabouts of our family fortune – since as of my resignation, we will be rendered _penniless_."

Victoria allowed his words to sink in as he set his drink down and struggled to his feet, finding his balance without her help to hobble into the bathroom. But in the meantime, he had given her quite the idea – one she was surprised she had not even thought of.

 **SCENE**

"Is that _Voulez_?"

Daniel looked up from his magazine to see Charlotte coming down the stairs. "Good morning, sis," he welcomed her, hoping her spirits had lifted. Ordinarily it would feel odd to see her lounging around Emily's beach house, but after living together for the past six months in Paris, it felt natural even in the new venue.

"'Good' would be if I could see my feet," she joked, cinching her bathrobe tightly around her belly as she shuffled over to the refrigerator. "Is it still considered gluttony if you're technically eating for two?"

"Nope, not at all," Daniel reassured, offering her the remains of breakfast along with a cup of tea. He rested it at her place setting and then returned to his article. "And yes, it's _Voulez_. Don't laugh, but I'm hoping to make it my new place of employment."

"Danny!" Charlotte beamed, sitting across from him. "Laugh – are you kidding? I'm so proud of you! Making your own name for yourself despite the damning legacy from our parents – you're going to do great, I just know it."

"Yeah, well don't celebrate too soon," he dialed back humbly. "I still have an official interview later tonight before anything is final… speaking of our parents, you never did tell me the full story of what happened with you and Mom?"

She sipped at her tea without response and raised her brow at Daniel's expectant stare. "What," she replied, gesturing to her stomach. "I'm not a little girl, remember? I don't have to tell you _everything_ that goes on with me."

"No, but – you're still my sister _,_ " he argued protectively.

With a final roll of her eyes, she set down her cup. "Fine; I sent Patrick away." His eyes widened and she sighed insistently. " _Please_ don't say anything – not even to Emily, I don't want to worry her. You know how she gets when I talk about him."

Daniel concealed his deeper insights. "Yeah, alright," he agreed uneasily. "So what happened?"

"What else?" she answered obviously. "Mom promised she had cut all ties with him and I knew she was lying. I show up at our suite in the South Fork Inn and there he is. So I threatened him if he didn't disappear," she shrugged.

"You _threatened_ him?" Daniel repeated in surprise. "With what?"

"Leverage," Charlotte stated simply behind another sip of tea. "But that's not important. What's important is he's gone now, and I don't want to think about it anymore." She brightened in disposition. "I've decided to stop wallowing in self-pity and spend my time on something worthwhile – namely, Declan's family."

Daniel nodded. "That's right; Jack's back at the _Stowaway_." Before his mind could wander Charlotte continued on.

"I know it'll be hard," she acknowledged solemnly. "All the memories … but I want Dec Jr. to grow up around all the people that love him. I just think he'll feel at home there; I know I still do." Daniel watched her, sympathizing with the internal pain she struggled with. She caught his worried look and attempted to shake it off for his sake. "Besides, it's close to my new doctor's office. I have an appointment just about every week nowadays, including today."

Daniel tried a tender grin, apologizing. "Wish I could take you, but I have to meet Emily at the church."

"Don't worry about it," she waved him off, heading over to the sink. "Wedding planning cheers me up. Even though I'm going to be the fattest Maid of Honor of all time," she joked.

"Oh, stop it, you're gorgeous," he assured her, preparing to leave. A warm feeling filled him when he pictured his sister being in their wedding, knowing just how much it meant to Emily. And while it irked him that Charlotte still did not fully know the significance, he understand why perhaps it was necessary. Yet in spite of the comfort, something in the mention of her calm dismissal of Patrick continued to unsettle him.

She smiled at his compliment, distracting him with a friendly hug goodbye. "Good luck on your interview tonight," she wished him. "Who's it with, Margaux?"

"Ashley actually," he clarified. "Turns out she's ah, part owner of _Voulez_ now."

"Lucky for you," she fawned. "Ash and Emily are thick as thieves." Daniel recalled, again feeling a strange twinge of concern. "I think it's safe to say, you're in."

 **SCENE**

"Entre vu," Nolan answered his door, as Emily barreled through with a bag in hand, barely giving him eye contact. He closed it behind her, tightening the belt on his bathrobe while studying his friend's disposition. "In a hurry, Ems?"

"I'm sure my entrance is nothing compared to _yours_ the other day," she answered irritably, setting the bag down on the counter and lifting out a stack of magazines she threw in to support the weight.

He crept over slowly. "Oh, the parachute incident?" he guessed. "Is that why you've been avoiding me all week?"

She turned to face him. "Thanks to you, Daniel thought it was all part of a scheme I cooked up to slip something to Conrad. It took long enough to convince him that your flair for acrobatics had nothing to do with me."

"Yikes," Nolan digressed, adding a chuckle. "Though you can't blame him – it _did_ have all the signs of an 'Emily Thorne' original? Even I assumed you'd be coming over to celebrate," he scratched his head thoughtfully. "Though when you didn't show I… sort of figured it out."

Emily glared back, sidelining her exasperation. "The only person _I_ took down that night was Margaux," she sighed, slapping an old issue of _Voulez_ onto the counter with Ms. LeMarchal on the cover. "It was Amanda that went after Conrad – right before she disappeared again."

"Girl is _persistent,_ " Nolan commented in surprise, settling onto a barstool. He reached into the counter drawer and after fumbling around came up with a thick red Sharpie. "Too bad he survived – yet again. Not so lucky for Mademoiselle LeMarchal," he added playfully, and proceeded to cross off Margaux's face on the cover. "And the revengenda continues…"

"I promised Amanda and Jack I'd finish this before the end of the summer," Emily admitted. "If I don't – Jack swore to reveal who I really am."

Nolan lurched back in shock. " _Touché'?_ " A thought dawned on him. "Wait – he doesn't know I'm president of the inner circle, does he?"

"No," Emily answered, assuring Nolan his insight was safe. "He doesn't know anyone knows, and I'd rather keep it that way. Let's not forget he's tried to take things into his own hands before." She leaned forward with determination. "But Amanda deserves more than fragments of her life, and once I finish this once and for all, she'll have it. That means everyone – not just the Graysons, but anyone else who helped them frame my father. No exceptions."

"So, who's next to get got with red on their face?" Nolan shifted focus, peeking into the bag still on the counter.

Emily reached into it and removed the Infinity Box. "First, I need to trust you with this," she requested. "With Charlotte at home all day, it's too dangerous to have it at my beach house." Nolan agreed, and Emily finished while he stashed it for safekeeping. "Next, I'm going after Paul Whitley.  
He was in charge of enticing investors to Grayson Global. My father saw him holding closed-door meetings with everyone who eventually betrayed him."

"So Conrad used Paul's silver tongue to sway the undecided?" Nolan deduced thoughtfully. "I always wondered how so many people turned against a man as good as your dad."

"Now you have your answer," Emily affirmed, staring ahead. "And I have my next challenge."

"Challenge?" Nolan repeated. "Why, is he some untouchable C.E.O.?"

She smirked. "He works for an even higher power."

 **SCENE**

"Daniel – meet Father Paul."

Emily stood on watching as Daniel extended a handshake to Paul Whitley – the residing deacon over the church in which they stood. Father Paul welcomed the introduction with a warm smile, completing the pictorial of supposedly reverent man, pledged to a life of holy service. Yet to Emily's eyes, all she saw was a thick cloud of deceit that she couldn't wait to expunge.

"Hello, Father," Daniel greeted their potential officiant. "Daniel Grayson," he introduced himself.

"Conrad and Victoria's son?" Father Paul clarified, suddenly tensing. At Daniel's hesitant nod he continued. "I used to work for your father a long time ago, at Grayson Global."

"Wow," Daniel replied, averting his gaze over to Emily. "What a coincidence."

"I don't believe much in coincidence," Father Paul added with a shrug.

"We couldn't agree more, Father," Emily piped in. She eyed the altar with interest, as Father Paul went on, his concentration on Daniel.

"That was terrible what happened to your father last year – as was his recent diagnosis," he commented. "How are your parents holding up?"

"Well, as good as could be expected, I guess," Daniel answered flatly. "I take it you're not in touch with them anymore."

Father Paul bowed submissively. "They weren't exactly happy with my exit from the firm."

"Mm," Daniel murmured, looking over at Emily again. "Well, since you're officiating, maybe this was meant to be?"

As if on cue, she affectionately took his hand and gestured to the altar. "Father, do you mind if we um—" she began, waiting for him to acknowledge.

"Oh sure," Father Paul obliged sincerely. "Take her for a test drive – see how she feels." He hung back by the pews as they walked the aisle.

Daniel posed across from Emily as if pretending to exchange vows, and once out of earshot, proceeded to confirm his suspicions. " _He's_ your next conquest?" he verified in a low whisper. "What, you think he'll get another confession out of my dad?"

"Very funny," she glared back. "This man single-handedly swayed nearly every investor on the fence at Grayson Global to turn against my father, Daniel." She glanced over, but Father Paul appeared in deep thought. "After what Amanda did, I figure we give your family a rest."

Daniel hesitated, pondering. "Are you sure about this? This is a man of God we're talking about, what if he's changed since then?" He thought back to the brief conversation they had with the minister who walked them in. "Didn't they mention he did missionary work overseas before being assigned to St. Francis? That's quite a radical shift from the corporate life."

"What he did to ease his conscience doesn't change what he's done in the past," Emily argued. "Besides, if he was that contrite, why didn't he ever come forward?"

"Alright," Daniel conceded, sensing the emotion growing in her voice. "If you feel that strongly about it, I just…" he looked over again and this time felt Father Paul's eyes on them. Remembering their diversion, he took both of her hands in his. "I just don't want you to make a mistake."

"I won't," she assured him. There was a brief pause and she too realized the stance they were in, looking up into Daniel eyes. Oddly, she felt the flutter of butterflies in her stomach, picturing the reality it signified and became lost in the moment—

"How you two making out over there?" Father Paul called out, interrupting them.

Emily snapped out of the trance, and with a nod from Daniel she answered on their behalf. "I think we're decided."

 **SCENE**

"Hey, 'Uncle' Jack."

Jack looked up, warmed by the sound of Charlotte's voice at the door of the _Stowaway_. A smile spread over his face immediately, taking in the sight of her rounded but still petite frame. "Hey, look at you," he replied, rising from the bar table to give her a friendly hug. He stood back, admiring her again. "You're glowing!"

Charlotte chuckled. "That's everyone's nice way of saying I'm gigantic."

"Stop," Jack insisted, still all smiles. "I can't think of anything more beautiful," he added sincerely, guiding her back to where he was seated with Carl. He pulled her chair out for her while she played with the baby. "Carl missed you," Jack spoke for him, sitting down. "Seeing you makes me glad we decided to come back – and glad you did too."

"Ugh, I missed you both so much," she agreed, lifting Carl out of his booster seat to coddle him in her arms. "And I need the practice with this little one," she added, bouncing him lightly. "Soon you're gonna have a little cousin to play with," she cooed with a smile. "Won't that be fun?" Carl stayed calm for a few seconds and then began to fuss, disappointing her. "I guess my auntie skills are out of touch?"

Jack shook his head and picked up the tablet sitting on the table, pulling up a video. "No, it's not you," he assured her. "Amanda is the only thing that calms him now." When Charlotte gave him a funny look, he caught himself and continued. "Her picture, that is," he stammered, breathing uneasily. He turned the video of his wedding on so that Carl could see and immediately his cries died down.

"Aw, Amanda was so beautiful," Charlotte commented, noting how quickly the video soothed the infant on her lap. "And there's Declan," she observed. The memory brought a tear to her eye and Jack watched her, echoing the sentiment while they both became lost in it for a moment. "It's so unfair they're gone," she added wistfully.

Jack struggled to keep from fidgeting, unnerved at having to go along with a partial untruth. He was saved only by Carl, who started fussing again. "Aw, Carl," Charlotte attempted to calm him, but he finally broke into a full-on cry. "Here, go back to Daddy," she relented, handing him over. "Clearly I'm not ready for motherhood just yet."

Jack lifted Carl into his arms and stood up, rubbing his back. "Don't say that," he begged her. "You're going to be a great mother."

"I'm not so sure," she continued, wiping another tear away.

Jack took notice and pressed her with concern. "Charlotte, what is it?"

"Nothing, it's just," she sighed, choking back a sob. "Sometimes I wonder if—" she paused, unsure if she wanted to unleash the heavy burden that was wearing on her, and then suddenly remembered her promise to keep a fresh outlook from that morning. "Never mind," she finally answered, standing up. "I um—I better get going, I have to go to a doctor's appointment."

"Hang on," Jack insisted, unwilling to let her go alone. "Give me a second to get a bottle for Carl and someone to cover for me – and we'll take you."

"Jack, I can't ask you to do that—" she protested.

"You didn't," he cut her short, with a brotherly grin. "But I'm insisting on it. You're not giving up that easy. Besides," he added, looking down at his son's bright eyes. "Carl wants to see a picture of his nephew."

Charlotte exhaled a big smile and knew even if she wanted to, she could not say no.

 **SCENE**

"Hey, Boss."

Victoria looked up from guiding Conrad to an easy chair on the balcony, meeting the attention of their guest with an unbelievable look of surprise. "Paul," she declared, while Conrad grumbled beside her.

"If that's who I think it is, send him away," Conrad demanded as she left his side.

"It's been a long time, Victoria," Paul greeted her from the doorway of Conrad's room.

"I was under the impression that I had laid eyes on you for the last time years ago," she answered, sauntering over to him. With one look at his attire, she quickly concluded an assumption on his purpose. "Are you here to condemn Conrad on his post-diagnosis sloth?"

"Trust me, I had no intention of ever seeing you or Conrad again," he asserted, entering the room. "But the Lord works in mysterious ways – and it so happens that Daniel and Emily have asked me to preside over their wedding."

"Ugh," Victoria scoffed at the idea. "Yet another fateful attempt of our son shaming us over events best relegated to history," she assumed. "I sincerely hope you're not considering it?"

"Actually, I was hoping to put the past to rest," Father Paul countered.

"Well, _rest,_ is now Conrad's favored vice," Victoria explained. "And as I'm certain your presence will give him anything but, he'll most likely ask you to leave."

"And I will," Father Paul assured her. "But not before I bury the hatchet between us – I am here, after all on God's orders – not my own."

Victoria sneered at his clever reply and saw no reason to deflect him any further. "Then by all means," she conceded, and stood aside, permitting him entry to the balcony while she took her leave instead. Father Paul made his way over, stopping within feet of Conrad.

"Please, spare me the pious priest act," Conrad greeted him wryly. "I believe you have been more than adequately compensated for your silence."

"Not here for money, Conrad," Father Paul answered respectfully, crossing his hands. "I'm offering something of higher value."

Conrad finally turned to look at him. "Oh, _God_ , of course, that why you're here," he mocked him. "Well, you may have changed your collar but I know firsthand that that soul of yours is far from unblemished."

Again, Father Paul bowed his head with respect. "I asked for forgiveness," he merely stated in contrast. "I found peace in my penance. And I'm here to suggest that your plight is the Lord's way of forcing you to do the same – to atone for your sins."

"The _Lord_?" Conrad laughed disdainfully. "In my opinion, a vengeful deity who has seen to it that I have had two brushes with fate within the past year, both of which rendered me more impaired than the last."

"But, both of which you survived," Father Paul reasoned. He cast a gaze over Conrad, who appeared to at least consider his point. "Even life with suffering can serve a purpose – it causes us to look at who we'll be when we die. And while the act of acknowledging your sins is terrifying, I've learned that it's better to be honestly unhappy than dishonestly so."

"Oh," Conrad replied in a low tone, suddenly perking up. "Well, then you know what? I'd like to confess that I am _honestly_ unhappy that you're here."

Father Paul humored his sardonic reply and started for the door. "Okay," he accepted. "You can make fun. But times like these require support – and something tells me," he paused to recall Victoria's brazen admission of their son's disdain for them. "You may not have it."

 **SCENE**

"So, Daniel – what are you prepared to offer to the company?"

Ashley stared through a pair of fashion glasses across the table at her perspective hire, accompanied by his fiancé at his side. Despite the professional pretense, their dinner was really quite casual, more like a meeting between three good friends than a formal interview. But given the information she was about to share, she enjoyed prolonging the fun part while still able.

"Well, I bring with me a hefty resume of business experience, and a sea of reliable marketing advisers," Daniel humored her, raising a glass. "And a promise never to mention the words 'Grayson Global' ever again?" he joked.

"Hear, hear," she clamored in appreciation. She lowered her glass and continued. "But in all seriousness, Daniel – I've been in contact with Margaux and I think there's some confusion around what kind of position I'm able to offer."

Emily cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"What do you mean?" Daniel pursued, shifting noticeably.

"Well," Ashley leaned forward to gently deliver the news. "After the ordeal surrounding our _arrangement_ ," she glanced to Emily meaningfully. "She's not comfortable trusting the Grayson name with _Voulez'_ contacts. She'd prefer you take an Assistant Editor role – offer commentary on the articles, research the subjects – but all with no public exposure. Translation: no credit."

"Well, that's not so bad," he conceded, despite catching her earlier reference. "I did want to get back to my writing roots; that's a start. So, who's her first subject?"

Ashley removed her eyeglasses. "Nolan Ross." When the others both gave odd expressions back, she explained. "Apparently she finds him fascinating, her key words were – brilliant, unpredictable, and on the cutting edge of fashion."

Emily leaned forward. "I thought she was interested in a piece on Conrad?"

"You actually _prefer_ him?" Daniel asked and she shrugged in return. "I thought the whole idea of suggesting my father was just bait – not literal?"

"And have you forgotten, Emily," Ashley offered in support, lowering her voice. "The presumed dead _Amanda_ was at the helm of the attempts on Conrad's life, both times?"

"So?" Emily boldly challenged them both. "Only _we_ know that. Shifting the primary suspect on that case to someone _else_ could be a protection for her."

"You mean, put a spin on his story," Daniel concluded, following her thinking. "So Margaux gets my dad to share his perspective and then as editor, I conveniently fill in the blanks to slant it – without anyone ever knowing?"

"Precisely," Emily agreed, her eyes twinkling. "And if we just so happen to include a few details about his past sins… well then, it's up to the public to decide what they believe." She asserted her stance at Daniel who could not object, despite inwardly being on edge. She turned back to Ashley. "Can you pitch it, Ash?"

"I swear you both are barking mad," Ashley replied, shaking her head at them. "But, insanely clever," she had to admit. "Give me a moment to make some calls."

With her gone from the table, Emily reached forward to grab her phone but was stopped by Daniel's hand. "Hey," he questioned her. "This is a dangerous game, even if we succeed. I could lose my job just as easily as I got it."

"For what?" she argued. "Daniel, you're not doing anything but telling the truth about Conrad – that's all you ever wanted to do anyway. And besides, speculating on other people that could have wanted him dead won't be hard – last I checked there was a list, including a few friends."

"Like Father Paul?" Daniel suggested.

Emily could not help but roll her eyes. "Don't tell me you're questioning that too? He's not even family—"

"No, but Charlotte is," he reminded her, tensing. At her insistence he let go of her hand. "And you need to be careful with all of this – your habits are rubbing off on her."

"What?" Emily was now intrigued. "What are you talking about?"

Daniel digressed, hoping he didn't regret what he did next. "She didn't want me to say anything but, Patrick didn't just disappear on your request. The other night when she came in late? It was because she sent him away, to spite my mother for lying to her. When I asked how, she said she _threatened_ him – with some kind of leverage. Sound familiar?"

A look in Emily's eyes told him she was not pleased with the news. But before she could erupt, Ashley was on her way back to the table, giving Daniel just enough time for one more admonition to his fiancé. "Look, she's in a better place now and even went to see Jack today, so do us both a favor and don't tell her I told you," he breathed slowly. "But just remember – your actions affect everyone around you – even the innocent."

 **SCENE**

"I heard you took Charlotte to her appointment yesterday?"

It was late afternoon when Jack heard the familiar sound of Emily's voice while kneeling down to look at show puppies in the middle of Montauk Park. Instead of turning to face her, he continued playing with one of the friendlier ones, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, well I remember those days well," he responded flatly.

Emily crouched down to his level, hoping it would soften her approach. She didn't expect Jack to want to talk to her, but could not mask her concerns nonetheless. "Did you… talk about anything?" she asked carefully.

Jack huffed in exasperation. "If you mean, did I tell her that her sister is not only _alive_ but also _not_ her real sister –" he finally turned to face her head-on. "Then, no; I didn't."

"Good," Emily replied, with a pleading look. "Please don't."

Shaking his head at her continued secrecy, Jack finally stood up. "I won't say anything," he agreed. "But only because I know Amanda still cares about her – not because you asked me to." He grew passionate with his assertion. "And because truthfully – Charlotte _is_ a part of my family now. And I want to be involved in my nephew's life. But it's not easy to watch her blame herself for Declan's death when I know who was really responsible."

He started away and Emily followed behind him, spurned with interest. "Wait—Charlotte's been blaming herself?"

"That comes as a surprise to you? She's _your_ sister!" he reminded her, incredulous. "You've been with her for six months, Emily – how did you not see that?"

"Maybe because I've been too busy concentrating on damage control," she fired back in defense. "Did you ever think about that? Every time I try to end this, Amanda interferes!"

Jack furrowed his brow, studying her expression. "So you talked to her?"

She glanced around nervously. "She came to see me before she left," she answered. "Conrad's collapse? That wasn't his nerve damage flaring up, that was _her_! She could've killed him—"

"He seems to come out alright each time—" Jack argued back.

"Not for a lack of trying!" Emily cut in, throwing her hands up. She paused to gain calm again. "Look, I don't know where she is or how to contact her, but I'm sure you do." She stared at him directly, sensing by the lines in his face that she was right. "And for her benefit, you need to remind her to stay out of this. And so do you."

 **SCENE**

"Victoria? Come to borrow a cup of vinegar?"

Nolan stood in waiting as Emily's arch nemesis greeted him on the other side of his front door, beaming with a smile he knew to have hidden meaning.

"No," she sneered proudly, bearing a basket of muffins in hand. "I wanted to drop these off and welcome you to the neighborhood. We didn't get a chance to talk the other day after that little stunt of yours."

He accepted them awkwardly, knowing better that the Queen of the Hamptons rarely made welcoming visits, much less to extend hospitality. "Well, I couldn't wait to be surrounded by nothing but air after having been locked up for six months," he explained, feeling the aftermath for the second time that week. While he studied her carefully, Victoria walked in without invitation and began appraising his living space.

"Quite the abode, Mr. Ross," she commented, striding through the common area. "And after your recent legal issues, how fortunate you were able to purchase such a palace?"

Nolan found it hard not to enjoy the thrill of comeuppance, already calculating that the square footage of his home outweighed Grayson Manor by more than a few hundred feet. "Aw, Victoria. Haven't you ever heard the envious person grows lean with the fatness of their neighbor?" he smirked, and on her daring look added a shrug. "So sayeth Socrates."

"You must have enjoyed all that extra time to read during your incarceration," she quipped sorely and started for the kitchen. "Well for your information, I happen to be well educated on just how long it takes to thaw frozen assets. In fact, I'm certain someone with your technological prowess would have no trouble accessing bank accounts, whether they belong to you or not?"

Nolan eyed her cautiously; convinced of her visit's underlying meaning. "Although I love a good shower of praise, I don't know if you've noticed, but, uh, my life is a computer-free zone these days." He made a sweeping gesture that prompted her to look around while he arranged the basket of muffins on the counter. Meanwhile, Victoria spied something interesting on the table, and edged closer to where the copy of _Voulez_ with Margaux's face crossed off was still sitting out.

"Oh, I see you've made room for other things," she observed, picking it up. "Written publications, for example. Not a fan of LeMarchal media?"

He quickly rushed over to take it from her hand. "Uh—just narrowing down options for my first post-incarceration interview," he muttered, reusing her phrase as he stashed the magazine away in a drawer. "So, what's up Vicky G? You want something or did you stop by just to give home décor tips?"

She cocked her head to the side, gazing the room. "I would venture to say it's _you_ who holds the skill at finding rare valuable items."

He shrugged. "Such as?"

"Well, last year it was Patrick …" she reflected. "I never did thank you for the hand I'm certain you played in his return. But I'm afraid I need you to flex those skills yet again."

Nolan contorted his face in disbelief. "So you can pay me with what - more baked goods once the Prodigal returns?"

She laughed in amusement. "You've misunderstood me. I'm not soliciting your skills to find my son," she clarified. "I have the means to do that on my own now. No, what I am requesting is for you to focus your energies on my family's fortune."

He squinted in feigned surprise. "Didn't realize it had gone missing?" he pretended.

Victoria put on a fake smile and stole another glance around his home. "Of course you didn't," she hinted daringly. "But if you can locate it – I'm certain we can work out a percentage for your troubles." With her offer extended she began her exit, leaving Nolan with plenty to think about. "Enjoy your day, Mr. Ross. And welcome back to the Hamptons."

 **SCENE**

"Why would she think you had access to her money?"

Nolan bent down to retrieve a batch of muffins from the oven, and answered Emily's worried inquiry once he had set them on the counter to cool. "I'm not sure, she started off going on about how I helped with finding Patrick," he paused to remove his oven mitts, leaning across from her on the counter. "She must assume that if I was able to dig him out of hiding, I can access virtually any hidden online entity – including the whereabouts of the emptied Amanda Clarke Foundation?"

"Or that you already _did_ in order to pay for this house," Emily deduced, concentrating in thought.

He shrugged, looking around. "You're the one that chose a ten million dollar hangout...but hey, I'm not complaining," he reasoned, admiring his muffins. "It's got the perfect venue to practice the hobby I picked up working in the prison kitchen. Which clearly, Victoria is not as proficient at," he reached over to empty her muffins into the trash, planning to fill the basket with his own.

"But she _is_ becoming too skilled at sleuthing around," Emily countered, growing concerned. "She absolutely cannot dig any further into that account; it'll lead her straight to Amanda." Her mind wandered, assessing what options she had to ensure it stayed protected. "Aiden's the one who set it up for her – worst case scenario; we may need his help to cover the cyber trail again."

"Hey, relax," Nolan attempted to console her. " _I'm_ the only living brain that could crack that code besides him and I'm not going near a mainframe anytime soon." He took a breath, transitioning to his next admission. "Although I _did_ get myself a library card in lieu of Wi-Fi…"

Emily raised a brow. "For what?"

He looked away sheepishly. "I did a little research on Father Paul Whitley – turns out, he's practically the Mother Theresa of the Bronx." He continued while Emily sighed in exasperation. "Ems, every other takedown has had a history that read like a rap sheet, but all signs point to Paul being a good man!" She continued to huff and he rushed to finish his point. "Look, I just think this time you're going too far – if you cannot forgive Paul, how do you expect to be forgiven?"

"You already gave me this Sunday School lesson, Nolan," Emily snapped back. "Forgiving Daniel was one thing, but this is totally different!" As a thought came to mind, she took her phone out to make a call.

"Different sin, maybe, but same principle," Nolan argued. "Or maybe this one is just… pride on your part? I mean, think back Ems – have you ever _reversed_ a take down?" She shot him a wry look and stepped out to take the call in the hallway, but he left her with a lingering thought. "Just check your soul, ok Emily Thorne? Because once you start taking down kittens…I'm out."

 **SCENE**

Daniel did his best to pay attention to Ashley while she walked him through his role at their temporary workspace, but the Manhattan skyline in the adjoining window was too much of a distraction and allowed his mind to wander. The vibration of his phone interrupted his daydream, garnishing Ashley's attention but he ignored it, and tried to focus on what she was explaining.

"So," she paused from debriefing. "You like the new office?"

He shrugged. "It's alright." Again his phone vibrated, and this time Ashley stole a peek to see that it was Emily.

"You're not going to answer that?" she prompted him.

He thought about it and then shook his head. "I'm working," he excused himself. "Besides, I kind of zoned out a minute ago – I don't want to come back asking you too many questions later on."

Ashley chuckled and straightened the file in her hand. "Don't worry, Daniel, I'm new at this too. And I'm not going to lord my supervisory role over you – though it is tempting." Her joke elicited a smile, realizing the complete role reversal he had in now working for _her._ "Really, I just want to make sure you're comfortable in your job. You can ask me anything."

She started to leave his cubicle but Daniel called out, taking her up on the offer. "Anything?" he repeated. When she shrugged her shoulders in the affirmative, he leaned back in his chair and continued. "Alright, here's a question – did Emily have a hidden motive in getting rid of Margaux?"

Caught off guard, Ashley tensed immediately and took a step back towards his desk. "Ah—what are you talking about?" she asked. "Daniel, she did that to help procure you this job."

He raised an eyebrow, not buying it. "Margaux would've given it to me anyway," he insisted.

"Well maybe," she continued on. "But it was also a necessary precaution – and Emily wanted to help me with a huge opportunity … and then of course there's the vantage point it gave her with Victoria… and, and," she ransacked her brain, trying to come up with more but it was no use. She finally gave in, sheepishly. "And yes, she didn't trust Margaux."

Daniel stood, cheering her guilty expression. "It's alright, Ash – neither do I."

She looked up, surprised. "You don't trust her either?"

He looked away, licking his lips sheepishly. "Between you and me, Margaux and I go back pretty far and I know what she's capable of. And while she may be an old friend, she doesn't have much respect for ah, common moral codes," he alluded. Ashley batted an eye in surprise, wondering if he was admitting to it from firsthand experience. "You, on the other hand, do," he finished.

She smiled and bowed her head. "Thanks for that, Daniel," she acknowledged. "Emily's friendship means a lot to me."

"It means a lot to both of us," he added, suddenly hinting with an idea. "And it'll mean even more to me personally, if you can convince Margaux to move office headquarters to Montauk?"

Ashley raised her chin, reading him. "So you can be near Emily?" she deduced, making sense of why he seemed distracted all morning by the city skyline.

Daniel opened his palms. "Well, she hired you to keep an eye on me, right? Is it too much to ask to do the same to her?"

Ashley sighed, wondering how she had found herself mixed up in yet another year of their incessant games. "You two are truly made for each other," she commented aside, agreeing nonetheless. "But, that just so happens to work out… I have an interest in Montauk, as well."

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte, are you sure you want to do this? If you're not up to it, we can go home," Emily tried not to let her fretting overwhelm her sister as she walked her into the parlor of Grayson Manor and helped her to the couch.

"No, it's fine, really," Charlotte assured her, fairly used to her future sister-in-law's tendency to worry. She sat back against a pillow and caught her breath. "I may loathe my mother, but I haven't come to visit my father once since I've been back. I can make it through one dinner."

Emily tipped her head in an uneasy expression and walked over to fix herself a drink. "Suit yourself," she mumbled under her breath, waiting for the afore-mentioned to make an appearance.

"At the end of the day, they're still my parents," Charlotte continued reflectively, patting her belly. "I'm trying to appreciate that more as I become a mother." Sensing her disapproval, she glanced back at Emily, who kept quiet and only continued pouring her drink. "Even though I _really_ wish I could have one of those to make it easier," she added, eyeing the liquor bottles.

Emily forced an agreeable response. "Whatever you think is best," she replied and looked up as Daniel walked in just a moment later.

"Hey," he greeted them, looking around. "Parents come down yet?"

"Not yet," Emily answered, handing him the drink in her hand. She lowered her voice, leaning in close to whisper. "We waited for you at the house but I didn't want to be late – I need to talk to you about something."

He caught the urgency in her tone. "Sorry, my appointment in the city ran long," he alibied.

Emily nodded in interest. "How'd it go?"

Just then Conrad entered and Daniel hushed to conceal the topic. "We'll discuss it later," he answered quietly and came around to join Charlotte on the couch. "Dad," he greeted his father dryly.

" _Son_ ," Conrad echoed back in a similar tone. He was in much better form since Father Paul's visit –dressed smartly, albeit still using a cane to walk. Despite Daniel extending an arm to help him, he overlooked the gesture and instead focused on giving his daughter a warmer welcome. "Can this be my darling Charlotte – the mother-to-be?"

"Hey, Dad," Charlotte greeted him from her seat on the couch. "I'd get up, but it's kind of hard these days…"

"Not to worry sweetheart," Conrad assured her, leaning over to plant a kiss on her forehead. "We have your brother to thank for keeping you at a distance throughout most of your term," he paused to throw another glare at his son. Daniel rolled his eyes in defiance and sat down, while Emily took a seat beside him. Meanwhile, Conrad continued to smother Charlotte with attention. "I'm just delighted that we'll be able to attend the birth. How are you feeling these days?"

"I should be asking you that," she responded guiltily. "But I guess for Mom to call a sudden family summit, she must have figured you were up to it."

"Either that or she has some painstaking announcement," Conrad guessed.

"On the contrary… I wanted to introduce you to someone special," Victoria's voice rang through the room from the back entrance, prompting all to turn. As they did, nearly everyone's face fell as they took in the sight of Victoria marching in proudly with Patrick on her arm. "Patrick – meet the family," she introduced him with a smile.

"Oh my God," Daniel exhaled.

"Classic, Victoria, truly," Conrad chided her, nonchalantly turning to find a seat.

Emily stood up at once, filling with rage but was quickly trumped by Charlotte's reaction. "And just when I was thinking about giving you another chance," Charlotte sighed angrily, shaking her head. "Oh, Mother – you never fail to disappoint."

"Charlotte, it's time this family stopped denying its parts and started accepting them," Victoria argued, clutching Patrick's arm protectively. "All of them!" Patrick flinched at her declaration but kept an innocent grin plastered across his face.

Daniel took note and watched Emily's face tighten in wrath. He reached out to steady her, softly tapping her hand. But wisely enough, Emily did not speak, only diverted her attention between Patrick and her sister.

"Well, that's ironic coming from you," Conrad interjected, sneering at his wife. "Considering the sum you paid to make him disappear when he came forward the first time?"

All eyes went to Victoria, including Patrick's. "Is that true?" he asked, but Charlotte cut in before she could answer.

"Well at least something worked," she sniped, cutting her eyes at Patrick. "I guess money is the only thing that convinces you to stay or go?"

"Charlotte, if you have something to say, say it—" Patrick taunted her back.

"What are you two talking about?" Victoria questioned.

It was Daniel's turn to interrupt. "Alright, enough of this," he said, standing to address all. "This was obviously a bad idea and we're not going to stay to watch it deteriorate any further," he paused to extend a hand to his sister. "Come on, Charlotte let's go—"

"Charlotte, wait—" Victoria attempted to protest but Emily was already helping her to her feet.

"I'm sorry, Victoria," Emily edged in finally, with a warning look in her eyes. "But it's best if you leave this one alone." She reserved another darkened glare for Patrick and then sharply looked away, joining Daniel in escorting Charlotte out.

 **SCENE**

It was early morning when Daniel found himself seated on the porch steps in his work attire, staring ahead at the ocean waves lapping upon the beach. The beachfront of the house had become his choice spot of late, and he was fond of the lone moments where he could think without distraction, likely a habit he picked up while overseas. For a few seconds he closed his eyes and he was back, picturing himself in the quiet corner of the pool – relaxing in the sun, letting the warmth on his face clear his mind. Emily would usually find him there, and he was used to the sound of her quiet footsteps creeping up behind him, followed by the gentle touch of her hand on the back of his neck…

"You alright?

In perfect sequence with his flashback he opened his eyes, just as Emily took a seat beside him. He nodded, though it felt like a lie. "How's Charlotte?" he asked.

"Still resting," Emily answered, squinting in the sun. She waited for his next question to follow.

"You knew my mother was bringing Patrick back," Daniel posed as a statement. "That's what you wanted to tell me yesterday?"

Emily responded with a sigh, turning away. "I had a feeling. She went to see Nolan – asked for his help to find the 'Grayson fortune' right after conveniently mentioning Patrick's name." Daniel huffed, not surprised that greed was at the helm of her visit. Emily faced him again. "I tried to convince Charlotte not to come when I knew he might be there but, she insisted."

"She's stubborn," Daniel acknowledged, pressing his hands over the bridge of his nose. "But at least she saw for herself. My parents are as ruthless as ever."

Emily agreed with a downturn of her lip. "I don't think you'll get an argument from her when it comes to your mother. But she still thinks she owes something to your father," she looked into his eyes mindfully.

Daniel stewed over it. "I should talk to her," he resolved, looking to Emily for approval. "She may not be ready to handle everything at once, but she deserves to know the truth about him."

Seeing it was not her decision to make, Emily accepted it without argument. "Then I'll leave that to you to handle." She placed a hand on his knee and turned to leave. "I should let you get to work."

"Mm. Before I do," Daniel stopped her. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

She paused at the top of the steps, giving him a strange look. "Like?"

"Like…" he played back, asserting his foreknowledge. "The real reason you got me this job at _Voulez_? Or convinced _Ashley_ to get it for me?" She lowered down a step to meet his gaze and he continued. "You told me Margaux's dismissal was to gain trust with my mother."

"And that's exactly what it _was_ ," she swore.

His mouth curved up in a smile, challenging her. "You sure it wasn't _jealousy_?"

Emily came down to the final step. "Daniel, have you ever known me to be jealous?"

He stood so they were eye to eye. "I don't know. Sometimes you're hard to read." He gave her a skeptical once over, lifting a finger to palm the fringe of her blouse. "But I think you're capable – and I'd worry for anyone that tried to compete against you… Just like I worry about what you plan to do with Father Paul?"

Emily rolled her eyes, ready to go back in the house. "Which reminds me, I still have work to do on that—" she sidestepped, but Daniel grasped her by the arms to face him.

"Hey Em? It's okay to be vulnerable," he reminded her, leaning into her space. "It's just me. And you don't have anything to worry about. I'm with _you_." She gazed up at him, as if waiting for something, but he only stared back with honesty in his eyes. "In fact, I'll even be closer now – Ash is moving _Voulez_ to Montauk." Emily's eyes widened, prompting Daniel to grin at her shocked reaction and then lean in for a goodbye kiss.

Once they separated, he reached down for his briefcase, adding one last remark before leaving. "So that works both ways. Meaning if any, I don't know, _bar owners_ or _ex-Revenge alumni_ try to threaten what we have?" He tapped her nose lightly. "I'll know."

 **SCENE**

"Room service?"

Patrick approached his hotel door with a curious look at the sound of the knock, certain that the order had to be a mistake. "Hey, I didn't call for room service—" he began as he opened the door, barely able to finish before his sharply dressed visitor charged through, shoving him out of the way.

Emily made light work of disabling him long enough to slam the door behind and keep him at bay for questioning. "What the hell where you doing last night?" she started in right away. "We had a deal!"

"Yeah, well the deal has changed," Patrick snapped back, leering in her face once she released him. "And I don't need your money anymore." He grabbed an envelope from a nearby table and thrust it at Emily, who caught it without flinching.

"You think it's that simple?" she challenged, cocking her head in disbelief. "Patrick, I know all about your past and I have no problem exposing you—"

"Do it!" he threatened in return, throwing his arms up in taunt. "I don't care anymore. And you can tell Charlotte I said the same thing – if she goes public about our relationship, she'll only be hurting herself—"

"I don't want to hear another word about that," Emily cut him off, driving a wrathful finger into his face. "What you did to her was disgusting, and even if Victoria's decided to forgive you, she's not the only one you have left to contend with!"

"Oh, I think you'll find a way to let it slide," he assumed arrogantly. "Especially since I'm the only thing that stands in the way of my mother finding out it was _you_ that dug me out of hiding?" When his threat silenced her momentarily, he lowered his eyes to study her. To him, she was nothing more than a spoiled billionaire and a paycheck, sporting him for hire since last summer without ever quite revealing her reasons. "Just what is it that you have against her anyway? Victoria has been nothing but kind to me, and in a few months you'll be calling her your _mother—_ in-law… You really hate her that much?"

Emily let out a condescending sigh. "My history with Victoria is none of your concern," she stated firmly. "And while you may have inherited her signature traits of deceit and betrayal, I promise you," she edged closer, imposing her final warning before an inevitable exit. "If you get involved in this war any more than you already have? Whether I have the last word, or she does – you are going to end up a casualty."

 **SCENE**

"Oh, there's my girl!"

Conrad set down his newspaper at the sight of his daughter entering his room, relieved that she had returned despite the display the night before. His face brightened, welcoming her with a smile. "I hoped your mother's antics wouldn't keep you away—"

But instead Charlotte stared him down, interrupting vehemently. "I am _not_ your girl," she asserted behind reddened eyes. "Don't try to placate me – you disgust me! Despite all the horrible things I heard about Flight 197 and what you did to my actual father, I hoped it wasn't true, that you couldn't be that evil—"

Conrad raised a hand in protest. "Dear, what are you saying?"

She inhaled a breath to speak through near sobs. "You knew about the bomb that killed Declan!" she burst painfully.

He furrowed his brow in expectation. "Who told you that – Daniel?"

"It doesn't matter!" she shouted back. "Do you have any idea how guilty I feel over his death? From the moment it happened, I blamed myself. If I had just told Declan where I was instead of lying, he wouldn't have come looking for me at Grayson Global!" She put a protective hand over her midsection, as if guarding the tender life that still thrived inside it. "And our child wouldn't be forced to grow up without his father. But now to find out it was all you? How _could_ you?!"

At the sound of the commotion, Victoria soon appeared at the doorway and stood back to listen while Conrad tried to respond to her accusations.

"Charlotte, sweetheart," he defended warily. "It's obvious your brother has filled your head with his nonsensical conspiracy theories—"

"Why would Danny tell me anything other than the truth?" Charlotte insisted. "He's never lied to me. But you?" She shook her head, and caught a glimpse of her mother in her peripheral vision. "Well that's what you both do best." She raised her eyes and addressed them both scornfully. "Stay away from me and stay out of my child's life! You two deserve to die miserable and alone."

With only the sting of her denouncement hanging in the air Charlotte stormed off, determined to never return again.

 **SCENE**

"So your instincts about turning Patrick were a little off… Kind of makes you want to reconsider taking down Father Paul, doesn't it?"

Emily rolled her eyes as she followed Nolan through the patio doors into his house, just as the sun was setting behind them. "Tell me you didn't call me here to talk me out of it," she sighed in annoyance.

Nolan grew in anticipation, certain her irritation was about to become even more enflamed. "Just finishing a little home improvement project," he began, leading her to a secret contraption in the wall where he had stashed the Infinity Box behind a large painting.

"Nice, Nolan," she commented, admiring the clever hiding place.

"And that's not all," he continued, removing the box to reveal it had already been opened, with contents noticeably missing.

A chill went up Emily's spine in duress. "Nolan," she started accusingly. "What did you do-?"

No sooner than she began her question was she cut off by the sound of Daniel's voice, preceding his appearance from around the wall corner. " _'All I ask is that you promise to do the one thing that I was never able to do_ ,'" he read from a black journal that Emily immediately recognized as her father's. Her eyes flickered to Nolan in anger and she winced as Daniel finished. " _Forgive_."

Daniel paused on that word to meet eyes with Emily, silencing her with a continuance of the passage. " _'Keeping hate for the people who betrayed me has brought nothing but torment and heartache – you deserve better than that, Amanda_ ," he stopped dramatically and then closed the book in a serious tone, allowing the final words to resonate. " _'You deserve_ _love_.'"

Emily bowed her head in a show of embarrassment, though it was not enough to prevent her from berating her friend. "How could you go through my things, Nolan? I _trusted_ you-!"

"Em—" Nolan began but Daniel stopped him with a gesture.

"Hey, don't take this out on him," he scolded her, handing the book over. She accepted it from him irritably and averted eye contact, looking down while packing the box back up. "I'm the one that asked to see it. And what I see here is a father who clearly loved his daughter and never wanted this path for her—"

"I'm aware of that," she replied in a rush, hurrying to shove the box back in the wall. Nolan stepped away to allow her space, giving Daniel room to step in. "Just like you were aware when I brought you into this that I chose this path _because_ I loved my father! I thought you understood that?" She glared over at Nolan. "Both of you!"

"Ems, we _do_ understand that," Nolan insisted, despite her ignoring his plea to snatch the key from his hand. He stepped forward to implore his case. "I _loved_ your father too, and I _love_ his daughter—"

"And so do I," Daniel reinforced, joining Nolan in protest. "Look, both of us know this is something you have to do, we just don't want you to do something you might regret—" she turned to avoid his reprimand and he followed her, reaching out to impress his point. "Em, I have a bad feeling about this whole thing with Father Paul, I'm just asking you to reconsider!"

"The plans are already in motion, Daniel," she fired back tirelessly, throwing her hands up. "There's nothing I can do now!"

His eyes pleaded with her for even the slightest acquiesce, and he lowered his voice to a tender whisper. "Maybe even the best laid plans are sometimes meant to be abandoned?"

Her face remained stone as she absorbed the completion of what felt like an unexpected ambush. Regardless of the invasion of her privacy, the sincere expressions on both Daniel and Nolan's faces were enough to tug at her heartstrings, and admittedly she did feel a measure of hesitation. But true to form, her pride would not permit her to overlook their transgression in favor of her uncertainty.

"Or maybe they're meant to be carried out _alone_ ," was all she could reply instead, flashing the key to the Infinity Box in her hand as a warning. With a final look of disappointment, she turned in angst and walked off into the night.

 **SCENE**

Emily slowed her steps as her heels tapped down the aisle of the church, echoing into the open spans of a cathedral ceiling. Candles lit the altar in some service of memoriam, but before she had a chance to deduce their meaning, the answer came in the form of the lone visitor sitting in the front pew.

"Conrad?" she called to him in surprise.

He turned, acknowledging her once she came into view. "Emily," he sighed distantly, guessing why she was there. "Well, I guess it's true what they say – a bride's work is never done."

"What are you doing here?" she asked upon reaching him, sitting a row behind.

Conrad lowered his gaze, the candlelight forming shadows to dance on his darkened face. "I _was_ here to see Father Paul," he admitted. "But I was informed there was an incident; he's been forced to leave St. Francis." He faced her in apology. "I suppose that's the last thing a bride wants to hear."

Emily shifted in her seat, knowing it was only by her orchestration that had come to pass. But to continue unnoticed she merely feigned surprise. "That's terrible!"

Yet Conrad's next admission filled her with sincere astonishment. "I must confess, I share your disappointment," he agreed.

Her eyes piqued in interest. "Why?"

He cocked his head sheepishly. "He and I got off on the wrong foot yesterday… he tried to help me to understand the natural balance of things and as usual, I ignored it like an arrogant fool." He paused after the rare glimpse of humility, continuing to fill the awkward silence. "But he was right. We reap what we sow, and I suddenly feel the harvest upon me, Miss Thorne. It's time for me to face the punishment for my sins."

Barely able to contain the depth of his shocking words, Emily repressed her disillusion to convey a response. "I'm sorry," she offered.

"Oh," he assured her. "Please excuse my senseless prattle, none of this concerns you. I should have accepted Paul's ear when I had the chance."

Emily forced her eyes shut to bear the implication in his words, realizing with each one he spoke she was proven more and more wrong. "Isn't there anyone else you could talk to?" she ventured.

Conrad shrugged, picking up his cane to help him shift his weight up. "Unfortunately that was the true honor of Father Paul – he was one man who understood firsthand what it meant to atone for ones sins. He chose to live his life doing for others as penance," he stood, glancing over towards the corridor at the back of the church. "I hear he was even responsible for the charity this parish continues to extend. But with him gone, I fear I have no one left to listen." He ducked his chin in regret as he began the walk out. "I suppose I should take that, too, as a sign. Well, good night."

Again, Emily was plagued with guilt through his departure, and she remained in place for a length of time, inwardly cursing herself for having missed such a clear opportunity. Not only had she been wrong about Father Paul, but she had also failed to see the merit in his potential to redeem Conrad. Slowly she recalled it was a suggestion she had not only overlooked but also laughed at Daniel for suggesting it days before. Yet as the minutes wore on, she soon found herself joined by his very presence in the empty church.

"I thought you'd be celebrating your deliverance from evil by now?" he muttered quietly as he took the empty seat beside her, keeping his stare on the flickering candles straight ahead.

She exhaled, filled with regret. "No. Seeking forgiveness instead," she replied and he turned to meet her penitent gaze. "You and Nolan were right."

A glimmer of hope lit Daniel's eyes. "I knew you hadn't gone full dark side," he relaxed. "So you stopped the takedown?"

"It's too late for that," she admitted in defeat. "But I'm going to find a way to fix it. Father Paul may be our last chance to get your father to confess to everything again."

Daniel nodded. "Well, let's hope _His_ vengeance," he referenced, elevating his eyes upwards. "Trumps even the worst of _yours_." With an honest look he continued, reflecting. "Because between my mother's hunt for her fortune and my long-lost brother going rogue… something tells me it's going to be a long road to there—" he gestured ahead of them to the altar.

She followed his motion, bristling in thought. "Well, it's kind of like you said – 'maybe the best plans are made to be abandoned,'" she quoted, and while Daniel wondered at her meaning she finished the sentence with a twist. "In favor of a better one?"

He had to chuckle. "If there's anyone I trust to come up with a better plan, it's you – as long as it still ends with us being together." She assured him in the affirmative with a loving gaze, and a grin crept to the corner of his mouth. "I'll be outside," he finished, squeezing her hand.

Emily nodded to his exit, lingering for just a moment longer as her wheels began to turn. To execute the plan that was forming in mind, it would require not only assistance to exonerate Father Paul but also to thwart Victoria & Patrick's collusion while still eliciting a confession from Conrad. Complex as it was, she would likely need assistance from both Daniel and Nolan – and one other source she knew that qualified.

 **SCENE**

Amanda squinted through the narrow opening above her rifle barrel, crouching to aim between lines of trees at her target in the distance. The lone gazelle had wandered too far into the forest; the separation from the pack making her prime for the hunt. Amanda waited, having practiced the art of patience before attack, so when the animal suddenly flinched and darted out of view, she was caught off guard. She lowered her gun, scanning the area for what had caused the disturbance. Her sharpened senses suddenly detected a noise behind her and she spun around without hesitation, once again aiming her gun straight ahead.

"Don't move," she called out. Her sight fell on a figure that slowly came into view. "You're dead in less than three seconds if you do."

"So this is how you repay me after all I've done?" their voice called out ahead, and Amanda immediately recognized the crisp English accent. "I've come to bring you a message. But if you don't wish to hear it…?" he trailed off.

She leered closer, still with her gun raised and only disengaged when his face came into close proximity – her former mentor, Aiden Mathis. His hands were extended upwards in surrender, and he was fully clothed in all black. But it was clearly him, his identity confirmed only further by the aura of confidence he emitted as he pressed up against the barrel of her gun.

"Go on then," he encouraged her with a twinkle in his eye. "Shoot me."

Amanda stared back at him, remembering the playfulness that accompanied his style of training, the challenge, the seductive draw into retribution and the hint of antagonism with his every command. After nearly a year of living in secrecy, her memories of Aiden felt like dreams – events that only she could claim to remember, having kept them ultimately to herself. And despite pledging honesty to Jack, she had never once mentioned Aiden during their reunion, but had instead chosen to divulge the truth about her real identity. After working to earn his forgiveness, she could not bear heaping another burden on him and had decided to pretend as if it never happened. Hence why Aiden's return, now in the flesh, seemed like something she had conjured up out of the fantasy of her mind.

"Go on then," he repeated at her hesitation, taunting her. "If that's what you want to do?"

Cautiously, Amanda retracted her weapon and lowered the barrel to the ground, allowing Aiden to fully see her. Face to face, she was reminded of their last moment together before returning to hiding, first with Jack, and then finally in the secluded life she lived now. Alone and frustrated, her circumstance now drove her impulses, as became evident in her reply. "It isn't," she finally snapped.

At her exemption Aiden stepped forward, studying the mystery in her eyes. But before he could make out what it meant, Amanda was declaring it in word and in action.

" _This_ is," she announced. Suddenly she reached out to him and gripped his face to hers in a passionate kiss that jolted and electrified his senses. He flinched at the impact but soon embraced the moment in full return with the strength of his arms around her, joining his lips to hers in fluid motion. The heat between them intensified as they succumbed to their desires and allowed pure lust to finally culminate, stained by the bittersweet taste of sin . . .

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Soooo did ya catch the seven deadliest? Whew I think some of our revengers are going to need some serious penitence after all that transgression! But I promise you, much of what you read heavily sets the tone for events to come and hopes to keep you interested in the outworking of a much altered story. I promise to do my best to keep you enthralled and hopefully I delivered! Our OTP is still hitting bumps but handling them in stride and it's truly a fun ride for me to write conflict for Demily that I know they can handle and yet still exposes their perfect imperfections :) Meanwhile more is on the horizon for Mommy Charlotte and the Victoria/Patrick alliance, as well as the return of Aiden! Did Amanda surprise you at the end? Are you worried to see what happens? Stay tuned for more! Please leave me a comment to let me know your thoughts and feel free to review as much detail as you like, feedback is always always appreciated and read closely to help me with direction in upcoming chapters. THANKS SO MUCH! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	25. Chapter 25: Confession

**Chapter 25: Confession**

 _Some believe confession helps a guilty soul find peace – releasing us from the shame and regret of our mistakes. In the face of mortality, many feel the need to seek this closure to make things right, because if death doesn't kill us – our demons will…_

It was early morning when Amanda lurched awake in bed, shaking away the remnants of a harrowing nightmare voiced over by none other than her counterpart in identity, Emily Thorne. In the dream Emily was urging her to confess, enumerating the countless trials that would result from keeping a secret. But despite vividly recalling her admonition, Amanda could not place what she was telling her to confess, what dark secret she could mean – until she looked to her left and saw the answer clear as day.

Aiden slept beside her, his face bringing back all the clouded memories of a night of passion, lust and ultimately, transgression. Filled with regret, Amanda slipped out of bed and quietly began dressing, tending to the disarray of clothing that adorned the floor. She moved quickly, finishing her morning routine to secure the premises with a walk around the cabin. She used the time to think, stewing over all that had transpired and more importantly, what she would do next.

It was sunrise when she returned, settling in a chair across from the bed to wait for Aiden to awake. His eyes widened at the sight of her staring at him but before he could adjust to the light, Amanda spoke. "Last night was a mistake," she stated flatly.

Aiden shook away the last semblance of sleep to sit up, allowing the bed covers to fall down his bare chest. "Top of the morning to you, too," he grumbled, absorbing her indifference.

"I mean it," she emphasized in concentration, shaking her head and staring out the window. "I shouldn't have… I just... It's been hard being here alone …" she fumbled for words and finally trailed off, recollecting memories of her hiatus with Jack and Carl just months before. As thoughts of her betrayal began to incriminate her, she wiped at the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "I just miss him so much," she finally admitted.

Aiden shifted awkwardly given his current position. Despite Amanda clearly seeing it as a foolish yield to temptation, there was a part of him that longed for her in a way he had never knew until now. Strangely enough, he realized he had _wanted_ it to happen. "I know you do," he accepted nonetheless. "I understand."

"I'm sorry, I just… it can't happen again," she sighed, returning her gaze to him. Her eyes were glassy, with an indebted look that spoke volumes. Anxious to cut at the tension, she reached over for the clothes she had gathered from the floor. "Here," she tossed them to him. "How did you find me, anyway?"

He caught the articles but continued to focus his attention onto her. "You forget that account I set up for your sake is my ticket to you," he reminded her, growing serious. "It's quickly becoming a dangerous liability," he continued, getting up to get dressed. "Which is why I came here – to ask you to relocate."

"You mean why _Emily_ sent you?" Amanda deduced, catching on. A look from Aiden confirmed she was right and she continued angrily. "You know despite what she thinks, she doesn't know everything. If the Graysons catch on to where their money disappeared to, it will only speed up her plan – I'd rather they come straight to me than anywhere else!"

"Yes I presumed that when I heard about your attempt on Conrad," Aiden shot back, drawing close to her with stern eyes. "But I won't allow you to make another dangerous move like that again. This is Emily's game, remember?"

Amanda stood defiantly. "So I guess you're working for _her_ this summer?"

He relaxed his jaw, assuring her with an arm on her shoulder. "I'm not _working_ for anyone," he clarified, looking into her eyes. "I'm here to help, because Emily cares about you." He paused, taking in a breath. "And _I_ care about you. You're not safe here anymore."

She swallowed, resisting the urge to brush his hand away in irritation. But instead she merely walked out of his grasp. "I'm not running again," she declared, reaching the other side of the room before turning around. "If I'm not safe here, I'm not safe anywhere, which means I might as well go back to the Hamptons."

Aiden took a step forward in shock. "Are you _mad_? That's the last place you can go—"

"I _have_ to talk to Jack!" she demanded, and again Aiden could see the guilt in her eyes. "I need to tell him what happened. I promise to leave afterwards, but I need to do this first. I can't imagine he'd want me around much longer after I tell him the truth anyway." She lowered her head ruefully.

Aiden approached her again, lifting her chin into his hand. "Amanda, you needn't worry, I won't say anything," he promised, hoping she would reconsider.

She stared back emptily, fixed on her decision. "Good," she replied with strong conviction. "Because he needs to hear it from me."

 **SCENE**

"Gio, I'm not asking you to build Sea World. Just some enclosure on the beach with, I don't know, five or six dolphins for people to swim with?"

Emily raised an eyebrow as she walked out onto Nolan's patio, catching the tail end of his conversation. "I see you're sparing no expense?" she observed, just as he ended the call. "Not that I would expect anything less for your housewarming."

He chuckled, escorting her back into the house. "Well, I capped the guest list at a hundred to ensure that it was the most exclusive event of the season," he commented, glancing over. "You've been AWOL a day or two, I was beginning to worry you wouldn't be back in time?"

"My mission took me out-of-state," she explained shrewdly. "I went to persuade Father Paul to elicit a confession from Conrad."

"Ah," Nolan recalled. "That's right he's on forced sabbatical in Maine due to the takedown Daniel and I told you _not_ to do." He gave her a knowing look and she suppressed it with a sigh.

"I am well aware that I punished the wrong man, Nolan. But my visit was successful – Father Paul is returning. And if he can get Conrad to confess—"

"Then you get what you've been after all along—" Nolan finished for her. "Clear your father's name." He shrugged at Emily's nod. "I just never imagined Conrad would be the one to do it. Once that's done it just leaves…"

"Victoria," Emily answered back, prodding him. "Did she RSVP?"

He held up his tablet in the affirmative. "Not surprisingly now that she's broke and looking to _steal_ as much attention as possible," he paused to look up at Emily. "Tell me again why she's invited?"

Emily wore a curt smile. "You'll see," she dangled. "What has she been up to while I was gone?"

"Not much, just moving her sweet son Patrick back into the mansion," he advised to a scowl from Emily. "Don't worry; I specifically left 'Cesare Borgia' _off_ the list." She was visibly relieved, though somewhat disturbed by the implication in his reference. Meanwhile Nolan returned to his tablet to continuing preview the event. "Ashley's coming – oh, and apparently sporting Jack Porter as her plus _one_?" he balked, remembering the information he wanted to run that past his cohort. "Rumor has it she's been a regular over at the _Stowaway._ "

"Really?" Emily responded, not overthinking it. "Well, that's not a cause for concern, I trust Ashley."

"Not enough to know your true identity yet?" Nolan quipped with a smirk.

"No," Emily emphasized. "But she's been reliable. She cares about Jack and most importantly she knows that Amanda is alive. I don't have to worry about him when he's with her."

Nolan went along without protest, closing out his tablet. "Very well then, one Hamptons Housewarming Extravaganza, in the works. Who's ready to party?"

 **SCENE**

"Please you _have_ to come!"

Jack shook his head at Ashley's earnest pleas, nearly laughing at her insistent tone. "Is this because you already told Nolan I _was_?" he guessed aptly.

"Well…" Ashley stalled, glancing around the _Stowaway._ "Yes." When he sighed with foresight she continued to press. "But I promise you it's not a date – it's just an event!"

Jack rolled his eyes but maintained warmth in his response. "Look, Ash – I know you love social events but they're really not my scene-"

"Yes, yes I know that but you're missing the big picture," she emphasized, leaning in and lowering her voice from behind the bar. "I want you and Amanda to have the life you deserve, and as long as the Graysons still have their reign, that can't happen." He digressed but she stayed persistent. "If there's anything I've learned from Emily it's that the ticket to winning over them is from _within_. A little shoulder rubbing with a new crowd is good for you; it keeps your situation relevant."

Jack frowned on her choice words. "So you're full-on working for Emily now?"

Ashley pondered it. "I work for no one, love. Let's just say we share similar endgames… Emily is a bit more aggressive than I am towards the Graysons but I have no mercy for that bunch, either. Personally I just want Amanda Clarke to have the chance to emerge into the public again and tell her story; the _true_ story."

Jack leaned in to read her face, wondering just how much of a true story she really had. It was clear she did not know Emily's true identity but he still found it unnerving to know how close she was to her.

"And my partnership in _Voulez_?" Ashley was continuing. "If nothing else it's taught me that liberation through the media can change people's lives. It's time you both stopped hiding." She gazed at him with sincerity. "And I want to ensure that after Emily completes her side of the game – you won't have to."

 **SCENE**

"That's a whole lot of thought for a housewarming invite?"

Victoria looked up as her son joined her on the outdoor patio for lunch, brightened by his presence. She continued to study the invitation in her hand, giving consideration to its meaning while Patrick took a seat. "It's for Nolan Ross," she explained. "He's been a person of interest to me lately."

"For what reason?" Patrick pursued, pouring a glass of juice.

Her eyes flicked up to him. "Something I noticed when I dropped by his house recently – it seems he has distaste for Margaux LeMarchal."

Patrick shrugged. "Should that be significant?"

Victoria inclined her jaw in support. "Only if you connect the fact that _Emily_ prodded me in seeing to her departure," she argued softly. "She and Nolan are as thick as thieves."

Patrick cut his eyes on the mention of her. "Well, Emily is quite the devious one herself," he hinted.

Her intrigue was roused immediately. "Oh? Do you know something, son?" Victoria pried.

After a moment of deliberation and gazing around their majestic surroundings Patrick finally replied. "I don't see any reason to go on keeping this from you. Just, what I'm about to tell you – please don't judge me for?" he begged.

"Don't be silly, darling," Victoria continued prodding him. "You can tell me anything."

"Well the truth is," he sighed. "Emily hired me to come here last year."

Victoria's face darkened with surprise. " _What? Hired you?_ " she repeated, suddenly shifting focus. "How much did she pay you?"

"Five million," Patrick confessed to another gasp from Victoria. "Plus additional interest in increments over the past six months," he added, explaining. "Which I've finally cut off – I'm done taking her money."

Still fascinated by the concept, Victoria continued pursuing. "Exactly for what purpose was she employing you?"

He continued shrewdly, knowing better to remain a level of discretion. "Primarily just my presence," he answered. "I think she expected it to unnerve you… and honestly I thought I would feel the same until I got to see who you really are. And I want no further part of her schemes, whatever they are."

Victoria nodded in thought, sipping at her morning coffee. "Likely retaliatory," she guessed, assessing the events of the previous summer. "After my interference with her and Daniel's relationship last year it doesn't surprise me. Still," she relegated. "The trouble she went to in order to ensure it is absurd! And only proves my suspicion that girl is, and has been, hiding something for quite some time."

"Besides a trump card to play against you?" Patrick guessed.

"Well if so, it's clearly failed," Victoria assured him. "You've been nothing but a comfort to me in these trying times. But as far as Emily is concerned – even with her abundant assets, that kind of money could only come from—" she paused, shuddering in realization. "But of course," she concluded with a start, staring back at Patrick. "The Amanda Clarke Foundation." He raised a brow while she continued sorting out her theory. "In my ignorance I neglected to consider that when Eli vacated it, it left her as chair."

"And the money just disappeared?" he asked.

"Emily must have it," Victoria affirmed with a nod. "But she couldn't have done it alone; she would have needed an accomplice."

Patrick palmed the invitation sitting on the table. "So you think Nolan Ross is in it with her?"

Victoria angled her neck in thought. "Well he's certainly the obvious answer, but now that I think of it, he was incarcerated throughout the time you said you received payment. And the federal investigation would have never cleared him of charges if there was a paper trail." She continued stewing in thought. "Unless she had assistance from someone else… someone who had full access to the fund from the beginning…"

Patrick watched her trying to piece together the truth with interest. "Let me guess," he suggested. "Daniel?"

Victoria acquiesced with a nod. "Well it goes without saying that my son is ignorant to her designs… but there's someone else with an even bigger stake involved," she paused dramatically. "Someone that even Daniel may have suspected all along."

 **SCENE**

Daniel poured himself into work, his adrenaline pushing him into late evening before he had even realized the hour. But once he was in a train of thought, he found it difficult to abandon, certain that he had to finish before turning in. As it stood, the topic of his article made it all the more personal as he completed a pictorial of his father, finally having an opportunity to vent his frustrations by written word.

He was so deeply engrossed that he nearly jumped when a voice from his office doorway startled him – his mother's presence unannounced and unexpected. "Why are you here late and not with your fiancé?" Victoria prompted him as she strolled into his space.

Daniel looked up in agitation, regretting the loose security levels at _Voulez_ while quickly moving the article on his desktop out of sight before she noticed. "Ah, she had errands to take care of," he explained, straightening up his desk. "I'm just finishing up here."

"And they are?" Victoria pressed, still more interested in Emily.

"Not important to _you_ ," he fired back with a glare. Her unexplained appearance was quickly coming upon expiration. "What are you doing here, mother?"

She shrugged. "I simply came to caution you. You don't want to find yourself marrying a stranger…" she hinted.

Daniel leveled a stack of papers without looking at her. "She's not a stranger to _me_ ," he mumbled, trying not to insinuate the deeper meaning too openly.

"Really?" Victoria countered. She approached his desk with conviction, ready to play her hand. "Did you know she paid Patrick a handsome sum to return last year?" she announced brazenly. "No doubt a part of her quest to destroy me after my disapproval of your wedding plans."

He froze at her admission, immediately shocked that she knew. "Well, can you blame her?" he replied instinctively, masking his concern with a half-smile. "Besides, you could argue she was doing the opposite and trying to win you over – seeing how Patrick seems to make you nothing but happy these days?" He added under his breath. "Despite having no regard for your _other_ children."

She ignored his strong argument, leaning forward onto his desk. "What strikes me as _more_ interesting is how easily Emily found the funds," she continued. "Five million, plus interest? I wonder if she's been misleading about her true earnings."

"Meaning what?" Daniel countered, staring her down.

"For instance, their source," she replied. "Perhaps they came from our missing fortune?"

He shook his head at her proposition, not wishing to even humor it. "You're delusional," he chided her. "You know as well as I do that account disappeared with the Initiative. You want to investigate it now, why don't you start with _Dad_."

"Your father is the one who _sent_ me on this sojourn for the money in the first place—" she argued back.

"Yeah well I had nothing to do with it," he cut in to stress.

"That of which I'm certain," Victoria boasted, standing erect. "But I suspect your fiancé _did_."

Daniel rose to match her stance. "What's with all the sudden paranoia about Emily, huh? Your long lost son who's basically stranger shows up out of nowhere and suddenly now you believe everything he says?"

"Patrick's given me no reason not to trust him," Victoria asserted. "Whereas I recall your fiancé not quite having the same track record – given her relationship with Jack Porter—"

"That was _two years_ ago!" Daniel bellowed in between.

" _And_ ," Victoria argued, raising her voice. "Not to mention her affiliation to Aiden Mathis; an outsider that not only was treasurer to that account but also had a relationship with the account's co-chair!"

"A _brief_ relationship," he reminded her, emphasizing the word. "And I can assure you he won't be coming around again. Aiden hasn't been seen or heard since the dissolution of Grayson Global—"

"Ah, how convenient!" Victoria shot back, inquisitively. "I seem to recall you two getting into a heated exchange that day when the bomb went off." She tilted her head in examination. "Was he getting too close for comfort? Perhaps to Emily again?"

When Daniel looked as if he would tolerate no more, Victoria simply backed down, certain that her mission was accomplished regardless. "I'll leave you to your work," she conceded, looking at his desk. "But considering what we've discussed… I dare say you'll have your hands full."

 **SCENE**

Despite an adamant disdain for his mother's wiles and a certainty that she was only trying to provoke him, Daniel could not mask his clear unrest when he returned home that evening. It was enough that she was partially correct in some of her assumptions, a fact he wondered if Emily had planted or if she had truly found out on her own. But to her favor, his mother had partially succeeded in raising a long-buried insecurity of his, one that he ached to forget but was still inclined to pursue. As he entered the house, it was an underlying feeling he could not stop from surfacing.

"Hiding something?" he questioned Emily, as he entered through the back door to see her securing the closet door shut.

"Putting away my luggage," she corrected him with an odd look, coming over to welcome him with a kiss. "I was away for a few days remember? Not that you've missed me," she scolded him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Oh, right," he simmered uneasily, remembering. "Father Paul," he recollected. "Or so you say?"

She glowered at his leading reply. "Is something the matter, Daniel?"

"Yeah," he acknowledged dryly. "My mother." He slipped out of her grasp to continue into the kitchen, headed for the liquor cabinet.

Emily followed cautiously, already drawing a conclusion. "She came to see you?" she guessed, glancing at the clock on the wall. "No wonder you're home so late."

"Yes, well she had me held up with all her latest discoveries," he enumerated, searching for a glass. "First it was Patrick's hefty pay day, followed by her latest theories on the ACF account – topped off with her choice in primary stakeholders: Aiden Mathis."

Emily intensified in concentration, resting her hands on the countertop. "What?" she asked sternly. "She mentioned all of that to you?"

Daniel ignored her disbelief, favoring his own concerns. "Is she right?"

She continued without hesitation. "Daniel, of course she's right – I told you Aiden set that account up for Amanda before she disappeared," she reminded him.

"But what you left out was that you were using some of that money to pay off Patrick," he elaborated, setting his glass on the counter. "And since Aiden is the only one who had access, you had to have been in contact with him to do it."

Emily snatched the glass away, moving it before he could pour. "Well then you've been misinformed," she stated. "Because I paid every dime of that out of my own money."

Daniel eyed her suspiciously. "You never told me that – nor that it was _five million_?"

"I didn't think I _had_ to," she argued irritably, shrugging in annoyance. "I didn't have a choice once I decided to bring Patrick in, and besides what difference does it make what I do with my money?"

Daniel nodded, still on edge. "Maybe back then, nothing. But we're getting _married_ now, remember? It's not just what you do with _your_ money anymore, Em."

"Wow," Emily sighed in amazement, shaking her head as she set his glass back down. "We set a date, and suddenly you care how I spend my time, my money… What's next, Daniel, who I talk to?"

He rubbed his head, putting the bottle in his hand aside to take a minute to reflect. "Alright, look I know this probably all sounds paranoid, I just," he shifted his weight, leaning forward. "I just got caught off guard. I'm not used to her knowing more about you than I do."

"Victoria doesn't know anything that surprises me," Emily reassured him. "When I threatened Patrick, I had a feeling he would either follow suit or confide in her – and now he's just made it clear where he stands…which honestly, makes it easier for us to know how to deal with him from now on." She came around to join him on the other side of the counter, resting in his arm space. "But if we're going to handle this together, we can't afford to let your mother weaken our defense."

"Yeah," Daniel admitted, lowering his head. "I know her goal is to blow us apart, I just… I just wish you wouldn't give her any ammunition to do it. Patrick is one thing, but Aiden is a name I'd like to leave in the past." Emily looked down for a second uncomfortably, drawing Daniel's attention. "He _is_ in the past right?"

She continued to avoid eye contact and took a step backwards, her eyes flickering up to him in apology. He caught the inference and quickly grew in intensity. "Wait a minute – don't tell me you talked to him?"

"It's not what you think, Daniel," she plead immediately, putting a hand up in allay. "I only just reached out to him this past week. I had to bring him in for a favor—"

Daniel was already concluding the worst. "Emily that's ridiculous, you're _trusting_ him again-?!" he bellowed.

"Hey, you're one to talk!" she levied back, and then suddenly lowered her voice, cognizant of Charlotte sleeping upstairs. After calming down she finished. "Look, I didn't want to do this either but I had no other option. It was the first thing I planned to tell you – I needed his help."

"But clearly not mine," Daniel inferred, rubbing his brow once again. "So tell me – what is he about to do that I can't?"

"Daniel—" Emily pressed.

But he had already had his full of the conversation. "You know what, forget it," he gave up, exiting the kitchen to go upstairs while Emily remained behind, watching him go. "I'm sure I don't want to know."

 **SCENE**

Nolan observed the busy scene of his home full of guests, proud not only of the final touches to the décor but also of the turnout. His sentiments were echoed by Ashley as she made her way down the poolside to greet him, accompanied by a dapper looking Jack on her arm.

"Top marks on the housewarming party, Nol," she complimented warmly, reaching over to go cheek to cheek. "I couldn't have planned a better theme myself for your re-entry into the Hamptons."

"Well, that's mighty gracious coming from the once-admiral of summer festivities herself," he grinned back, eyeing Jack next to her. "I guess I have your spiffed up date to thank for your perky mood… you clean up nice, Captain Jack?"

Jack tried not to roll his eyes too obviously at his friend's clamor. "Ashley insisted I dress the part for your soiree," he explained numbly, shrugging his shoulders. "And it's not a date."

Nolan glanced at Ashley for reassurance and she agreed with a nod. "He's right," she nudged Jack. "Just an opportunity for the prince of Montauk to mingle amongst a few loyal subjects," she implied while Nolan looked on in understanding.

"I'm all for it," he agreed, gesturing towards the rest of his venue. "Roam as free as you like – the pool house is fully stocked."

Jack put up a hand at Nolan's suggest. "Thanks pal, but I think I'll just be over by the bar." He smiled at the two of them and walked off casually.

" _Naturally,_ " Ashley tacked on coyly, giving Nolan a knowing look before following Jack over.

Nolan smirked as they left, leaving room for Daniel to fill the open space beside him, sporting a drink in hand. "So," he hailed dryly with a glance around the premises. "Did Emily chip in for the party too or was it just the house?"

Instead of dwelling on Daniel's caustic disposition Nolan merely laughed it off, expecting his sour mood after a brief conversation with Emily that morning. "Despite the natural philanthropist that she is, this extravaganza is all _moi_ ," he claimed in assurance. "My assets are finally thawed… but what's with all the sudden interest into her charging capacity?" he pried, feeling him out. "Don't tell me you're thinking about a opting for a pre-nup?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. His recently acquired comrade was always good for a sarcastic insertion to break up the mood. "Patrick told my mother Emily's been paying him off," he admitted openly.

Nolan folded his arms, unfazed. "Yeah, I heard. So?" he downplayed it with a shrug. "He still doesn't know who she is. Em knows what she's doing."

"You think so?" Daniel challenged, stirring his cocktail. "I'm beginning to worry…"

Nolan showed understanding with a nod. "Well we've both been in that category of late," he acknowledged. "But it sounds like she's intent on fixing it? Take it from me, this is the part where you just sit back and wait."

Daniel huffed at Nolan's prior experience. "Yeah, I'm getting that," he relented, draining the rest of his drink.

With a chuckle, Nolan continued. "Ere go – where _is_ the future Mrs. Grayson anyway?" he asked, surveying the party for her golden locks.

Daniel followed his gaze while responding. "Here any minute," he assessed, cutting his eyes. "She's hoping to massage a confession out of my father in between playing Florence Nightingale by his side."

"Well then," Nolan digressed. "It won't be a party until _Florence_ arrives." He drifted off with his playful grin, hoping the brief chat had somewhat lifted Daniel's spirits. Not surprisingly, Daniel couldn't help letting out a chuckle as he left, brightening up even more when his sister soon arrived his side.

"Danny!" she called ahead, wearing an excited smile. Charlotte glided over in a floor length sundress that understated her large midsection, while her hair cascaded over her shoulders in elegant curls.

"Char," Daniel greeted her happily, noticing. "You look beautiful, as always."

"Ugh, I had to spring for a little pampering this morning," she confessed. "Otherwise the depression of a non-swimwear appropriate body would kill me," she joked, casting a glance over her shoulder towards the bar. "But luckily I found a fun little distraction. Did you see Ashley's guest?"

Daniel followed her line of sight, finally noticing. " _Jack Porter_?" he realized.

"Yup!" Charlotte nodded excitedly. "Ok, maybe it's a little presumptuous, but how cute of a couple would they make?" she asked right away, to a hesitant look from Daniel. "I know what you're thinking," she rushed in. "It's none of my business but ever since I've started spending more time at the _Stowaway_ I can't help but notice how lonely he is? And it's been almost a year since Amanda passed, and now with Declan gone – I just want to see him happy again. Why not with someone we already know?"

Daniel shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to address her interest without giving away information she was still unaware of. "Ah, Charlotte I'm not sure if that's such a good idea—" he began, just as her focus moved elsewhere.

"Wait, Emily's here – I'll ask her," she remarked, drawing Daniel to turn. As Charlotte took an eager step past, he watched his fiancé make her entrance, escorting Charlotte back to his side.

"So, what do you think?" Charlotte was finishing, gesturing Emily's attention towards where Jack and Ashley stood chatting at the bar on Nolan's patio. "Am I good at matchmaking, or what?" she hinted.

In a similar response to Daniel's, Emily struggled to respond. "Um, Charlotte… I really don't think Ashley looks at him that way," she urged her softly.

"Seriously?" Charlotte replied in surprise, glancing between the two of them. "I can't believe you both don't see this. Ashley's been at the _Stowaway_ nearly every day this week – each time she spends her whole lunch talking to Jack. _And_ ," she added with intent. "She even lowers her voice whenever I get around, almost as if she doesn't want me to know what they're talking about."

Emily exchanged a look with Daniel, sensing the danger in allowing Charlotte to pursue her theory. But rather than press her any further, Emily merely watched the two interact from a distance. "I suppose they do have a few things in common," she acquiesced.

Daniel turned his nose up in reply. "Like what?"

"Well," Emily added, making a wise observation. "Just look at them," she gestured.

As they turned in the direction, Charlotte's face fell when faint sight of her mother came into view, walking through the rear promenade behind the trees outlining the garden. "Oh great," Charlotte sighed grimly. " _She's_ here. Well, so much for playing matchmaker," she quickly bowed out, fanning herself. "I think I'll hang out indoors for now – it's cooler in there anyway."

"See you later, Charlotte," Emily whispered as she left, turning to look at Daniel triumphantly. He caught her clever glance and shook his head at her cunning. "What?" she asked innocently.

"Nice distraction," he chided her. "Got anything else up your sleeve?"

Emily ducked her head, expecting the coolness since their last conversation. "Well, your father is on the brink of confession for one," she offered, glancing back across the yard to Victoria. "But more urgently, I have an answer to that question you asked me." He raised an eyebrow and she turned to face him. "Interested?"

Realizing her offer meant he had to accompany her to greet his mother, Daniel buried his pride and took her extended arm. "You lead the way," he conceded, allowing Emily to lead him over. They walked arm-in-arm around the perimeter until they finally met up with Victoria at the center of the yard.

Victoria spied them with a devilish twinkle in her eye, stopping short in her tracks. As they made eye contact, she paused to look over her shoulder and as Daniel watched in shock, her date arrived a few paces behind her and then came up to take hold of her arm – Aiden Mathis.

"Daniel, Emily," Aiden greeted them brightly upon looking up. "How lovely to see you both again."

 **SCENE**

"Is something wrong, Jack?"

Jack turned from his intent gaze into the distance, attempting to answer Ashley's question without taking his eyes off the object of his attention. "Ah, no," he stammered, losing his line of sight while a few guests walked into his view. "I just – thought I saw someone that looked familiar."

He kept his thoughts private, though he was nearly certain he spied the fellow from the _Amanda._ In the months that had passed since finding out Amanda was alive, his opinion of him had quickly gone from hatred to reverence, asserting that he was responsible at least in part for saving Amanda's life. But as she neglected to mention him any further outside of that one occasion, he had dismissed the memory, until now when his mind appeared to be triggering it with a fair resemblance.

As more guests gathered in the center of the yard, now completely blocking his view, he dismissed it and returned his attention to Ashley. "I'm sorry, you were saying?" he apologized.

She smiled humbly. "It's alright. I asked were you interested in a swim?"

He immediately tensed, watching her gesture to the pool behind them. "I ah, I didn't bring a bathing suit," he begged off.

Ashley merely rolled her eyes. "Neither did I, silly – it's _Nolan's_ house," she reminded him, hopping off of her stool. "It comes fully stocked."

Before he could say no, she was on her way towards the guest inventory, leaving him nothing else to do but follow. They emerged a few moments later in full bathing attire, and though it felt incredibly awkward, Jack forced himself to relax and enjoy the first refreshing dip into Nolan's pool. He found Ashley grinning at him minutes later as she passed him a floating device.

"Admit it," she insisted, pinning up her hair at the nape of her neck. "You're enjoying yourself."

He chuckled, nodding back as he glanced around the ambience. As much as it ranged beyond any event he had ever attended, there was no question Nolan knew how to throw a good party. With perfect sunny weather and just the right music to set a relaxing mood, he had to admit it was a positive turn from recent weeks. "It's nice," he conceded reluctantly.

"And you know what you're going to love?" she continued, wading over to him. "The extra sales you get at the _Stowaway_ after your appearance here."

"Really? After just one party?" he laughed in disbelief.

"Well, that, and the article on you I'm going to slip into _Voulez,_ " she tacked on, while he chinned up in protest. "What? I have to start the story somewhere!" She shifted forward onto her floating device to illustrate. "Picture this – we set the tone for Jack Porter, dedicated husband and widow, trying to make a living despite an unfortunate spell of tragedy… then slowly build up into how you remained determined to see your wife's misfortunes avenged only to—" she lowered her voice distinctly. "-not only find out she survived a mistaken fate but also uncover the conspiracy that haunted her since childhood." She sighed in excitement. "It will be the story of a lifetime – and conveniently, it will serve as the Graysons' walking papers."

Jack shook his head, finding it difficult to accept her earnest desire to see the truth exposed. "Why are you doing this for me, Ash?" he asked genuinely.

She replied with a slow shrug. "I'm…trying to make it up to you. I want you to have a life again," she insisted, beaming.

He swallowed her response, looking into the depths of her eyes for the first time since they had become reacquainted, as if trying to read her soul. "How did you ever end up here?" he asked.

"Well, when you know the guest of honor and share part ownership in a global brand—" she began.

"No," he corrected her with a grin. "I mean, you're a sweet girl, you've always been honest about who you are… so why the Hamptons?"

Ashley sighed, inwardly appreciating the honest compliment. "Truthfully?" she answered. "There was once a time I was desperate for the things I wanted." She lowered her gaze into the waves of the pool. "I was willing to do anything; I had hit rock bottom and if not for a kind soul saving me, I have no idea where I'd be." She looked up to exchange a smile with him and their eyes met in a kind mutual stare. "But now that things have turned in my favor," she finished. "I'm looking to pay it forward – and pay it back."

 **SCENE**

Daniel's eyes were instantly upon Emily, burrowing a look into her that said _you invited him here?_ Preemptive of his unsettled reaction, Emily warned him with a frown, reminding him that the common enemy was his mother. "Aiden," she breathed in response, addressing them both. "Victoria? What an interesting choice of guest for a housewarming?"

"Yes, I presumed you would think so," Victoria sneered back with an arrogant glance at her son. "But I thought you two might have much to catch up on?" she hinted.

Emily raised a brow in suspicion. "How perceptive of you," she fired back, taking a bold step forward. "Seeing as how I've been trying to track down Mr. Mathis for the past six months!"

"What?" Victoria and Daniel echoed in surprise.

"What are you talking about?" Aiden leaned in with heavy pretense.

"Oh, don't try to play innocent now," Emily scolded him, putting a hand on her hip. She turned to face Victoria brazenly. "Victoria, as co-chair, I took it as my responsibility to locate the whereabouts of the missing funds from the Amanda Clarke Foundation even while Daniel and I planned our wedding overseas. I hired a team of accountants to perform a full investigation."

Victoria stared back incredulously. " _And_?" she challenged her. "What did you find?"

"Very little surfaced," Emily relented, glaring over at Aiden. "Only more questions that could only be answered by _him_ – the account treasurer. But he was nowhere to be found."

Aiden squirmed, putting his hands up in surrender. "By no fault of my own," he rebutted, addressing Victoria. "I was forced to exit Grayson Global, not only by your son," he pointed at Daniel, who was struggling to follow the charade they were commandeering. "But also by an international conglomerate who threatened my life if I didn't—" he finished.

"Oh, right, the _'Initiative'_ ," Emily mocked quotation marks in the air, snorting openly. "Victoria, please don't tell me you believe those ridiculous rumors about an underground organization profiting from all of this?"

While Victoria stewed over the implication, Aiden gave Daniel a meaningful stare that alerted him to how well-crafted their alibi truly was. Not only was Emily convincing Victoria that she had no association to the missing funds, but it was also publicly exempting them both from involvement by pinning it on the defunct Initiative, while feigning ignorance to the entire concept. As Daniel began to catch on, Aiden allowed his gaze to drift to the pool area while the women continued bantering.

Victoria chose her words carefully, conscious of the crowd beginning to draw around them. "I'm not certain I do," she lied, shifting topic. "Still, that doesn't explain how you came to employ my son Patrick to return to the Hamptons for over five _million_!"

As their voices escalated, the crowd focused their attention on Emily's response. " _How_?" she repeated sharply. "You mean how did I _afford_ it? Well I'm sure money is a sensitive topic for you, Victoria, considering you have none."

"Just what are you implying?" Victoria retorted.

Daniel finally stepped in. "She's saying she covered your debt. Didn't you intend to pay off Patrick to disappear when he came looking for you, mother?" he inserted, keeping his voice elevated so all could hear. Emily looked over at him, impressed with his keen intuition of their plan. "I seem to remember a family dinner where Patrick swore to never receiving a penny of that?"

While Victoria shrunk back, Emily accosted her. "So you'll forgive me if I took it upon myself to compensate him for his losses, but when he reached out to me for help, I took pity on him. After all," she leered, driving home her final argument. "I knew _you_ could never repay the kindness – seeing as how your family is _completely bankrupt!_ "

Faint murmurs echoed as the crowd eavesdropped on the interchange, which left Victoria not only embarrassed but also disgraced. Besides a stern glower at Emily's emasculation of her secret, she expressed no response, but merely turned to leave the scene. Before she could make a clean exit, Emily saved one last remark for her escort.

"Oh and Aiden?" she called out to him. "If you're here on Victoria's request – I suggest you make sure you get paid up front."

 **SCENE**

"So… you called Aiden in to intercept my mother from tracking down the missing fortune?" Daniel stated his interpretation of what had just transpired as he and Emily walked along the beach, with a warm sunset as their backdrop.

"That account would have led her straight to Amanda," Emily answered with a shrug, confirming he was right. "I needed Aiden to help me throw her off track. And Patrick's decision to tell all – well that just happened to work out to our benefit." A thought crossed her mind. "Thank you, by the way for stepping in when you did. That was exactly the angle I was aiming for."

"Yeah, I picked up on that late," Daniel acknowledged, continuing to think it out. "But you know she's just going to go back confirm everything you said with Patrick?" he speculated.

Emily nodded without concern. "And he'll deny it, of course." She raised her chin to face him bravely. "But it's his word against mine – and thanks to our outburst, the public already has a story to believe. All Patrick has is speculation; he never did know the real reason why I employed him."

"And he never will," Daniel finished, impressed by the clever plot.

"The most important thing now is that at best, Victoria thinks the Initiative stole her fortune before disappearing into the shadows," Emily continued. "She'll keep Aiden close by, employing him to chase it down until he finally loses her scent, but in the meantime it will give him a chance to work on his other assignment."

"Which is?" Daniel pursued, finally getting to what he wanted to know most.

"Ensuring my plans to get Father Paul back here succeed and that this time Conrad goes through with his confession," she replied, stopping short so they could see eye-to-eye. "This is all we need, Daniel."

"Yeah, yeah I get that – I just don't understand why any of this required _Aiden's_ help?" he asked.

"Don't you see?" Emily prodded him, shaking her head. "Your mother will do anything to find that money. Knowing her, she's probably already moved Aiden into the pool house by now, giving him an inside advantage to keep an eye on your father, on Patrick –" she looked to him for confirmation. "Things _you_ could never do without arousing suspicion. Face it Daniel; your parents know where you stand. Whether you like it or not, you chose a side."

Daniel absorbed her reminder with dignity, having no qualm with his stance despite still being uneasy with her counterattack methods. "Well for the record," he clarified, staring off towards the waves. "I'm fine with the side I've chosen – I'm just not so sure Aiden feels the same." He looked into her eyes for a show of confidence, but she remained silent. "What other assignments did you give him already?"

"Getting Amanda to safety," Emily heaved with a sigh. "In the off-chance that somehow your mother hires outside help to track down that account I couldn't risk exposing her. So I asked Aiden to find her a new hideout until the coast is clear."

Daniel bobbed in acknowledgment and for once, Emily sensed his approval. "Makes sense," he muttered, studying her. "If you trust him, that is?"

She stepped in close, treading carefully. "I do," she admitted. "Daniel, I know this may seem dangerous after everything that happened last year… but if there's one thing I think we both agree on, it's that Aiden can be trusted with a secret."

"I guess you're right," he conceded, caressing her cheek in the evening breeze. With determination in his eye he could not resist one final request. "But just the same – why don't you let me handle Aiden from now on? If you're going to do this before the summer's end, you're gonna have to let me help out eventually."

She peered into his eyes, sensing there was deeper meaning but relented regardless. "Fine," she gave in, drifting out of his embrace. "Wouldn't be the first time you two worked together."

 **SCENE**

Aiden meditated in the quiet darkness of his new surroundings, acquainting himself with the forms and shadows of the Grayson pool house as early evening settled in. At the sound of footsteps padding down the walk he bounded up from his seat with rapt attention, bracing himself for the expected visitor – and then quickly exhaling in surprise upon seeing him.

"Daniel?" he breathed, letting his former ally in through the side door. "I was expecting—"

"Emily? Yeah I'll bet," Daniel finished, storming through his old residence with a bridled temper. "Look, whatever's going on you need to finish it immediately and leave," he ordered him, while Aiden quickly met his stance in protest.

"Daniel, I know it's hard but you have to trust me, everything that happened today—" he begged.

"—was all planned," Daniel finished, hurrying him along with a wave of his hand. "I know, Emily told me everything. We don't have secrets anymore – this time we are finally in a good place and I don't want you here starting trouble—"

"That's the _furthest_ thing from what I came here to do," Aiden cut in, pleading. "I promise; I'm here to make sure everything goes on without a hitch, you have my word." He glanced just beyond Daniel back into the shadows as if checking for something. "Besides," he added sternly. "I can assure you I have no personal interest in Emily other than making sure she accompanies you down that aisle."

"Oh, _really_?" Daniel questioned, finding his newfound support too good to be true. "And how can I be sure of that?"

Again Aiden's eyes averted to something behind Daniel and his answer prompted a revelation. "Well, for one – I didn't come back alone," he answered honestly, gesturing for him to turn. Daniel's countenance immediately dropped as Amanda suddenly appeared at the doorway, somewhat disguised but clear in the flesh.

"What the _hell_ is going on?!" Daniel was nearly shouting, tempering his voice so his volume stayed low but the anger remained. He jerked a thumb in her direction. "I thought you were supposed to take her to safety—" he asked in frustration, stopping short. "Wait, does Emily know about this?"

"I haven't told her yet. It was a last minute decision," Aiden responded sheepishly on Amanda's behalf as she slowly walked over. While he double checked to ensure the blinds were drawn, Daniel was nearly beside himself in a fury.

"No—no, no I am _not_ keeping a secret for you again," he insisted angrily, leering in Amanda's direction. "And _especially_ not concerning you! I mean, showing up on my parents' own property for crying out loud, do you have some kind of death wish? This is dangerous and _stupid_ , what were you thinking?" he demanded, nearly shaking from incredulity.

"Hey!" Aiden interjected in her defense. "It's not always easy to think when your emotions are involved. You know that better than anyone else." He glanced from Amanda to Daniel and back again.

Daniel narrowed his eyes, attempting to decipher it Amanda finally spoke. "Daniel, don't worry – I'm not staying here. I'm going to see Jack tonight and then I'm leaving." She paused to make eye contact with Aiden before returning to the other side of the room. "For good."

Certain that something else was afoot; Daniel shook his head upon her exit, giving Aiden a final warning. "I don't know what that was all about but I'm letting you know right now I am _not_ a part of whatever side-game you're running, alright? And believe me; I _know_ you're up to something besides helping out Emily for old times' sake." He levied a finger in his direction before making his own firm exit. "Just finish the job she gave you and get out of here as quickly as you can—you got that?"

Aiden sucked in his jaw, nodding at Daniel's instruction. "Loud and clear, boss," he quipped slyly. Too angry to argue, Daniel finally slipped out, leaving Aiden to retrieve Amanda from the bedroom.

"So regarding this ah, 'telling Jack and then leaving for good,'" he repeated while watching her gather her things. "I'm not so sure you want to do that," he suggested. He grasped her arm when she finally turned around. "Amanda- from the looks of things, he may have already moved on."

"What?" she challenged him in disbelief, pushing him out of the way. "You're just saying that."

"I'm very serious," he insisted, stepping into her path again. "He was at Nolan's housewarming earlier. I happened to see him frolicking in the pool with that Ashley girl, the one that seems to orbit the Hamptons circuit endlessly—"

"Ashley's a _friend_ ," Amanda corrected him defiantly. "She's done nothing but help me and Jack since I came back last year and she hasn't said a word since she found out I was alive." She lifted her bag onto her shoulder, set on leaving. "And besides, that's not Jack's kind of scene – if he was there it had to be for some other reason."

Aiden edged closer into her space. "And you're sure you want to find out what that reason is?" He eyed her up and down, hinting. "Don't think you're the only one who's had secrets since you've been away. Jack could be hiding one of his own—"

"Even if he is, I don't _care_ ," she finally cut him off, more so to spare herself from the thought. "Either way he deserves to hear the truth from me—"

Aiden finally reached in to palm her face, sympathizing. "The truth will do nothing but send him right into her arms, love." Amanda pulled away guiltily at his caress and tender expression. "Along with your infant son," he added, hoping it would strike a nerve. "Is that really what you want?"

She pondered for a moment, conflicted by what she knew to be his sharp intuition and what her own conscience was pushing her to do. "I told you a long time ago I'm willing to suffer losses," she finally replied. "Just like I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get to Conrad." Determined, she raised her eyes and continued forward out of the side door, adding. "And nothing you or Emily say or do is going to stop me."

 **SCENE**

"Loneliness is a beast."

Conrad looked up at Father Paul's presence at his doorway, feeling a mixture of emotions as he downed his evening cocktail. In his depression he was relegated to the confines of his home, broken up only by a visit from Emily earlier that afternoon, who attempted to comfort him with words of encouragement. And while he admired her fervor for boosting his spirits, he was hesitant to think of it as anything more than coincidental – up until now.

"I appreciate your visit," Conrad greeted him, somewhat bashfully. "Did you know I came looking for you last week?"

Father Paul nodded as he entered the room, sensing the reason without needing to ask. "For confession, perhaps?" he prodded him.

Conrad lowered his head ruefully. "God already knows what I did, Paul."

"And yet, you still feel unsettled?" Paul continued, zeroing on the truth. He approached his side and continued to impress the point. "True mercy requires more than a confession, Conrad. It's a calling for mending your ways." He studied him and finally offered the solution he was there for. "Have you considered turning yourself in for your crimes?"

"That ship has sailed," Conrad answered dryly, continuing to drown his self in despair. "Besides - why would I want to mar my image any further when my children already hate me? They'd just despise me even more."

Paul shifted his focus, recalling the mission he was there to accomplish at Emily's urging. "Perhaps it's the opposite," he offered. "Coming clean to the world and accepting the consequences will not only benefit your soul, but it could be the final chance for you to bring your family together. By clearing David's name- his reputation- you would be giving your daughter Charlotte, her father back."

Conrad pondered the thought, having never looked at it in that perspective before. All his life he had been in the habit of concealing the truth rather than admitting to it, seeing that as a sign of weakness and surrender. But given Daniel's clear abhorrence for his acts and Charlotte's recent enlightenment – perhaps that's what they wanted to see in him all along?

Detecting that the notion was sinking in, Father Paul added. "And isn't that a better way to leave this world- not as a weak and broken man, but as a savior?"

 **SCENE**

Jack wore a subtle grin as he loosened his collar and entered an empty _Stowaway,_ leave for the sitter coming down the stairwell to welcome him. "Hey," he greeted her appreciatively, tossing his jacket on a bar stool and feeling around for his wallet. "Sorry I'm getting in so late, it was supposed to be an early night—"

"Don't apologize," the young girl urged him with a gracious wave. "You deserve a night out for once. Carl was an angel; he's been down since 9, sound asleep..."

"Thanks," Jack obliged, taking the key she handed over. He continued to pat down his pockets so he could pay her before she went on her way. "Must have been a quiet night for you, then?"

"For the most part – but towards the end your friend stopped by to peek in," she added, drawing his interest while she gestured back towards the upper rooms. "She's upstairs waiting for you."

"Friend?" Jack questioned, pausing to become curious. "Oh, Charlotte?" he guessed.

The sitter thought for a moment, regretfully. "Ah… not sure if she mentioned her name or I just forgot it already," she added with a lighthearted shrug.

"Young girl, 'bout eight months pregnant?" Jack described, motioning to signify her belly.

"Young, yes," she affirmed, furrowing her brow. "But definitely not pregnant – at least not _eight_ months anyway," she laughed. "I just know Carl was happy to see her, so I figured she'd been around here before..." While Jack struggled to sort out who she could mean the sitter sensed that perhaps she had been too liberal in letting her in. "I can um; I can stay if you need me to?"

"No, no," he assured her, now more anxious to see who it was. "It's fine, I uh," he continued to check his jacket pockets. "Just can't seem to find my wallet—"

"Don't worry about it," she assured him. "Your friend took care of it. Have a good night."

He raised a brow. "Oh, right – ah, thanks, again," he replied, seeing her out.

While the babysitter left, Jack tapped the spare key against his palm and then started up the steps, wondering who else it could be that not only dropped in but also paid the sitter. "Emily?" he called ahead with a guess. But upon reaching the doorway, he froze. Standing over Carl's crib, watching him sleep soundly stood his wife, Amanda. Jack gasped as she looked up, and immediately dashed over to her.

She pinched her eyes shut while he embraced her without delay, and after hesitating, finally wrapped her arms around him in return. "Close enough," she repeated over his shoulder in a low whisper. "It's nice to be called by my real name for once."

"Oh my God!" Jack nestled his chin into her neck, ignoring her quip in favor of stroking her hair and lower back to confirm that she was really there. He finally separated, alert with the implications of her presence. "Amanda, what are you doing here," he asked in a rush. "I thought you were going to stay away?"

"I am, I am," she answered, nodding emphatically as she led him away from Carl's crib so as not to disturb him. "I just have to find a new place. It's not safe for me to stay upstate anymore," she lowered her head, fumbling through the details. "The um, the account is tied to me and apparently Emily was worried it would put me in danger—"

"Do you need money?" Jack asked anxiously, fretting.

"No, I'll be alright," Amanda assured him, finally staring at his ensemble for the first time. It was rare for her to see him so dressed up. "Why; did you suddenly come into some?" she observed.

He followed her glance, chuckling. "Ah, Nolan had a housewarming thing earlier," he explained, sidestepping it. "Just dressing the part – nothing special."

Amanda gave him an understated grin, unable to judge him too severely with the weight that burdened her inside. She took hold of his hands, sensing that the moment of truth had to come eventually and plundered forward into it. "Right," she accepted. "Look, I have to get going I just came here to say—"

"Amanda, please," he interrupted her, squeezing her hands back and leaning inches away from her face. "Stay the night. Please?"

Her eyes widened as she took in his offer and he leaned forward, planting a fervent kiss on her mouth in entreaty. She leaned into him longingly and then broke away with an abrupt gesture, unable to face him.

"Please, Amanda," Jack continued to beg, cradling her face in his hands while he pressed his forehead to hers. "I've missed you so much—" he glanced over at their son. "We _both_ have. Just one more night with us as a family, no one will ever know you were here—"

At his last few words she forced herself out of his grasp, walking out of Carl's room into the upstairs hallway. "I can't do this, Jack," she insisted, shaking her head. He followed behind with a confused look, trying to understand her resistance. "I have something to tell you," she finally began, choking back the beginning of a sob.

"Amanda, whatever it is just—" he reasoned, but was interrupted by a sound from downstairs before he could finish. They both fell silent and upon hearing it again he realized it was a knock at the door. He raised a finger to his lips, gesturing for Amanda to quietly head towards his room while he slipped downstairs cautiously to investigate. "Hello?" he called out in response.

"Jack, it's me," a soft voice came from the other side of the door.

He opened it upon recognizing and this time his guess was right – it was Charlotte. "Char," he greeted her somewhat awkwardly, only partially cracking the door. "Uh, everything alright?" His eyes trailed upstairs in hope that Amanda was out of sight.

"Yeah, I just came to bring you this," Charlotte answered, handing over his wallet. "You left it at Nolan's. I came by earlier to drop it off but the sitter said you were still out so…I just figured I'd try again later. Not like I can sleep much nowadays with this one kicking all the time," she joked, rubbing her belly.

"Heh, thanks," Jack stammered nervously, looking down at the wallet. "Can't believe I left this."

"You were obviously distracted after you left the pool," Charlotte hinted with a smile. "I saw you and Ashley hitting it off together – no wonder she's been hanging around here so often…"

"Ah, Charlotte, it's not like that," he rushed to defend, glancing behind him again.

"Oh, so you're in denial too, huh?" she joked, and then suddenly picked up on his unwillingness to let her in any further. "Wait – am I interrupting?" she asked, sensing he was hiding something. "Are you two still on your _date_?"

"No, no, I just—" he rushed, but she was already stirring.

"Say no more!" she insisted, tapping him on the shoulder. "I'll leave you two alone—but I want to hear all the details when I drop by tomorrow," she pressed with a sneaky grin. " _Goodnight_ , Jack," she added coyly, disappearing from the front step.

Unable to correct her misguided thinking in time, Jack merely sighed in response and secured the door shut, rushing to return back upstairs. While he hoped Amanda had not been listening in, his fears were affirmed when he found her sitting by the balcony door, wiping tears from her face.

"Hey, look I'm sorry if you heard any of that, Charlotte's got the wrong idea—" he clarified.

"Jack, I don't love you anymore," Amanda cut him off.

He stopped short at the surge of emotion that interrupted his train of thought, and blinked several times before allowing it to absorb. "Wh- what did you just say?" he asked her.

Amanda rose to her feet, filled with an anxiousness that reminded her of the first time they had met rather than the resolute calm that he came to see in her from months before. "It's not like you don't know it, already," she declared, behind tears glistening in her eyes. "I've done nothing but lie to you for the past year."

Jack stared at her incredulous, tossing his wallet onto the night table as he took a step towards her. "Amanda, what are you talking about?" he started in. "Is this because of what Charlotte said—"

"It's just the _truth_ ," she insisted, burying her head into her hands. "If I loved you I would have never kept everything a secret – I would have never let you believe I was dead and left you alone to raise our son—"

While she stopped to inhale a shaky breath, Jack came over to her. "Hey, come on, what are you doing?" he pled with her. "You've told me all of this before, remember? And I forgave you – we've moved past it. All I want is our life together; this is what we've been fighting for!"

"I haven't been fighting enough!" she retorted angrily, lashing out at him due to her disappointment in herself. "I betrayed you and I, I," she stammered, searching for the words before finally settling on something she could bear. "I have feelings for someone else."

Jack gaped at her in shock but only shook his head in protest. "No, no I don't believe you – what is all this? Is this some kind of game to get me to leave you alone—" he suddenly became incensed, as the possibilities ran through his mind. "Did Emily put you up to this?"

"This has nothing to do with Emily," she asserted, backing away from him towards the door. "It's about me. I can't keep doing this to you, Jack – I just can't."

As the reality finally sunk in, Jack's countenance fell in desperation as he edged near to her. "Wait, what are you saying?"

"Goodbye, Jack," she insisted, opening the door behind her to back out of it.

"Amanda, wait," he begged again, but she would not listen. "Please – don't do this—"

She interrupted his plea with an intensely fixed stare and he knew once she turned there was no coming back. " _Goodbye,_ Jack," she repeated through tears before disappearing down the back stairwell. "Take care of Carl for me."

 **SCENE**

"How'd it go with Aiden?"

Emily's voice startled Daniel as he entered the back door into the beach house, glimpsing her on the couch facing a roaring fire. Her gaze never averted from the brilliant flames as he walked over, which he recognized as evidence that she was deep in thought, putting her expert skills at planning to work. Sure enough, a large map was sprawled out on the table, and as he approached he became certain it held significant meaning.

"Ah, you were right," he confirmed first, tossing his jacket onto the chair. "He's in with my mother; staying in the pool house as we speak."

"Did he mention Amanda?" Emily pressed without blinking an eye.

Instead it was Daniel that hesitated, and when the silence drew her to look at him, he knew there was nothing he could hold back. "He did," he answered. "But I'm concerned about her." Emily arched her brow, prompting him to explain. "I don't think she wants to stick with the plan to disappear."

"What gave you that idea?" she pursued shrewdly.

Daniel let out a heavy breath. "Because she was there," he confirmed, turning away from the fire to face her. "She came back to the Hamptons."

With a priceless expression, Emily was shaking her head and propelled to her feet in an instant. " _What?_ " she bellowed. "What the hell is she thinking – she _has_ to get out of here, we are this close to getting your father to confess!"

"I know, I know," Daniel agreed, consoling her. "Look, Emily I don't even know if she came back to start trouble or not but I think she has a different kind of attachment—"

"She can't be with Jack, it's too risky!" Emily assumed, already starting towards the kitchen to look for her keys. "Charlotte's at the _Stowaway_ nearly every day," she ranted in aggravation. "And if she doesn't recognize her someone else will and it's only a matter of time before they come forward – we can _not_ afford for your father to have a reason to change his mind—"

"Hey, don't you think I know that already?" Daniel called out to her, trying to get her to slow down. "Trust me; I gave Aiden the same exact speech—"

"And what did he say?" Emily questioned, spinning around. "Since this is just as much _his_ fault as Amanda's, I told him to make sure she stuck with the plan—" she cut herself short to put a defensive hand in the air at Daniel. "Go ahead and say it, I shouldn't have trusted him—"

Conscious that she was right, Daniel dismissed it anyway. "Wait, that's not it," he inserted, finally reaching out to stop her before she bounded out of the door. "I mean, yes, I think it was dangerous to trust him, but I also think he's part of the problem—"

"Exactly," she nodded. "Which is why I have to go over there to handle it!"

"No, no, Emily," he clarified, holding onto her free hand. "I don't think you understand what I'm saying." With the seriousness of his tone she finally calmed down to take a breath and listen as he elaborated. "I'm saying, I don't think its _Jack_ she's attached to."

Emily furrowed her brow in confusion, studying Daniel's eyes to make out the true sense of his revelation. Despite knowing it was an early guess and a complicated one at that, he felt certain of his preliminary suspicion.

"I think the real person Amanda is attached to—I think its _Aiden_."

 **SCENE**

"Contemplating a burial at sea?"

Conrad turned at the sound of his wife's voice chiming from the bedroom, interrupting his peaceful stare from the balcony out over the ocean below. He watched as she slipped off her heels and removed her earrings, committing the memory to mind in the event it was the last of its kind. "It's quite the contrary," he replied, joining her in the room. "Today is the first day of the rest of my new life. I was merely saying 'goodbye' to the old one." With a pause for intensity he finally added. "I'm turning myself in to the authorities."

"Ah, so that's what you've been up to all day," she replied flatly. "While I was being publicly humiliated and reminded of your misfortunes – you were home entering the final stages of psychosis?"

He couldn't help but chuckle at their usual banter, certain he would miss their brusque interchange. "This is the clearest thinking I have done in years," he ascertained, heading for the door. "I am coming clean."

With realization, Victoria went rigid in her spot, eyeing him daringly. "You're serious?"

He placed a humble hand on her shoulder. "Before I leave this world, Victoria, I want to show my children that I'm capable of paying for my mistakes."

Incensed at his audacity, she shook the gesture off. "You should begin by paying back the fortune you lost to your cohorts in the Initiative!" she barked, steaming mad. "A fact I was reminded of by your own accounts treasurer, no thanks to you. And what right have you to come clean after you blew up a plane to keep me from doing the same?!"

He tapped her shoulder condescendingly and turned to start down the hall. "Well, you can believe what you must. But no one is stopping you now. So come with me, if you like."

Now enraged, she followed him through the hallway, shouting at his back. "Oh! As if it's that simple! You're going to be dead long before you pay for your crimes, and I'm going to be there to shoulder the burden, as will your children!" Growing desperate the more he stormed happily away from her, she continued to chase behind. "Have you even given a thought to the ramifications for your family?!" she yelled.

Conrad finally turned to address her. "Victoria, you haven't been truly invested in our family- _this_ marriage- since David Clarke," he reminded her painfully. "So why don't you think about it this way? See, by turning myself in, I'm not only clearing his name for Charlotte, but for you as well, my dear- so that you can finally have your true love back—Dead as he may be."

Seething at the cutting edge to his response, Victoria finally lashed out, slapping him across the face. "You son of a bitch!"

Conrad merely reached up to touch his stinging cheek and turned from her berating. "Oh, thanks for the memento, sweetheart," he dismissed her, making his way down the steps to where Victoria could now see Father Paul waiting at the bottom.

"Oh, I will give you more than that, darling!" she threatened, grabbing the closest fixture next to her, a ceramic vase and tossing it down the stairs, just missing Conrad in the process. He paused with a startled look and kept going regardless, infuriating her even more. "Are you responsible for this idiocy?" Victoria yelled down to Father Paul.

"She's having trouble accepting my decision," Conrad explained as Father Paul looked on in surprise.

"I can see that," he commented, answering to Victoria next. "He's making amends, Victoria. We both are."

With that they went out the front door, but not before Victoria bounded down the steps and caught Conrad on the front stoop. "Conrad, if you get in that car, I swear it will be the last thing you do!" she shouted.

But without even the slightest hint of concession, Conrad merely got into the car awaiting him, leaving her alone and abandoned to her frustrations.

 **SCENE**

At the sounds of a heavy knock at the pool house door, Aiden sprung to his feet to answer, only to be nearly knocked over by Emily barreling forward to scour the premises. "Emily- what are you _doing_?!" he let out in a half-whisper.

"Pack your things, you're leaving!" she ordered him, already at the bedroom door by the time Aiden caught up to stop her from retrieving his bags herself.

"Emily, what are you doing here it's not safe—" he insisted, while she snapped in return.

"If anyone's not safe it's because of you!" she barked, finishing a sweep of the room to bore a stern glare into his face. "Do you have any idea how much you've complicated things by bringing Amanda back?!" she exploded.

He retracted, nodding at her understanding. "So Daniel told you?" he verified. "Well I can't say I'm surprised."

"Of course he told me," she asserted proudly. "Aiden, you can't do this—" she scolded him angrily.

"I didn't!" he insisted sharply in return, stepping into her space. " _You_ did. _You_ sent me to her!"

"No, I sent you to _save_ her," Emily argued. "Because Victoria was quickly gaining on her trail," she paused to narrow her eyes at him suspiciously. "And just what went on between you two?" she searched him. "Is that why you let her come back, because you have _feelings_ for her?"

Stung by her insightfulness, he jumped to respond defensively. "Look, Amanda came on to _me_ alright?" he clarified, eliciting a sigh and a grunt from Emily. "And it's a lot less complicated than you think;" he added. "She wants nothing to do with me now."

Emily picked up on the sourness of his tone. "You say that with regret, Aiden?"

Aiden retracted, knowing it to be the case. "Well I suppose I _do_ regret it," he admitted to her continuously stern looks. He stepped away, back into the common area of the pool house while Emily followed a short pace behind. "It's true; I've had feelings for her since I trained her last year, I can't deny that."

Emily let out an annoyed sigh and turned to look away, placing a hand on her hip while Aiden continued.

"And I truly believe she cares for me too," he alleged glumly, searching for the words. "But it's not that simple. She's—she's stubborn."

Emily finally piped in. "Well, that's the Amanda _I_ know," she shot back. "The one that loves her husband and her family – clearly you forgot all about that when you allowed your emotions to cloud your thinking again," she proposed. "Where is she now?"

He straightened his jaw, refocusing. "My emotions are irrelevant," he insisted to her initial remark. "And Amanda went to Jack; she was intent on confessing everything to him even though I tried to explain that he _too_ has moved on—"

"Moved on?" Emily stopped him with interest. "With who?"

"Ashley," Aiden answered. "I happened to see them together at Nolan's earlier," he paused at the reminder. "After our elaborate charade with Victoria that I still don't recall you thanking me for…"

"Ashley _knows_ Amanda is alive, Aiden!" Emily charged ahead, ignoring his plea for recognition. "She's just trying to be a friend to him, not a lover! I have to stop her." Synthesizing the information, she suddenly shifted gears on her way to the door. "Wait a minute—did you feed Amanda that lie about Jack to try to stop her from going to him?" She shook her head in disapproval. "You want to keep seeing her don't you?"

Annoyed, Aiden once again closed the space between them bitterly. "If I were, it would be none of your affair," he asserted. "You know, I don't fault her for growing tired of your plan, Emily. She's right—" he stopped to eye her up and down. "You really are obsessed with things you can't control."

Emily let out a breath, licking the inside of her lip at his nerve. "So now the enemy lines become clear?" she presumed, reading his assessment of her with a shake of her head. "Well Aiden, I'm sorry if you're not happy with the way I do things, but I prefer not to break up _families_ and just _kill_ the people I want out of the way," she slung back, throwing the pool house door open.

"Oh?" he challenged. "Isn't that what you're doing to the Graysons?"

She doubled back to lean in close, searing him with the indignation in her eyes. "Just the opposite," she answered. "As we speak Conrad is on his way to confess everything to the police. This is about to be over. And when it is?" she finished, to a faint trace of worry from Aiden. "You just better hope you're standing on the right side when the chips fall."

 **MONTAGE**

 _A guilty heart is silent- its pulse muffled by the secrets it keeps._

Patrick entered the foyer of Grayson Manor nervously, seeing a trail of shattered ceramic shells littering the stairwell and an air of contention still fresh within the house. At the sound of the front door closing his mother emerged at the top of the steps, only to see her son at the bottom rather than her intended. But despite her disappointment, Patrick's face was a comfort to Victoria, while he immediately looked up to her for explanation.

 _While some believe confession can release a tortured soul…_

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, content with the day's end in that he had survived it without having to lie to Emily. While he had imagined her reaction to the truth would only lead to further havoc, he could rest easy knowing their relationship was intact and with it, his exoneration from past sins the year before. He walked the hallway to their bedroom, pausing just beyond Charlotte's open doorway, where was asleep with an open book on her lap. Leaning in to tuck it onto her nightstand and pull the covers up to her shoulders, Daniel felt a sudden twinge of angst, knowing that no matter how purged his soul felt, as long as he and Emily continued to keep secrets from their shared sister, he would never be free of the entire burden.

 _Others view it as a sign of weakness…_

Aiden lay awake in bed, staring in solitude until surprisingly his companion returned, deftly sneaking in around the midnight hour. He tensed at Amanda's arrival, not expecting her to come back, much less to join him. A swift glance over his shoulder told him that despite the dangers that existed from being in his close company, Amanda had been pushed to her decision by desperation and was ultimately still plagued by guilt. So he watched as she nestled into the space beside him without a word and representatively turned on her other side – shutting him out to her feelings with an eerie silence while he still lay wide awake, struggling with his own.

 _Because ultimately, whatever you say, however you feel about what you've done, it's irrelevant…_

Jack placed a loving hand atop his sleeping son, drawing assurance from Carl's gentle breaths before turning out the light in his room and retiring to bed. He sat down with a heavy heart, holding back tears as he held the photo on his nightstand, a frame he had once destroyed. And yet, the turmoil of Amanda's ability to show deep abiding affection and yet still impel him to anger and betrayal had become beyond repetitive, now bordering torture. The act of mourning her loss and celebrating her return only to do the same over again within a matter of months had finally broken his resilience. With anguish in his eyes he sought to release himself from the vicious cycle, and angrily faced the picture down despite his certainty that it could not possibly be the end.

 _For the hand of death is equally unforgiving._

Emily sped in her car with a sense of purpose, hoping to get to Amanda or Jack or someone before the irreparable damage was done. She cursed herself inwardly for trusting Aiden, and pushed aside the thoughts of how she would repair everything in favor of hoping that as long as Conrad confessed, the final interworking of her plan would be preserved. But to her shock and dismay, her determined drive was broken up by the sight of a car in flames on the side of the road, thrashed around a phone pole with debris covering the street and grassy knoll.

She pulled over immediately to investigate, recognizing the car without a doubt as Conrad's as she came to a stop. Rushing to search for survivors, she landed first at the side of a bruised and bloodied Father Paul who appeared to have been ejected from the car.

"Father Paul!" she called out to him, kneeling beside to check him for life signs. He appeared unconscious while she continued to call to him, desperately praying that he was alive.

Yet behind her, the noise of someone stumbling forward could be heard, and she turned with anguish to see Conrad – containing burns across his face and barely able to walk, but clearly still alive. While Emily glared in his direction he braced himself on the warped hood of the car and took in the sight around him, unable to fathom all that had just happened. He squinted to look at her and Father Paul's motionless body on the ground and was barely able to mumble a word.

"Emily?"

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Well the best laid plans often go awry… and the Revengeverse is no exception :( Hopefully the other "confessions" that were laced throughout this chapter made up for the unfortunate ending! I hope you enjoyed reading the aftermath of everyone's 'sins' and how they have already spread to impact other characters. Please tell me your thoughts! Many of you were enraged at Amanda in the last chapter but hopefully you see her flaws now for what they are and can be patient for them to be addressed (but not without some consequences along the way!) In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the joint efforts of Team Demily in this installment and some triumphs for them in handling issues the second time around. Do leave your feedback & reviews please! I eagerly look forward to reading them and I hope you enjoyed! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	26. Chapter 26: Mercy

**Chapter 26: Mercy**

 _It is said that he who shows mercy to others, shall have mercy shown to him – compassion extended in desperate times when one could otherwise be treated harshly. But to overlook evil, a clear presence of remorse must exist – forging a promise that extended kindnesses will not be taken for granted lest the offer of mercy be cast aside…_

"Conrad Grayson involved in M.V.A., blood pressure-170/100, pulse-120, possible head trauma; C.T. scan recommended!"

Emily listened in earnest as the paramedics rushed two gurneys through the hallway of Hope Memorial Hospital, keeping her attention focused on the status of Father Paul.

"Paul Whitley B.P. – possible spinal injury, significant blood lost at scene," the paramedic was informing the head nurse staff, while Emily gripped his hand.

"Please hold on," she whispered, studying Father Paul's blank expression beneath his oxygen mask. She was flush with emotion, inwardly praying for him to survive. "Hold on, Father Paul," she repeated, just as the paramedics neared the corner.

"You need to wait here," the head nurse stopped her, allowing the others to proceed while restricting her to the corridor.

Emily complied reluctantly, staring after the paramedics until they disappeared and then finally allowing the shock of the events to penetrate. Instinctively, she began walking back down the corridor towards the ER entrance, stepping outside to make the first of two phone calls. She paced while the phone rang and was unable to disguise her fear upon Daniel's prompt answer.

"Em?" he hailed her in a distressed tone from the beach house. "Where are you? Did you get to Amanda in time?"

"No, I never made it there," she rushed; certain he would detect the fear in her voice. "Daniel, I'm at the hospital there's been an accident—"

She could not finish before he jumped in. "What—A-Are you hurt?" he asked right away.

"No, I'm fine," she assured him, hearing his sigh on the other end. "But I need you to come down here – its Father Paul… and… your father."

Instantly concerned, Daniel did not hesitate in reply. "I'll be right there."

 **SCENE**

"Victoria, you're crying?"

Patrick approached his mother with a tender expression after following her retreat to the balcony of her bedroom. She stared out over the sea, with a forlorn look cast upon her face. "Tell me what's wrong?" he insisted, taking her hand.

"Oh, Patrick," she sighed in a breathy reply, facing him with heavy guilt in her eyes. "Perhaps Charlotte was right – I should have never sought to bring you back into this family," she admitted. "It's destined to cause you nothing but ruin."

He wrinkled his brow. "What are you talking about?"

"Conrad," she answered, meditating pensively. "Not only did I learn today that his sins with the Initiative are once again at fault for our loss of fortune," she began, recalling the standoff at Nolan's housewarming. "But he is intent on dragging me to hell with him." Patrick narrowed his eyes and Victoria finally explained. "He's gone to do something to destroy me and this entire family. God have mercy on my soul."

Patrick shook his head at her complacence. "You act like you're—like you're bound to Conrad with no way out?" he asserted, prompting her to look up at him. "You are Victoria Harper—the woman who made an enviable life from nothing!"

She forced a numb smile at his encouragement. "That's who I was _once_ ," she acknowledged. "But not anymore thanks to my mistakes– one of which was ever conceding to marry that brute of a man," she digressed, peering into her son's eyes. "But above all else I chose to let _you_ go – something I now know you have yet to forgive me for."

Patrick scrunched his face in protest. "What do you mean?" he challenged her. "Of course I've forgiven you; that's why I'm _here._ "

She obliged him with a wave. "There's no need to be ashamed – Daniel and Emily _told_ me they took pity on you for never being provided with the due settlement you were promised." While he looked off in irritation, she placed a consoling hand on his arm. "And I don't fault you for coming back for it; you were only seeking that which you deserve—"

"Is that what you think?" he accosted her in surprise. "That I'm just hanging on looking for my _inheritance_?" He bristled, growing angry at the thought. "Well I apologize if helping you look for your stolen money gave you the wrong idea, but that is _not_ what I've been doing. And as far as Emily is concerned, I can assure you she wasn't showing any special mercy– she _paid_ me for a service, getting close to you!" He retracted, sensing he was stirring up concern in Victoria. "But the truth is; I stayed because I _wanted_ to know the mother I never had!"

With her eyes fixed intently on her son, Victoria became more certain he was telling the truth. She pushed the thought of Emily's beguile aside in favor of the breakthrough with her firstborn. "Oh, Patrick," she cajoled softly, reaching out to stroke his face. "I meant no harm. I simply was saying I would understand if that were the case. But clearly there's so much more to you than that."

"Just like there's more to _you,_ " he intimated, grasping her hand on his cheek. "I know that because you and I are the same," he added. "And to prove it, come with me—" he invited her, while she looked up in intrigue. "I still have more than enough to live on from that five million; we'll take it and leave the Hamptons."

Victoria lowered her eyes, despite being touched by his offer. "I can't let you do that, son," she insisted. "And I can't abandon Charlotte to deal with Conrad's mess; my children need me now more than ever."

"Even _Daniel_?" Patrick argued. "He obviously helped Emily cook up whatever falsehoods she told you about me."

"Daniel is under a powerful influence," Victoria asserted in his defense. "But thankfully I have retained an even more powerful one. Aiden Mathis is living in the pool house and he is going to stay in my employ until he finds that money… and helps me destroy that lying bitch," she spat, fuming. Patrick applauded her determination with a supportive look, while she finished. "I refuse to let this family be left with nothing, come what may from Conrad's confession—"

"Mrs. Grayson?" Victoria and Patrick turned at the sound of Bianca's voice, allowing the maid to quietly enter with her news.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt but – there's been an accident."

 **SCENE**

Jack forced himself through the routine of opening the _Stowaway_ , doing his best not to show his raging emotions from the night before. But by late morning when Charlotte arrived for her promised visit, his patience had worn and it was becoming harder to mask his inner struggle, especially amidst her pertinent conversation.

"…so I'm thinking about searching out new lodging," she started in, bouncing Carl on her lap before tackling the stack of wedding invitations she had brought along. She spread everything out on a table in the back while Jack replaced a light fixture.

"Oh yeah?" he answered flatly, distracting himself with the bulb.

"First of all, I'm always home alone," Charlotte elaborated with a shrug. "Which I didn't mind at first, but in that big house with Daniel off to work and Emily off to do…" she searched aimlessly for words. "Whatever it is she _does_ , it's kind of lonely. And I usually just end up here," she chuckled. Jack neglected to respond but Charlotte continued anyway. "Like this morning, for example, no clue where they are. But," she reasoned. "They _are_ getting married soon and I'm sure they'll want their own space. They haven't mentioned it yet, but it had to have crossed their mind already?"

"Mm," Jack mumbled, distracted.

"Plus," she continued, nuzzling Carl's face. "Once your little cousin arrives the house is gonna get a lot louder!" she cooed to him and then turned back to Jack. "I'd rather not force that on them. I know as a non-working single mom it's going to be hard finding a place, but I have to at least try…" she trailed off, noticing Jack appeared not to be listening.

"Hm?" he finally replied after the silence. "Oh, of course you can stay here," he answered absentmindedly, returning to the supplies room.

"Oh no, Jack I wasn't asking—" she insisted, but he was already nearly out of earshot. She gave her curious look to Carl instead and lifted him onto her hip, heading over to the bar. "Hey," she prodded Jack when he returned. "Are you alright?" She glanced upstairs instinctively, wondering. "Jack, believe me I wasn't trying to impose—"

"No, I think it's a good idea," he obliged anyway. "Move in whenever you're ready."

Charlotte watched him restock the top shelf, only growing in wonder. "Are you sure? 'Cause I mean if you and Ashley…" she paused as he sent her a glare that strongly argued the opposite. Reading it, she shifted tone. "Did it not go well with you two last night?"

"Charlotte, please," Jack finally sighed in exasperation, facing her. "I told you, _nothing_ is going on with me and Ashley, alright? She's just trying to be nice by helping me out with some things, but that's it." He waited for her to nod at the clarification and then went further to add. " _She's_ not interested, _I'm_ not interested and that wasn't her when you stopped by here."

"Oh," Charlotte answered, accepting it immediately. "No, that's fine I get it." But her curiosity continued to pique at his wording. "So it was… someone else?" she asked.

He looked up from the glasses he was arranging on the counter, realizing his choice of words. "It was… no one," he finally answered, thinking back upon the painful evening. "Just me being ridiculous," he added genuinely, trying to excuse his odd behavior. He looked up to see if she was buying it but Charlotte only studied him innocently.

Saving him from further scrutiny, her phone began to ring. "Here, he's getting too big for you to be lifting him," he offered, reaching over to take Carl from her. "You should get that," he added.

"It's just Daniel," she informed him, ignoring it. "I'll call him back –this is more important."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Charlotte, give me a break—"

"Jack, we're _family,_ " she finally insisted, leaning forward. "And family should be able to talk to each other about anything." She pled with anxious eyes, now even more certain that he was keeping something from her. "Come on, if you're serious about letting me stay here can't you at least tell me about whatever is bothering you?"

Jack rubbed his brow, shifting Carl on his hip. "I'm sorry, Charlotte," he apologized genuinely. "I can't tell you this."

 **SCENE**

"Emily!"

Daniel's heart skipped a beat as he spotted her coming out of the emergency waiting room, with clear distress painted across her face. Emily looked up at the sound of his voice and turned in time to catch his embrace. He pulled away in a hurry. "How are they—what's going on?"

"They're still running tests on your father," she informed him. "But he was coherent when he came in –his injuries were minor."

"And Father Paul?" Daniel verified, sensing pain behind her eyes.

She looked at him solemnly, an emptiness in her reply. "He's… he's gone."

Daniel's face sank in despair, mirroring the angst that quickly filled Emily as she relived the reality before him. "He lost too much blood … they worked on him as much as they could but…" she trailed off, lowering her grim expression towards the ground. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't brought him into this in the first place—"

"Hey," Daniel consoled her instinctively, reaching in to draw her close. "Don't do that to yourself. You were just trying to make this right—" he fumbled for words, knowing there was little combination that would bring her peace. Confirming his assumption, she nervously stepped away and began to pace from intense worry.

"Did you tell Charlotte?" she asked, fighting to stay focused.

"I tried to call but she didn't answer," he replied. He edged closer, unwilling to let her grow too distant. "Em, maybe it's for the best – she can't stand the sight of my dad now anyway; I can talk to her later."

"She's probably at the _Stowaway_ ," Emily reasoned. "I just don't want her hearing about it on the news—" Before Daniel could respond she shifted topic to vent about the lost opportunity. "I can't believe we were _this_ close again." She gestured with her index finger and shook her head angrily before concentrating on something behind Daniel.

He turned to follow her gaze and saw Patrick slowly coming down the hall. Rushing to intercept, Daniel stepped away to meet him first. "It's just family beyond here, pal," he cut him short.

"You mean a family of _liars_?" Patrick snapped back, just as Emily came up beside Daniel.

"Daniel, let it go—" Emily urged him, but he was already provoked.

"Yeah, starting with our dear old _mother_ —" Daniel retorted, staring Patrick down.

"Your dear old mother," a voice interrupted them just beyond Patrick. "Like it or not, is still closest of kin." Victoria appeared in the hallway and took Patrick's arm, clearly intent on keeping him at her side.

"Yeah, well _he_ isn't!" Daniel argued, thrusting a finger in Patrick's face despite Emily pulling at him to retract.

"Oh and what are you gonna do to make me leave?" Patrick challenged, inching closer. He looked to Emily. "Come up with more lies or write another check?"

"Enough!" Victoria charged, stepping between them. She turned graciously to Patrick. "Perhaps it's best if you wait downstairs, dear," she suggested.

Patrick put his hands up in surrender, though still boldly undeterred. "I'll do you one better," he obliged. "I'll be back at the Manor. It's obvious this family has enough problems on its own." He turned on his heel and started back down the hallway, shaking his head scornfully.

While Victoria sighed at his exit, Emily shot him a spiteful glare and Daniel finally relaxed. "Satisfied?" Victoria asked him dryly, while he barely acknowledged her with a glance.

Just then the attending doctor interrupted them, arriving with an update. "Excuse me? Is this Conrad Grayson's family?" he asked, as they all turned.

"Yes," Victoria confirmed. "Can we see him?"

 **SCENE**

"Well, just when I thought I couldn't be any more repulsed by my father's schemes…" Daniel vented as he trudged up the porch steps to Emily's beach house.

But rather than follow him inside, Emily remained at the bottom. "I'm not coming in," she declared firmly, staring towards the path to Nolan's house. "I've got work to do."

"Em, look this isn't over," Daniel insisted, edging back down the top step. "Just because my father had a change of heart about confessing doesn't mean he's going to get away with it."

Emily shook her head, still not budging. "Daniel, do you know how hard it was watching him lie through his teeth? Pretending he was an innocent while Father Paul is _dead_?"

Daniel finally came down to her side. "Hey, of course I do," he reminded, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I was standing right next to you, remember? But, none of us could foresee that this accident would happen. In his twisted sense of fate," he digressed with angst. "My father sees it as divine intervention – like his secrets were destined to follow him to the grave, or something," he guessed, rolling his eyes. "But we're not going to let that happen."

"No we're not," Emily affirmed. "Because I'm going to find out the truth about what happened. And this time Conrad won't be able to pin it on another man."

Daniel wrinkled his brow. "What are you saying – you think my father _planned_ this?"

She raised her chin assuredly. "I was there, Daniel. Conrad came up from the driver's side – _he_ was behind the wheel, not Father Paul, like he's alleging. For all we know, maybe he never intended to confess – maybe this was just his way of taking him out?"

Daniel struggled to follow her reasoning. "But how could he know whether he would survive the crash? My father is many things, but suicidal isn't one of them." While Emily paused to acknowledge his point, he questioned another. "Why don't we just confront him about this? Tell him the truth – tell him everything we know and insist he either come clean or we'll expose him for this too?"

"Expose him with _what?_ " Emily argued. "My word won't be enough, especially now that your mother is involved." Her eyes sharpened with intensity. "I saw that look she gave him – she's more likely to kill your father _herself_ than let him drag her reputation down."

"Heh, maybe we should let her," Daniel scoffed, only partially joking.

Emily shook her head, regaining confidence in her original theory. "No, in order to make sure this doesn't get swept under the rug again, we need proof." She squeezed his hand before breaking away. "And I'm going to find it before it's too late."

Daniel watched her go, recognizing her familiar level of determination as one that could not be stopped. So rather than bother, he merely sighed and went inside, making another attempt at reaching Charlotte on the phone.

Meanwhile, Emily completed the brisk walk to Nolan's house, arriving at his patio door just as he was getting up from the couch. "Ems," he greeted her, removing the phone from his ear. "I just got your message, what happened—"

"Conrad happened," she replied irritably, walking past him into the living room. "Father Paul's dead and I'm almost sure he caused the accident." While Nolan's eyes widened in shock and sympathy she faced him with her request. "I need to find the car and prove that Conrad was driving. Can you get me into the police database?"

Nolan furrowed his brow. "Uh, with what – my library card?" He gestured to their surroundings. "Ems, tech-time-out remember? Besides," he reasoned while she rolled her eyes impatiently. " _Murder_ by auto accident? Conrad is pretty psychotic, but would he really risk his own life? Unless… someone _else_ is behind this…"

Emily stared back pensively. "You mean someone who wants him dead?"

Just as they each acknowledged the other's train of thought, Nolan's patio door slid open and Aiden stepped in. "I just heard the news," he announced, walking over. "I assumed you would be calling a summit—"

On cue with her assumption, Emily stepped forward to accost him. "Where's Amanda?"

"Didn't you speak with her?" he asked, based on their last conversation.

"I never got there – I was first on the scene of the crash," she explained quickly before diving into full-on interrogation. "Aiden, if Amanda had anything to do with this, I swear to God –" she threatened in a low whisper.

"It wasn't _her_!" he defended briskly, inches from Emily's face. "I know for certain because she was with me all night." While Emily shook her head ruefully, Nolan turned up his nose in disgust. "She told Porter the truth," Aiden continued. "And then she came straight home—"

"Wait, wait," Nolan could not resist breaking in. "Home, as in, _your_ current residence? As in the _Graysons'_ pool house?" He looked at Emily in surprise. "Is he serious?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Emily glossed over irritably, redirecting back to Aiden. "Where is she now?"

"Gone, as a matter of fact," he asserted proudly. "She packed her things and left this morning. She _listened_ to you," he emphasized, hoping Emily would back off. "She didn't want to cause any more trouble."

"Or she's running from the trouble she already caused?" Emily argued back, still not convinced.

Seeing the two at a standoff, Nolan interrupted. "Hey, maybe our initial theory was right – maybe Conrad really did do himself in this time." He looked to Emily hopefully. "Look, I still don't want to break my tech rule, but I can try to see what I can find out—"

"Forget it, I'm already on it," Aiden interjected, glaring at Emily. "I still have an inside advantage, remember?"

Emily met his stare with a daring one of her own. "Then I suggest you use it."

 **SCENE**

"Jack, that's _terrible!_ "

Ashley listened as Jack relayed the events of the previous evening while she occupied Carl in his highchair beside her. While Carl became fixated on the toy she handed him, she turned her attention to Jack on the other side of the bar counter, wishing there was more she could do to help.

"What's even worse is, while Amanda was here? _Charlotte_ came by," he continued sheepishly. "And she stopped by again this morning to ask me about it. She knows something's up."

"Did you tell her?" Ashley pursued nervously.

"Of course not," he reassured her, keeping his voice low. A lost expression came over his face. "But I'm running out of things to say… if she's not asking questions she's making assumptions. She thought it was _you_ here last night."

Ashley gave him a funny look. "Goodness," she stammered. "One appearance at Nolan's and all of a sudden we're a couple," she laughed, while Jack looked down uncomfortably. "Pregnancy hormones are wreaking havoc on that poor girl's imagination – and yours isn't too far off," she reminded him, leaning forward. "Jack, you don't honestly believe Amanda's in love with someone else, do you?"

He looked up solemnly, peering at Carl. "I don't know but I don't care. My mother left me and Declan we were young," he recalled. "Without giving us a reason, without saying goodbye – she just took off. And that's exactly what I _don't_ want for our son." He turned back to Ashley. "I love Amanda, but I can't let her keep doing this to us."

Ashley nodded in understanding. "Maybe she's just protecting you?" she guessed.

"Why?" Jack asked, growing animated. "Why use _that_ as a protection now when that's what we've been doing all along by hiding out!" His temper mounted and he turned to busy himself behind the bar again, adding. "Either way, I've had enough of her and Emily's lies."

On his last words, Ashley furrowed her brow in interest. "Emily?" she repeated to his back. "What does she have to do with it?"

Realizing his slip in terms, Jack slowly turned around to fix his mistake. "Not Emily," he clarified nervously. "I meant just Amanda's lies – you know what I mean." He looked at her for reassurance but there was still suspicion in her eyes. "Anyway, I told Charlotte she could live here," he added, changing the subject. "She wants to give her brother some space and it'll be good for the cousins to be together."

That elicited a smile from Ashley, looking over at Carl's oblivious grin. Despite the distraction, she continued, "But Jack – are you sure that's wise? What if Amanda decides to back – how long can you keep her a secret from her own sister—"

"She's not coming back, Ash," he assured her firmly. "Besides – finding out she's alive only to find out she's abandoned us again would only break Charlotte's heart." He dropped the towel in his hand on the counter in resolution. "It's time to move on, for all of us."

Sighing heavily, Ashley pressed her lips together, translating what that meant for the article she was planning in _Voulez_. "So… does that mean you want to forget about telling her story?"

Jack pondered, realizing that despite his long-suffering rift with Amanda, in reality it was not _her_ story that Ashley strove to liberate, but Emily's. And in that regard, perhaps it did her a disservice to let it go. "I guess that depends," he deliberated. "How much of it do we want to tell?"

 **SCENE**

Emily returned home from Nolan's, only to catch Daniel on his way out. "Make any headway on your investigation?" he inquired right away.

"Nolan's still staying off the grid, but Aiden's looking into it," Emily informed him shortly. Before he could ask further, she spied Charlotte's purse on the table. "How did she take the news?" she asked.

"Not good," Daniel responded grimly. "She ah—had a minor panic attack; got a little short of breath."

" _What_?" Emily motioned towards the stairs, but Daniel pulled her back gently.

"It's alright; she's sleeping," he assured. "I called the doctor and he prescribed bedrest and no more stress-inducing announcements. With those two things she should be fine."

"That's not going to be easy with the way things are going around here," Emily inserted.

Daniel acknowledged it with a nod. "Well, I've got a plan for that – or I should say, _she_ does." While Emily looked on in interest, Daniel reached into Charlotte's bag and handed her a brochure. "This fell out of her bag when she came in. She's thinking about moving out."

"Moving _out_?" Emily questioned, perusing the brochure abruptly.

"Hey, maybe it's for the best?" he suggested, lowering his voice. "It'll give us a chance to figure things out without having to worry about her overhearing or… supposedly 'dead' people popping up," he suggested, getting a glare in return. "Anyway, it's not up to us. If this is what she wants to do, we need to support it—" he paused to give Emily time to digest while she continued staring at the brochure. "I have to head into the office, think about it alright?"

Daniel started towards the door and then stopped short to double back. "Oh one other thing," he added, and Emily finally looked up. "The detective called – he was going to stop by later for your statement—"

She wrinkled her face in distress. "With Charlotte here—?"

"But I askedhim to come down to my _office_ instead," Daniel finished, attempting to calm her down. Realizing her nerves were still shaken from the stressful night and Charlotte's decision, he reached in warmly to grasp her shoulders. "Hey – I told you I'm taking care of this," he brought his hands up to cup her face, raising her eyes to meet his. "I'll give him your statement."

"Make sure you tell him I couldn't be sure who was driving," she reminded him earnestly.

"I _will,_ " Daniel promised. "Don't worry. Besides, we've still got the exclusive on my dad in _Voulez,_ remember? As long as we run that article it's as good as a confession." He waited for a nod from her and then planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Which is why I need to get into the office now to make sure it runs – I'll see you later." He glanced in the direction of the upstairs briefly. "Don't get too worked up about Charlotte – you're not going to lose her."

Wistfully, Emily accepted his consolation, despite knowing he could only speak for the time being and not the future.

 **SCENE**

"Patrick Osbourne, I presume?"

Aiden approached the edge of the Grayson pool, observing the tall young man that had just finished a lap and rested along the side. Patrick looked up, squinting in the late afternoon sun. "Should I know you?" he asked.

"No, not really," Aiden chuckled. "It's your mother that employs me, not you."

"Ah," Patrick nodded, realizing. He emerged from the pool, wrapping a towel around his waist. "Right, you're the guy that's trying to find her money?" When Aiden ducked his chin in confirmation, Patrick approached him. "Look, I'm sure she appreciates what you're doing but it's really not necessary."

"Oh?" Aiden challenged him. "Your mother doesn't seem to think so." He shot a glance over his shoulder back towards the house. "I'm surprised you're not by her side in wake of recent events?"

Patrick tousled his wet hair. "Well, this family doesn't exactly welcome my presence," he explained, brushing by him.

"I wonder why that is?" Aiden persisted, and Patrick stopped in his tracks.

"Listen," he accosted him, padding back over. "You may be hired as an investigator, but you'd do well to keep your interests in the financial category, alright?" Aiden raised his brow and Patrick continued. "For someone who doesn't share much about himself, you sure ask a lot of questions."

"Pardon me for that," Aiden humbly acknowledged. "Merely part of the job, you understand." He took his leave, exiting the pool area.

"You headed to see my mother?" Patrick called out, watching him walk away.

Aiden doubled back. "Ah, yes… I was just about to walk up to the Manor?"

Patrick studied him with care, securing his towel around his waist. After a moment's thought he decided to come over and walk ahead of him. "Here, follow me," he instructed Aiden, taking the lead. "Wouldn't want you to get lost on the way over?"

Aiden snickered, aware that the other's paranoia was kicking in and clearly he did not want him snooping around. But rather, it proved a point he had already begun to suspect. "Well, thank you," he obliged, mumbling under his breath. "I certainly trust your knowledge of the premises…"

 **SCENE**

"Hey, Ash did you get word on the write-up-" Daniel peeked into Ashley's office only to stop short at the person he saw seated in her place. " _Margaux?_ " he stammered in surprise.

"Daniel," Margaux LeMarchal looked up and rose to her feet. "What are you doing here? I was so sorry to hear of your father's accident on my way in this morning." She softened her eyes sympathetically. "I thought with his condition, you would still be at the hospital?"

"Ah, yeah well it was a rough night," Daniel explained uneasily. "I needed a distraction." He studied her oddly while she walked over towards him. "I uh – I didn't think you were due back until the release party next week. Where's ah—where's Ashley?"

"I was just about to ask the same question," Margaux replied, crossing her arms in wonder. "I've tried to reach her several times; it seems my partner is otherwise detained?"

"I'm sure lunch with a client just ran long," Daniel found himself alibiing, watching Margaux lift a file from Ashley's desk.

"Ah, yes," she entertained, holding up what appeared to be expense reports. "A client who is a fan of the _Stowaway,_ it would seem? I continue to see this local muse on her charge account." Daniel remained quiet while Margaux perused the file and eventually closed it. "But of course, that's her affair. And at any rate, perfectly timed – I came back early to oversee things, and I've decided to change direction with our cover issue."

She turned to go back to Ashley's desk and this time Daniel followed in concern. "Change direction?" he asked.

"Daniel, I simply couldn't forgive myself if I allowed this insensitive pictorial of your father to go to print–" she lamented, holding up the early draft. "And right after an unfortunate accident? That's not the image I want for _Voulez_ ," she continued, tossing it into the trash.

Daniel flinched as it thudded to the bottom. "Ah, I assure you," he tried to persist. "I don't take it personal—"

"But _I_ do," she insisted, raising an eyebrow. "And I'm not certain why Ashley assigned you this story in the first place, but I will discuss with her in private." Daniel opened his mouth to protest in her defense, but Margaux silenced him with a wave of her hand. " _Pas un mot,_ " she commanded, which he roughly understood to mean 'not another word'. "If you insist on working, then perhaps we can talk about your assignment for next month's issue – I envision something much less dark."

Curious despite feeling defeated, Daniel pressed. "Don't tell me we're back to Nolan Ross?"

Margaux chuckled. "Perhaps another time," she admitted, and then leaned forward onto the desk to impress her answer. "But for now I want _you_."

"Me?" Daniel shrugged, shifting uncomfortably at her overture.

Margaux smiled. "You and _Emily_ , that is. The exclusive Grayson wedding issue – it will be featured front page."

 **SCENE**

"Comfortable?" Victoria sneered in jest, wheeling Conrad through the foyer of Grayson Manor.

"Well, considering it's only been two days since my second brush with death in the past year, and your self-serving illegitimate son is still living under my roof, sucking dry the last morsels of our dwindling assets…" Conrad trailed off, amusing himself with the blatant irony. "Yes, I'd say I'm as comfortable as can be expected."

"Good," Victoria responded in kind. "Don't forget the daughter that continues to loathe you – evident by her lack of call or visit. But cheer up," she added painfully, parking his wheelchair. "Remarkably, you're still able to walk – an ability I suggest you exercise, as this is where my caretaking duty _ends_." With that she walked away, in search of Patrick.

Conrad rolled his eyes. "Victoria, don't tell me you're still upset over my almost confession?"

"Nonsense," she humored him from the hallway. "Since it led to the death of your confidant, it's all the more certain to seal your fate in _hell._ " She smiled after her icy remark. "Welcome home, Conrad."

He grumbled at her brisk departure, waving off the maid as he struggled to stand without assistance. Aptly timed, he rose to his feet just as his phone began vibrating on the foyer table and reached it on the last ring. "What is it, Detective?" he answered gruffly. "Oh, I had it moved off site, Piedmont Salvage Yard. Yeah, have it taken care of quickly. And, uh, don't call again."

He hung up quickly, just as he heard the sound of a presence nearby. "Welcome home," a brisk voice startled him from behind.

Conrad nearly lost his balance, whirling around to face Aiden staring right back at him. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?"

"I just moved into your pool house," he gestured with a nod, crossing his hands behind his back.

"Oh, well, I just got off the phone with the police," Conrad replied, holding his cell phone up. "I'm happy to call them back?"

Aiden grinned. "Scared?"

"Of being killed in my sleep by a bitter ex-employee?" Conrad snickered back. "Damn straight." He turned to the maid who was passing through. "Bianca, could you please inform the staff that Mr.  
Mathis here is to be denied access to the manor? And, uh, have the doors to my suite and study locked at all times during his inevitably short stay." She nodded at his orders and he turned to address Aiden again. "So why don't you go back to your cabana? And then prepare to keep going back over the ocean."

"Well, if you still ran this house, I might actually be scared," Aiden retorted, walking away per Conrad's request. Once out of earshot, he slipped into a corner and quickly began to dial Emily. "It's me," he identified once she answered. "I have the information you were looking for."

 **SCENE**

Emily had just hung up with Aiden and was on her way out when a knock sounded at her door, revealing Ashley on the other side. "Hey—" she barely answered before Ashley was plowing through into the kitchen.

"Tell me you're on your way to go looking for that bloody drifter!" she announced, storming over to the counter before Emily even had a chance to shut the door.

"Amanda?" Emily clarified her reference in a low whisper, coming over to stand across from her. "Not exactly; how do you know about that?"

"Jack told me," Ashley confessed, to a surprised look in return. "I dropped by the _Stowaway_ yesterday and he gave me the full rundown – including her confession about being 'in love' with someone else," she added, making quotation marks in the air.

"She _told_ him that?" Emily verified, sighing in response. "None of this was supposed to happen – things are getting completely out of hand."

"I'll say," Ashley confirmed. "I just found out my partner's back in town a week early."

Emily snapped up at attention. "Margaux?" she deduced, wondering why Daniel hadn't mentioned it the day before.

Ashley nodded. "And not only did she manage to yank the expose' on Conrad but she promptly reamed me out for trying to publish it in the first place. I doubt she'll even give a second look to the story I was working on about Amanda…" she trailed off to herself. "Which is just as well, now that she's flown the coup yet _again—_ "

"Forget about her," Emily cut in forcefully. "And lower your voice, Charlotte's resting upstairs."

Ashley complied with a suspicious look. "Right – about that, Jack said she's planning to move in with him?" A look from Emily confirmed it was the truth. "Emily, don't you think you ought to tell her that her _sister_ is still alive, in case she turns up? How long is this charade going to go on?" she pressed, the emotion in her voice rising.

"Ashley, we've got enough to worry about without sending Charlotte into an early labor," Emily reminded her with a stern look. "And right now I have somewhere to be, so I need you to calm down, go back to the office, and do everything you can to get that story on Conrad back up and running. Can you do that?"

"Emily, I _told_ you—" Ashley began.

"You have just as much stake in that magazine as Margaux does," Emily continued. "Use it. Trust me – you'll thank me later." With a determined look in her eye, she waited for an affirmative nod from Ashley before adding one last request. "And when you get there – I need you to give Daniel a message."

"What's that?" Ashley inquired as Emily walked her to the door.

"Tell him to meet me at Piedmont Salvage Yard."

 **SCENE**

It was early evening when Nolan answered his door chime, only to find Aiden at the door stoop rather than the delivery he was expecting. "Oh – I uh, thought you were dinner?" he responded in surprise.

Aiden gave him an odd look. "Resorting to cannibalism? That's strange even for _you_ ," he quipped as Nolan let him through.

"Well, as much as I dearly miss my sweet chords of connection," Nolan explained, following him into the living room. "I'm not quite that far gone. Ordering take-out at least gives me another soul to talk to in this big, empty palace."

Aiden chuckled. "So you're bored, then? Well, perhaps I have something to hold your interest."

"Mm, a formal request?" Nolan deduced, joining him on the couch. "No wonder you chose the _front_ door instead of slipping in through the back," he paused to pretend an inquisitive look. "Or is that reserved just for when Ems is around?"

Ignoring his playful banter, Aiden reached into his pocket and produced a medium sized velvet box. He opened it for Nolan to see – a delicate silver necklace was inside with a modest diamond at the center. "Radiant," Nolan remarked, leaning back in wonder. "But I prefer check, credit card or ."

"It's not a payment," Aiden insisted, snapping it shut.

Nolan turned up his nose. "A gift? For whom…?" he answered his own question before Aiden could. " _Amanda_?" Suddenly uncomfortable, Nolan rose from the couch with a stern look. "Uh, listen I know I've been a fairly neutral subject in this whole deal, but Jack's a friend of mine, okay? And I'm not helping you decide on a gift for his _wife,_ especially when the ink on their separation isn't even dry—"

"Nolan, that's not what this is," Aiden insisted, standing also. "It's more than a gift – it's a tracking device." He extended the necklace again for Nolan to see and this time turned it over to reveal the carefully installed chip in the back. "I purchased it after her latest disappearing act as a way to keep tabs on her, but I need a program to activate it."

Aiden looked at him suggestively, but Nolan continued backing away. "Uh, Tony Stark, aren't you forgetting something?" he reminded him, pointing to the general area. "Computer-free zone. So even if I _wanted_ to help, which for the record I don't, I _couldn't_."

"This isn't about helping me," Aiden emphasized, edging nearer. "It's about helping _her._ Amanda's on a dangerous path – even Emily knows it. Granted, I may be partially to blame," he admitted in wake of their affair, while Nolan scoffed at the premise. "But this is my chance to make things right. I have a feeling she _will_ come back and when she does, we can't afford to lose track of her again." He paused to wait for Nolan's consideration, adding. "No matter whom she chooses to be with."

Reluctantly, Nolan deliberated and finally took the box from Aiden's hand to stare closer at the chip. "Standard configuration," he mumbled aloud, ascertaining it would be a fairly simple program to write. "Well," he finally sighed. "I guess I just keep trying to quit and they just keep pulling me right back in."

Grateful for his concession, Aiden thanked him outwardly. "I owe you for this."

"But just so we're clear," Nolan asserted. "I'm not doing this for your sake – I'm doing it for Jack."

 **SCENE**

Emily stayed low to the ground as she crept through the perimeter of the junk yard, quickly spying Conrad's car, untouched amongst the heaps of flattened vehicles. Pulling her dark hoodie up over her head she took out her phone and moved swiftly, careful not to draw any undue attention. Yet despite her caution, there was still one person who was able to spot her from a distance, startling her as they snuck up behind.

"You know, the more I know you, the less I know you," Daniel announced, prompting Emily to spin around sharply.

"Daniel, get down!" she ordered him, motioning for him to lower his stance so as not to be seen. He followed suit, crouching on the other side of the car while she scanned the area and then finally acknowledged him again. "What took you so long?" she asked.

"Well I had to come up with a reason to tell my _boss_ why I was leaving work early," he retorted in a low whisper, glancing around. "Other than 'to scour a junkyard with my ninja fiancé'!"

"Oh, really and which boss is that?" she whispered back, edging closer to him. "The one I _told_ to give you the message or the one you didn't tell me was back from Paris?" When Daniel's face read surprise, Emily asserted back. "I'm guessing you left out Margaux being back for a reason?!"

"As a matter of fact, I did-!" Daniel hissed back, cut short by the loud sound of a machine crunching metal nearby.

"Shh!" Emily called out, and ran around the side of the car. They stayed low until the sound grew louder, forcing them to run out of its way behind a large stack of tires. Emily leaned her back against them, turning her face to keep discreet while Daniel pressed up against her protectively. They froze in place until the sound died down and they relaxed, suddenly realizing how close to each other they were.

Inches away from her mouth, Daniel gazed into Emily's eyes while a sultry feeling awoke in him. "You know, not everything has a hidden meaning," he picked up from their conversation, barely giving her enough space to exhale. "I just got worried after Margaux pulled the story on my father – I didn't want to give you any more bad news."

"It's just as well," she replied, gasping from their brisk escape. Her glance fell down to his lips also and then trailed down further. "I have something to show you." Daniel followed her leading gaze, but rather than play into his fancy Emily merely raised the phone in her hand. "Look – I just took this video of the entire car. Look at the steering wheel – that's housing for an air bag that Conrad had installed, but it must have deployed when the car hit the pole."

Daniel narrowed his eyes, watching closely. "That's why my dad has burns on his face and Father Paul didn't?" he guessed.

Emily nodded. "This could really prove that he was driving, which means _he_ had the air bag removed _and_ destroyed before they towed the car—" before she could finish, the loud beeping behind them resumed and again they crouched back against the tires. This time, Daniel could see that his father's vehicle was being lifted into the machine, followed by a thundering crush moments later.

"Well," he gaped, dejectedly. "That just confirms he knew about it."

Emily glanced back over her shoulder. "Don't worry about that, we have all the evidence we need right here," she insisted, holding up the video.

"Let me see that again," Daniel asked, a thought striking him as she handed it over. He studied it carefully and began shaking his head a moment later. "Ah – Ems I think we've got a problem."

"What?" she sighed.

"After my DUI I spent a lot of time in driver safety courses," he prefaced. "One of the first things they show you is all the damage that can be caused by driver error." He zoomed into a frame and froze it, then tilted it to face her. "And this isn't one of them. See that? That's the brake line – it's punctured, and not from the crash."

Emily peered closer, realizing he was right. "So you're saying…"

"Someone _did_ this," he finished. "Someone went out of their way to cut that line and made sure that him and Father Paul never made it to the station."

Emily clenched her jaw, angrily processing the reality. "And I think I know who."

 **SCENE**

It was becoming a habit for Emily to parade into the pool house unannounced, only this time rather than bursting through angrily, she entered in a slow stride, mindful of her dinner worthy dress and heels. She couldn't help but steal a glance around the room to personally confirm that all traces of Amanda were truly gone, but despite the evidence it did nothing to change her suspicions. "Aiden, we need to talk," she called out briskly.

At the sound of her voice, Aiden emerged from the bedroom, raising his eyebrows at her presence yet again. "Well, if it isn't one half of the royal couple," he greeted her, meeting halfway through the room with a bristly glare. "You realize the frequency to which you visit here is incredibly dangerous—?"

"So is protecting Amanda," Daniel finished, entering a few paces behind Emily. He also was dressed smartly, convincing Aiden that wherever they were headed, they were going together.

"As I've told you _both_ repeatedly _,_ " Aiden rebuffed, eyeing him with an unsavory glance. "Amanda went to see Jack and then she was with me the night of the crash. Not a single minute was unatoned for." He stood his ground, cocking his head dismissively. "Now shouldn't you two be interrogating the Master of the House after the information I gave you this afternoon?"

"The information you provided only determined one thing," Emily explained, handing over her phone for Aiden to see. "Despite Conrad being in the driver seat, that ride was doomed before it left. Someone had already punctured the brake line – someone skilled enough to know what they were tampering with, who could have accessed it any time the day before."

Aiden viewed the video closely, absorbing the detail while the others watched. Yet when he finally looked up, he remained resolute. "This still doesn't prove it was Amanda," he argued, handing it back over. "She's not the only one who could have done this—"

"You're right, there's always _you_ ," Daniel suggested arbitrarily.

"Daniel—" Emily tried to dissuade him.

"Clever as always," Aiden chided him dryly, ignoring it. "But I'm referring to your half sibling." Daniel perked up at the mention of his brother while Aiden continued. "Today I discovered that Patrick has had unlimited access to the entire premises far before I moved in here. And trust me—he knows it well."

Daniel glanced over to Emily in confirmation. "He's got a point."

"I wouldn't put it past your mother to employ him for something like that," Emily added with a respective nod, turning her attention to Aiden. "But we would need to find proof, and _fast_."

Aiden jumped in without hesitation. "I think I can manage that."

Emily narrowed her eyes at him; meanwhile Daniel checked an alert on his phone. "Right, my mother's starting to get antsy," he reminded her. "Whatever announcement they plan to make, they want us there for it now."

"Perhaps it's your mother confessing to attempted murder?" Aiden sniped, getting back at Daniel for earlier.

Daniel feigned a dry laugh. "Very funny; I'm heading over there – you coming?" he gestured to Emily.

She remained in place with her hands fixed on her hips. "I'm right behind you," she asserted over her shoulder, and Daniel reluctantly left her to finish with Aiden alone.

Aiden brimmed with interest while she remained, speaking only once Daniel had shut the door behind him. "What's this about?" he asked.

"Unlike Daniel," she asserted, inching closer with distrust in her eyes. "I'm not so easy to convince. I think you're still protecting Amanda… And you seemed all too certain that you could find proof Patrick was behind it—"

"Emily, for the last time," Aiden began to protest but she continued.

"Regardless, I don't care. Whether you have to search the Manor for proof or you have to plant it there yourself, just make sure that Patrick takes the fall." She paused to intensify her stare. "And then you need to do whatever you can to ensure Amanda doesn't go back on her decision to leave. My sister is moving in with Jack and she can't take another shock in her condition."

Finally understanding her path of reasoning, Aiden glanced down his nose at Emily, slowly bringing his chin to a nod. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem," he assured her.

"Aiden," Emily repeated, emphasizing the seriousness of her request. "I need a _guarantee_ that she is _far_ away – do you understand?"

As his mind trailed to the tracking device he had just employed Nolan to help him configure, Aiden continued to beam with confidence. "Like I said," he promised. "That shouldn't be a problem."

 **SCENE**

"Alright, Mother. You insisted I be here so – what's the news?"

Daniel settled into the couch, shooting an impatient stare across the room to where his mother stood fixing herself a drink. "Well, it appears I'm one for three this evening," she supposed without answering his question, gazing around the empty room instead.

Rolling his eyes, Daniel fidgeted with his wristwatch. "Emily's right behind me," he replied. "And shouldn't _you_ have an idea where your other son is?" He added a dry snicker. "I expected him to be hanging off the hem of your dress."

Victoria glared at his caustic remark, and came over to take a seat upon her throne. "Despite this family's constant lack of hospitality," she informed him. "Patrick should be joining us shortly. But I was referring to your _sister_."

"Charlotte's still not feeling well," Emily inserted from the hallway, garnishing their attention. She entered the room poised as usual, giving a discreet nod to Daniel as he watched her take a seat next to him. "And since you gave no information other than gathering for 'an announcement', I thought it best not to give her any further cause for stress. As you know her condition is very delicate, Victoria."

Victoria glowered at Emily's pretentious tone, souring with her own reply. "Yes, I'm aware," she stated flatly, turning her attention back to Daniel. "However the invitation was extended on behalf of your father – it's his news to share, not mine."

Emily crossed her legs and turned away while Daniel continued with Victoria. "So what is it – what's the news?"

Just as Victoria shrugged her ignorance, the sound of Conrad's wheelchair could be heard from the hallway, as Bianca wheeled him into the front of the room. Once he was parked, he made a grand gesture of waving her off while he struggled to stand to his feet and took a vile of medication in hand, dramatically pouring the pills onto the floor. He concluded his charade by stomping onto the pills, crushing them into powder.

Victoria finally chimed in. "While I adore performance art, why don't you just get on with it?" she sneered.

"I received a call from the hospital today asking me to come back for an M.R.I.," Conrad explained. "It confirmed a shocking discovery - I've been misdiagnosed. The nerve damage that was once thought to lead to a future of paralysis – it does not, nor has it ever existed. And despite recent injuries, my bullet wound has _completely_ healed."

Emily sucked in a dreaded breath and exchanged a discreet glance with Daniel. It was only a matter of time before Amanda's crafted scheme at the beginning of summer eventually unraveled. The only stray thought that remained was whether she was at the helm of the second accident that eventually led to its undoing.

Meanwhile, Victoria was voicing her shock without hesitation. "What? How did they explain the symptoms?"

Conrad shrugged. "Seems they were brought on by stress and the medication itself," he replied obliviously. "I realize now what Father Paul meant when he said that he'd been brought back into my life through divine intervention. He was clearly God's vessel to show me that I'm meant to live a long and meaningful existence here on earth," he elaborated, taking a seat across from the other three. "And Father Paul is now doubtless in heaven, having earned his wings."

Daniel and Emily could barely stomach their disgust, with the latter only forcing a half-hearted reply. "Well, that's one way of looking at it," Emily managed.

In a rare sense of comradery, Victoria tacked on to her reply. "Or perhaps Father Paul is laughing at you because you had to step down as governor for naught?" she stung at Conrad. "I know I certainly am."

Conrad glared at her, and then turned to address Daniel, who remained quiet. "I assume by your silence that you also share your mother's merriment at my misfortune? Or perhaps what I sense is displeasure – that yet another attempt to rid me from this family's helm has faltered?"

Daniel burrowed darkened eyes into his father at the accusation, shaking his head. "This entire ordeal has only convinced me of one thing," he gasped heavily. Sensing he was beginning to come apart, Emily rested a gentle hand on his arm but he continued regardless. "That if someone like you can not only get away with _murder_ but live time and again to talk about it – then there really is no justice at all!"

"Daniel—" Emily begged, but he was shaking off her grasp and storming out of the room before she could stop him.

"No, let him go dear," Conrad waved it off, while both women watched Daniel's departure. "He clearly resents my place in this family, a feeling he's been harboring for some time. But regardless, I intend to reclaim my rightful position as master of this house."

Victoria eyed him sharply. "Is that so?" she challenged. "And just what gives you the idea that he even cares enough to resent you so deeply?"

Conrad chuckled snidely and went to fix himself a drink. "Isn't it obvious? If his reaction just now wasn't enough, there's the coup he led against to me to acquire Grayson Global last summer, followed up by a near assassination—"

"You're _insane_ if you still believe Daniel had anything to do with that!" Victoria belted, ready to dive into a fight.

Before it could escalate further, Emily leapt to her feet. "If you'll excuse me – I'm going to go check on him," she advised in a tempered tone, addressing Conrad specifically. "And Conrad, contrary to what you believe – we're relieved to hear the news." She sent a meaningful look over to Victoria before concluding. "We want nothing more than to have you _both_ there, in good health, on our wedding day."

Leaving Victoria with a scowl at the reminder of their nuptials, Emily exited to let them finish their argument and found Daniel in the foyer by the front door. "Hey," she whispered, reaching out to pull him back. "What was that all about – you almost lost your composure back there?"

"Can you blame me?" he retorted immediately. He bit his lip to restrain the anguish that still remained from a stressful week, heightened by the last straw. "Emily, I'm sick of doing this – I'm sick of sitting here watching him act like he's untouchable-!"

"Daniel, shh!" she calmed him, glancing back to make sure no one heard. "You think I don't feel the same? But we have to wait until we have everything we need to do this – and losing it in front of your parents is only going to draw suspicion. Come on, you can't give up now."

Daniel sighed, avoiding eye contact with her but deep down inside he knew she was right. "What did you have to talk to Aiden about?" he digressed, lowering his voice.

Not expecting the change in subject, Emily shifted focus. "Nothing, I just wanted to make sure he understood the seriousness of his assignment," she replied vaguely.

"So you trust him again?" Daniel questioned, looking into her eyes.

"Mercy is a trait I'm trying to work on," she relented with a shrug. She knew he would sense there was more to it than that, but banked on his understanding.

Just as she suspected, Daniel fell in line. "I guess I can relate to that," he agreed with a guilty expression, finally taking hold of the hand she had outstretched. "Listen Em, I'm sorry I didn't tell you Margaux was back in town. But I just didn't know what to say. The July issue went to print. There's nothing me or Ashley can do – she refuses to run the article."

Emily accepted it without despair, taking his other hand. "So we have to start from scratch," she shrugged. "Weren't you the one that told me this isn't over?" she reminded him with a hopeful nod.

Daniel agreed, feeling a weight lift off of him as he stared into her eyes. There was a soothing nature about Emily's confidence, a feeling that no matter what happened she could always come up with another plan. And while it scared him at times, it was moments like these where it brought balance to their complicated and deeply entrenched relationship. "You know," he suggested, pulling her in close to wrap his arms around her. "We've been getting pretty good at forgiving each other lately… maybe that means we're gonna make it this time after all?"

Emily settled into his grasp, thinking. "Maybe," she entertained him, staring into the distance. "Except there's still one more person we need forgiveness from."

Daniel followed her concern, lifting his chin slightly to take his turn at reassurance. "Once Charlotte delivers safely – we'll tell her everything," he promised.

She affirmed her agreement with a soft peck on his lips, relieved that he appeared for the moment to be back on track. The noise of Conrad and Victoria's bickering could still be heard in the distance, making for a timely reminder that it was best to get going. "Come on," she urged him, motioning towards the door. "Let's go home."

Daniel escorted her out with a half-grin, keeping an arm around Emily's back while they began the walk down to her beach house. Despite the evening's troubles, they left with courage, having survived yet another setback seemingly without letting it damage their relationship. And yet, just the opposite was true, for as they disappeared into the night neither took notice of Patrick – who watched them go silently from the top of the stairwell, having overheard every word of their conversation.

 **SCENE**

"I got your message."

It was nearly midnight when Aiden heard the familiar sound of Amanda's voice, interrupting his contemplative stare onto the rolling waves of the sea. He maintained his stance, keeping his back to her along the shoreline, enticing her to come down to his side. When she did, he finally spoke aloud. "Something told me you hadn't gone for good," he sighed in relief, turning to face her. A second passed and he found himself pulling her into an embrace, resting his chin on her hair before speaking again. "But I'm afraid I have to ask that you _do_."

Amanda pulled away slightly, looking up at him. "What?" she noted in surprise, separating from his grasp. "Then why did you send for me?"

"A few reasons," Aiden replied with tenacity, elevating his chin to look down at her. "But most importantly, to ask you an honest question – did you sabotage the brake line in Conrad's car?"

She stifled a laugh, resting her hands in the pockets of her sweatshirt. "No," she answered flatly and immediately Aiden believed her. "Not that it's a bad idea," she added. "Is he already back driving these days?"

"He's up to quite more than that," Aiden summarized, excluding the detail. "But I had a feeling you had nothing to do with it, I just had to be sure," he asserted confidently. "Just like I had a feeling you were still nearby. I knew you couldn't bear the way you left things with Jack."

She lowered her head in guilt, confirming he was right. "I still love him," she admitted sheepishly.

Aiden absorbed it with a clever repartee. "If you really loved him, you would have confessed to _everything_ ," he scolded, prompting a pained look to cross her face. "You really think you deserve his mercy after concealing the truth from him?" Amanda was stunned to silence, recognizing the power in his assertion. When she neglected to reply, he continued. "Perhaps you were sparing yourself more than you were protecting _him_."

She finally looked up in alarm. "Is that what you think?"

Aiden gazed back towards the sea. "I think you're conflicted. A part of you wants your family … and a part of you wants to disappear with me… and yet you believe you deserve neither," he digressed, returning his gaze on the last word. She did not deny his assumption, but instead forced herself to look away. "Which brings me to the other reason I sent for you – until you decide what it is you want," he continued. "I think you're better off staying far from those you have the potential to hurt."

Amanda scoffed at his ruthless honesty. "Now, who's protecting their feelings?" she alleged.

But Aiden edged closer to articulate the real reason. "This isn't just me we're talking about. Charlotte is moving in with Jack, and as she still believes her _sister_ is dead, she can't afford to have any sudden jolts in her condition." He stood back reluctantly. "It's no longer safe for you to be here… not that it ever was."

Amanda let out a grand sigh, running her tongue along the inside of her lip in diffidence. "So you want me to run away with you?"

He shook his head solemnly, knowing he had quite a bit more investigative work to do now that Amanda was confirmed to be innocent. "Not with me – I still have unfinished business here."

Realizing his decree was not an invitation, but a farewell, Amanda's countenance fell and she abruptly turned to walk away. "Well, then. That settles it," she surrendered. "Goodbye, Aiden. Have a nice life."

Before she could take off, he caught hold of her arm. "Amanda," he begged her to listen. "I know you think I'm turning my back on you, but I'm not."

"Really?" she shot back. "'Cause it sure feels like it—"

"Amanda, _please,_ " Aiden insisted, forcing her to look at him. "The truth is – in the time I've spent with you, I've been able to see you for who you truly are." Amanda remained silent, leave for an attempt to restrain tears with a sniffle. As a final endearing gesture, Aiden reached into his pocket. "Here," he offered, taking out the velvet box. "I want you to have this."

While Amanda remained still yet surprised, he removed the necklace and delicately fastened it around her neck, resting a finger on the stone and then nudging her chin when he was done. Amanda looked down at the necklace and then up at him longingly.

He managed a pained smile and leaned close to whisper into her ear. "Keep it to remember who that person is. And when you get tired of running from your identity," he instructed her. "Perhaps we'll find each other again."

 **SCENE**

"Ah, burning the midnight _oil,_ as it were?" Conrad commented, finding Victoria admiring an antique oil painting in her parlor at half past midnight.

"Reminiscing on simpler times," Victoria retorted, in the wake of their argument earlier that evening. She allowed her gaze to drift up to him with contempt. "Alone, I might add. So get out."

Conrad chuckled, ignoring her request to take a seat beside her instead. "There's that spunk I fell in love with," he quipped. "And I will leave just as soon as you describe to me Mr. Mathis' exit plan. So you have until breakfast to remove him, or I'll do it my way."

"Now that would be unwise," Victoria countered, stewing in thought. "Aiden may be the only hope we have of stopping Daniel from marrying Emily." She gestured in the overall direction of the upstairs. "Patrick overheard them talking in the hall just before they left earlier, something involving a private conversation with Aiden that Daniel questioned her about." She raised her brow in suggestion. "It seems that she has some inexplicable weakness for him."

Intolerant, Conrad finally got up. "God, are you still chewing that same bone, woman?" he bemused her. "Use that tenacity to get him out of my pool house—" he was nearly out of the room when Aiden crossed his path at the entrance.

"You may want to rethink that idea," he suggested strongly, reaching his gaze to include Victoria as well. "I looked into your accident," he continued to Conrad.

"And why was it your concern?" Conrad questioned immediately.

"Because I don't like you," Aiden answered gruffly, eliciting a light laugh from Victoria in the background. He kept his arms crossed behind his back, standing at full attention. "And I thought maybe you'd intentionally harmed that priest, but I discovered something far more surprising. Somebody tried to kill you by tampering with your brakes..." He turned his gaze to Victoria again, who had now grown serious. "And I have good reason to believe it's someone you know _well._ "

"I can only imagine who it is—'" Conrad guessed, just as Victoria leapt to her feet.

Ahead of his suspicion, Victoria cut in. "Conrad!" she demanded, rushing over to intervene before Aiden could respond. "Let's save the conclusions until it's been confirmed," she allayed him sharply. She gave Aiden a meaningful look. "You said you have _reason_ to believe, but can you be certain of whom you suspect?"

Sensing that Victoria had a much greater stake in knowing the truth first, Aiden reserved his reply. "Ah, well, no," he backtracked, convincing Conrad with a measure of uncertainty in his expression. "Naturally I have to do more research before I can be… _absolutely_ sure."

"Mm," Conrad replied in intrigue. "You do that," he instructed him, clapping him on the back as he cast a gaze back at Victoria. "And while you surface the culprit perhaps you may earn your stay here after all."

With that he led him out of the room, leaving Victoria to stare after them as fear sank into her heart. She watched Aiden go with apprehension, knowing there was a fair chance that one of her own offspring was in fact responsible.

 **SCENE**

Emily was halfway down the stairs when she stopped short on the landing, spotting her sister seated at the kitchen counter. "Charlotte?" she called out to her, switching on a light while simultaneously tightening the belt cinching the silk robe around her waist. "Are you alright? It's nearly 3 in the morning?"

"I'm fine, just can't sleep," Charlotte assured her. She turned from her cup of tea, cracking a half smile. "I would ask why you're up at this hour, but I'm not sure I want to," she hinted.

Emily blushed and shied away from the question, pouring herself a glass of water. "You – ah, practicing for late night feedings with Declan Jr?" she averted instead, joining Charlotte in the seat beside her.

"I guess," she shrugged, glancing down at her tea bag. "Except I'll be sitting at a bar instead of your kitchen counter," she divulged, immediately looking at Emily for response.

Emily hid behind a sip of her glass and then eventually made eye contact. "Daniel told me you're moving to the _Stowaway,_ " she admitted. "And I understand why you made the decision. I just don't want you to feel like you had to?" She placed a hand on her arm in assurance.

Charlotte smiled. "That means a lot, Emily," she confided. "Really, it does. But you and Daniel are getting _married_. I mean, that's a big deal _,_ " she emphasized, while Emily pondered in agreement. "You'll have enough on your plate without adding an infant to that in the first year," she continued, adding. "Well at least not one you didn't plan on yourselves!"

Emily chuckled, blushing again. "No, your brother and I are definitely planning to wait," she enforced, softening her gaze. "But that doesn't mean we don't want _loads_ of time with our little nephew," she insisted, resting her hand on Charlotte's belly. "Promise you'll still bring him to visit his auntie every day?"

A sweet glimmer of appreciation fell over Charlotte's face. "Promise," she replied happily, resting her free hand on top of her belly also. "Every day."

At that exact moment, just as the two sisters smiled in unison, the baby kicked. "Oh!" they both exclaimed, and Emily's face lit up with a rare glaze of excitement. They kept their eyes and hands fixed on the spot and moments later, it happened again. "I think he likes that plan!" Emily joked with a wide grin.

Charlotte could barely contain her own joy, feeling a sense of relief that all was going to be well. Suddenly deciding something, she drew her gaze up. "Hey, Emily?" she asked, getting her attention. "I guess I probably should have asked you this before but… would you," she stammered, glancing away and then back again. "Would you be the baby's godmother?"

Touched beyond what she conceivably thought possible, Emily was beside herself in reply. "Charlotte," she breathed, at a rare loss for words. "Of-of course, I'd love to!" she finally managed and gave her a sincere hug of appreciation.

But even as Charlotte hugged her back, Emily could not part with deep feelings of guilt, knowing her sister had bestowed her with an honor that in truth she did not deserve. Her only consolation was hoping that the plans she was desperately trying to finish by the summer's end would go off without a hitch, and that Charlotte would thereafter find it in her heart to forgive…

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Sorry for being gone so long dears! It's been a busy past couple of weeks but as it turns out the last few days I've had SO many Revenge ideas come to me that I can't WAIT to get back to writing the rest of the season. I already have some big changes planned that should be interesting, and a few ways to speed us along to the big episode foreshadowed in the outset. SO with that being said, please hang tight and in the meantime tell me what you thought about this chapter? I tried to include enough Demily to hold everyone over and still keep things interesting on the other fronts. Would LOVE to hear your feedback/thoughts/comments and stay tuned, there are BIG things coming very soon! As always, much much ~love and revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	27. Chapter 27: Control

**Chapter 27: Control**

 _When on a mission of revenge, one must maintain total control – over risks, emotions, and one's enemies. The single greatest threat to success is losing control of your allies…_

"But Mother, I don't understand – how did he find out?"

Patrick stared into the dark pools of Victoria's eyes, behind which urgency lurked from a concerned maternal instinct. It was nearly an hour until sunrise at a secluded location just down the road from Grayson Manor and the air reeked of tension, as Victoria was clearly unable to rest until she saw him off safely.

"He hasn't," she admitted, concentrating on a speck of light in the distance. "But we mustn't wait until he does. Conrad is a ruthless man – if he knew you tried to kill him, you can't imagine what he would do. You must go now."

The light eventually neared closer revealing a car that slowed to a stop, evidently sent for by Victoria. As it slowed to a stop, Patrick creased his brow in frustration. "This was Aiden's doing wasn't it?" he questioned irritably. "He's been snooping around since you hired him—"

"Darling, you mustn't hold this against him," Victoria insisted, grasping his arm in plea. "He had the prudence to share this information solely with me so that I could keep you out of danger—"

"I can handle myself," Patrick urged her. "It's you I'm concerned about – how can you expect me to leave you alone at a time like this?"

Victoria hushed him with a look. "I will take care of Conrad, but you have to trust me. I will bring you back when the time is right, I swear, and give you answers— all of them. Please?"

Patrick glanced from the packed bag in hand to the waiting car and then back to Victoria again. "If it's what you want, I'll go," he finally relented. "But I still think Aiden should stick to what you're paying him to do. Emily is up to something, and the way it sounded, Daniel's involved too!"

Victoria absorbed his reminder without argument, believing him wholeheartedly. "And rest assured, I will not stop until I get to the bottom of it," she assured him. "I've long felt their marriage to be a conspiracy in itself –"

"Mother, it's more serious than that," Patrick asserted, edging closer to her face. "I heard them mention something about waiting to tell Charlotte until after she has the baby," he added, eliciting a look of surprise in return. "What could possibly be that earth shattering?"

Again, Victoria felt stunned into silence by her son's keen observation and merely stared into the distance, processing theories. "I don't know, son," she finally admitted, looking back up with promise in her eyes. "But I _will_ find out, I'm sure of it. Just as I'm sure I _will_ see you again."

Before her budding emotion could force her to tears, Victoria pulled Patrick into a heartfelt embrace and then just as quickly, pushed him away. "Now go," she commanded him, taking a step back. "Obey your mother."

In spite of his reluctance to go, Patrick obeyed and got into the backseat of the car. Meanwhile, Victoria struggled to gather her composure while making the walk back to her home, but this time with renewed motivation – to find out the secrets that were hidden between her son and Emily Thorne.

 **SCENE**

Daniel smirked as he reached the bottom of the stairs, spotting Emily already up and deep in concentration in front of her laptop at the kitchen counter. He admired her talent for being both industrious and still feminine, noting her choice of a soft-colored dress for the day's activities.

"Morning, beautiful," he commented sweetly, shuffling over to rest his face by her cheekbone. Emily barely flinched at Daniel's presence over her shoulder, but instead minimized the window she was looking at in a fluid motion. By the time Daniel could see the screen, it had switched to a flowery template for a baby shower invitation. "You've been at that all week. Are you worried someone will ruin Charlotte's surprise or are you just that diligent?"

"You mean, am I worried our sister will go into emergency labor before this is all over?" Emily quipped with an accompanying grin before leaning back to give him a kiss. "Yes."

Daniel chuckled and left her side to pour his morning coffee. "Well, living with Jack seems to have made her nothing short of relaxed," he commented. "Aren't you supposed to link up with her today?"

"Yes, we have the dress fitting," Emily confirmed. "Ashley's coming too, if she can make it."

"You don't sound too enthusiastic," Daniel detected. "Come on, this is the girly-fun part you're supposed to look forward to," he added, receiving a wry look and pursed lips in reply. He laughed, leaning over the counter across from her. "All I'm saying is just enjoy it. You can't manage the fine minutia of every situation – besides, didn't Aiden assure you Amanda wouldn't be turning up for any surprise visits?"

"Mm," Emily agreed half-heartedly, taking advantage of his positioning to return to her original screen. Though it had been a week since Charlotte had moved into the _Stowaway_ and things had been noticeably quiet, she was never truly convinced that all was completely settled.

"Which makes me wonder," Daniel continued, almost to himself now that Emily was once again distracted. "Now that Jack's no longer pining for Amanda, is he still dead set on you executing the plan by the end of summer?"

Emily stifled the usual uneasiness she felt whenever Daniel brought up Jack's name, wondering if it had been a good idea to share the role he played in past discussions. "Does it matter?" she posed back without looking up. "Do you really want this drawn out any longer?"

"Point taken," Daniel shrugged in agreement. "Not sure how long I can stand this charade as it is…" He left his comment to dangle in the air, waiting for Emily to bite but she remained fixated on the screen. Drawing his interest, Daniel set down his coffee and continued. "Or how long I can stand to have you this preoccupied—!" he finished, and suddenly reached over to snatch the laptop away.

"Daniel!" she resounded, clambering to her feet to follow him around the kitchen island while he played keep-away. "Give that back!" she insisted. "Don't you have your own party to plan?"

"What, the _Voulez_ launch?" he joked, stashing the laptop far out of reach while Emily tried to take it back. "You know Ashley  & Margaux are handling that – I'm free to get in your way," he snickered, watching her squirm.

"Which is exactly what you're _doing_! Come on, I need to focus!" she threatened, growing impatient.

At her tone of voice, Daniel's countenance intensified. "That's a lot of focus for a baby shower," he deduced, and finally snuck a peek at the screen just before Emily skillfully bested him and snatched it back. While she closed it shut and slipped away into the living room, Daniel followed with an odd look. "That was a map you had up just now," he observed, letting the playful tone drain from his voice. "Are you planning this thing on the eastern seaboard?"

"That's not for the shower," she sighed, resting the laptop on the table. She gathered her composure and faced him to explain. "Your father's confession tanked, Daniel. We needed a new plan."

He folded his arms in interest. "Agreed – so were you going to tell me about it?"

"It's still in progress, it's just— it's not the easiest thing to discuss," Emily admitted, conveying layers of concern in just her expression. When Daniel prompted her to go on with a cocked eyebrow, she finished. "What I have in mind involves leaving Charlotte behind… forever."

Daniel panned the room with a disappointed look and let his arms fall to his side. "Well, there's one way to zap enthusiasm," he resolved. Before he could press her for more detail, Emily's phone alerted and she looked away to answer.

"If that's not enough, your mother is beckoning me to the Manor," she informed him, rolling her eyes. "Look, I better go," she concluded, standing up. "I have a busy day; we can talk about this more later."

"Yeah I guess I better get out of here too, before the invitation gets extended," Daniel resolved, still studying her carefully. Emily nodded and started to walk by, but he caught her before she could slip past. "Em, whatever you're plotting? Come up with something else," he insisted, lowering his voice to a serious whisper. "You'll never forgive yourself for leaving Charlotte behind."

With that final admonition he kissed her goodbye and released her hand, leaving Emily with much to consider before beginning her day.

 **SCENE**

"Morning, JP!"

Jack yawned on his way over to the bar, where Charlotte was already seated and bursting with energy. "Ah, morning," he managed a grin, squinting in the early sunlight. "You're in a chipper mood?"

"I can't help it," she agreed, tapping a pencil on a notepad. "Somehow I feel so much more productive here. Invitations are sent, wedding vendors are booked, _and_ thanks to your gracious home improvements," she added with emphasis, raising her eyes favorably towards the upstairs. "The nursery is now ready for _DJ_ to join Carl. I just had to do a little condensing but I found some amazing space-savers for that."

"No problem," Jack obliged, noticing her abbreviation. "Just don't condense too much in the process, alright? 'Jack' is still fine, for me," he added with a grin. "But I like DJ for Declan Jr."

Charlotte laughed. "Ok," she agreed. "Fair enough."

"Still, I'm happy you're cozying in," Jack assured her. "So what's left?"

Charlotte glanced down at her planner. "Today…dress shopping with DJ's godmother," she answered, getting a puzzled look in return. "Emily," she clarified.

Jack's countenance changed slightly. "Oh, right," he commented, despite being unaware she had recently chosen Emily for the title.

"That's right, isn't she Carl's godmother too?" Charlotte pursued. "I guess she's just the official caretaker of the next generation of Porters," she joked.

"Uh yeah… something like that," Jack trailed off, turning to busy himself at the bar sink.

Charlotte noticed immediately. "Jack… you're acting weird again," she observed. "Are you and Emily not on good terms or something? Because I could talk to her if you want me to—?"

"Nah, that won't be necessary," he quickly rushed, shooting down the idea. He forced a smile for her sake and backed up towards the supply room. "Listen, I got a lot of inventory to do this morning, so I might be in and out today but if I don't see you – have a nice time with Emily."

"Ok," she agreed reluctantly. "See ya..." Charlotte stroked her belly to ease some momentary discomfort as she watched him go, and began wondering just what he was not telling her.

 **SCENE**

"So did you handle it?"

Emily walked cautiously alongside Aiden down the garden path from the pool house, keeping her voice low and hiding behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Aiden continued beside her, pausing briefly to survey their surroundings before answering.

"Somewhat," he replied. "I only managed to let Conrad know it was someone close to him – but Victoria stopped me before I could finish. I spoke to her privately in the days that followed and it appears she's sent Patrick away."

"That's not enough," she stopped him, halting in place to fold her arms. "Conrad needs to know exactly _who_ it was, Aiden. I can't have him drawing his own conclusions."

"Who else would he suspect?" Aiden rebuffed.

Emily inhaled a breath before explaining. "Last week at dinner, Conrad accused Daniel of coming after him again." She watched as Aiden's face wrinkled in realization.

"So that's why Victoria was so afraid," he concluded. "She couldn't be sure which of her sons she was protecting…"

Conscious of keeping their conversation brief, Emily hastily finished before heading down into the pool area. "Look, just make sure he gets the right idea," she reminded him with a stern look before parting ways. "This is the only leverage we have right now."

"I'm on it," Aiden confirmed with a nod and departed back the way they came.

Moments later Emily arrived at the pool, putting on a broad smile and waving her clutch at Victoria, who had just took a seat on the shaded side. "Victoria," Emily called out brightly, removing her sunglasses. "You sent for me?"

"Emily," Victoria addressed her, nodding appreciatively at the maid who brought her morning coffee over. She squinted as Emily approached from the rear side of the pool. "I see you found me with no trouble?"

"Well, it's a beautiful day," Emily gestured openly. "I thought you might be out here taking breakfast with your son?"

"Ah," Victoria absorbed what felt like intentional probing. "Well, unfortunately Patrick is no longer with us," she explained. "But I'm sure that's no loss to you? I'm fully aware that you paid him just to humiliate me," she charged with a forthright glare.

"Victoria, not this again—" Emily feigned ignorance as she reached her side.

"Just another of the _many_ secrets you're guarding," Victoria continued, ignoring her surprise. She nodded for her to have a seat and then concentrated her attention even more precisely. "One of which is the reason I requested your presence. A trusted source overheard you discussing a serious matter with Daniel on your way out last week. Something you both seem to be keeping from Charlotte?" she pried.

Instinctively, Emily smirked at Victoria's attempts to untangle her, already prepared with a response. "Well, I guess you've caught us," she indulged her with a shrug. "I suppose it's fairly obvious what we've been hiding... we're planning Charlotte's baby shower."

" _Baby shower_?" Victoria repeated, underwhelmed.

Emily leaned forward in confirmation. "Actually more of a 'sprinkle', I would say? Charlotte already has most of what she needs – I took her shopping this past week. I like to think of this as more of a 'Mother-to-Be Tea'," she coined proudly, glancing up for Victoria's reaction. "Of course, I was going to ask your assistance but after our fight and last week's dinner," Emily paused dramatically, choosing her words. "I thought I should wait for the right time?"

"Indeed," Victoria humored her. "And just how long did you plan to wait?"

"Well, I know you have your hands full with Conrad on the mend," she inserted, glancing towards the Manor. "Tell me," she pursued surreptitiously. "He doesn't still think Daniel has some crazy vendetta against him? I'd just hate for them to be on the outs so close to the wedding."

Victoria cocked her head in challenge. "You know as well as I do how much those two loathe each other," she answered. "But Conrad's broken relationship with any of my children has long ceased being my concern, as long as he does nothing to turn them against _me_." She raised an eyebrow, hinting in Emily's direction. "And that mantra goes for anyone else who tries to do the same."

Again Emily pretended oblivion. "Victoria, whatever can you mean?"

"First, you go after Patrick," Victoria barraged, losing patience. " _Then_ you attempt to diffuse my relationship with Charlotte, and let's not forget your obvious intent to marry Daniel out of spite—"

"Let's get a few things straight, Victoria. I _love_ Daniel," Emily interjected firmly, dropping her pretense in a rare moment of truth. She rose to ascertain the intensity of her feelings, slipping her clutch underneath her arm. "And whether you like it or not, this wedding is happening because of the way we feel about each other. As for Charlotte's choice to stay away from you – well it was just that," she elaborated. " _Her_ choice – I had nothing to do with it."

Victoria studied Emily as she towered over her, asserting her position with authority. She remained pensively silent, allowing her to conclude her speech.

"Now, I have to be going. As it happens, she and I have plans to pick out dresses today," Emily continued, putting her sunglasses back on. "That's an open invitation if you would like to join? My treat," she added somewhat haughtily. "Otherwise, don't you think it's time we put this behind us?"

 **SCENE**

Nolan set a steaming mug on his countertop in symbolic role reversal to where Jack sat like a customer on the other side, and watched his friend with a sympathetic stare. "So… tell me why again it bothers you so much about Emily being Declan Jr's godmother?" he pressed, leaning forward. "It _is_ her real nephew, after all."

"That's just it," Jack confessed, looking away to sort out his feelings. "Knowing the truth about Emily makes it so much harder now that Charlotte's living with me; it's like I have to lie to her even more!" He took a sip and suddenly wrinkled his face at Nolan in surprise.

"What? You're the bartender – never heard of a hot _toddy_?" Nolan claimed, explaining the potency in the drink he had just served him. "Anyway," he returned to the subject at hand. "Wasn't it _your_ idea for her to move in?"

"I know I wasn't thinking," Jack admitted, slumping forward. "It's just this whole thing with Amanda has me so stressed out."

Nolan glanced over guiltily at his laptop on the counter, knowing he had the means to locate Jack's estranged wife in a matter of seconds. He pushed the thought away, offering moral support instead. "Jack, now it's time for _you_ to be truthful," he encouraged him. "You miss Amanda – plain and simple. No matter what she's done or what she tells you, you can't change the way you feel about her."

Jack bore his assessment bitterly. "And you don't know anything about what happened?" he asked.

Nolan shifted uncomfortably. "Look all I know is she's always been careless," he replied in part, shrugging. "Old habits die hard."

Jack narrowed his eyes, wondering if there was more that he wasn't revealing. "Tell me the truth, Nolan. Did Emily force her to go away? Is she really with someone else or is this all part of some ploy to make sure she doesn't ruin her plan?"

Again Nolan evaded sharing too much detail. "Could you blame her if she did? You know Amanda's dangerous – she doesn't exactly follow the same code that Emily does," he paused, realizing his argument was leaning heavily in support of Jack's suspicions. "Besides, we all knew she needed to stay away until this was done."

"Yeah, but this was supposed to free us to _be together!_ " Jack nearly exploded in a repressed tone. "Now, what? Emily just runs off with Daniel into the sunset and abandons her sister behind while Amanda does the same to me?" he projected angrily, gesturing into open space. "What am _I_ left with?"

Utterly speechless, Nolan could only listen and empathize with a solemn look. "Jack… I don't know what to say?" He fumbled for words, offering the only ones he knew. "I'm sorry."

 **SCENE**

"So," Victoria began, admiring her reflection in the three-paneled mirror while Charlotte was a safe distance in the other dressing room. She tilted back and forth while Emily watched from a few steps away. "Just how many people were you planning to have at this 'Mother-To-Be Tea'?"

"Well besides you, me, and Daniel," Emily answered, finishing off a text to him at that very moment. "Just a few of Charlotte's close friends."

"Friends?" Victoria balked, facing her. "I wasn't aware she had many of those – how many respectable young women can relate to teen pregnancy?"

Emily shook her head at her insensitive comment, taking a long swig from a complimentary champagne flute. "I'm sure she'd appreciate that sentiment from her _mother,_ " she whispered under her breath.

"Oh, I only want the best for her," Victoria fawned, examining the bodice of her mermaid-style gown. "Where's the venue?"

"I'd like to have it at the _Stowaway_ ," Emily shared openly.

Victoria turned with a bemused look. "Because of its unlimited availability?" she guessed.

Emily absorbed the condescending remark with grace, emphasizing her next revelation. "Because it's where she _lives._ "

 _"_ What?" Victoria's expression dropped.

"She moved out a week ago," Emily elaborated proudly, edging in to close the space between them. "Daniel and I were sad to see her go of course, but it does make things easier to plan. And now all we have to do is take her out for the day and then bring her home for the big reveal—perfect, wouldn't you agree?" Before Victoria could answer Emily stepped around her to meet Charlotte as she emerged from her dressing room. "Charlotte, you look amazing!" she fawned genuinely.

Charlotte grinned, modeling a one-sleeved empire-waist gown that accentuated her round midsection in a quite complimentary way. Emily took her by the hand and twirled her around for the full affect, admiring how glowingly beautiful her sister really was.

"Ok, so I know I normally complain," Charlotte admitted, cracking a smile. "But this dress – I like!"

"But of course," Victoria interrupted their moment from across the room, turning towards her. "You look absolutely stunning, darling."

"Thanks," Charlotte nodded a bit awkwardly, noticing her mother's elaborate gown. "That's quite a showstopper, Mom – are you sure that's the one you want?"

"Oh, I'm sure it pales in comparison, even to the bride's choice for the rehearsal dinner," Victoria appeared to humbly sidestep. She signaled for the attendant to come over and gestured to Emily. "In fact, would you be a dear and take Ms. Thorne back to model it for us? We're just dying to see it."

Emily gave Charlotte a knowing look as she accepted her dismissal, taking another glass of champagne with her. Charlotte watched her mother curiously in the silence that followed, settling into an easy chair. "What are you up to, Mother?" she grilled. "Honing your way in on my baby shower?"

"Oh, Charlotte," Victoria replied in amazement, taking the seat across from her. "You're not supposed to know about that!"

"No, but I know _you,_ " Charlotte hinted directly. "And I can tell when you're plotting."

"I was merely seeking a private moment to mend our relationship," she shrugged innocently, sweeping the hair off of her shoulder. "We haven't spoken since before your father's accident…" she trailed, prompting Charlotte to look away without interest. She poked at a different topic instead. "…and Emily was just telling me you recently moved out?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "I wanted to be closer to my real family – _Declan's_ family," she emphasized. "I didn't tell you because I knew you'd be against it."

"And why shouldn't I be?" Victoria defended, while Charlotte scoffed in expectation. "When I'm certain your accommodations aren't half as adequate as they would be at home with me. Your father and I are your family too, you know?"

"Try not to remind me of that," Charlotte snipped back. "Jack may not meet _your_ standards, but he has always been good to me. And it's the least I can do after he lost both his wife _and_ his brother thanks to Dad's repulsive schemes." She sharpened a glare which her mother did not contest and then drifted off in thought. "I still worry that he won't find happiness, no matter how much he deserves it."

"Don't be so quick to deem him a saint," Victoria countered cleverly, looking back to ensure they were still alone. "You may not have known of this before, but _Emily_ broke her first engagement to Daniel over a tryst with your current landlord."

"With _Jack_?" Charlotte repeated in surprise, clearly having heard the information for the first time.

"Mm-hmm," Victoria confirmed drably.

Charlotte's mind wandered back to Jack's clear discomfort at the mention of Emily earlier, but she quickly brushed the thought away. "Well, regardless of what's happened in the past, I'm sure her and Daniel have worked through it," she secured confidently. "I've never seen my brother happier."

"Perhaps," Victoria entertained, playing the devil's advocate. "But unfortunately your brother's downfall has always been being far too trusting of women, and you know what they say – ignorance is bliss."

Charlotte shook her head at Victoria's notion. "You say that about everyone he gets serious with," she argued. "But Daniel's not the only one who's trusting – Emily trusts him too. After all, he works with _two_ of his old flames."

"I assume one of which is the abominable Mrs. Grobet?" Victoria deduced.

"She was supposed to join us today," Charlotte nodded, looking towards the door. "Just to show how mature Emily is, she's even having her in the wedding."

"I shall never understand that bizarre friendship," Victoria remarked, suddenly perking up in interest. "But, you mentioned _two_ of Daniel's old flames. Has Margaux returned from Paris?" Charlotte suddenly shrunk back at her accidental overshare, while her mother's thoughts began to churn. "But of course," Victoria realized. "She's in town for the _Voulez_ launch this evening—darling, were you planning on attending?"

"No," Charlotte replied abruptly, bracing herself on the arms of the chair to stand up. "I'm staying in to rest. So should you," she warned her, already following her thinking.

Victoria smiled at her daughter's request as she left to go change, but was already too ahead of herself, intent on putting her next plot in motion.

 **SCENE**

Margaux strode assertively through the _Voulez_ hallways, switching various elements of the décor to her liking while Daniel tried to keep up at her side. "Uh, the second _Voulez_ backdrop should go here," she commanded a nearby worker. "And I want lights here, here, and over the bar."

Daniel stepped aside as she nearly clobbered him with a gesture. "Listen, I don't know how things are done in France, but you know you can hire an assistant to handle this stuff?" he suggested.

"Clear this wall, please," Margaux asked a random worker before turning to acknowledge him. "Yes, it's on my list. But only _I_ know what my father likes," she explained, turning away to address a worker arranging a display. "And more importantly, what he does not."

Rather than keep pace, Daniel let her go ahead and stopped short at the corner of Ashley's office, peeking in to see her straightening up her desk. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be dress shopping today with the rest of the bridal party?" he asked her.

Ashley stood up with a regretful sigh. "I _was_ however; since Margaux's been back in town she's requested my full attention to the launch," she turned to lift a stack of papers on top of a file cabinet, some of which fluttered to the floor. "I can't exactly disappear today, now can I?"

Daniel rushed in to lend her a hand, picking up a few of the papers. "Could always say you're working?" he offered with a grin. "I mean, Emily _is_ half of the article – do the interview there."

"I suppose I could slip it in," she mumbled, gathering another stack of folders. "I do need more for her profile."

"And you can help rescue her from my mother," Daniel added with a devilish grin, basing his comment off of Emily's last update.

"The _Queen_ is tagging along?" Ashley gaped in surprise, dropping a few more papers. She shook her head in irritation while Daniel helped her retrieve them. "Never mind, I think I'll just get my exclusive from _you._ "

"Tell the truth," he guessed, crouching down to help her. "You're just avoiding Emily because you think she's still upset with you for not forcing that article on my father?" Ashley remained silent but gave him an affirmative look as she stood to put the items in her hand back into the file cabinet.

Daniel chuckled and rose to his feet, handing over the rest of the stack. "Trust me; she's over it and onto the next thing," he affirmed, as one remaining document caught his attention. "Hey, what's this?" he asked, reading what appeared to be a mock cover page for an article. In bold print the headline read, _Amanda Clarke Lives!_

Ashley peered over with a sigh. "Another cancelled article," she explained. "That's the one I was working on with Jack. But he's since given up since her disappearance..." she hinted, figuring he knew the rest of the backstory.

"You think it's a good idea to have this just laying around?" he questioned protectively.

"I guess I still hoped someday to print the truth," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "I thought maybe with her name cleared she would come out of hiding." Noting Daniel's continued uneasiness, Ashley quickly abandoned the idea and went back to her desk. "But you can toss it…anyway, enough about Amanda Clarke, back to your _fiancé_."

Daniel bit his tongue at the dramatic irony in her statement, but instead folded it and stuffed it into his inner jacket pocket. "Alright, what do you wanna know?" he replied.

"Anything," Ashley answered desperately. "I've been her friend for over 2 years and my knowledge of her starts with her arrival to the Hamptons and ends with her adamant dislike for your parents—"

"Heh, don't put that in print," Daniel admonished.

"I'm _not,_ " Ashley promised with a confident look. "But I have to put something?" While Daniel avoided her question to glance around the room she felt her skepticism slowly growing. "Is there something Emily is hiding, Daniel?"

"Why does she have to be hiding something," Daniel argued. "She's just had a tough life."

"And I respect her privacy, but a glimpse of her journey would still be endearing to the public?" Again there was silence and Ashley tried once more. "Even just a picture of her family, perhaps, would give me something to go on."

"I mean, I don't have one… you know Emily's family died when she was young," Daniel responded evasively.

"Yes, I know," Ashley acknowledged. "But I just assumed that she had opened up more to you. So you're saying you've _never_ seen a picture of them?" she gawked.

Daniel shifted in his seat. "Ah, no," he answered. It was not technically a lie – Emily did not keep mementos of her childhood around the house for obvious reasons, and any she had would be in the Infinity Box, which he had only seen once at Nolan's.

Ashley noted his discomfort, squinting in interest. "Well then," she concluded, folding her hands on the desk. "It would seem we _both_ have much to learn about your elusive fiancé?"

 **SCENE**

It was late afternoon when Victoria strolled into the Manor from the shopping expedition, handing over her dress for the maid to put away upon entry. "Thank you," she said to Bianca, catching sight of Conrad lingering in the hallway.

"Did, ah – did Charlotte come in with you?" he asked hopefully, remaining a few paces off.

"No, Conrad she didn't," Victoria answered, visibly displaying how little she cared about their profound rift. Yet she couldn't resist indulging her curiosity. "Tell me, is her resentment still a result of your role in the bombing of Grayson Global? Or have you committed a new transgression?"

"It is, undoubtedly the same sin it always was," Conrad admitted with a grumble. "One which I'm sure Daniel's coercion will not allow her to soon forgive or forget." He cast a darkened look upon her before turning to head back into his study.

"Don't be so quick to assume Daniel's role in this," Victoria defended before he could disappear. "It might be of interest to you that Charlotte has recently moved into the _Stowaway,_ " she added. "Perhaps it's her new landlord that continues to remind her of your grievances?"

Conrad clearly gave it a thought, but continued into seclusion nonetheless, leaving Victoria hopeful that her attempt at misdirection had worked. Just as she turned to go upstairs, she happened upon Aiden in her path. "Mr. Mathis," she addressed him sharply. "Where were you headed just now?"

"Just testing if I'm still being denied entry to the Manor," Aiden answered, standing at her attention. He gestured towards Conrad's study. "It seems your husband still doesn't trust me."

"Conrad doesn't trust anyone who withholds information," she explained as an idea formed in mind. "This is exactly why you're going to give it to him."

"Very well," Aiden agreed, eager that her decision appeared to be in harmony with Emily's latest request. "Now that Patrick is safely away, shall I inform Conrad that he was the culprit?"

Victoria let out a sinister laugh. "And endanger my son's life? Have you gone mad?" She shook her head emphatically. "No, what you are going to do is lead him to believe it was someone who will perfectly fit his suspicion, while at the same time making the first step towards restoring Charlotte's relationship with this family."

Aiden furrowed his brow. "And who, pray tell, would that be?"

With a smile Victoria casually answered. "Jack Porter."

Aiden shifted stance, trying to circumvent her command without appearing uncooperative. "Isn't that a bit farfetched – what access would Jack Porter have had to this house?"

"Oh, he's been here before," Victoria countered calmly, gesturing into empty air. "And I'm sure you can come up with some measure of detail to add color to the explanation. But do it quickly. As we speak, my daughter is cohabiting with Jack and the sooner he runs into trouble the sooner she will have no choice but to come back home where she belongs." Picking up on a faint sense of indignation from the other, she added, "So you will do everything in your power to convince Conrad that Jack Porter is the guilty party or you will go out of this house permanently. Is that clear?"

Aiden repressed his concerns to give her assurance. "Yes. Perfectly clear."

"Good," Victoria replied, nodding her chin towards Conrad's study. "Do it now."

 **SCENE**

It was late afternoon when Jack returned to the _Stowaway,_ still deep in thought after his extensive conversation at Nolan's. So as he retired to his room to unwind, it took him a moment to observe someone waiting for him in the dark corner, a realization made clear once he switched on the light. Upon seeing him, he darted to reach behind his night table but stopped short when his hand came up empty.

"Looking for this?" Aiden greeted him, holding up the bat he was looking for.

"Who are you—what are you doing in my house—?" Jack began threateningly, before quickly recognizing him. "Wait, it's _you_ —from the boat!" he deduced, shaking his head as he sorted through memories of the past summer, including the conversations he had with Amanda about her rescue. "You're—you're the one that helped save Amanda?"

Aiden stood; nodding as he cautiously approached him and extended the bat in a motion of surrender. Jack accepted it and then immediately became overwhelmed with curiosity, but Aiden spoke before he pursue. "I know you must be full of questions for me, but I'm afraid I don't have time to explain – it's _your_ life that's in danger this time."

Jack eyed him with concern. "What are you talking about?"

"I've kept a low profile since Amanda's rescue last year," Aiden explained, giving care to how he chose his words. "So as not to expose my employer or endanger your wife's safety, but I've recently been placed in a compromising situation." After a deep breath he finished, "Conrad Grayson wants you dead – you need to leave town."

Jack exhaled irritably, tipping his nose at the instruction. He flung the bat onto the bed in agitation. "Is that why Amanda ended things with me?" he asked, trying to make sense of it all. "Because of the _Graysons_ again?"

"Yes," Aiden lied without hesitation. "Much like me, she's being controlled."

"Do they know she's alive?" Jack pursued.

"Not yet," Aiden sighed. "But there are still risks that could endanger the people she cares about. Fortunately I've been afforded with access to aid her in keeping those people… safe," he completed, struggling to restrain his conflict while he stared in Jack's eyes. He had not expected his feelings to mount so visibly, but then again much had changed since he had been in the presence of the man Amanda loved.

"So there was no guy—" Jack continued to guess, further making Aiden uncomfortable. "This is all just her trying to protect me again?" he verified.

Rather than answer, Aiden avoided his question with silence. "Knowledge can be both a protection and a danger," he finally resolved, taking a step towards the door. "If you don't want to find out which this is, and if you want any kind of future with your son, I suggest you leave now and don't come back – and don't contact anybody here ever again."

"But what about Amanda?" Jack continued, determined not to let it go. He turned his body to face Aiden as he edged out of the doorway. "If you know all of this, you must know where to find her."

Resorting to the only answer he could bare to give him, Aiden tightened his jaw in reply. "That information is privileged," he said before walking away. "But for now, let's just say she doesn't wish to be found."

 **SCENE**

"Oh, submersible crate and Homing beacon," Nolan commented while Emily spread said items on his kitchen table. "I think it was Town & Country said, 'they were the must-haves for the Hamptons this season.'"

Emily rolled her eyes at Nolan's comment, proceeding with instructions. "I need you to do me a favor and hold on to these until the wedding," she ordered him, folding them down into a transport container. "I don't want Daniel to see me come in with them until we've had a chance to talk about the plan more."

"Oh you mean the plan he _explicitly_ doesn't approve of?" Nolan asked, brought up to speed. He shook his head disapprovingly, pretending to reflect. "Let's see, how did it go the last time you asked me to keep something from him?" He suddenly relaxed his expression. "Oh right, despite our attempt at an intervention, you went ahead with it anyway and an innocent priest, God rest his soul, was taken down without mercy."

Emily glared at his accurate depiction, pausing to consider. "This is different, Nolan. I designed this plan to be the last one I'll ever have to execute," she explained, albeit still too vaguely for him to understand what it was just yet. "It's just going to take me some time to convince Daniel, but once he sees it's our only option I won't have to hide anything from him anymore. I promise."

"Hm," Nolan scoffed, reluctantly taking hold of the items. "Guess I'll find some space for it next to the Infinity Box," he digressed, starting into the hallway.

"Which reminds me," Emily followed behind. "I need something from there."

"Oh?" Nolan pursued, while she watched him retrieve it from the hidden location behind his wall painting.

"Daniel told me Ashley's been bugging him for a childhood photo of me to use in the wedding issue," Emily added, rummaging through the box. "Fortunately, I kept one of Amanda's when she stayed with me last year." She finally happened upon the artifact she was looking for and slipped it into her back pocket.

"Speaking of _Amanda_ ," Nolan added, facing Emily while she locked the box away. "Jack came by here earlier; he was in pretty bad shape. He's starting to feel like he has nothing to come back to."

Emily absorbed his comments in stride, heading back towards the kitchen while Nolan followed. "Well unfortunately, _he_ chose to be with Amanda knowing how reckless she can be," she shrugged irritably. "I'm already trying to rush the wedding; I'm supposed to control her too?"

"No. if anything, the more things you try to control – the more opportunity for error," Nolan insisted.

"Thanks Nolan, I don't need your platitudes," Emily shot back.

He wrinkled up his nose at her dry retort. "And I don't need _your_ attitude … is something else going on?"

She turned in place to sigh in explanation. "Sorry, it's just Victoria wore out my patience today. I think she's trying to cozy up to Charlotte again now that Patrick's gone."

" _Or_ ," Nolan suggested. "You're just worried because your plan involves leaving Charlotte behind forever… with Mommie Dearest." He hung on his last words with a hinting glare, still wondering exactly what she had up her sleeve.

"Yeah, well," Emily admitted, trailing her gaze down to the floor. "I don't have much of a choice."

Nolan shrugged. "What about telling her the truth? Wasn't that what you planned to do anyway after this was all over?" he thought aloud. "I mean, for goodness sake she asked you to be Declan's _godmother_ —she loves you, Em."

Emily tapped her foot nervously, folding her arms together. "I know… I never thought I'd have the chance to get this close to her and now," she looked up at him honestly. "I just don't want her to remember me as a liar, Nolan. I mean, look at how things are with Jack – he still hasn't forgiven me for everything I put him through."

"And you think if you continue with this – he will?" Nolan posed, prompting her to think it over even more. "Look at how turned upside down his life is now."

"So, what are you saying, forget the whole thing?" Emily rambled in resistance. "Let Conrad and Victoria keep on getting away with ruining people's lives?"

" _Obviously_ that's not what I'm saying," Nolan emphasized, putting his hands up defense. "I just—I just want this to go smoothly and for this to _end._ "

"It will," Emily assured him. "I have it all handled."

Nolan scratched the tip of his head. "See, you say that, Ems, but uh, the more strings you pull? The easier it is to get strangled," he offered conversely. "But then again, I'm just a self-made billionaire with a 170 IQ, so – what do I know, right?"

Emily only gave herself a moment to think before leaving, conscious that it was times like these when she probably needed to value his advice more. But as much as his words seemed to consistently ring true, she could not afford to concede. "Look, I have to go get ready for the party," she finished. "I'll see you later."

 **SCENE**

"Babe, can you get that?"

Emily was still getting dressed when Daniel yelled out to her from the bathroom that someone was at the door, interrupting the last few details she was trying to rehearse in her head before they left for the _Voulez_ launch party. She quickly stashed the photo of Amanda as a child into her purse and answered the door, shocked to find Victoria waiting for her on the other side.

"Victoria, what a surprise," she greeted her curiously. "We're just about to leave for the party?"

"Well, I needed to speak to you," Victoria explained, prancing in her party dress back towards the edge of the porch. "In private," she added.

Emily glanced back over her shoulder to see if Daniel was yet in the offing and then reluctantly followed her out. "Is everything alright?"

"It involves the unfortunate accident that took Father Paul's life," Victoria went on. "The tragedy has become even more unsettling in the light of new evidence – sabotage."

Emily parted her mouth and relaxed slightly, expecting her admission was the result of Aiden's handiwork. "Oh dear, is it someone you're close to?" she feigned concern.

Victoria bowed her head in solace. "No, but I'm afraid it's someone _you_ are."

Surprised, Emily wrinkled her brow in reply. "What?"

"Conrad is convinced that Jack Porter is responsible, and I fear that he may be right, given his actions on the night of the election—" Victoria began.

Emily shifted to defense, piping in right away. "Ah, those were extraordinary circumstances, Victoria and nothing was ever proven, you know that."

"I don't disagree," Victoria held her head proud. "He may well be innocent. But if he is indeed found to be guilty – it would certainly lead to further investigation."

"Victoria, why are you telling me this?" Emily could not resist asking.

"Well, to thank you of course," she replied, causing Emily to contort in surprise. "For making me aware of Charlotte's current living situation," she finished. "Seeing how dangerous it is now for her to live with Jack, naturally I'm going to ask her to move in with me." Emily inhaled a breath at her declaration but Victoria continued on. "You and Daniel need your time alone before the wedding – and I wouldn't put that burden on you, it's been quite enough as it is."

Again Emily opened her mouth to protest, but just then Daniel came outside to break up the discussion. "Hey," he greeted them, decked in a fashionable blazer for the party. "What's going on?"

"Sweetheart, there's just been a small mishap with the bridesmaid dresses from earlier," Victoria chimed in with a phony explanation before Emily could respond. "I was just telling Emily, so she could take care of it before the boutique closes."

Daniel narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "Is that necessary right this moment, Mother?" he pried, looking at his watch. "We're just about to leave." He glanced over at Emily for confirmation. "Em?"

"Ah, no it's fine," she smoothed over. Despite her contempt for Victoria's inevitable desire to ruin things for them, if what she shared was right she had much to take care of. "It shouldn't take long to clear up; I'll be right behind you," she promised.

He seemed reluctant to take her word, but an insistent look willed him into cooperation. "Alright," he finally agreed.

"Darling, I can escort you there," Victoria offered to her son, leaving an unsavory glance for Emily. "I'm sure your fiancé will want to take every precaution to ensure your wedding goes off without a hitch," she hinted.

"Fine," Daniel resolved, figuring on getting the real story from Emily later. He followed Victoria down the steps while Emily nodded for him to go. Once they were quickly out of eyesight, Emily bolted from the porch to find out how her instructions for Aiden had gotten so far off track.

 **SCENE**

Victoria sipped her drink with gratification as she watched her son from across the room. Even if the topic of their conversation was work related, the sight of Daniel beside a flirtatious Margaux not only fueled her drive, but reinforced that her plan to distract Emily seemingly had worked. Another glance around the room confirmed her to be nowhere in sight, and Victoria could only assume she was investigating the trail she left leading to Jack. The devious smile that crossed her lips at the thought of creating a rift between them did not go unnoticed as Ashley approached her table.

"Victoria. You look delightfully sinister this evening," she commented, spying the empty seat beside her. "Shall I accredit that to the absence of your other half?"

"Ashley." Victoria addressed her dryly. "You clean up nicely. And Conrad should be around here somewhere – "she replied, pretending to look for him. "Though I'd assumed you'd already had the pleasure of licking his boots when he came in?"

Ashley faked a smile in return, folding her arms. "Charming as always, Lady Grayson. Well, I'm sure Daniel appreciates your support here for the magazine launch. I know he's always been my favorite Grayson to work for, and I'm certainly proud to say he's doing an excellent job here at _Voulez_." She tipped her chin proudly, asserting her authority.

"Oh, and why shouldn't he be?" Victoria agreed, gesturing towards where he stood chatting with Margaux. "With a doting supervisor like Ms. LeMarchal, I'm sure it makes coming to work every day an absolute joy."

Ashley followed her gaze to the rear of the room where Victoria had presumably been admiring Daniel in conversation with Margaux. "I suppose you're right," she conceded. "But as his direct manager and the hiring supervisor for this division, I can confirm he's focused solely on his wedding – and his _job_ ," she emphasized. "Which reminds me I happen to have an opening for an assistant, if you're interested?"

Victoria absorbed it without faltering, fully aware it was a dig at her financial situation. "If you'll excuse me," she seethed in return, and took a calm stride in Daniel and Margaux's direction.

Ashley watched her go dubiously, picking up on what appeared to be yet another one of her attempts at meddling. So when Conrad arrived at her side moments later, it gave her an idea.

"Well you certainly have proven yourself a jack of all trades," he commented, turning a once-over of her trendy attire into a grim expression. "Yet, are you still a master of none? Or do you actually intend to follow through with this magazine instead of the way you obliterated my campaign last year and then promptly jumped ship?"

"Conrad," Ashley greeted him dryly. "As I recall it was _you_ that sent me with my walking papers," she corrected him. "But it's good to see you up and about again, I take it they must have increased your dosage quite a bit?"

"On the contrary," Conrad retorted, sipping at his drink. "I'm not only recovered but I have full capacity of all of my senses – which means I certainly won't be falling for any of your empty promises this time around."

"Good, because I wasn't offering any," Ashley grinned, leaning forward in taunting. "But Margaux on the other hand," she suggested, nodding in her direction. "Was just saying how she would love to do a piece on you. Of course, I told her you wouldn't be interested…"

"Ah, which is exactly why _she_ is the brains of this operation," Conrad countered, tapping her on the nose. "And _you_ will forever be Ashley Davenport, a grave disappointment."

She pretended to fume at his insult as he walked off, but instead perked up as she watched her intentional downplaying work. While she looked on, Conrad approached Margaux to discuss the article, which not only distracted her from Daniel but also promptly deterred Victoria as well. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ashley slipped over in the opening to keep in step with Daniel while he walked towards the door.

"You are absolutely helpless," she whispered to him, glaring when he turned to face her.

"Ashley, hey," he fumbled. "What's going on?"

"Oh, another day dodging your family's attempts at meddling and power plays," she surmised, folding her arms. "I'm surprised you didn't notice – your mother's been fawning over you and Margaux from the moment you walked in. I've spent the past few minutes basically running defense for Emily – with any luck though, your father's own pride might get that expo on him back in the works."

He barely acknowledged her updates, leave for the mention of Emily's name. "You haven't seen her, have you?"

"No, I was just about to ask," Ashley confirmed, wondering at the same thing. "Where is she?"

"She uh," Daniel explained, crafting his second mysterious reply to her in the same day. "She had something to attend to."

"Did she get you a picture?" Ashley pressed hopefully.

"Ah—not yet," Daniel replied. "But she might be looking into that now."

Ashley wrinkled her brow in confusion. "Instead of supporting you at your company's launch party? Why would she do something like that?"

Realizing it was poor alibi, Daniel retraced it. "Or, I don't know – actually I think she had to do something wedding related—"

"You certainly don't seem too sure," Ashley zoned in carefully. "I thought you two knew everything about each other?"

"Hey, we _do—"_ Daniel insisted.

"Clearly you don't," Ashley cut in with exasperation. "Look, normally I wouldn't say this but Emily _has_ been acting strangely. Just just the other day I overheard Jack say he was tired of her lies – then there's this obsession she has with the article, and lastly you can't even get a hint about her background… what's going on, Daniel? What is she keeping from everyone?"

Overwhelmed, Daniel finally put his hands up and ended the conversation. "I can't talk about this, alright Ash? Please," he begged off, breaking away from her. "I have to go."

 **SCENE**

"Aiden, call me the second you get this—" Emily ended her second voice message as she marched furiously down the docks to the _Stowaway_ when Aiden suddenly jumped out from behind one of the boats. "Aiden!" she exclaimed, startled her out of her breath.

"What are you doing?!" he accosted her in a low whisper.

"What are _you_ doing?!" she thundered back, following him a few paces so they were unseen. "Have you lost your mind? Do you want to explain to me why Victoria just showed up at my house _convinced_ that Jack is the one who sabotaged Conrad's brakes?"

"I was forced into a predicament, I had no choice," Aiden explained without hesitation while eyeing her suspiciously. "And just what were you about to do – ask Jack about it?" he charged her. "Charlotte's right upstairs, you're being careless!"

"Oh, I'm being careless?" Emily retorted. "Look at what you're doing to Jack – are you trying to get him killed?!"

"I warned him to stay out of the way," he defended. "Nothing will happen as long as he listens and leaves town. He doesn't belong here anyway, he's just another distraction—" he began, but she cut him off.

"You mean for you?" she supposed wisely, leveling a finger in his face. "Don't pretend you were acting out of anything but jealousy, Aiden – you willfully endangered him because of how you feel about Amanda!"

"That's ridiculous, Victoria was about to cut me loose—" Aiden started.

"Yeah, well you better clear his name, or _I_ will do that for you!" she fired back.

"Oh is that so?" Aiden challenged her, leaning in close. "And just how do you propose to conclude the rest of your plan without me? You think your precious Daniel will give you the same advantage?" He shook his head, brimming with foreknowledge. "They'd see it coming a mile away. Victoria's on to you both, Emily – or are you too blinded by emotion to see it? She set that trap hoping you would follow it right to Jack, and that's exactly what you did!"

Emily scoffed at his insinuation. "I followed it to the person I knew was behind it, Aiden – _you._ And if you think I'm going to let your tainted loyalty to Amanda put Jack or my sister or anyone else in danger, you're in for a big surprise." She took a step right back at him, affirming her determination. "Now you fix this, no matter the cost and do it _now._ For the last time, I am trusting you – don't make me regret it."

 **SCENE**

Emily was besotted with anxiety when she finally made her entrance to the _Voulez_ party, so when Victoria interrupted her path towards Daniel, she was short on patience. "Emily, you made it!" Victoria greeted her in a condescending tone, standing in her way. "I presume you went to confirm the information I shared?"

"Actually, I did," Emily replied sharply, just as Daniel arrived within inches of them, his hands fixed on his hips. Conscious of the pretense they were still holding, Emily straightened up and reached into her purse. "But the boutique was closed so I dropped in on Charlotte – she asked me to give this to Daniel on his big night. Here you are, sweetheart," she extended an envelope in her hand which Daniel accepted with a curious look.

Victoria eyed the exchange and then listened as Emily went on. "Naturally I told her about your concern as well, but, I let her know it was being handled," she took a step towards Daniel, leaning into him for comfort. "And I let her know that should she ever need a safe haven to go to –she's always welcome back home with _us_."

Emily waited for the glower to appear on Victoria's face, and it finally did. "Well, then," Victoria conceded temporarily, leaving their side. "It seems like you've got everything figured out. I'll leave you two to catch up."

As Daniel watched, Emily stared triumphantly after her but he interrupted her moment to pull her into a corner. "Hey, what is all this—what's going on with her?" he pressed anxiously.

"What else, she's trying to control everything like she always does," Emily replied under her breath. He continued staring for an explanation so she elaborated. "She had Aiden tell your father it was _Jack_ that sabotaged his brakes."

Daniel furrowed his brow. "And Aiden agreed to that?"

"He's so conflicted about Amanda he's started straying from the plan," Emily replied, echoing his thought process. "But I made sure he got back on track."

"So that's where you were? You went over there to play _damage control_?" he stood back attentively, clearly hurt. "Emily, you may not have noticed but I've been busting my ass trying to make this magazine into something for our future—"

"Daniel, of course I do—" she began; surprised he would even doubt her.

"Wait, let me finish," he insisted, and she tightened her mouth shut. "You may have called in reinforcements to make _Voulez_ happen, but the only reason I'm still here is because I've proved myself, every day standing on my own. But, I'm starting to wonder what the point is, if you could care less about the very future I'm trying to build for us—"

"What was I supposed to do?" Emily cut in to defend. "I can't let your mother go after Jack, and I'm certainly not letting her use him to get to Charlotte—"

"Oh yeah and why's that?" he questioned, reading between the lines. "Why's it so urgent where Charlotte ends up, because you still plan to leave her behind forever?" Emily froze at his implication and merely looked away while Daniel continued pursuing it. "Come on, Em, isn't that what you're planning to do?"

Emily fought the urge to explain herself and merely offered a reply. "Yes."

He jerked his head in a sigh, instantly annoyed. "So once again, you override everything without telling me. I thought you were going to come up with something else?"

"There _is_ nothing else!" Emily hissed back angrily. "Can't you see, Daniel – as long as we stay, your mother is going to try to destroy us, and everyone we care about?" She pleaded with an intense stare, despite seeing how frustrated he was. "Daniel, you have to trust me, this is the _only_ way she'll stop—"

"Even if she knew who you really are?" Daniel alleged at last. "Even if we just told her and my father the truth?"

Shocked that he could even fathom that as an option, Emily shook her head in disbelief. "Daniel, you saw what they tried to do to the girl they _thought_ was Amanda," she replied definitively, storming away in anger. "You should already know the answer to that question."

Realizing he had perhaps pushed too far, Daniel sighed and pondered whether to go after her or return inside. He finally cast an unsettled glance back at the party before turning away and trying to catch up to Emily in the hall.

As he disappeared through the doors, Ashley emerged from where she had been waiting nearby to watch him go, having not only been made privy to their discussion but also now opined to a truth that had been right before her eyes all along.

 **SCENE**

Jack had already positioned a sleeping Carl into his car seat and was halfway around the passenger side when once again he was startled by Aiden's presence less than a few feet away. "You again?" he immediately snapped.

Aiden held up a finger to his mouth, urging him to keep his voice low. "I apologize for the intrusion," he stated right away, glancing over at the empty _Stowaway._ It was obvious Jack had closed the place down and sent the customers home. "But I came to tell you the threat I spoke of is – it's no longer."

"What?" Jack squinted in curiosity.

"I've sent a message to Conrad telling him the _truth_ ," Aiden affirmed bravely. "That Victoria's son, Patrick, is the one who tampered with the breaks – and she asked me to cover for him."

Despite the partial relief insinuated by Aiden's admissions, Jack could not help still being repulsed. "You really do work for that family, don't you?" he deduced.

"After she finds out what I've done, I'm sure Victoria will dismiss me. But these days my employer becomes more and more ambiguous..." Aiden trailed off, reflecting on his heated conversation with Emily. Despite still feeling torn at times, he had to admit his allegiance always seemed to favor what she needed. "But more than anything I am bound to someone who cares about you very much," he continued. "And it was by her request that I did everything I could to protect you."

"Emily?" Jack assumed.

Aiden bowed his head in agreement, shifting to leave. "So you can call off the exodus. Sorry if it caused you any inconvenience."

While Aiden began walking away, Jack took a moment to gaze at his sleeping son in the backseat, lumbering over what his gut was telling him to do. "Just the same," he said aloud, drawing Aiden to pause in his tracks, though still keeping his back turned. "I think its best if Carl stayed away. I already told Charlotte I was taking him to my grandmother's for a while…" he paused for emphasis. "But I'd rather he be with his _mother_. Something tells me you might know where she is?"

Aiden finally turned back without response, but Jack was nearly certain he could read the guilt in his face.

"It's you, isn't it?" Jack guessed, taking a few steps closer. His expression dropped in grey acceptance, but with not even a trace of intimidation. "You're the guy she's in love with?"

Aiden could barely stand to look at Jack a moment longer, let alone reply to him. He turned away and left without answering, leaving him in silence. Jack returned to the car and leaned against the door for a moment, resting his head in his hands as he thought about what to do next. As precarious as the situation was, he could not stop the internal tugging he had to find Amanda, no matter how much her actions angered him. Suddenly, a final option came to mind and Jack gained motivation, quickly getting into the driver's seat to pursue a last ditch effort.

 **SCENE**

Despite the late hour, Nolan was wide awake when Emily stopped by after the _Voulez_ party, and had been listening to her download of the events for about twenty minutes when the doorbell rang. They both exchanged curious looks at the sound, and Emily stayed back to wait for Nolan to determine who it was.

Nolan peeked through the keyhole and glanced back at her with concern. "It's Jack," he whispered to her. "He's got Carl with him?"

Emily furrowed her brow. "He probably just needs a place he can stay for the night," she assumed, lifting the bag she had next to her at the table. "I should go – he won't want to see me. I'll find out if Aiden took care of things in the morning."

Nolan nodded and waited for her to slip out the back patio before finally opening the door. "Jack, hey," he greeted him, softening his gaze at Carl on his shoulder. "Is everything alright, you need me to watch the little guy?"

Jack shook his head and remained in place, despite Nolan stepping aside to invite him in. "Actually, I'm taking him away for a little while but I need a favor."

"Sure," Nolan agreed, relaxing his stance. "Anything?"

"Listen, the guy that saved Amanda came by tonight," Jack explained, as Nolan's face contorted in surprise. "He said he got me off the hook and Conrad won't be coming after me anytime soon. But I just need to know – is he the one Amanda's talking about?"

Nolan lowered his eyes to the floor, uncomfortable with answering on Aiden's behalf.

"Come on," Jack pleaded. "You're the only one who will be honest with me. I'd ask Amanda myself if I just knew where she was."

Again, Nolan glanced away in the awkward silence but this time his gaze fixated on innocent Carl in Jack's arms and the image of a desperate father and son tugged at his heartstrings. Knowing he would probably regret it, he held up a hand. "Wait right here," he asked and then disappeared back into the house. Moments later he returned with a slip of paper; on it was written just an address that he handed it over to Jack. "Here's where you can find her."

Jack's expression lifted visibly and he looked up to Nolan with visible appreciation in his eyes. "Thanks, pal – I knew I could count on you."

 **SCENE**

It was pitch black in the house when Emily finally came home, and she silently thanked Jack at heart for interrupting her visit with Nolan, forcing her to get in even earlier than had she stayed. She trudged up the stairs, removing the pins from her bun while slipping out of her heels and entering the bedroom, where Daniel was waiting for her.

He looked over to address the tension before she could give him the expected silent treatment. "I tried to catch up to you but it was obvious you didn't want me to," he started, removing his blazer and keeping on just his dress shirt underneath.

"I had to stop by Nolan's to get something," she explained, bracing herself while setting the bag in her hand down at her side of the bed.

"Emily, I'm not leaving my sister behind forever," he stated firmly, expecting a fire to light in her eyes. He had prepared how he would assert his position but to his surprise there was no argument in her demeanor.

"You won't have to," she responded, settling onto the side of the bed. "I thought about it and … I took your advice to come up with something else. What it involves now will only affect me."

Daniel took a seat next to her, wondering what she was up to. "I don't understand?"

"Here," she offered, reaching into the bag to produce the Infinity Box on her lap. "I want you to see this." As Daniel watched, she lifted the top on the coveted box of memories and removed a small 3x5 photograph.

Daniel instinctively patted his shirt pocket for the envelope she had given him at the party. "I thought you already gave me the picture Ashley needed for the magazine?" he assumed, checking to make sure. Sure enough, it was a photo of a little girl with her parents at the beach, a perfect depiction to use for her background story.

Meanwhile, Emily replaced that photograph with the one she held in her hand. "That was a picture of 'Emily Thorne' when she was little," she explained, pointing herself out so Daniel could see. " _This_ is a real picture of me, with my father."

Dumbfounded, Daniel just stared in amazement. "Wow," he managed to exhale, seeing so much familiarity in the little girl's face pictured in the photo. Not only could he make out Emily's distinct features but there was sweetness and elation captured by the camera that he had never seen in her before. It was obvious those emotions had only been present at a time in her life before everything came crashing down. As Daniel turned his attention next to David's face beneath hers, Emily began speaking.

"Ever since the moment I found out my father was innocent, all I could think of was how I let him down," she reflected. "Not only was he framed for a crime he didn't commit but he suffered the worst sentence possible, losing the only thing he ever had," she stopped and Daniel looked up at her intently. "Me."

As his expression softened, she continued on in plea. "For years, my guilt fueled me to make things right as penance for never coming to my senses before he was gone. It's a path that controls me, makes me push people away…" she lowered her head in shame. "Even makes me ignore what's right in front of me. Daniel, you shouldn't have to bear the brunt of this, you had nothing to do with it—"

He silenced her with the touch of his hand on her lap. "My _parents_ framed your father Emily," he held up the photo, deeply sympathizing with her. "And they ruined the life you deserved to have. Just because I don't want to leave Charlotte behind in all this, don't misunderstand me – I _want_ them to pay."

"And they will," Emily insisted, raising her hand to smooth the hair along his temple. "Which is why on the night of our wedding, your mother is going to go down for a crime she committed a long time ago," she finally confessed.

Daniel gazed into her chocolate pools, attempting to read into the years of strife that weighed behind them. Suddenly, her words fused together in perfect sense, and his mouth parted in realization. "You're going to fake your own death?" he guessed insightfully.

Emily breathed deeply in validation. "I couldn't ask you to leave Charlotte behind," she offered in compromise. "You were right – you should stay with her. And when things simmer down I want you to give her this," she looked down at the Infinity Box. "Use it to tell her the truth and find me when you think she's ready to see me again."

Daniel instinctively shook his head, not sold on her counterapproach. "Emily, I'm not leaving you in this alone—"

"It's the only way," she pressed him, using the edge of her sleeve to wipe away tears that had welled up first from speaking of her father, and now from sharing the rest. "Once the world thinks I'm dead you'll have everything you need to prosecute them. You can tell the truth just like you've always wanted to and finish everything we started – Nolan will help you, and Aiden." She heard him sigh in disagreement but reached out to take his hand, squeezing it tightly. "In order to do this, we can't both leave, but we _will_ be together again."

Daniel looked down at their interlocked hands, the glint on Emily's engagement ring catching his eye. "So you're asking me to marry you," he restated, looking to her in disbelief. "Just to give you up?"

With a tilt of her head in sympathy, Emily gave him a tender look of reassurance. "Daniel, we don't need to be married for you to know the way I feel about you," she reminded him, caressing his jawline. "I've always loved you… and I always will."

Tremoring still from the wild solution she was proposing, Daniel could not resist leaning forward to kiss her in that moment, hungrily wishing that there was a way for them to be together without sacrificing something. He clenched her cheek with his right hand while Emily pressed back into him, assuring him by the heat that warmed her face that what they had was unflinchingly real. Yet as Daniel pulled her softly onto the bed in a passionate embrace, he knew she was right – there was no other way. If they stayed and tried to carry out the life he was building for them, his mother would never give up trying to destroy it. Perhaps it was that fact that drove him as they ravenously made love, knowing it was a precursor to a goodbye, and that the only way for them to have happiness forever – was to let each other go.

 **MONTAGE –** _ **(Audio Selection: Ribbons & Detours by Silversun Pickup)**_

 _In order to regain control, we must sometimes relinquish it…_

At long last Jack pulled up to the address that Nolan had provided him with, arriving at a small cabin tucked away in the woods. He gently took Carl out of his car seat and cradled him in his arms as he walked up to the door, and waited for an answer. At long last the door swung open, revealing a stunned Amanda on the other side – shocked and utterly relieved to see her family standing before her.

 _By doing so, we believe we are protecting the ones we love… the ones we cannot live without..._

Conrad loosened his wrist cuffs as he entered the downstairs study, his interest piqued by a small knife that appeared to be placed at the center of his desk atop an accompanying letter. He lifted the weapon and read the letter, just as Victoria grazed past in the hall, stopping short when she saw his expression from the doorway. He lowered the item in his hand slowly, shooting her a dim meaningful look that immediately struck fear into her heart.

 _But the most dangerous truth of all is that control is merely an illusion..._

Victoria stormed angrily down to the pool house, calling out Aiden's name in a piercing shriek, but stopped short when she realized the premise was emptied. Not only was he nowhere to be found but his belongings too were gone, leaving her to deal with his betrayal and the endangerment of her firstborn son once again, all alone.

 **END MONTAGE**

Daniel walked the hallways of _Voulez_ in a dazethe following day, his heart still troubled by the ultimatum the night before. So when Ashley called his name from her office he had a delayed reaction, and only looked up on her third request. "Oh, hey Ash," he answered.

"Can I have a word?" she requested, gesturing for him to come in. Once he complied she shut the door behind him and resumed the seat at her desk, keeping a watchful eye on him. "You look positively distraught," she observed. "Is everything alright?"

"Ah, yeah, just a lot on my mind," he stammered, avoiding her as usual. When she raised her brow in intrigue, he added more to his explanation. "I'm, uh, sorry I had to leave early last night, just some last minute wedding things came up…" he suddenly reached into his jacket pocket. "Speaking of which, I got that picture you needed for the magazine."

Ashley skeptically reached over her desk to take it from him, studying it as she swayed back and forth in her seat. "Well I'll certainly be sure to pass this onto Margaux," she resolved, and it was Daniel's turn to look up in interest. "She's just requested I leave for Paris today to finally meet with Pascal – by the time I return this issue should already be in print."

"You'll be back in time for the wedding, right?" Daniel verified. "It's just I know Emily wants you to be there."

"I can imagine she does," Ashley hinted slyly.

He ignored it, continuing to press. "By the way, did Margaux mention anything about revisiting that expo on my father? I remember you mentioned something about that last night?"

"Yes, one of the many things I mentioned while you were distracted looking for Emily," she dangled suggestively.

Daniel finally dropped his hands and stood to his feet. "Come on, Ashley what do you want from me? I'm doing my best to balance everything here—"

"That must be very difficult for you," she observed pointedly. "Considering the degree of secrets you've been helping her to hide."

Her insinuation hit him like a thunder bolt, but he remained calm, determined not to overreact. "What are you talking about?"

Rather than explain, Ashley merely held up the photograph he had left on her desk and showed it back to him. "Who are these people?"

"I just told you, they're her parents," Daniel answered nervously.

"Interesting," Ashley replied, pretended to nod in agreement. "Since this photo of her father… looks nothing like David?"

Daniel's heart finally sank, realizing with shock that she was just as informed as he feared mere seconds before. He could only glance into the hall worriedly as Ashley leaned forward onto the desk and posed her next question, one he was certain she already knew the answer to.

"Daniel… Is Emily Thorne really _Amanda Clarke?_ "

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: And so another face of the Hamptons joins the inner circle, my friends! How will she handle it? And who will be next to find out the truth? Please stay tuned for these answers as well as many more follow-ups to the storylines above. I do hope you've enjoyed this chapter and true to my word, I am promising to expedite things quite a bit. That is why I've decided to sidestep the episodes "Dissolution" and "Resurgence" and skip forward to "Secrecy" as my next installment. In retrospect, I noticed not much was accomplished in these, and since I refuse to acknowledge the abhorrent 'Sara' storyline, they aren't really necessary. Therefore we'll be doing a time-jump! Please be sure to let me know if you are along for the ride, and PLEASE comment/review what you liked about this chapter! I so love hearing your feedback and can't wait to incorporate your ideas. Thank you, thank you as always from the bottom of my heart! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	28. Chapter 28: Secrecy

**A/N: Greetings, faithful readers! My apologies for the delay in getting this chapter posted, I was out of town for a few days and wanted to make sure I gave this episode plenty of attention before putting it up :) So I hope you like it, just for your benefit it opens with a flashback but when it picks up present day it is going to be 3 weeks into the future from the last episode (per the time jump I mentioned). ENJOY!**

 **Chapter 28: Secrecy**

 _Secrecy causes even the simplest truth to seem wondrous, mysterious. It has the power to fuel passion and seduce you into becoming someone you're not…_

 **FLASHBACK**

"So, now that we're safely away from prying eyes and listening ears… what should I call you?"

Emily could hear the smile in Daniel's voice as he leaned over her shoulder and gazed down at the waters below. He mirrored her peaceful stance as they rested along the bridge of the River Seine, decorated by the signature Parisian lights reflecting off of the water's surface, illuminating the night. The city was undeniably beautiful, confirmed not only by its ambience but a feeling of serenity that was just beginning to bloom in Emily's heart.

" _Call_ me?" she repeated softly, caressing the hands he wrapped around her waist. "Emily," she shrugged.

"Really? I just assumed you'd want to go by Amanda now," Daniel guessed, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. "That is, until we can finally make you Mrs. Grayson…"

Emily grimaced, inwardly repressing slight discomfort. Even though she fully intended on marrying Daniel, after years of associating the Grayson name with pain and betrayal it was difficult to imagine bearing it proudly as her own. "Well you never know," she alibied, half turning to make eye contact. "We may have to go back someday...it's better to play it safe."

Daniel nodded in reply, digesting the possibility. "So tell me," he asked, changing the subject. "How many people out there know who you really are?"

"Hm. Dead or alive?" Emily joked, and twisted to see his reaction. Upon his dry look she turned fully to face him, shifting her arms to rest around his neck. "Alright, seriously," she conceded, pausing to think. "Besides Mason Treadwell there's Nolan, Aiden, Amanda… and you."

He absorbed the list pensively. "Wait, Mason Treadwell? I thought his confession came as a result of amnesia after Amanda bashed him over the head?"

Emily relented with a nod. "His memory eventually returned… but by then it was too late. But in the end it worked out to our benefit – he later gave me the information I needed to find Patrick and I promised him rights to my exclusive tell-all when this is all over."

"Well that shouldn't be far off," Daniel countered her with a sly grin. "Interesting bargain, though; you won't let me call you Amanda, but one day you're gonna let Treadwell tell the entire world?"

"The value of secrecy is all about timing, Daniel," she reminded him softly, staring beyond his eyes. "It's a risk I'm willing to take for now."

"What about Ashley?" Daniel suddenly thought. "I know you two started working together closely just before we left. Does she know the truth?"

"Ashley's been a good friend," Emily conceded, raising her chin to meet Daniel's inquisitive stare. "But I can't trust her that implicitly." She suddenly leaned in to pull him close, bringing his lips bare inches from hers. "No, _you're_ the only one to have the privilege. Which reminds me – "she paused just short of a kiss. "I never did swear you into the inner circle, did I?"

Daniel humored her, a devilish grin spreading on his lips. "And just what does that involve?"

"A covenant which can never be broken," Emily answered, leaning in. "To take each other's secrets with us to the grave."

In symbolic acceptance, Daniel closed his eyes and received the sealing bond of her lips, bringing what had already been a romantic night to a perfect culmination. As he held her in his arms and assured her of his promise in return, he never imagined that their pledge could ever be broken…

… _But no matter how we try to guard our secrets, to keep them close, they all come out eventually._

 **EIGHT MONTHS LATER (PRESENT DAY)**

Daniel emerged from the shower and used his palm to wipe the steamed mirror. After leaning forward to towel off his dampened hair he looked up at his reflection, and was slightly startled to see Emily a short distance back, creeping up behind him.

"I was hoping to get in there with you," she whispered softly, running a hand over his bare chest in suggestion.

Despite enjoying the sensation, Daniel's nerves would not permit him to entertain it. Ashley was returning from Paris that day, and after three weeks of withholding that she had found out Emily's true identity, he was riddled with anxiety. "Uh, I can't," he begged off nervously, squeezing her exploring hand before moving it aside. "I um, I have to get into _Voulez_ early today, I'm running late."

As he slipped out of her grasp and continued getting ready, Emily narrowed her eyes in interest. "You've been going in earlier and earlier the past few weeks," she observed. Again she attempted to persuade him with affection, reaching out to pull him back before he could exit the bathroom. "I thought maybe we could get lunch," she offered. "Find a secluded spot on the dock; have a picnic… reminisce about Paris and the River Seine?"

Daniel found it hard to resist as Emily stressed the invitation with a few kisses at his neckline, but he held firm. "Yeah, uh I can't today," he apologized. "I got too much to do." It was imperative that he got to Ashley first before revealing it to Emily. He knew she would be undoubtedly disappointed but if he could at least confirm she was still an ally, perhaps it would ease her reaction.

Emily's curiosity was officially piqued, following him to where he diverted back into their bedroom. "Daniel, what's going on?" she asked. "Are you upset with me?"

"What? No," he insisted.

She settled onto their bed while he continued dressing and thought about their revised plan for the wedding that was closely approaching. "Is it because of what we agreed to – are you… are you _punishing_ me for this?"

Daniel popped his head back out of the closet, realizing it was a convenient fallback despite not being entirely true. "Well, you leaving on our wedding night certainly hasn't been the easiest thing to accept," he assured her emphatically, walking over. "But no, that's not it. There's just a lot going on right now at work and I want to make sure everything goes right. Margaux's been breathing down my neck for more details in the wedding issue."

At the mention of Margaux, Emily felt an uncomfortable twinge, but Daniel's reassurance in the next moment made it go away.

"Rumor has it that ever since her meet and greet with my dad at the _Voulez_ launch, she's looking into publishing his memoirs. This could be another break for us to reveal the truth," he suggested, eliciting a partial raise of Emily's brow, though she still appeared unsatisfied. "Look, I promise," he added, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow."

"I hope so," Emily replied, while he tucked in his dress shirt and started for the door. "Our _bridal shower_ is tomorrow?"

That finally got his attention. "Hey—" he doubled back. "That was supposed to be a surprise?"

Emily let out a sigh and got up to join him in the bedroom doorway. "Well, after Charlotte's Tea went so well last week, you knew your mother wouldn't rest until she left her imprint on the next occasion." Daniel rolled his eyes and Emily continued. "She not only managed to 'accidentally' tell me the date, but I overheard her say something about it being co-ed." With that she shrugged nonchalantly. "She obviously prefers the company of _men_."

Annoyed, Daniel did his best to overlook it with a fair nod. "Well, don't worry – that just means I'll be there to protect you from her. Okay?" he vowed, looking into her eyes. "Just please don't let on to Charlotte that you know - she'll be heartbroken if she finds out my mother spoiled it."

As Daniel gave a last glance down at his watch and got moving, Emily let him go with a curious smile. "My lips are sealed."

 **SCENE**

"So, shall I make the welcome toast, or will you?"

Victoria looked up from the array of planning arrangements spread out on her parlor table, and waited on her daughter's reply only to see her visibly wincing from where she sat on the couch. "Charlotte, dear, are you alright?" she begged, rising to aid her.

Charlotte waved her off with a hand, keeping the other tightly affixed on her large bump while breathing through a bit of discomfort. Now less than a month away from her due date, she not only required more help getting up and sitting down, but she was beginning to get pains at random. "I'm fine, Mom," she insisted as they faded away. "And no, the Maid of Honor is supposed to do the toast."

"Well typically she isn't just over eight months _pregnant_ ," Victoria snipped. She settled back into her moniker chair, keeping a watchful eye on her child. "Darling, how can you be so determined to do this on your own?" Charlotte glared at her but Victoria continued. "Not even just raising the baby, but this entire ordeal with Emily's shower. I just thought after we worked so well together on your Tea, you'd be more comfortable with me being involved?"

"The only thing that makes me more comfortable is the fact that Patrick is _gone_ ," Charlotte admitted openly, quieting her mother with a look. "That and Dad not being around are the onlyreasons I agreed to come here today. As for burying the hatchet between us," she considered, rubbing her belly protectively. "It's going to take more than you flexing your talent for feigned sincerity."

"It's called being polite," Victoria corrected her in reference to the toast. "And I promise I will mean every word I say."

"Exactly," Charlotte shot back. "That's what I'm worried about."

Victoria zeroed in on her uneasiness, wondering if it was a result of the conversation the day of the dress fitting. "If it's my candor you fear, I won't apologize for speaking the truth. Tell me, did you confirm what I told you about Emily and Jack Porter?"

Charlotte looked into her lap in irritation, tossing her planner onto the table. "No," she answered sternly. "But I don't need to. Even if what you said is true, it's long over with. I'm not going to hold Emily's past against her – the same way she doesn't hold _my_ past against me."

"What are you implying—" Victoria probed.

"Admit it, Mom!" Charlotte cut her off in a fury. "Since the moment you found out I was pregnant you've wanted me to get rid of this baby!" Her face reddened and she gestured to her stomach. "You've been nothing but ashamed of the fact your daughter is a teen mom, I could see it all over your face last week at the _Stowaway_ —"

"Charlotte you know that isn't true," Victoria insisted, leaning forward despite Charlotte looking away. "If anything, I've simply not wanted you to make the same mistakes I did."

Charlotte sighed heavily. "Even so, I can tell when you're faking it for appearances. And I'm not letting you stand up there and pretend like you care about Emily, when it's obvious _you don't._ "

Sitting back, Victoria stewed over her daughter's keen perception and decided to accommodate her. "Very well then," she relented. "I'll admit I have reserves. But only because they continue to present themselves in various forms," she argued. "However I'm willing to compromise, at the very least on your brother's behalf. Surely you can oblige me for Daniel's sake?"

Charlotte glanced up at her reluctantly, assessing what was left to be assigned. "Fine – you can run the shower games," she conceded. "I'm not sure if I'll have enough energy for that part."

A smile spread across Victoria's face. "Thank you, darling."

"But nothing too embarrassing," Charlotte stipulated, adding. "You _know_ Emily's a private person."

Satisfied with her task, Victoria relaxed in complacence. "Indeed I do."

 **SCENE**

"So, how are things going with the whole 'Amanda' situation?"

Jack thought of how to answer Nolan's question, keeping pace while they strolled through his grand house. "I drove up last night to pick up Carl," he replied, occasionally stopping while Nolan affixed tags onto various household items. "She appreciated having him these past three weeks – being able to reconnect and everything. But as far as us…" he trailed off. "Still no change."

Nolan gave him an understanding yet still curious look. "I thought you talked the night you went to see her?"

"We did. And we discussed a lot of our problems it's just," Jack shrugged for a lack of words. "The main reason I went is so that she could be back in Carl's life. And now she is." He looked up at Nolan's sympathetic brow and continued explaining. "We're going to stay in touch; I gave her Ashley's number to contact me so we can avoid her calling the _Stowaway_ with Charlotte there. But forgiving her… that's something else."

"Hmm," Nolan mumbled, moving through the living room to tag more items. "Well, hopefully you can forgive _me_ in the interim."

Jack chuckled. " _You?_ What are you talking about, I owe you everything—" he suddenly stopped short, finally taking notice of all the tags Nolan was putting around the house. "What are you doing, by the way?"

"Roommate proofing," Nolan answered uneasily, ducking his chin in acknowledgement. "Like I said – I hope you can forgive me but, ah, I've inherited a new tenant since the last time you stopped by." When Jack furrowed his brow in interest he finished, "Aiden Mathis."

Jack's face quickly contorted into disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" he nearly exploded.

Nolan outstretched his palms in reassurance. "Jack, he's a decent _guy_ —"

"He slept with my _wife!_ " Jack erupted in a fury. "And then you just invite him to stay here?!"

Not far from where they stood, Emily entered the kitchen with a few bags of groceries in hand, catching the last few words of their exchange. Conscious of her presence, Nolan sidestepped Jack's accusations to nod in her direction. "Believe me, it wasn't my call," he gestured discreetly.

Emily used that as an opportunity to thud the bags onto the counter, announcing her presence. "Hey, Jack," she greeted him quietly.

Jack barely took a moment to calm down before approaching the counter to lay bare his frustration. "Emily, why didn't you tell me this was part of your plan?"

She gave him an odd look, recalling sharing the details of her plan with him and Nolan shortly after she told Daniel. "What do you mean; you knew everything this involved—"

"Yeah, you conveniently left the part out about Aiden!" he belted.

"That was before I knew someone had sent you to couples' therapy in the woods," Emily retorted, glaring at Nolan for his part in leading Jack to Amanda. Despite not holding his weak moment against him, she had only fairly asked that he put up Aiden in return.

"Oh, right," Jack mocked her irritably. "Because I have to get your _permission_ first before I do anything?"

Emily lowered her eyes in submission. "That's not what I was saying. Look, I'm sorry you've had to go through this, Jack. Really, I am. When I asked Aiden for his help at the beginning of the summer I had no way of knowing what happened between them," she avoided the subject, adding. "But you _gave_ me a deadline to end this, and this is the only way it can get done—"

"By trusting _him—?_ " Jack began to argue.

"When Aiden cleared your name, he was forced to leave Grayson Manor!" Emily snapped back, impressing her point with a stern look. "He doesn't want to be here anymore than you want him to, but this is the only place he'll be safe." She relaxed somewhat, hoping Jack would understand. "It's only temporary until we finish this."

Still fed up, Jack shook his head and finally stormed out, unable to bridle his irritation any longer. Once he was gone, Nolan assumed Emily would stare him down yet again for his unauthorized faux pas, but instead she took her frustration out on the groceries, slamming a bottle of wine and a small basket of strawberries on the countertop.

"Just in case I don't say it enough," Nolan insisted. "Sorry if I complicated things by trying to administer a Porter family reunion—"

"Save it," she quieted him. "Jack was going to find out about Aiden eventually. He can deal with that on his own; I've got other things to worry about."

Interested, Nolan edged closer, leaning on the counter. "Is, ah, everything ok in paradise?"

"Daniel's been acting strange lately," Emily confessed, letting out a breath while tapping her fingers. "Ever since I told him what I planned to do he's been distant… going into work earlier… it's like he's pulling away?"

"Can you blame him?" Nolan argued, drawing her attention. "Ems, he has to get used to the idea of pretending to mourn your _death_ in about two weeks. Not to mention, what, another three to six _months_ of taking down his family before you can be together again?" he estimated.

"It's not that," Emily affirmed with certainty. "This is… something else," she wondered, racking her brain for possibility.

"What else could it be?" With a worried look, Nolan ventured a guess. "Unless you think it's… _someone_?"

After an obligatory glare of denial, Emily reconsidered. "I've been thinking and I'm almost certain that stunt Victoria pulled the night of the launch party was all a ploy to set him up with Margaux."

"Ah yes," Nolan recalled. "I forgot the lovely Ms. LeMarchal decided to stay in town."

"No doubt at Victoria's urging," Emily assumed as her thoughts began to churn. "Probably another reason why she forced her way into helping Charlotte with the bridal shower – to control the guest list."

"Well, you did say Daniel's been spending more time at _Voulez…_ " Nolan agreed, while Emily glowered in disbelief. It was rare for him to even begin to question Daniel's loyalty, which only worried her more. But instead of drawing assumptions, Nolan merely picked up the basket of strawberries on the counter and extended them for Emily to take. "But… if it's just work that has Prince Charming preoccupied – then he shouldn't mind a surprise visit from his enchantress?"

 **SCENE**

 _"Es-tu sérieux?!"_

Ashley kept her head high, firmly holding her stance behind her desk. "Yes, Margaux, I am quite serious," she assured with confidence, while her partner stared back in disbelief. "Your father made me an offer while I was in Paris and I intend to take it. After today … I'll be transferring overseas to the French _Voulez._ "

Margaux shook her head in shock, barely able to contain her disgust. "I should have known Pascal would do something like this," she vented, switching to use his given name from frustration.

"I'm so sorry for the short notice—" Ashley began.

"Don't misunderstand, Demoiselle Grobet," Margaux stopped pace to cut her short. "I mean no affront to your ability, but my father has always sought ways to bring me down."

Before she could comfort her, Ashley's phone began ringing and she was suddenly reminded of the massive work she had ahead to make the transition. "Again I can't stress how much I never intended to cause difficulty – it was an unexpected opportunity," she paused, and watched as Margaux huffed and walked towards the door. "Margaux?" she called out to her. "I honestly don't think he meant you harm. If anything, he has the utmost respect for you."

Margaux merely shook her head in disagreement, but accepted it nonetheless, uttering a few words in French under her breath as she strode out of Ashley's office. She crossed paths with Daniel in the hallway and demanded for him to follow her, despite his intent towards Ashley's office.

Ashley spied this from afar and moved to secure her door shut before finally answering the incessant ringing. "This is Ashley," she sighed.

A familiar voice spoke in a low tone. "Ashley? I'm sorry, but Jack gave me this number to call if I needed to reach him—"

Recognizing, Ashley sank into her chair in amazement. " _Amanda?_ " she stammered, confirmed a moment later by her affirmative reply. "Oh my goodness – are you alright, wh-where have you _been_?"

Amanda pondered how to answer, glancing at the cold walls in her private cabin in the woods. "I messed up," she finally replied, replaying the past few weeks over again in her mind. Much had changed in her heart since the day that Jack had come to see her, and though her emotions were often deceptive, she had reached a decision. "I messed up with Jack," she repeated. "But I feel like I have another chance at being a family again and I don't want to miss it."

Awkwardly, Ashley managed a brief reply. "I understand," she answered, struggling with how to tell her just how well she did. "Listen, there's something I want to talk to you about," she started in. "The truth is… Amanda, I know who you really are."

The silence on the other line conveyed Amanda's resulting fear, but if that wasn't enough, just then Ashley was distracted by the sight of Emily walking past her office window with a small basket in hand. Emily stopped short when she saw that she was in and paused at the doorway to knock.

"What do you mean?" Amanda replied on the phone, her heart pounding in concern.

"Uh, I—I can't talk now, I'm sorry," Ashley sputtered, hurriedly ending the call. "I've got to go." She hung up quickly before Amanda could pursue and stood to intercept Emily's visit. "Come in?"

"Hey…I hope you didn't end that conversation on account of me," Emily greeted her nimbly, crossing her left hand over the basket in her right as she walked over. "I just came to surprise Daniel for lunch – have you seen him?"

Ashley set her face as still as stone. "I think he's in," she answered flatly.

Intensely curious, Emily finally set the basket down on her desk. "Ashley, what is going on? I haven't heard from you in three weeks, you didn't show to Charlotte's shower—" she shook her head in disappointment, certain something was amiss. "Do you even still plan on being in the wedding?"

"Daniel didn't tell you?" Ashley responded and Emily just shrugged.

"Tell me what?"

Ashley raised her brow and then began busying herself at her desk. "I um, I just got back from Paris – but I'm afraid I'll be heading back out on the next flight." While Emily turned up her lip in interest, Ashley continued. "Pascal LeMarchal offered me a position and I accepted."

Emily folded her arms in alarm. "That seems rather sudden for you."

"It was," Ashley resolved, taking an eerie step closer. "But contrary to what you think – my talents include more than staying here in the Hamptons while you single-handedly dismantle the family that destroyed your own." At her specific choice of words, Emily flinched and narrowed her eyes in detection, reading the next admission before it came out of Ashley's mouth. "Well, isn't that what you're doing, _Amanda_?"

Conscious of the noise that surrounded them in the outside hall, Emily took another step closer to Ashley, staring dead into her eyes. "Who told you?" she seethed.

" _You_ did," Ashley asserted back at her, while Emily worked to keep her composure. She shook her head and returned to her desk. "I overheard you at the _Voulez_ launch, and then I confirmed it with Daniel but I should've seen it long ago. You've been fooling everyone since the day I met you – I helped you without even knowing it!"

At the incline of her voice, Emily shut the door and whirled around in protest. "You have to believe me all of this has been necessary—"

"How much of it is even _real_?!" she exploded, shaking her head in disbelief. "All those introductions to the Graysons the summer you arrived, begging me to come back last year, the bombing, _Tyler_ — _!_ "

"Ashley, you're getting ahead of yourself," Emily persisted. "I wasn't responsible for all of that—"

"But it was _you_ that put it in motion!" Ashley argued. "And you haven't stopped since! My God, I can't even begin to list what havoc the _real_ Emily Thorne has had to endure from bearing your identity," she continued venting, considering her most recent conversation. "How can Amanda even stand it, your obsession nearly got her _killed_! And now it precludes her from being with her family, does that mean nothing to you?"

Emily continued shaking her head in protest. "You don't understand—"

But this time she was interrupted by Daniel walking in. "Hey," he entered without knocking, fearsome of the two of them standing off. "What's going on, Emily what are you doing here—"

"What else, Daniel?" Ashley answered on her behalf. "She's here to claim _you_ , which has clearly been her goal in hatching her plot against your family all along."

"Ashley, wait, don't do this—" Daniel begged, but she stormed past them both, gathering her purse from her desk abruptly.

"Listen to me," she addressed them. "I won't deny it, I believe the people who wronged you deserve to pay – but what you're running is one twisted game that's eventually going to affect you _both._ " She stopped to make eye contact with the two of them, lowering her countenance in surrender. "Look, I pray you know what you're getting into with this wedding, at least this time around," she finally digressed, shaking her head. "But I can't stay for this."

With that she briskly walked off, tendering not only her resignation from the American _Voulez_ but more clearly from the inner circle. Not less than a second from her departure, Emily turned on her heel to face Daniel, concentrating on a key detail. "You knew about this?" she surmised, glaring at him with intensity. "You knew she found out the truth; is that why you didn't want me coming here?"

"Emily, please," Daniel insisted, pressing his hands together in a penitent stance. "I tried to do everything I could—"

"To make sure I stayed away," she finished in incredulity. "Really, Daniel? I thought we were past this. Unbelievable," she sighed, snatching up the basket from Ashley's desk before withdrawing in a determined fury. "I'm going home— _don't_ follow me."

 **SCENE**

Aiden rested the last of his belongings on the bed in Nolan's spare bedroom, and took a breather just long enough to answer his ringing phone. "Conrad?" he replied, recognizing the number of the Grayson patriarch. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"My belated recognition of your keen assistance, Mr. Mathis," Conrad drawled as he walked the halls of his affluent home. "I never took the opportunity to thank you for the efforts you went to alerting me of Patrick's betrayal, a fact which has proven more than effective in ousting him from my home."

Aiden smirked in expectation. "Well that's a consequence I can relate to," he concurred. "Seeing as I knew Victoria would not share your high opinion of my actions – I was forced to vacate the premises myself."

"Ah, yes, well the ice queen will thaw in due time," Conrad acknowledged with little concern. "But rather than continue striving after her fleeting good graces, I'd like to offer you something of more value. You've proven your allegiance to me as the master of this house and for that, I may not be able to extend room and board… but I can do much in the way of employment, if you are so willing?"

Aiden pondered his offer, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I'm listening."

Conrad sneered in pleasure. "I'm considering publishing my memoirs through _Voulez_ media," he explained. "In recent weeks I've had conversations with Margaux LeMarchal, who is beginning to see it as a lucrative opportunity… however there are some obstacles."

"Which are?" Aiden prompted him.

Reaching the doorway of his study, Conrad halted in thought. "Well for one, there's Margaux's investment partner," he recollected. "Ashley Grobet, you'll remember her as both a former employee of Grayson Global and a once Communications Director for my doomed gubernatorial campaign."

"Ah, yes – I briefly shared her company at your wedding last year," Aiden affirmed.

"Oh, that's right," Conrad remembered absentmindedly, letting his gaze trail to a family photo that still rested on the ledge. "Well then, I'm sure you can appreciate why her involvement with my memoirs is something I would like to avoid – along with any other input either by associate or immediate family," he digressed, staring at Daniel's innocent face in the picture. "Specifically my son's."

Aiden drew his jaw in understanding, finally gaining insight into his request. "You're concerned Daniel might use his position as editor to besmirch your reputation?" Just as he replied, he turned slightly to hear a faint beeping coming from a device in one of his bags, and went over to investigate.

"Regardless of what his mother says," Conrad affirmed, palming the frame. "Daniel's desire to consistently undermine me hasn't changed, and given the opportunity I'm not going to allow him another easy victory. But if there's one thing I believe Victoria is right about, it's your ability to rattle him to distraction unlike anyone else." He took a breath and casually faced the frame down on the ledge. "It is precisely that skill of disturbance I would like to employ, Mr. Mathis as I embark on my next enterprise."

Conscious that Conrad was essentially trying to persuade him to go to war with Daniel, Aiden hesitated, but knew that even while he had no intention of betraying his acquired ally, the safest course was to accept. Just as he had done with Victoria, convincing Conrad of his service could put him back in position one step ahead of the game, and preserve the plan Emily had already set in motion. He pulled back the flap on his bag to deduce where the earlier beeping had come from and then grimaced at it's origin.

"Very well, then," Aiden finally replied, rising to his feet as if preparing for next orders. "Where do I begin?"

 **SCENE**

Amanda barely felt the hours pass as she made the long trek on the road back to the Hamptons, desperately impelled to return after Ashley's last words. If she was telling the truth about knowing her identity then she had to get to the source right away. Perhaps she would find out her fears were for naught and Emily had chosen to tell her, but by the sound of her voice that was not the case. And she had been trained not to afford any casualties by waiting to find out.

She glanced over at her GPS and easily found her way to the _Voulez_ office in Montauk, a result of tracing both Ashley's number and playing a hunch. Ever cautious, she locked her car and headed into the building with her head down; entering incognito until she passed what looked like a changing area for a photo shoot. Spying a stylist table with a few wigs and a rack of clothing beside it, she doubled back a step and slipped inside unnoticed…

 **SCENE**

"Don't tell me you're leaving too?"

Margaux froze in the doorway of Daniel's office, watching as he threw on his jacket in a frustrated motion with barely a glance up at her. There was too much on his mind to bother with formality and even if Emily had insisted he not follow her home, he couldn't sit there for another hour knowing he had let her down.

"I just need to take care of something," he alibied breathily, hoping she didn't press further. "I'll be back later."

"Daniel, I need you here _now,_ " Margaux insisted, charging in with protest. "We are in a crisis, only a week from this month's print." She stopped barely a foot away, waiting for Daniel to acknowledge her with an exasperated look. "With Ashley gone, I'm making you next in command until I can find a new partner."

"Margaux, that's…" Daniel trailed off, trying to properly respond to the generous offer without seeming disinterested. "That's a huge responsibility and I want to help but I just have a lot going on—"

"Don't worry," Margaux assured him with a gesture, drawing closer. "I will see to it that none of this affects your scheduled time for wedding activity." He sighed to suggest he meant otherwise but she pressed, placing a hand on his arm. "But, I'm begging you – I need you today until I can get things under control. _S'il vous plait_?"

Daniel tensed beneath her grasp, taking a moment to mull over her request. His heart tugged at him to go after Emily, to do anything possible to make things right. By now he guessed she was throwing herself into the next stages of her plan, and while it seemed there was little collateral damage with Ashley's knowledge, he knew she would likely anticipate the worst, just in case. And yet as much as he ached to explain to her, he knew she still needed time to simmer down, a fact she had made clear by her exit.

He was still debating what to do when another visitor at the doorway rescued him temporarily. "Danny?" Charlotte peered in, seeing him in close proximity to an insistent Margaux. She edged away with uncertainty. "Sorry – is this a bad time, should I come back?"

"No," Margaux answered on his behalf, turning around immediately. " _Entrer,_ Charlotte," she beckoned her inside kindly, switching places to exit the room. "We were just finishing up. Thank you, Daniel," she redirected with an assuming glare. "For reconsidering."

She departed, leaving Daniel at her mercy to comply with staying behind. With the addition of Charlotte in his office, it was clear things were being decided for him without his input. "Char, hey," he finally exhaled, removing his jacket in acceptance.

Her eyes narrowed, sensing something was heavily amiss. "What's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing," he replied, shuffling some papers on the desk. "Nothing, what ah—what brings you here?"

"I wanted to firm things up for the shower tomorrow," she answered in part, still not convinced by his charade. "But it looks like I stumbled onto more secrets instead?" He met her leading stare and she went on, shaking her head in displeasure. "What is going on with everyone? Jack hasn't been the same for weeks now; Mom is clearly up to something, and now _you_?"

"Charlotte, please," he begged off, loosening his tie while he struggled to find a distraction. "Me and Emily had a little fight earlier," he confessed in part. "And on top of that Ashley quit and Margaux wants me to basically take over until she can replace her."

Her expression quickly changed from suspicion to sympathy. "Oh, Danny I'm so sorry," she recanted quickly, sinking into the chair across from his desk. "I had no idea, is there anything I can do?"

"No, no, of course not," he assured her, recalling her condition and managing a calm look for her benefit. "Look, I'm just still trying to figure all of this out…" he trailed off, checking his phone. While Charlotte looked on helplessly he gestured he would be right back with a finger. "I'm just gonna try Emily again, can you wait here?"

"Sure," Charlotte complied immediately, watching him disappear into the hallway. Slightly more stressed than when she had first came in; she rubbed her belly instinctively and winced at yet another pain, breathing slowly until it faded away. Yet this time, it was followed by another throbbing shortly after, one that was harder to endure with just regulated breathing. She gasped aloud and braced herself on the chair, praying for it to pass…

 **SCENE**

"Excuse me; I'm looking for Ashley Grobet?"

Margaux barely broke stride to address the unfamiliar female employee who crossed her path in the hallway, and paused only long enough to snarl a reply. "You should check your email, a notice was sent to advise she has been realigned to the French _Voulez_ , in Paris."

Before Margaux could disappear from view, she stopped her once more. "But I just talked to her, barely a few hours ago?" She straightened the hem of her skirt and looked up, and this time a keen eye would be able to see it was Amanda in a clever disguise.

But to Margaux she was merely an unknown, and a quick glance at her dress and the portfolio under her arm only told her she was likely not an employee after all. "She left just this morning," she explained. "Were you called in for an interview?"

"Um, yes," Amanda lied seamlessly. "But I guess that's not going to happen now—" she turned solemnly, hoping her act would work.

"Wait." Margaux called out and Amanda exhaled gratefully before turning back. "That would not be fair to you," she rationalized, thinking about the immense workload that awaited her. "And I'm currently in desperate need of an assistant. Would you be available to start today?"

" _Today_?" Amanda repeated coyly, pretending to think it over. "Are you offering me the job?"

Margaux folded her arms, eyeing her once again. "Consider it an audition," she alluded. "What's your name?"

"Ah, Porter," Amanda responded quickly, assuming her pseudo last name would not easily be tied to any immediate resemblance.

Margaux turned on her heel and pranced ahead with a smile. "This way, Porter."

Amanda remained quietly watchful as she followed her through the halls, scanning for what might be Ashley's office. If she could just get a moment alone inside it, perhaps she would able to search for a clue as to her whereabouts, or what tipped her off about the identity switch. But her instincts were quickly interrupted as Margaux suddenly stopped short at a different doorway, and tended to a girl who appeared to be having breathing problems.

"Charlotte!" Margaux exclaimed, running in to see her halfway to the floor from her seat, and Amanda snapped to attention, recognizing both the name and the face. Charlotte was heavily pregnant and crouched to her knees, cradling her stomach in her hands while appearing to be in blinding pain.

Margaux rushed to her side and beckoned Amanda to follow; leaving her in an awkward position in hopes she would not be recognized. "Please," Margaux begged, craning her neck to look around. "Can you stay with her while I go find her brother?"

With no way out, Amanda was forced to comply as Margaux jumped up and dashed off presumably to look for Daniel. Trapped but yet ultimately concerned, Amanda simply rubbed Charlotte's back while she panted through the pains. Fortunately Charlotte had her eyes squeezed shut so tightly that she could not see her. "It's alright," Amanda cajoled softly. "It's okay, she's going to get help, and everything is going to be alright."

"Oh, God this _hurts!_ " Charlotte shrieked in reply, losing her balance slightly to shrink fully to the ground.

Amanda caught her with little effort, supporting her back with a strong arm around her. "Hey, hang in there," she encouraged her, remembering enduring a similar experience not long ago. "Take my hand." She extended a hand for her to grab which Charlotte clutched right away and despite her attempts to remain anonymous, Amanda's emotions couldn't help but slip through in sympathy. "It won't last long, just hang in there, Charlotte."

Charlotte suddenly relaxed her grasp, as if struck by a familiar tone in the voice beside her. The intensity of pain briefly subsided and she peered through misty eyes, staring her companion right in the face. "Oh my God," she gasped, incredulous.

Knowing it was only a matter of seconds before her cover was blown, Amanda looked away and was relieved by the sight of Margaux and Daniel dashing down the hall. A crowd of several others had already formed by the doorway and Amanda seized the opportunity to stand back, letting Margaux and Daniel push their way through. She shifted Charlotte's delicate frame into their care and then slipped out in their place, effortlessly unseen by the rest.

"Charlotte, are you alright?" Daniel broke stride to kneel beside her, lifting her upright. "I need you to try to stand; we're taking you to the ER—"

"That—that girl," Charlotte stammered, cut short by another wave of pain.

Daniel looked at Margaux in between her gasps but she merely brushed it off. "She's becoming delirious, we have to go now," she advised, helping him in the process. "I've already called the paramedics they should be downstairs any minute."

With that they helped her out, the concerned murmurs of the other employees nearly drowning out the sound of her faint whisper as they left.

"That… that was my sister…"

 **SCENE**

"Emily, where are you?"

Daniel sighed in frustration, leaving his third message to her persistent voicemail. He dragged a hand across his forehead in concern, peering back towards Charlotte's hospital bed once before continuing down the hall. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier but just call me when you get this, alright? It's urgent."

He hung up, pinching the bridge of his nose while heading to the nurse's station, where Margaux was speaking with the doctor. "She's going to be fine," Margaux assuaged him before he could ask, dismissing the doctor with a nod. "Braxton Hicks Contractions can be just as painful as real labor," she explained. "But they are nothing to be concerned about. The baby is healthy and so is your sister."

"Thank God," Daniel exhaled in relief, despite being somewhat curious. "They told you all of that?"

"I… told them I was family," Margaux admitted with a smug grin, unashamed of her lie. "Well, I practically am – we grew up together. Besides Charlotte kept asking for her sister and since Emily is still nowhere to be found, I suppose?" she guessed, garnishing her answer from Daniel's downcast expression. "I just stepped in to offer support."

"Thanks," Daniel obliged her. "I appreciate that but, ah, I know you have a lot going on back at _Voulez_ so I can take it from here—"

"No, I insist," Margaux pushed back, putting a hand up. "It was insensitive of me to put so much on you earlier. The company has seen worse moments than Ashley's departure – and I've made it this far. I apologize for putting all of that on you at once." She watched him bob his head in appreciation, and then continued. "Please – let me sit with Charlotte for a while. Get yourself some coffee – you look like you could use it."

Daniel let out a chuckle at her quip, but took the respite without argument, planning on using the time to try Emily again anyway. While he turned down the hall, Margaux returned to Charlotte's room and sat at her bedside.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Like I'm ready for this to be over with," Charlotte admitted wryly, sitting up. "I think I'm losing my mind."

Margaux laughed. "Oh just a few more weeks and the pain will have passed and that little one will be in your arms," she reminded her with a soft poke. "The doctors said you can go home tonight."

"Thank goodness," Charlotte sighed, growing serious. She threw the covers off to get into a comfortable position and concentrated in thought. "Margaux, something's been bothering me ever since we left the office. I just – I need to know if this pregnancy is making me go crazy… or whether it was real."

"What do you mean?" Margaux inquired, furrowing her brow.

"The girl that stayed with me while you went to get Daniel," Charlotte explained, desperately waiting for an answer. "Who was she?"

" _Oh cher_ ," Margaux recalled with concern, realizing she had essentially abandoned her back at _Voulez_. "I've nearly forgotten all about her—she must think that me so irresponsible—"

"Does she work for you?" Charlotte inserted anxiously. "Does she work for _Voulez_?"

"Ah, not yet exactly," Margaux replied. "She came in for an interview but I asked her to assist temporarily, just while we keep up with Ashley's departure—"

"Margaux, please," Charlotte suddenly begged, reaching out for her hand while startling Margaux in the process. "You've got to tell me her name – who is she?"

She stared back in concern, struggling to think. "She only gave me her last name – Porter." No sooner than the word left her mouth she watched as Charlotte shrunk back in realization, her face nearly turning white. "Charlotte, what is the meaning of all this? Are you sure you're alright – shall I call for the doctor?"

"No, no," Charlotte barely answered in a whisper. Her brain was still processing at a furious pace, balancing her shock with realization. "That must be why Jack has been so different lately – he has to know!" she exclaimed aside to herself.

Truly beginning to worry, Margaux reached out to steady her. "Please, dear – tell me what all of this means. Is there something I can do to help?"

"Yes," Charlotte finally responded after a moment of deep thought. She turned to face her with an inkling of excitement in her expression. "Yes, there is."

 **SCENE**

It was late when Emily heard Daniel fumbling at the patio door, and despite being inwardly relieved that he was home, she refrained from turning at her seat at the kitchen counter, appearing aloof to his presence. Instead she continued picking at the remains of the picnic basket from earlier, only flinching slightly while he slammed the door shut behind him.

"Is there some pressing reason why you haven't been taking any of my calls?" he started in, the familiar edge of his raw emotion resounding in his tone. He had no patience to be coy after a tiresome day.

"Well I just lost a key part of our plan...not to mention one of my friends, thanks to you," Emily retorted in kind, lifting a strawberry into view before popping it into her mouth. "So, you'll forgive me if I don't feel like talking."

He smirked at her reply, tossing his jacket onto the counter. "Where'd you go?"

"I came here," she shrugged, reaching for another berry.

Daniel dismissed a faint memory of her being allergic to the fruit and instead pulled her hand back to stop her from ignoring him. "No you didn't," he insisted irritably. "I came by looking for you earlier, and don't say you went to Nolan's because I just called there."

"Quite the investigation," Emily sparked into friendly fire, standing to face him. "If you're accusing me of distrust you have no freedom of speech, Daniel—"

He leaned in to match her stance. "And you gave no consideration to the fact me trying to reach you might have been an emergency?!" Daniel held his jaw while Emily remained silent, looking to him with intrigue. Before she could ask, he took pity and confessed it. "Charlotte had an episode today. We had to take her to the hospital."

Emily's face fell, immediately regretting her ignorance. "What? Is she alright—"

"They sent her home tonight," he answered, calming her. "She thought she was going into labor, turns out it was just Braxton-Hicks contractions." Content by defeating her with the news, he relaxed and started back towards the stairs. "She should be fine for the shower tomorrow."

But Emily was a step ahead, grabbing her purse and headed for the door. "Forget about the shower, I need to go see my sister—!" she insisted, stopped short by Daniel doubling back to stand in her path.

"I _said_ she'll be fine, Em," he insisted, catching her in his arms. "You're not going anywhere until we talk—"

"And what do you have to say?" Emily countered dryly.

"Emily, _I'm sorry_ ," Daniel finally emphasized, begging with intensity in his eyes. "But the only reason this whole thing happened is because you fed right into my mother's game when she said Jack was at risk – Ashley would've never overheard us!" She pulled away slightly in his arms but he nudged her back in place, recanting. "I know, I know, I should've told you. I was going to, believe me, I just tried to handle it first on my own. But please Emily, don't let this separate us again, we said we wouldn't do this. This time it's both of us to blame."

While his sincere expressions hung in the air, an unusual thing happened. Despite Daniel waiting for her to wriggle out of his grasp and retract into seclusion, Emily instead looked away for a moment before returning her gaze to his. As their eyes met he could see a hazy film over her eyes and much to his surprise she suddenly dipped her head and burst into tears.

"Em… Em," he repeated, watching her break down and then immediately pulling her into an embrace. "Hey… what's wrong? Come on," he urged her gently, caressing her back. He realized with alarm just how rare it was to see her cry, and with such honest emotion behind it. "Come on, we're not that far off track …"

"It's not that," she finally answered, pulling back to collect herself and springing into the strong woman that he was more familiar with. She dabbed at her eyes, wiping away the remnants of her weak moment. "It's just I can't believe I wasn't there for Charlotte today," she sighed, shaking her head and Daniel realized her anger and sadness was more with herself than anything else. "It's just a reminder that I won't be there in the future, either. You know? When she needs me."

Daniel nodded in understanding, restraining himself from reminding her that it was a choice _she_ had made. But regardless of her brief show of vulnerability, he knew no matter how much it pained her, she would endure nearly anything for her mission. "I'll be here," he assured her, taking comfort with how much they both cared for their shared sibling. "That's why I'm staying behind, right? It's going to work out."

Emily looked up hesitantly, and Daniel thought he sensed uncertainty in her eyes. But if so, she quickly shook it away, thanking him with an appreciative look. "You're right," she agreed with a nod. "I just need to stay focused." Somewhat apologetically, she leaned in to graze his lips with a kiss, signaling a cease fire. "I'm didn't mean to overreact… I think I just need to get some rest."

Rather than bid her goodnight, Daniel allowed her apology to soften his last lingering reserve and he caved easily. "Wait. I'm coming to bed too," he added, reaching back only to shut off the light before returning up the stairs.

 **SCENE**

As difficult as it was not to slip into the _Stowaway_ for the night, Amanda had enough sense to check into the South Fork Inn instead, especially with her fear of being recognized earlier that afternoon. She kept a low profile when the hotel attendant provided her key and entered her dark room quietly; checking to make sure no one was following her. Yet not a moment after she was inside, an intruder appeared from behind the open door and grabbed her about the neck, forcing her bags to the floor.

"You thought you could drop in for a visit without being noticed?" he breathed into her ear.

Amanda recognized his voice, using a maneuver to twist out of his grasp and wriggle free. "Aiden," she accosted him face-to-face. "How did you know I was here?"

Aiden grinned brusquely, careful not to gaze at the piece of jewelry on her neck that had led him right to her. "You know I've always been resourceful," he replied vaguely. "And I happen to know how _insistent_ you are on creating problems for Emily."

"I didn't come back to create problems for her, I came to fix them," Amanda sneered back, snatching her wig off while settling deeper into the room. "I spoke to Ashley this morning. Before she hung up she told me she knew the truth about my identity. I came back to stop her before she did anything."

Aiden raised a brow in surprise. "Ashley?" he affirmed, deducing her as a person of interest for the second time that day. "How did you come to speak to her?"

Amanda looked away, initially attempting to dodge the question before confessing. "Jack gave me her number to get in touch with him."

With a simple nod, Aiden accepted the response as confirmation of her choice, one that he suddenly felt latent to discovery. "Well, I can't say that I'm surprised," he rebuffed, trying to hide his disappointment. While Amanda watched in expectation he only sniffed dryly, refocusing on the issue at hand. "So did you make contact?"

"With Jack?" Amanda posed.

"With _Ashley_ ," Aiden grumbled instead.

"No, she was already gone," Amanda replied, her concern mounting. "But we have another problem. I snuck into _Voulez_ to look for something I could find to track her but I crossed paths with Charlotte – I think she recognized me."

Aiden stepped in close. "Are you certain?"

She kept her head level in thought. "Not completely – but I can't risk it," she admitted. "I left right after. She was in a lot of pain, Aiden; I think she might have gone into labor."

He craned his neck, sorting out possibilities. "Then perhaps she's already dismissed it. I would imagine delivering a child would be enough distraction to forget _thinking_ she saw her deceased sister," he argued. "Anyone she tells would likely convince her it was her imagination."

"I don't know, Charlotte's smart," Amanda pressed, just as the phone to her room rang.

Aiden glared at her intensely. "I thought no one knew you were here?" he directed, nodding for her to pick it up carefully.

"Hello?" Amanda answered with caution. Her expression suddenly relaxed. "Oh… ah, Margaux," she sighed, repeating her reply for Aiden's benefit. "You guessed that I might be staying in town… well you guessed right." She listened a bit longer, gracefully accepting the rest. "Oh, not at all… I was just glad I could help… that's good to hear your friend will be alright."

Aiden came over to listen in alongside her, motioning for Amanda to tilt the phone so he could hear. On the line, Margaux was finishing up a request. "… If you can forgive me I would love to thank you in person and finish your interview, perhaps tomorrow?"

Amanda covered the receiver as Aiden whispered an instruction. "Tell her you want to meet offsite somewhere private – _not_ at _Voulez._ Once you're alone, inquire if Charlotte mentioned anything out of the ordinary, and if not, tender your resignation," he urged. Amanda complied without missing a beat, which was well received.

"Oh one more thing," Margaux asked with interest. "I never did get your first name. Fortunately the hotel said they had one Porter staying the night," she laughed.

Nervously, Amanda looked at Aiden before coming up with an alias. "Ah, it's Rebecca," she lied seamlessly.

"Rebecca Porter," Margaux repeated, writing it down to read it back. "'Re' 'Porter'," she abbreviated, chuckling at the irony. "Well, with a name like that, you should fit in perfectly at _Voulez._ I look forward to meeting with you again tomorrow, Ms. Porter. _Au revoir!_ "

She hung up and Aiden scolded her without hesitation. "That's a dangerous move, accompanying your married name with your _real_ middle name?" He rested a curious eye on her neckline, his thoughts naturally drifting to Jack. "I suppose your desire to live on the edge is one thing you still haven't chosen to abandon?"

"Coming from someone who never had the sense to protect his identity," she shot back, calling the tension between them to the surface. He met her gaze and she recoiled, stroking her necklace out of habit. "Look, Aiden… I didn't abandon you. And I don't know what's going to happen with Jack yet, but… I've decided I have to try," she added honestly.

Aiden nodded, unable to deny her what she was rightfully due. "As you should," he obliged, leaving her to follow the plan as discussed. "Lucky for you, after you tie up your loose ends with Margaux tomorrow… Rebecca Porter will no longer exist."

 **SCENE**

"So, is that a get-well present for Charlotte or a hostess present for my mother?"

Emily cast an indifferent side glance at Daniel's comment while they trotted arm-in-arm down the hallway of the bridal shower venue. In her free hand she cradled a mysterious box that matched her pristine pearl dress, topped with a bow. "Neither, of course," she corrected him with a smile, pursing her ruby red lips. "Since that would only reveal that I knew in advance, and ruin the surprise."

Daniel agreed with a nod and pulled her to a halt just before the doors to the banquet hall, savoring their moments alone before their entry. "Ah, you remembered to play along," he admired proudly, caressing her cheekbone with his right hand. He adjusted a stray wisp of hair back into her side-swept do, and studied her eyes. "But if it's not for them… then…?"

Emily batted her eyes, extending it into the short space between them. "You were right yesterday," she waited for him to accept before finishing. "I did make a stop before I came home."

Despite being warmed by the gesture, Daniel shook his head regretfully. "Em, I thought we said no gifts? Well, now I feel like a jackass—"

"Don't," she assured him, covering the box top before he could open it. "It was ah… unexpected, sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing," she explained. "Besides I'd rather you open it when we get home," she averted towards the doors. "Something to look forward to after this whole soiree."

He laughed, agreeing wholeheartedly, and slipped the box into his pocket. "Shall we?" he readied her, and in unison they stepped through.

The crowd stood to welcome their entrance with a chorus of 'Surprise!' followed by an expertly played reaction from Emily, which Daniel couldn't help but chuckle at. A few guests met them with an embrace, yet to Emily's disappointment, Charlotte was noticeably absent. Instead, Victoria stepped forward with leering intent.

"Oh, welcome, darlings," she greeted them grandly, gesturing to the ornately decorated room. "I hope that everything pleases you. No expense was spared to meet all of your expectations, Emily."

Emily glanced at Daniel before catching her breath to respond. "Why, thank you, Victoria," she clamored, scanning the room. "Except I can't help but notice I'm missing my Maid of Honor?"

"Oh dear, didn't Daniel tell you?" Victoria balked, looking at her son for confirmation. "Charlotte had to be hospitalized yesterday for prodromal labor," she beamed, flaunting her knowledge over Emily like a trophy.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "She knows, Mom—but I was there when they released her, the doctor said she'd be well enough for today—"

"Oh, that's simply preposterous," Victoria argued back. "Surely you wouldn't expect her to tire herself out with any additional activity—"

Before the two could exchange any further, Emily's eyes flickered just beyond Victoria and she interrupted their exchange. "And yet, here she is," she observed in relief, catching sight of Charlotte gingerly making her way in with Margaux escorting her. Victoria followed her gaze, watching sourly as her daughter arrived against her wishes.

"Emily!" Charlotte exclaimed, hugging her first and then her brother. "Daniel! You made it. Guys, I'm so sorry I missed your entrance," she apologized right away. "But I promise I still have a surprise in store, I just needed some help but thankfully Margaux stepped in." She turned to acknowledge her accomplice, who was decked appropriately for the occasion.

"Margaux," Emily greeted her uneasily, which caused Victoria to sneer in pleasure. "So good to see you," she fawned with a polite albeit distant hug.

Margaux obliged it gracefully. "Emily, congratulations," she offered and grew slightly warmer in her greeting to Daniel. "Just a reminder of my support to the Grayson family," she added, while Daniel appeared pleasantly surprised at her second showing of said support. He grinned, assuming she was still making amends for the day before.

"Grayson _and_ Clarke family, that is," Charlotte added in her defense, somewhat mysteriously. It drew Emily's attention but her next move was even more appealing. "I'll take it from here, mother," she charmed Victoria, excusing her out of the hostess position. "Is Dad here, too?"

"Yes," Victoria answered, miffed at having to turn over control. She gestured towards where Conrad was seated at the head table. "He very much appreciated the invitation," she added with a hint of curiosity.

"Well, having the shower co-ed was really your idea," Charlotte chided her with a plastered smile. "I can't take full credit. I'm just so glad that we're all here together," she turned to face the company. "Shall we begin?"

The others quickly fell in line and Daniel rejoined Emily's arm, escorting her into what would be a festivity she wouldn't soon forget.

 **SCENE**

"To Daniel and Emily!"

Charlotte smiled from the stage as the room showered the couple with praise at the end of her welcome toast, giving her incentive to quickly introduce the next segment. "Now that we have everyone gathered, my mother is going to lead us in a little game," she hinted, catching eyes with Margaux who seemed to nod in confirmation.

Daniel whispered to Emily under his breath. "Since when does my mother play shower games?"

Before Emily could respond, Victoria had already joined Charlotte on the stage and was calling him up from the microphone. "Daniel, Conrad, come here," Victoria introduced. "We're going to play our own version of 'This Is Your Life'. And your father and I invite you to take a trip down Memory Lane."

Hesitant, Daniel slowly rose but went along while Emily narrowed her eyes in curiosity. He took the seat that Conrad ushered him to on the stage while Victoria blindfolded him. Charlotte remained a few steps back, watching in interest while Emily caught Nolan's eye in the crowd, wondering what the Graysons were up to.

Next, Victoria handed the microphone to Conrad, who began a speech. "Now as many of you know, I'm writing my _memoirs_ —"

"Ah, how's that for a shameless plug?" Daniel whispered aside, while Conrad strolled around him onstage, amongst a few laughs from the crowd. Margaux only shook her head and smirked at the insinuation.

"And in doing so," Conrad went on. "I've been recalling Danny's many nicknames. He was "Graystroke" at Harvard, "Boone" at summer camp… and in high school," he emphasized, building the anticipation. Just then a youngish looking gentleman entered through room and parted his way through the crowd to finish. "His lacrosse team dubbed him "Ankle-breaker," 'cause he broke mine during J.V. playoffs," he led in.

"James Dennis?" Daniel guessed right away, followed by a loud applause from the audience. He snatched off his blindfold and stood to welcome one of his oldest friends. "Ahh James! How you doing? Good to see you!"

Taking advantage of the tender reuniting moment, Charlotte stepped up while her parents were clapping and took back the microphone, announcing the next segment while the crowd was still at attention. "Now, Dad if you don't mind?" she posed, facing both Conrad and Victoria. "It's my turn to surprise you and Mom."

Victoria half-turned in surprise. "Oh, but Charlotte, it's Emily's turn?"

"Don't worry," Charlotte promised, gesturing for Emily to come up from her seat. "This is going to be a surprise for her too."

A worried look came over Daniel's face as he stepped down from the stage and nervously watched Emily go up in his place. Nolan mirrored the sentiment from his seat, but there was little that could be done from his vantage point as Charlotte already had an attendant set up the three seats for them.

"Charlotte, what do you have up your sleeve?" Emily pursued, while Conrad and Victoria appeared to be thinking the same question.

"Just trust me, Emily," Charlotte assured her under her breath, looking over at her mother and father while they were blindfolded first. "It's important you know exactly what you're marrying into."

Bridled beyond concern even more, but unable to do anything about it, Emily uneasily took the final seat between Conrad and Victoria and braced herself as the blindfold was slipped over her eyes. She waited in the darkness as Charlotte began her introduction, addressing the entire crowd.

"Everyone? When I first set out to organize this shower for my sister-in-law, my mother insisted on being a part of it, despite how much she obviously did _not_ want her to marry my brother," she admitted, eliciting a hush from the crowd.

"Charlotte-!" Victoria exclaimed, not quickly enough to stop her momentum.

"A point she proved when she ruined the surprise for her last week," she went on, nodding graciously to a mortified Victoria. " _Yes_ , mother I know you told her." Again, disappointed murmurs sounded through the crowd and Daniel dropped his head in embarrassment, fearful of the direction it was heading. "But that's why I've saved this surprise for last," Charlotte plowed ahead. "You see, Emily, my mother is well known for her unusual way of welcoming new people to the family… but I can assure you, she eventually comes around. And who would know that better than our next guest?"

By now, Emily's heart was pounding in anticipation and unbeknownst to her, Margaux had already risen from her seat to reopen the grand doors, drawing the attention of the crowd to the back of the room. As Charlotte came up behind Emily to gently slip off the blindfold, the doors swung open while all remained poised for the reveal. There was no sound except for that of both Daniel and Nolan bolting up from their seats. Emily stood to focus on the face of the woman at the opposite end of the room, who clearly did not know what assembly she was walking into and stopped short upon recognition.

"Someone who I thought I'd never see again – and by some miracle is still alive," Charlotte finished, nearly in tears. "Amanda Clarke."

 **SCENE**

The moment intended as a groundbreaking celebration quickly escalated into mayhem as the room filled with guests standing in shock and the sprinkle of invited press began rushing to confirm the announcement with camera flashes. Desperate to retreat from the unexpected ambush, Amanda backed out immediately, but was quickly stopped by Margaux who had instructions to keep her there at all costs.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave," Margaux swore, blocking her path.

Meanwhile, with their blindfolds removed Conrad and Victoria were frozen onstage, gaping at each other and then back to Amanda in recognition and disbelief. Emily had already stepped down and was quickly parting her way through the crowd before Amanda could disappear, using the time to rehearse in mind how delicately she had to handle their forced public reunion. Nolan was but a few paces behind her while Daniel already thought to escort Charlotte from the stage, sensing that the constructed reunion was unfortunately a result of her ignorance to everything that mattered, and clearly Amanda's failure to keep herself concealed.

Emily finally made her way to where Margaux and a perimeter of press had Amanda trapped, pushing aside the eager reporters that yelled things like "Is it really you?" "How did you survive?!" "Where have you been all this time?" "What is your relationship with the Graysons?"

"Stand back!" Emily ordered them; not even realizing the press had been invited to the affair. "Give her some room, please get back!" she commanded. Within moments, Nolan was behind her, ordering the press off the premises along with calming the rest of the guests into respecting their privacy.

"Amanda," Emily finally gasped upon reaching her and the expression Amanda gave her in return was riddled with regret for failing to see the expose' that had been fashioned at their expense. Rather than address it, Emily wisely cast it aside with a shake of her head and then wrapped her in a tight embrace, pretending it was their first meeting.

 _"Emily, I swear I had nothing to do with this – Margaux tricked me into coming here,"_ was all Amanda could manage to whisper while Emily nodded over her shoulder.

 _"It's doesn't matter,"_ Emily whispered back. _"We don't have a choice now."_

She pulled away and forced another smile of relief before turning to guide her back through the now settled crowd. Emily shot a dazed look at Nolan as she walked her through, and led her over to where Daniel and Charlotte were waiting, accompanied by a paled Conrad and deeply shaken Victoria – both who stared as if looking at a ghost.

"Charlotte, I don't know how you did this," Emily addressed her, administering the reunion between her and Amanda. "But this goes far beyond any gift you could have ever given me." She turned to address the crowd, knowing the audience would be expecting an explanation. "If you'll all excuse the family while we take a minute to digest this… this pure _miracle_. We know you all have questions but right now I think I speak for all of us when I say," she turned to glare intently at Conrad and Victoria. "We couldn't be more overjoyed to find out Amanda Clarke is still _alive._ "

 **SCENE**

The last few guests had trailed out when Daniel finally joined Emily where she sat casually in a secluded spot at the edge of the stage. "Please tell me this is all just one really long nightmare," he begged, closing his eyes while plopping down next to her and taking her hand.

Emily squeezed it back and stared straight ahead, surveying the news team that was interviewing Margaux, along with the detectives that were questioning Amanda while Charlotte hovered beside her protectively. "No, Daniel," she sighed, taking it all in though not in defeat. "Unfortunately, this is very real."

He shook his head, catching sight of his father making a grand explanation beside his mother to another set of news media. "You know they're going to want her to hold a press conference?" he assumed.

To his surprise, Emily agreed. "She should," she replied, while he looked on curiously. "Amanda can handle herself. At the beginning of the summer we came up with her alibi about waking up on a foreign boat with a head injury, in case this kind of thing ever happened. As long as she keeps things vague, your parents will be at her mercy."

"I suppose that could work out in both your favor," Daniel realized, still wondering. "But how does she explain waiting so long to come back? Or the body they _thought_ was hers?"

"Well fortunately it was _you_ that identified the body," Emily reminded him, rather appreciative now of what was once a contrived act between him and Aiden. "The medical examiner will probably be chastised for allowing a non-family member to make the ID, and I'm sure Charlotte will swear she never did believe it was really her."

Daniel could not disagree with the logic. "Rather convenient," he concurred. "What about why she waited to return?"

"Trauma," Emily shrugged. "The struggle of finding her way back to family that had already moved on from her loss," she hypothesized with ease, showing him just how easy things could be explained away. "Add to that a convenient line or two about fearing for her life once she returned to the Hamptons… and suddenly all eyes are on Conrad," she posed, watching him again while she hashed it out in mind. "And what he could possibly have done to make a poor girl feel so in danger? Margaux's going to have a field day with his memoirs – he couldn't avoid the topic now if he wanted to."

Daniel brought his chin to a slow bob in admiration, finding her skill at orchestration to be slightly unnerving. "You know, sometimes you scare me," he admitted, drawing her to glance over at him. "But not as much as they do," he carefully tacked on, gesturing to his mother. "You think now that my mother knows Amanda's alive, she'll try to silence her again?"

Emily processed it, having considered the thought already. "Not after Charlotte's public display today," she gambled, fairly thankful to her sister for arranging it. "And certainly not with another public event on the horizon... My guess is Victoria will be on best behavior right up until the wedding." She stood then, slipping her shoes back on to tower over him. "After which… she'll be under investigation for a _different_ crime."

She released the grip on his hand to excuse herself, leaving him to contemplate while she made her way to the restroom. Charlotte watched her go and finally left Amanda's side to catch up with her in route. "Emily, wait—" she called out. "Are you leaving?"

Emily turned, allaying her concerns with a soft gaze. "Charlotte, no I was just going to the ladies room," she explained, pretending to dab at the corners of her eyes. "It's just been an emotional afternoon."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Charlotte started into apology right away. "I didn't mean to turn your bridal shower into a forum for this it's just—yesterday; I knew I wasn't crazy when I saw her. And I figured if it really was Amanda and she hadn't come to find us already, there had to be a reason. This was the only way I could think of to getting her to come forward."

"Please," Emily clasped her hands to stop her. "Don't apologize. Nothing could overshadow how much you obviously care, Charlotte. What you did was…" Emily searched for a genuine way to tell her what was on her heart. "Very brave," she concluded.

Charlotte relented, glancing down at her feet. "The hardest thing is going to be when Jack finds out," she admitted, brightening. "But I have this feeling he already knows."

Emily carefully refrained from comment, realizing that would be another awkward conversation altogether, considering the media would likely expect Amanda to return to her husband. Before she could offer a neutral reply, Charlotte was already onto the next thought.

"Don't worry though; I still want _you_ to be DJ's godmother," she promised, bringing her hand down to her belly in affectionate gesture.

Emily couldn't help stifling a laugh. "I'm just amazed he stayed in there through all of this," she observed, shaking her head. "It's been a crazy past 24 hours for you two… you're very strong." She gazed at her proudly, appreciating that fact more than she was perhaps willing to admit.

"I guess he figured there were enough surprises for one day," Charlotte joked, and when Emily returned the smile, she suddenly glanced over at Daniel while a stray thought churned in mind. But Charlotte had another request. "Emily, there's just one thing I have to ask you… and it's not because I'm not appreciative… but after my episode yesterday, and now with Amanda," she looked over to the woman she only saw as her long lost sister. "I think it's truly the best thing."

"Charlotte, what is it?" Emily asked curiously.

She looked up in plea. "I want you to let Amanda replace me as your Maid of Honor." While Emily's pupils widened in alarm, she hurriedly explained. "Before you say no, please at least think about it? I remember how much it tore you apart when you thought she'd passed away – she was your _best_ friend." She looked down expectantly, taking in a breath. "And I get this feeling it might not be long before DJ does make his big entrance. I just don't want to let you down."

Knowing there was no way she could refuse her, Emily answered by bringing her into a warm hug and holding her close. "Charlotte, you could never let me down."

 **SCENE**

Nolan arrived home exhausted after the day's events, nearly startled by Aiden's still presence in the dimly lit kitchen. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised you're up, _roomie,_ " he observed, inspecting an open bottle to be accompanying him on the counter. Yet Aiden was merely staring into the darkness alone, without any substance to nurse him. "Though I am surprised you're not halfway through the top shelf by now," he added, pouring a glass of wine for himself.

"Amanda's back," Aiden alerted him flatly.

Creasing his brow, Nolan gave him an obvious look in return. "Uh, _yeah_ , bit of an understatement don't you think?"

At that Aiden gave him a peculiar look, assuming the other did not understand. "I mean, I saw her in town yesterday," he explained. "I tracked her to the South Fork Inn, she told me that Ashley might have been compromised so she went to _Voulez_ in disguise to find out… that is," he added ruefully. "Right after she implied that she wished to rekindle things with Jack."

"Oh my God," Nolan gasped, sidestepping Aiden's disappointment to address the glaring omission. "You don't get it do you? Amanda's _back,_ " he emphasized again, this time picking up the television remote to help him explain. "As in, publicly back in the world of the _living_? It's all over the news!"

"What?" Aiden suddenly looked up in alarm, following Nolan over to stare at the TV. "How could this be – what happened?"

"Evidently she had an encounter with Charlotte yesterday," he supplied, nodding his head in conclusion. "Which would make sense based on what you said about her going to _Voulez_ … anyway Charlotte recognized her and staged this whole thing with Margaux to have her show up at Daniel and Emily's bridal shower," he paused to shake his head, reliving the entire thing. "It was, in a word, epic."

Aiden was already deep in thought, predicting the worse. "The Graysons were there?" he pressed, having it confirmed a moment later when the news aired footage of their subsequent interviews onsite.

" _Everyone_ was there," Nolan affirmed, shaking his head. "As if we don't have enough to deal with as it is…" His side thoughts were interrupted as he turned to see Aiden gone from where he was just standing, already leaving the premises. "Wait—Aiden! You can't go after her, there's nothing you can do!"

"Why not, where is she?" Aiden halted long enough to entertain him.

Nolan merely shrugged sheepishly in explanation. "Where else? With her husband."

 **MONTAGE**

Jack rounded the corner of his bar in a rush, flustered by the newsreel that was playing over and over again just before he had enough sense to close down the bar before the media started fluttering in. He was just lifting the last chair to put on an empty table when the _Stowaway_ door opened, revealing a nervous looking Charlotte. She took a step inside, watching for the relief to spread onto Jack's face as she moved a pace over, allowing Amanda to come into view. Bracing herself for the reunion she knew she was forcing upon him, Amanda chose her steps carefully and expected nothing. But to her surprise, the emotion on Jack's face was genuine and in seconds he was pulling her into an embrace, not only satisfying their onlooker with a show of affection but also the desire that he had buried for so long, finally allowing it to surface.

 **SCENE**

Victoria staggered into the Manor, pausing on the foyer steps to let Conrad pass her by as he presumably went directly for his study and the collection of consolatory spirits that awaited him. It was one of those nights she would have joined him for a drink herself, if it were not for the lingering feeling of fear that was collecting in her chest, a rare rattling to her nerves. Victoria could not bring herself to drink when she was afraid, instead it only impelled her to action. After a brief glare at Conrad that spoke more volumes than words ever could, she bypassed him in his study and went up the stairs, headed for the only place she ever retired to when she needed to think – her bedroom balcony.

 **SCENE**

At the sound of Daniel's footsteps coming up the stairs, Emily hastily closed the box propped open in her hands and returned it to the pocket of his jacket, where it lay strewn on her vanity chair. She slipped away discreetly, palming the content and stashing it in her nightstand drawer instead. When Daniel entered a second later she casually commenced removing her earrings and turned her back in request for his assistance.

"Well you'll be glad to know Charlotte is considering moving again," he greeted her back softly, unzipping her dress with ease and then shifting to undo his shirt buttons.

"Really?" Emily replied brightly, turning around.

"She said that now that the Porter family is reunited, she doesn't want to get in their way," he continued, somewhat irritably. "But don't get too excited – she still doesn't want to infringe on us either, so she's thinking of either getting her own apartment or—"

"Don't say it," Emily preceded him but he finished anyway.

" _Possibly_ moving back into Grayson Manor temporarily," he thudded, while Emily shut her eyes in irritation. "But personally I think that's her way of keeping an eye on my parents now that Amanda is back on the scene. She sensed their reaction wasn't quite what you'd call a warm welcome."

"She's got good instincts," Emily shrugged in reprieve, helping him undress.

"You know, whether she realizes it or not, her plan did help today…" Daniel drifted off in thought, searching Emily's eyes for confirmation. "Maybe she's strong enough to hear the truth after all?"

Emily finished busying herself with his clothing to look up, shutting down his implication immediately. "Still too risky, Daniel," she warned him, focusing instead on the immediate benefit. "But you're right; her stunt today allowed a room full of guests to hear just how much your mother despises me… information that will be even more valuable come August 8th."

"Heh, motive," Daniel echoed, realizing. "That's good. So I guess you forgive Charlotte then for hatching the secret about Amanda?" He stared at her with expectation. "Does that mean you forgive me too?" he dared, ensuring his transgression with Ashley was firmly in the past.

His answer was a nod in return. "What do you think?" Emily tested him, dropping her dress to the floor in suggestion. Daniel watched it fall with a sly grin, but just as he cinched his hands around her waist to pull her close, he suddenly remembered something.

"Hang on, I never did open the gift you got me—" he began, reaching back on the vanity chair to grab his jacket.

Instead Emily forcefully pulled him back, redirecting his attention back to her and into a lustful kiss. "It can wait," she breathed.

He conceded without argument, following her urging to fall back upon the bed and become enveloped in passion, while the thought of the mysterious present quickly faded away. But for Emily, the gift was all that filled her mind as they made love, and its contents even more a memoir of the single remaining secret she nursed dearly at heart. For unbeknownst to Daniel, the gift she had planned to give, that now lay safely concealed in her bureau drawer, was a glimpse into their future and the first photograph of the life that was growing inside her...

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Thanks so much for hanging in guys! I do hope you enjoyed this installment, it was actually a lot of fun to write and included some things I had been planning for quite a while. And yes, the truth is OUT! Amanda Clarke lives, and now the world knows… what will come from this massive revelation? How will it affect Emily and Daniel's plan? And based on the ending, will Emily tell Daniel the biggest secret of all or will she keep it to herself? You have to stay tuned to find out! "Surrender" is up next, followed by the big wedding chapter! I so appreciate you staying along for the ride, and all of the PM's and guest reviews are so awesome for me to read. Please know I take your observations to heart and I sincerely try to apply your suggestions in my writing. Would love to hear even more of your feedback, so please REVIEW and tell me what you think! Love you all so much, have a wonderful weekend! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	29. Chapter 29: Surrender

**Chapter 29: Surrender**

 _When facing your enemy, no amount of training can trump nature…_

Emily breathed in and forced her mouth into a smile, struggling to repress the incessant feeling of nausea that plagued her senses. Though the morning hours clearly afforded the best lighting for their wedding photography, they unfortunately coincided with her more recent bouts of sickness, making it all the more harder to hide. But Daniel merely grinned across from her without notice, pulling her towards him on a lavishly decorated swing into an array of mixed florals and a bright beam of sunlight.

 _It separates the strong from the weak_ …

"And let her go," the photographer instructed, and Emily closed her eyes and braced herself as Daniel released her, enduring the woozy feeling that followed as she swung backward. "Right there – that's pure bliss!" the photographer continued fawning, admiring their poses. Daniel alternated between standing next to Emily and behind her, eliciting more comments of praise from each move. "Very nice…big smiles…that's good; looking at each other… beautiful… closer…lovely! And now, just the bride?"

Daniel stepped aside while the photographer focused on Emily, who still radiated with beauty despite her discomfort. Yet as the session stretched on, the wave of nausea intensified, impelling her to finally get up when she could take it no longer. "Could you excuse me for a moment, please?" she begged.

 _And sometimes it tells us that surrender is the strongest move of all…_

While Emily disappeared rather swiftly into the dressing area, the photographer nodded without concern. "I think we got it, actually – you can change into the DiSanto!" she called after her.

Daniel observed Emily's rush exit with interest just as the overseeing reporter from _Voulez_ invited him to glimpse the digital negatives. "Isn't she stunning?" she commented, pulling up the stills. "She's positively glowing in this one. We'll be shooting at the stables in thirty; I'd like to get a few questions in between?"

"Ah, she should be right out, Jess," Daniel obliged, recognizing her from the office. He glanced at the tent but Emily was still inside. "Anything I can answer for now?" he stalled.

"Certainly," Jess jumped in, pulling out a tablet. "Tell me, Boss, with your history as a former CEO and now a new position as partner and Senior Editor at _Voulez_ , how does a man like Daniel Grayson take a back seat in all the nuptial preparations?"

Daniel wrinkled his brow, sensing by the nature of the question that it was a Margaux original. "By admitting I don't know the first thing about planning a wedding," he laughed off casually. "All I know is where to show up for the ceremony."

"And your plans for the honeymoon," Jess continued. "Any particular reason why you chose a yacht cruise to Nantucket with the entire family?"

"Well, it may not sound traditionally romantic," he chose his words carefully. "But both Emily and I wanted to share this day with the people we're closest to. This way, it'll be a trip we can _all_ remember," he concluded, realizing Emily's skill at intentional wordsmithing was rubbing off on him.

"How sweet," Jess continued, oblivious. "And what are your plans for the days that follow? Where will you be residing, for instance? Or when will you be in need of a nursery?"

On that question Emily peeked out unseen from the tent, while Daniel shifted warily to respond. She stood back in earnest of his answer. "Hey, one thing at a time," he deflected humbly. "The wedding's been our main focus, and I think right now, it's about all I can handle," he laughed emphatically, striking a heavy pang through Emily's heart as she listened from afar. Rather than announce her presence, she instead retreated back inside to quietly catch her breath. It was a few minutes later when Daniel finally popped in.

"Hey," he inquired of her extended absence. "You alright?"

"Mm-hmm, fine," she fibbed effortlessly, shifting out of her extravagant gown. "This corset is just tight; I needed to catch my breath," she added in partial truth. She wriggled down to delicate undergarments and began rummaging the rack of dresses. "She said the DiSanto was next, right?"

Daniel answered by coming up from behind and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Who cares – you look gorgeous in all of them," he charmed her, planting a kiss at her neck. But Emily rather tensed at his touch, surprising him with an unusual stiffness. "What is it?" he pursued; now certain that something was wrong.

"I um, it's just Amanda being in the wedding is just making me a little on edge, that's all," she stumbled in response, slipping out of his grasp to fit on the next dress in the mirror. Keeping Daniel in the dark about her pregnancy for the past week had it's difficult moments, but to her benefit there was always plenty going on to explain her mood swings.

He watched her go curiously. "I thought you'd be glad about that," he countered. "Especially, when I'm running the article that's going to expose my father for her attempted murder?"

"You mean, _Margaux's_ running it," Emily corrected him, adjusting her neckline. "Since you'll be out of office the next few days…"

He shrugged, joining her reflection. "So? I trust her to handle it. I thought you would just be happy the world knows Amanda's alive. After all, it allows her to be at your side on your special day – just like you were for hers."

Emily relented, softening a bit in acknowledgment. "Her being at the ceremony isn't the problem, Daniel. It's what comes after," she hinted. "Everything has to go exactly as planned on that boat or it's not going to work. Amanda's always had a way of causing things to go off track."

"Well, considering what we're talking about," Daniel reasoned in a low tone beside her. "You could say this is her area of _expertise_. I mean she _did_ succeed at faking her own death already – on a boat, no less…also the night of her wedding," he added with a grin, taking her hand. "Maybe you could learn a thing or two from her?" He suddenly furrowed his brow in mock interest. "Or was that where you got the idea?"

Emily couldn't help snickering, and turned to face him. "You know, you're surprisingly calm about this," she shifted topic. Daniel's carefree attitude only added incentive to her resolve not to burden him with more worries.

"Hey, don't get me wrong," he assured her, bringing her hand up to his lips. "I'm just as scared as you are," he admitted, as if reading her thoughts. But his eyes were completely naïve, almost as bright and unsuspecting as the first day they had met. "Thing is," he continued. "I'm just trying to keep up with you at hiding what's on the inside."

She bowed her head at the unknown double meaning in his choice of words, but quickly looked up again. "Well we're less than 48 hours away," she sidestepped it with a shrug. "Soon this will all be over, and you won't have to hide anything. By then it'll be a breeze."

He shook his head sweetly. "That's where you're wrong," he corrected her, drawing her close. "Because the closer we get to the moment I have to say goodbye to you? It's only gonna get worse."

His heartwarming reply stirred Emily even more, and she gave in at the tender expression, leaning her forehead against his. "Oh, Daniel," she sighed honestly. "What am I going to do in the months without you?"

Daniel thought of a witty comeback, but kept it to himself as he felt the tone becoming more solemn. "I don't know," he whispered instead. In less than two days Emily would be gone, presumed dead to the entire world at his mother's hand and then everything about his life was going to change. While he would have his hands full bringing his parents to justice, he knew it essentially meant a long time before he could safely see her again. And even then – what awaited them? Would it be their quiet retreat in Paris or a constant life on the run, burying their identity? It was a thought he had accepted for the past month in favor of supporting her cause, and yet now as it was drawing close it was quickly becoming reality.

While they rested against each other, both poring over the secret thoughts that haunted them, a single flash could be heard just outside the opening of the tent. They turned at the noise and the photographer only smirked in reply, clearly proud of the tender moment she happened to catch between husband and wife. "Sorry," she apologized with a grin. "Candid captures make the best photos. Are you ready for the next location?"

They exchanged affirmative looks to break their embrace and Emily trudged ahead first, still feeling somewhat lightheaded though determined not to show it. As much as it pained her to conceal the truth, she had to find a way to hold off. If nothing else, Daniel's undeniable loyalty had convinced her the only way she could leave was if he had no idea their unborn child was leaving with her too.

 **SCENE**

"No good ever comes from dredging up the past…Especially ours."

Conrad turned at Victoria's voice behind him in the foyer, watching him peruse a box of old photographs. "Unfortunately, that mantra is true now more than ever," he agreed begrudgingly, paying her little mind.

She enjoyed the rare ability to watch him squirm. "You've been distant, Conrad," she observed, peering over at the box. "This is the first I've seen you work on your memoirs in over a week. I can only assume your seclusion to be a result of Amanda Clarke's miraculous return. Tell me," she taunted him. "How does it feel to have your ghosts haunt you in the flesh?"

" _My_ ghosts?" he rebuffed her, managing a condescending chuckle. "Don't be so quick to point the accusatory finger. Let's not forget your _daughter_ orchestrated that public display, which was clearly meant just as much for your benefit as it was for mine."

Victoria lifted a rare photo of Daniel when he was a baby into view, pondering the concept. "I'm not convinced it was all Charlotte's doing. Didn't you find it odd how calmly Emily handled herself?" she posed.

"No, not particularly," he countered, taking the photo from her to examine. "In fact I was rather relieved to see how ignorant _Daniel_ appeared to be of the whole design." Staring at the innocent capture of his only son, he found himself reconsidering the past year of resentment. "Perhaps my presumption of his treachery against me has no merit after all," he supposed.

"As if it ever did," Victoria scolded him, dropping the stack back into the box. She went into the parlor, sensing Conrad a step behind her. "You should be more concerned about the charlatan he intends to marry."

"Oh, this again," Conrad sighed, rolling his eyes as he followed her in. "As usual, you are fixated on the wrong person. After that stunt at the bridal luncheon, you should be worried about _Amanda_ instead of obsessing over Emily." He lifted his eyes in thought; recalling the sketchy explanation she gave to the reporters to explain her whereabouts. "I don't believe her story for a second."

Victoria took her throne pensively. "You think it was staged?"

"I think she was forewarned somehow," he hypothesized, taking a seat. "Aggressive measures were taken for her to escape unscathed and for her to stay hidden for this long… She couldn't have done it without help," he surmised, deliberating. "An anonymous tip— maybe even the Initiative?"

"For once, I agree with you," Victoria conceded. "But I don't think it was the Initiative that aided her. I think it was Emily Thorne."

Conrad wrinkled his face in disparity. "And how would she have even been made aware?"

She reproved him with a determined glare. "You _know_ those two were friends, Conrad," she reminded him. "And I'm under the impression they've been in cahoots for some time," she lifted a document from the coffee table. "These are the seating arrangements we're to go over this evening. Emily's added Amanda to the head table – she's replacing Charlotte as the Maid of Honor."

"Reel it in, Victoria," Conrad slowed her. "Last minute changes to her bridal party are hardly enough to accuse her of collusion. If anything it shows her consideration for Charlotte's delicate condition—"

"Or she could be coaxing Amanda into a tell-all as we speak," Victoria shot back. "Either way, she is _planning_ something Conrad!"

"Yes _,_ Victoria – her _wedding_!" Conrad bellowed, thoroughly annoyed with his wife's paranoia. "Now I would suggest you be careful," he warned. "At the direction you're headed, you are one loosely veiled speech away from the looney bin." He rose with admonition, exiting the room.

"And you are one article away from prosecution!" Victoria alleged, causing him to stop short in the doorway. "If I know Margaux, she'll be first to print the exclusive on Amanda's return to the world of the living, and if Amanda still has the evidence in her possession which you nimbly attempted to eliminate her for, she could use it against you. And then what are you going to do?"

He turned back only to answer her challenge. "Well, then," he replied. "Perhaps I should trot down to _Voulez_ first and give my side of the story?

 **SCENE**

"Afternoon cocktail for the blushing bride?"

Emily shook her head to sidestep the drink Nolan offered as she entered his house, keeping her focus straight ahead while they walked the hallway. "No, thanks," she declined.

"What's wrong?" he sensed.

"I just have to focus," Emily quickly alibied for her unsettled demeanor. "I'm beginning to get worried about Amanda."

Nolan cringed at the mention, anticipating she would stop short once they reached the kitchen. She did so right on cue, spotting Aiden leaned over the counter. "How _is_ Amanda these days," he inquired, looking up dryly from a blueprint and high noon tea. "Settling in with her family, I presume?"

Emily hastened to close the subject. "From what I hear, yes," she replied, discerning he still had unrequited feelings for his former student. "But my concern has to do with the wedding. Amanda's going to be there through every step of this – which means we'll have to bring her in on the plan." She rested her eyes on Aiden in uncertainty. "Since you seem to know her better than I do lately, maybe I should ask your opinion. Do you think she's up for it?"

He pretended to think it over before getting up from the table. "Of course," he assured her. "But as you know my opinion is rather biased," he admitted, finishing off his tea. "Her return only motivates me to get this done so I can get the hell out of town."

Emily noted his understandable irritation. "Aiden—" she began, but he cut her short.

"It wasn't my idea to reveal her; you have your sister to thank for that," he reminded her. With a final look at Nolan he pardoned his exit. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do."

Once he was gone, Nolan joined Emily in a somewhat defeated slump on the counter. "Can't say I didn't see that coming," he mumbled.

"He's bitter," Emily relented. "He's been waiting on her to make a decision this whole time, only to have it sandblasted in his face," she surmised, familiar with once having to watch the one she cared for be with another. Ironically at the time, it involved the exact same people. "It's not his fault," she added, facing Nolan. "None of this was ever supposed to happen."

"It certainly was a surprise," Nolan agreed, despite fondly remembering the shocked look on Conrad and Victoria's faces once they realized Amanda was alive. "Well, hopefully that's the last of the grand revelations," he yearned. Emily lowered her eyes then, and Nolan suddenly felt the need to double check. "Right?"

"There's something else," Emily admitted. "I wanted to tell Daniel the day of the bridal luncheon but after everything that happened… I reconsidered." Nolan furrowed his brow and Emily expounded. "That and knowing if I told him – he'd never let me go through with what we have planned."

"As if anything could stop you now?" Nolan begged to differ.

The insistence in her eyes remained resolute. "The day I went to surprise Daniel at _Voulez_ we got into a fight," she began. "I was upset when I found out he knew Ashley figured out my identity and didn't tell me, so I overreacted. I stormed out of the office and halfway to the parking lot I started feeling dizzy, and that's when I went to the doctor."

Nolan's eyes widened in concern. "Are you alright?"

She met his gaze, emphasizing her admission as she slowly delivered it. "Turns out… I'm pregnant."

 **SCENE**

"Coffee?"

Amanda looked up at Jack's question, latently realizing he was offering her a steaming mug over the bar counter. "Uh, no thank you," she finally stammered and returned to jiggling Carl on her lap, who was content with a midday snack in front of him.

Despite the tension that hung in the fairly empty _Stowaway_ , the sight of reunited mother and son warmed Jack's heart, bringing back memories that felt further away than just over a year ago. But his expression dropped quickly in recollection, realizing how much things had changed since.

Unintentionally breaking up silence that spoke volumes to their estrangement, Charlotte emerged from her bedroom and waddled over to join them. "Afternoon family," she greeted, sighing happily. "Sorry I'm just now getting up but these days I need all the sleep I can get – though I have you both to thank for that," she concluded. "There's nothing more relaxing than to know you're with family."

Jack and Amanda forced pleasant looks in return, appeasing her. "We should be thanking _you_ ," Amanda insisted, embracing her with one arm while balancing Carl with the other. "For even making it possible to be together again," she added, gazing at Jack for support.

"That's right," he piped in halfheartedly, glaring back. "We couldn't be happier."

Something in his tone was less than convincing, and Charlotte sensed something was slightly off. But a second later Carl let out an excited cry, distracting her from the awkward moment. "Aw, Carl!" she cooed, nuzzling his sweet face. "I guess he agrees too."

"He's excited to meet his cousin," Amanda filled in, draping her head over him. "Aren't you sweetheart?" She returned attention to Charlotte, nodding down at her belly. "So am I… I'm dying to see what Declan Jr. looks like."

Charlotte grinned and rubbed her stomach. "Let's just hope we find out _after_ two days from now," she cautioned. "I couldn't bear missing Daniel and Emily's big day, especially now that you're going to be there!" Charlotte suddenly remembered something. "Which reminds me, I may need an emergency alteration on my dress— I think DJ grew overnight?"

Amanda looked down in verification, and realized Charlotte's protruding midsection had noticeably dropped from the previous week. "I can take you," she offered. "That's what sisters are for."

"Ugh, thank you!" Charlotte expressed her appreciation, and went to get the garment from her room.

Jack watched until she was out of earshot and then levied an impressed look at Amanda. "You certainly picked up right where you left off playing big sister," he commented.

"I really do see Charlotte as my sister," she explained. "With her, it doesn't feel like a role – which is more than I can say for being a _wife_ ," she hinted back for attention. He gave it to her promptly, stopping in the middle of wiping down the counter.

"Amanda, what do you want from me?" Jack begged off honestly. "It's not that easy to just forget everything that's happened—"

"And I don't expect you to," Amanda humbly interjected. "But I can't bear you pretending like none of it did," she argued, while he turned away. "You haven't said a word about it since I've been back – and I know you want to. Go ahead, Jack, scold me, yell at me, just say _something!_ " she begged.

"Alright, fine," he stared her down. "Tell me the truth – would you have even thought about being with me again if Charlotte hadn't revealed you to the world? Because part of me keeps thinking this is all an extension of a game you've been playing ever since you came back!"

Amanda shook her head incredulously. "That's what you think?" She hugged Carl to her, soothing him as he began stirring at their dissent. "Jack, the only reason Charlotte found me is because I called Ashley that morning trying to reach _you._ I wanted another chance at us," she insisted, digressing. "But when Ashley said she knew the truth, I had to do something and _that's_ when I came back. She was working for a magazine for crying out loud, she could've publicly destroyed Emily and us both!"

"Ashley would never do that," Jack defended her. "The only thing she ever wanted to print was how the Graysons were responsible for what happened to you so that once the truth came out, we could be together," he explained, stopping in thought. "But now that she's gone from _Voulez_ it looks like Margaux will be taking that over."

"I don't trust her," Amanda immediately rose to insist. "She's been hounding me since the bridal shower for an exclusive and I get the feeling she wants to put her own spin on what happened. Plus the whole reason Emily and I came up with a different story is to stop the Graysons from finding out I was onto them and keep them from going after us again."

"Then that's just what we're going to do," Jack reassured her, brewing with an idea. He came around the bar counter and stopped just a pace short of her. "While you and Charlotte take care of your plans today, _I'm_ going to down to _Voulez_ to let them know there will be no exclusive without your consent."

Amanda raised an eyebrow, surprised by his firm conviction. "You would do that for me?" she asked, shifting Carl onto her hip.

Jack gazed at her with certainty, and for the first time since their reunion, Amanda saw the softness return to his eyes. He reached out, protectively grasping both her and Carl with the touch of his hand. "I'm doing it for _us_."

 **SCENE**

"Well, now where to seat Mr. Ross?"

"Hmm," Emily stewed, clearly distracted by her thoughts while working out the seating arrangements with Victoria at Grayson Manor. She delayed answering and instead replayed Nolan's reaction to her news in mind, followed by his insistent admonition that she needed to tell Daniel. But as _Voulez_ had kept Daniel occupied for the remainder of the day, she was forced to join Victoria and merely requested that he meet her there later on that evening.

"I would say with your other friends," Victoria pried at her silence. "But you don't seem to have any? Oh," she concluded rather pointedly. "Except for Amanda Clarke, that is."

"I'd like to find a place for Nolan at the main table," Emily finally responded, snapping back and ignoring the probe at Amanda. "Seeing as he _is_ walking me down the aisle." The maid approached their table in the parlor with two champagne flutes, but Emily was quickly uneasy. "None for me, thanks," she tried to be discreet but as usual, Victoria was all ears.

"Oh, don't tell me that you've suddenly become a bride obsessed with her figure?" Victoria questioned. "The wedding is less than two days away, my dear. The damage is already done," she added dryly.

"Well, it never hurts to be a little self-conscious," Emily bought into Victoria's theory, sensing that she was still not convinced. She glanced down at the vast seating chart. "With all these people in attendance, can you blame me?"

Confirming her suspicion, Victoria returned to her topic of choice. "I imagine not, though you certainly can't be nurturing a fear of public opinion by making Amanda your Matron of Honor," she pressed. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you did it just for attention?"

"Amanda is a close friend that I long thought to be _dead_ ," Emily reminded her, each word dripping with disdain. "It's an honor just to have her back, let alone make her a part of the most important day of my life. And besides," she added nonchalantly, making a small seating adjustment. "It was Charlotte's idea."

"I never doubted your friendship," Victoria affirmed in all honesty. "I merely thought it poor taste to invite one's former _liaison_ to their wedding," she leered, drawing Emily to smolder in response. "After all, isn't that what Amanda's dear husband, Jack Porter is to you? He'll be there with her, of course?" Without giving her time to respond, Victoria quickly corrected herself, glancing at another section of the seating chart. "But perhaps I'm being old fashioned—after all, Daniel has chosen to invite Margaux regardless of _their_ former relationship, too."

Emily felt herself boiling, perhaps a combination of pregnancy hormones along with an overall intolerance for Victoria. But before she could take the bait and deliver a scathing reply, a rather odd sight caught her eye in the window. "Victoria?" she prompted her instead, gesturing for her to turn around.

"Hmm?" Victoria looked up and followed Emily's gaze through the window to a cascade of clothing tumbling into the courtyard from an unknown source above. "What the _hell_?" she exclaimed.

Moments later Victoria was upstairs with Emily in tow a few paces behind, following the downpour of garments to the master bedroom balcony. As Emily watched intently, Victoria yanked the intruder around to face her and gaped in surprise, identifying them by name.

 _"Patrick?!"_

 **SCENE**

Jack waited patiently outside Margaux LeMarchal's office, finally stepping up to make his presence known when the last of her assistants trailed out. The office was nearly empty with most employees already gone, and as he entered her doorway he hoped his decision to come after hours had been a good call of judgment. "Ms. LeMarchal?" he addressed her.

She half-turned from an unfinished print at her desk. " _Oui_? May I help you?"

"Hi," he introduced himself casually, putting a hand up in peaceful gesture. "My name is Jack Porter, I'm ah—"

"Amanda Clarke's husband," she answered before he could finish, recognizing him from a week's worth of media coverage. "Or should I say, _Rebecca Porter_?" she coined drably, recalling the phony name Amanda had given her. Jack's countenance grew serious at the mention but Margaux swiftly lightened the mood, gesturing for him to come in. "No hard feelings, I understood her need for discretion. Please," she offered. "Have a seat."

"Ah, I'm actually not staying," he remained standing. "I just came in response to all your phone calls. Look, I realize this probably seems like the story of a lifetime and honestly, I don't blame you for wanting to cover it. But I'm here to let you know that Amanda wants to keep her silence, and she'd very much appreciate it if you left her alone. With all due respect…" he paused for emphasis, reflective of their trial some past. "We've both been through a lot – and I think we've earned it."

Margaux nodded, sinking back into her seat. "Certainly, I can appreciate that decision," she relented respectfully, concentrating on stack of papers on her desk. "However, I must say it is unfortunate. Her refusal leaves me with only a one-sided version of the story."

Jack furrowed his brow. "From who?"

"From Conrad Grayson," Margaux replied curiously, lifting the document she had been staring at for Jack to see. "One I'm not certain I believe."

"Conrad came _here_?" Jack probed, paging through the story and just a mere glance told him it was full of deception.

"And offered up every detail," Margaux elaborated, watching his reaction. "How he did everything he could to protect the daughter of his wife's former lover, from creating a foundation for her memory to continuing a search for her long after she was declared missing at sea. It's quite the heroic tale, and he plans to share even more with me this evening," she fawned, while Jack seethed noticeably with disgust. "Do you find any of this surprising?" she ventured.

"Honestly?" Jack sighed, knowing his adversary far too well. " _No_."

"Mm." Margaux rested an inquisitive look on him before getting up from her desk. "Well, the story will be featured in next month's issue," she intentionally offered, sauntering over to him in close proximity. "Unless of course, your wife reconsiders her decision? In which case I'd love to compare her own version," she tempted, brushing past. "I'm off to my appointment, but I'm sure you will convey the message. Nice meeting you, Mr. Porter."

"Jack," he mumbled over his shoulder, catching eyes with her briefly as she left. He set the story back down on her desk, watching as she stopped to ask her assistant some questions. Feeling his tension mounting at the thought of Conrad pushing blatant lies into the public eye, he ran his hand through his hair nervously, scanning the office until his gaze fell on her computer and a thought came to mind…

 **SCENE**

"Emily," Victoria fumbled nervously, barely taking her eyes off of her son to address her. "Would you please excuse us?"

Emily contained her intrigue at Patrick's appearance and obliged, levying an unsteady glare his way as she slipped back into the hall. Once the sound of her footsteps faded, Victoria spoke. "Son, what are you _doing_ here?! I told you to stay away."

"I left because Conrad had something on me," Patrick asserted, angrily tossing the garment in his hand to the ground. "Well now we have something on _him_. I heard about Amanda Clarke's reveal at the bridal luncheon last week."

Victoria glanced down at the pile of clothing, realizing they were Conrad's belongings, not hers. "What do you presume to do—" she began.

"Rid this house of his presence," Patrick answered proudly. "You told me yourself Conrad conspired to kill her – well if she's alive and back in town the only possible reason could be that she _knows_ it was him. Don't you see? Amanda wants revenge. And she's going to use _her_ ," he pointed beyond his mother, referring to Emily. "To get it… you think it's a coincidence she arrives just in time for the wedding? It's the perfect opportunity for her to go after him!"

Victoria churned at his suggestion, finding merit in his theories. "Even so," she reasoned. "That doesn't make it any safer for you to be here. Conrad has already taken measures to stop Amanda from implicating him, I shudder to think what he might do if he finds you here."

"So I'll wait," Patrick supplied with a shrug. "But I'm staying nearby. Mother, I'm not going to let that man take you down with him once his dirty laundry gets aired. I'm going to be right by your side when Amanda reveals the truth and we are going to watch them take Conrad away forever – just like you've always dreamed of."

While Victoria found herself hanging onto his promise and envisioning the possibility of it coming true, Emily remained perched at the top of the stairwell, overhearing every word. When the front door opened a moment later, she left her hiding spot to creep quietly downstairs, meeting Daniel in the foyer.

"What's going on?" he asked at once.

"Patrick's upstairs," she exhaled irritably.

" _What_?" Daniel turned his face up in alarm. "I thought she sent him away?"

"Well he's back, which means he could potentially ruin everything," she whispered, checking over her shoulder to listen if they were done talking.

"Ok, so how do we get rid of him?" Daniel pressed, but Emily appeared to be already fixated on a thought.

"I've got a different idea," she countered. Taking the next few minutes to fill him in, she waited with him at the bottom of the steps until Victoria eventually returned with Patrick close behind her.

"Daniel?" Victoria muttered in surprise.

"Mother; Patrick," Daniel acknowledged them, shifting into a defensive stance in front of Emily. "Listen, I'm not exactly sure what's going on but uh, we really want our wedding to be a happy occasion… for everyone." He shot a direct look at his mother before extending his arms in a peaceful gesture. "So Patrick, now that you're back, we both would very much like it if you would be there – that is, if you'll accept a late invitation to be one of my groomsmen?"

Victoria parted her mouth open in protest, but remained silent as Patrick approached Daniel's offer. "Wow, ah, I don't know what to say," he replied. "That's not the welcome I was expecting…" He diverted to look at Emily. "From either of you," he hinted.

Emily shrugged openly, adding to the performance. "Patrick, we may have had our differences in the past, but we're about to become family," she impressed, looking to Victoria expectantly. "I'm sure your mother can find another seat at the head table. Can't you, Victoria?"

Victoria had no choice but to agree, despite how much negotiation she knew it would mean with Conrad beforehand. "Son, if it's truly what you wish?" she posed, shifting the decision back into Patrick's hands.

He mulled it over briefly. "It is," he finally accepted, and inwardly Emily triumphed, expecting that he would. She wore a broad smile in resolve while Victoria's countenance dropped, but neither son noticed.

"Alright," Daniel celebrated, extending a handshake to figuratively seal the deal. "Come up to _Voulez_ tomorrow afternoon," he requested, guiding his brother towards the door. "We'll take care of your tux and I'll even give you a preview of the issue we plan to run next month – I think you'll find it interesting."

Emily remained behind as they went, certain their approach was the best. With Daniel overseeing the article on Amanda Clarke's return and making Patrick feel like he was not only a part of Conrad's takedown, but a beneficiary just as he wished, it would keep him an occupied and unknowing ally. Meanwhile, they could focus their attention on the real target – Victoria. It was to her that Emily returned her gaze, drawing comfort from how surprised she was by the unlikely reconciliation between her sons.

"Look at that, here you were worried about a few silly exes and now you get to have your _firstborn_ there on our wedding day," Emily couldn't help herself from quipping with a shake of her head. "Everything just seems to be falling into place – I couldn't have planned it better myself." When the other sneered in reply, Emily took that as her cue, heading for the door with a sinister smile.

"Goodnight, Victoria."

 **SCENE**

Fortunately, Conrad did not return home until morning and though his absence delayed an inevitable run-in with Patrick, Victoria grimaced at the thought of still having to forewarn him of his attendance to the wedding. She hoped desperately to sidestep that fact when she crossed paths with him the following afternoon, finding him sorting through his closet.

"Hold it there, Mrs. Grayson," Conrad called out as she passed in the hallway. She reluctantly stopped at where he stood in front of a gaping hole of empty hangars. "Has someone been going through my things or is this your subtle attempt at an eviction notice?"

Victoria took a breath, preparing her excuse. "I caught one of the maids last night stealing," she lied seamlessly. "Naturally, I immediately terminated her and had the police retrieve the items – I suppose some are still in disarray. I'll have them brought up by this evening."

"Rather interesting that she chose to ravage _my_ belongings," Conrad mumbled to himself, salvaging something he could put on from what remained. "But you can save your efforts – I won't be home tonight either."

"Two nights in a row, Conrad?" Victoria balked at his taunting. "Quite the slumber party, even for you."

"Ah, all in the name of hard work, my dear," he allayed her suspicion. "You'd do well to follow suit – it's amazing what you can do with power of print. Margaux not only took to my story," he elaborated. "But she seemed rather enamored with it. We met privately and she offered me every assurance to restore my public image so that no matter what Amanda Clarke attempts to do – I remain free from blame."

"How convenient," Victoria feigned support, despite knowing it ran in total contrast to her plan with Patrick. But there was still time to do something about it. "Well, it's too bad her enthusiasm isn't ripened against Emily," she added in casual chagrin. "I'm sure she could do _wonders_ to stop this union from ever beginning."

"Please," Conrad countered as per usual. "By this time tomorrow Emily and Daniel will be man and wife, off in marital bliss planning their own family… if they haven't started already," he chuckled to himself.

The concept suddenly hit Victoria with interest as she recalled Emily's refusal to drink the night before. Ordinarily she would not give it a second thought but with time running out on the wedding and a new obstacle in Conrad's newfound alliance with Margaux, perhaps it was an opportunity to take things into her own hands.

As Victoria plotted, Conrad completed dressing and departed with a change of garment in hand, slipping past her. "Try to leave your angst at home tomorrow, hm?" he pleaded. "I'm off to meet with Margaux again."

Victoria halted at the problem it presented. "More work on your story?" she probed.

"Could be," he grinned devilishly, toying with her. "Or perhaps, just a date?"

 **SCENE**

"Hey – you busy?"

Nolan took his eyes off his laptop long enough to answer the shadow towering over him. "Oh hey, Jack," he greeted him, returning to his screen. He sat poolside, making the most of his backyard retreat while handling a few technical details needed for the plan. "Finding out more than I _ever_ wanted to know as always but, what else is new," he answered honestly; referring to the bombshell Emily had dropped on him the day before.

"I've got a favor," Jack pursued, and at last Nolan sensed the urgency in his tone.

"Ah, sure," he obliged. "It must be a big one if you risked running into Aiden to come here?" At his mention, Jack looked around the patio, forgetting that he was still a tenant. "Fortunately he's out readying the artillery for the wedding showdown," Nolan assured him.

"Good," Jack muttered in relief. "Before he gets back, is there a way you can hack a computer at _Voulez_ and control what goes to print?"

"Um, yeah, easily," Nolan confirmed with barely a nod. "Only – who's did you have in mind?"

"Margaux LeMarchal," Jack answered. "She's getting ready to publish a story that Conrad apparently fed her – clearing himself from any involvement with Amanda's attempted murder."

Nolan shrank back in surprise. "Conrad _hijacked_ Amanda's expose?" He digested, rolling his eyes a moment later. "I don't know why that kind of thing surprises me anymore. Still – does Emily know about this?"

"No, but by the time she finds out it shouldn't matter," Jack intended angrily. "I don't want his lies ever hitting the page—"

"Trust me, they won't," Nolan promised, already queuing up his screen to flex his skills. "But I still think she should know – Daniel was supposed to be running that article, they have the whole takedown planned around it?"

"Well, Conrad must have found his way around him. But regardless, nothing should have to change," Jack reasoned. "If we get to the article now, by tomorrow night the focus will be on Victoria going after Emily and then the Graysons will be on trial for going after _both_ her and Amanda." He shook his head adamantly. "Either way, Conrad doesn't deserve even a second of airtime to defend himself."

"Well, I'm with you there," Nolan agreed, clacking away on his keyboard. "It's just a bit more complicated than that. I'm going to need Margaux's—"

"IP address?" Jack finished. "I got it." He handed Nolan a business card he used to discreetly swipe it the day before, surprising him with his proficiency.

"Huh," Nolan exhaled. "I don't know whether to be impressed or terrified?"

 **SCENE**

"So were you able to get the article?" Emily probed Nolan via the phone in her kitchen, after he brought her up to speed on Jack's visit the hour before.

"Yes and no," he answered, still stationed by the pool while busying away on the computer. "The soft copy is officially digital smithereens but Jack said there was still a hard copy at the office… maybe Daniel can get his hands on it?"

Emily thought carefully. "Daniel is stopping by _Voulez_ to meet with Patrick today, but I don't think that'll be necessary," she reasoned. "Losing an online file is one thing but I don't want Margaux suspecting Jack destroyed the physical copy. Besides, as long as everything goes to plan tomorrow, she'll see for herself it was trash and it'll only make Conrad look guiltier – trying to cover his trail before the truth came out."

"Good point," Nolan concurred, wrinkling his nose in interest. "But uh—back up a sec, did you just say Daniel is meeting with _Patrick_ today?"

Emily leaned on the counter, facing her patio doors. "That's right," she sighed. "Patrick showed up at the Manor last night – fortunately his return should work in our favor. I overheard him confront Victoria about Conrad – he thinks Amanda is back in town to take him down and is using my wedding to do it."

"Wow," Nolan reacted. "If only he knew how close to the truth he really was?"

"Luckily, he supports the idea," Emily agreed with a hint of caution. "This means we can count on him to help Victoria roll on Conrad after she gets arrested for my murder… But right now, Patrick's so focused on Amanda he'll never see it coming."

Nolan pursed his lips, impressed. "You have to admit, having Amanda around as a decoy _does_ have its benefits," he commented.

"Some," Emily acknowledged defensively. "But I won't have anyone thinking she had something to do with what goes down." Despite finding use for her, Emily still cared about Amanda's wellbeing and couldn't imagine jeopardizing the prized life she was just beginning to get back. "I'm doing this for her benefit, too," she reinforced. "Which is why I'm going to give her the heads up on the plan ahead of time, to keep her protected."

"Mm, while you're in the confessional mood," Nolan poked intently, finding it to be a perfect segue way. "When do you plan to tell Danny about _Baby_ Grayson?"

Emily sucked in a breath, expecting Nolan would prod her on the secret up until the very last minute. "I don't know if I can…" she finally admitted, and began staring towards the window to ponder the decision she had reached. Yet her thoughts soon trailed off as she caught sight of Charlotte, followed by Amanda and what appeared to be a handful of other attendants coming up the porch. "Uh, Nolan I have to call you back—" she ended quickly as they came through the sheer curtains.

"Ladies, meet Emily Thorne," Charlotte ushered the company in with a big smile, adding. "Soon-to-be, Emily _Grayson_. You can set up everything right through there," she directed them to the open living room.

"Charlotte?" Emily greeted in surprise, hugging her gingerly around her belly and Amanda next, more tightly. "Amanda?" She watched as the uniformed ladies brought in their cases and began setting up. "What is all this?"

"It's the day before your wedding!" Charlotte exclaimed proudly. "This is your pampering session – _slash_ – bridal shower do-over-"

" _Slash_ —bachelorette party," Amanda finished with a wink, handing Emily a gift bag. "A little something to add to your trousseaux," she hinted devilishly.

Emily blushed at the lace garter peeking out of the top and then looked up to find Charlotte crowning her with a veil as guest of honor. "We both wanted to do something special for you since your bridal luncheon was somewhat overshadowed," Charlotte extended sincerely, with a nod from Amanda in agreement.

"Oh, not at all," Emily humbly deflected, merely shaking her head at their generous outpouring. "I'm just… so grateful to have you both here with me," she emphasized genuinely, feeling herself beginning to well up. She turned to look at the set-up, hoping to break up her emotions. "I _love_ it."

"Hey we're _sisters!_ It's the least we can do," Charlotte beamed, clapping her hands together happily and including Amanda in the reference. Little to her knowledge, the moment held significant meaning to all three of them, but especially to Emily who truly saw them both as sisters – both in truth and in differing impacts to her life. "By the way, I hope you don't mind it being all-natural mani-pedi's?" Charlotte clamored on, tapping her stomach affectionately. "Doctor said I shouldn't do any chemical fumes with DJ coming so soon."

"Please, its fine," Emily assured her, relieved in fact since she too, needed the same precaution. She glanced back and forth between the two women. "Really, both of you – this is amazing."

"I'm so glad," Charlotte replied, suddenly excusing herself. "Speaking of the little guy, he's pressing on my bladder – I'll be right back."

With her gone Emily and Amanda faced each other, both conveying depths of appreciation and indebtedness– aspects of their relationship that had been there from the start. "She's right, you know," Amanda reminded her with a soft look. "We _are_ sisters – no matter what."

Emily gathered the strength to reply. "Which makes this even harder to do," she answered bravely, rehearsing how to explain the events that were soon to come. "Amanda – there's something I need to tell you."

 **SCENE**

"The South Fork, please," Margaux instructed her driver as she slipped into the backseat and sped away from the office. She inspected her phone to answer emails on her way, when a call interrupted. " _Allo?_ " she answered.

"Margaux," Victoria's still voice reverberated on the line.

"I have very little to say to you, Victoria," Margaux recognized, anticipating the reason she was calling.

"Yes, as I'm sure you're on your way to meet my _husband_ as we speak," Victoria intimated directly, grasping Margaux's attention.

"Ah, I assure you," she chuckled at the insinuation. "This is business, not pleasure."

Victoria sneered at Margaux's apparent naiveté, studying her own reflection in the vanity mirror. "You'll find that to be a fine line with Conrad," she hinted. "But I'm calling because I have something of value. I believe my soon-to-be daughter-in-law has been deceiving my son, much like she deceived _you_ into that investment deal with Ashley Grobet."

"I've since moved past that," Margaux deflected. "Ashley's moved on to work for my father, and I support her endeavors. In fact, her departure has opened the way for your son to take her place, should he chose to. I'm confident _Voulez_ will have just as more success, if not _more,_ with Daniel's contribution."

"Mm, just as _I'm_ confident you have Daniel's best interests at heart," Victoria led in skillfully. "This is why I trust you to alert him that Emily has been keeping something from him; if my instincts are correct – she's pregnant."

Margaux grew silent, processing the weight of the statement Victoria had just made. "And why would she keep something like that from Daniel?"

"Obviously because the child isn't _his_ ," Victoria asserted directly. "A fact she's hoping to conceal from both him and the public by rushing down the aisle."

Again, Margaux remained quiet, digesting the implication. In her short exposure to Victoria and Emily, she had seen deceptive sides to both of them – even when they appeared to be working in tandem. "I'm not certain I can trust your instincts," she alleged pensively. "What kind of woman would sink that low?"

"Well, you're a journalist Ms. LeMarchal," Victoria prompted her in conclusion, ending the call. "I would think that's your job to find out?"

With Victoria's final words, Margaux stared at her phone in thought, wondering if it was worth it to pursue. As much as her better judgment urged her to let it go, the business drive in her couldn't resist the opportunity, and she knew there was only one way to test if the story was true. She quickly returned the phone to her ear for another call. "It's Margaux – yes, get me _Voulez_ social media department."

 **SCENE**

"Hey Paige, can you send over the write-up for next month's issue? I want to take a look."

The new-hire assistant at _Voulez_ looked up immediately, surprised to see the request had come from Daniel Grayson. "Mr. Grayson?" she ignored his ask. "I thought you weren't coming in today?"

Daniel had already backed away from her desk by the time he replied. "I had to stop in for something – can you just send it, please? It should be on Margaux's shared drive."

Paige jumped up to verify one more thing before he disappeared into his office. "Under the bridal shoot?" she called out.

"Should be under bridal _shower,_ " he clarified from his office doorway. "This is the Amanda Clarke issue, remember?"

"Oh, right!" she chattered absentmindedly, prompting Daniel to roll his eyes before finally securing his door shut, and turning to face Patrick who was waiting for him.

"Is this a bad time?" Patrick began to beg off.

"No, please it's fine," Daniel insisted, gesturing for him to take a seat. "Sorry, we have a new assistant and she's still learning – but I wanted you to get a look at next month's article like I promised you."

"Right," Patrick recalled. "Why is that again?"

Daniel leaned back in his seat, following the course of action Emily had suggested. "Come on; let's not pretend like we don't both know why you decided to come back? I've known for some time that my mother had you go into hiding after that whole business with my dad and Father Paul," he acknowledged openly. "And obviously, when Amanda Clarke turned up alive last week, you took advantage of the opportunity to use _his_ past sins to clear you from your own."

"I guess it's no surprise that she told you," Patrick spoke of their mother, narrowing his eyes at Daniel in concern. "You sound pretty confident, though. Has Conrad admitted his guilt to you?"

Daniel bobbed his head in partial agreement. "You could say that," he hinted, bringing his chair forward. "But even if he hadn't, there's been plenty of speculation about his involvement. Either way, I wanted you to know that I'm overseeing the story that _Voulez_ plans to release – and I promise, it's going to tell the truth."

With a sigh of relief, Patrick finally relaxed. "So you do support our mother in this?"

Hesitant to go that far, Daniel leaned back in his seat again. "Well, I certainly don't support my _father_ …" he offered, checking an email pop-up before placating Patrick again. "But then again, we aren't half-siblings by _him_ , are we?"

"I really do appreciate you reaching out, Daniel," Patrick acknowledged on that admission. "I've wanted to clear the air between us for some time. And I hope one day you'll see our mother for the person she really is – she's been so good to me. She already took care of my tux for tomorrow and made arrangements for me to stay locally."

Throughout his praises, Daniel remained distracted as he clicked on the document Paige had sent over, which appeared to be just a cover with the story missing. "Yeah, she's quite the saint," Daniel mumbled in reply, refreshing his screen. Again, Daniel realized that not only was the story missing but the artwork was for the wrong issue. "Uh, can you excuse me for just one second?"

Patrick obliged calmly and Daniel swiftly returned to the assistant's desk. "Paige – what's going on with the article I asked you for?"

"I was just about to ask you," she stammered nervously. "I—I don't know, this morning it was there and now it's – it's gone! The only thing in the file is the cover page?"

"Yeah, well that needs to be fixed too," Daniel alerted her. "You've got a photo of Emily from _yesterday's_ wedding shoot with _next_ month's tagline. It should be the photo of Amanda Clarke from the bridal luncheon."

"You're right, I'm so sorry," Paige apologized continuously, shaking her head. "I don't know how that happened?" She continued fumbling at her desk and tried to print out the file for him to examine, when her printer jammed. Daniel began growing impatient and quickly decided to forget the whole thing.

"You know what, never mind—" he started to tell her, just as a coworker came by and clapped him on the back.

"Hey, congratulations boss!" the fellow employee yelled out, holding his phone in hand. "Wedding _and_ a baby on the way? Big day, tomorrow!"

Daniel looked back at him incredulously, wondering what he could be talking about, just as a few other employees echoed the same cheers around him. "What are they talking about?" he posed to Paige, who was checking her phone now too.

"Oh, I forgot – congratulations!" she quickly wished him. "You're bundle of joy is already trending on social media." Sensing his countenance growing more and more alarmed, she showed him her screen. "I'm sorry – didn't you want everyone to know?"

Torn between shock and disillusion, Daniel resisted the urge to celebrate and quickly gathered the facts, reading the source of the online tip. "Wait a minute, _Voulez_ announced this?" he verified.

"Just a few minutes ago," Paige confirmed, fiddling with the printer again.

Daniel scanned around, and a quick look told him Margaux's office was empty, while Patrick had just come out of his to see what was going on. "Where's Margaux?" Daniel whispered to Paige.

"She's… at the South Fork with a client, I believe," Paige hesitated, worried by his tone. "Is everything alright?"

Before she could find out, Daniel had already stormed off with barely a word to Patrick as he brushed past him in a fury. Patrick curiously looked to Paige for explanation, who merely shrugged at his unexplained exit. "Do you know if he's coming back?" she asked.

"Doesn't look like it," Patrick guessed, not noticing that Paige had begun to fawn slightly at his handsome appearance. When he finally turned to face her, she was gaping up at him with starry eyes.

"You're his brother, right?" she continued, to which he nodded pleasantly. Paige smiled back and then snatched the page that had finally come out of her printer. "Could you do me a favor," she asked sweetly, extending it in hand. "Can you give this to him? He ran out of here without it, and I know he leaves for his honeymoon tomorrow."

"Ah, sure," Patrick accepted, feeling her eyes still on him while he walked away. He sped up a little, occupying himself with the page in his hand and suddenly realized it was the cover to the article Daniel was telling him about. But what grasped his attention more was the mix-up that appeared to have occurred. On the cover was a gorgeous full page photo of Emily reclining in a wedding gown on a swing, yet above it read the curious title of the following month's issue: _Amanda Clarke Lives!_

 **SCENE**

"I was beginning to think you had stood me up?" Conrad welcomed Margaux when she finally arrived to their private table at the South Fork. He gestured to a glass at her setting. "I took the liberty of ordering you a magnificent Cabernet."

" _Merci_ ," Margaux thanked him, pressing her lips into a secretive grin. "I had some work things to fix. And I also had an interesting conversation with your wife on the way here," she admitted upon taking her seat.

"Oh?" Conrad looked up in interest, and immediately began to hypothesize. After planting a wry thought in Victoria's head, he couldn't blame her for pursuing it. But he decided to take a stab at another possibility. "Let me guess, she's still on a rampage to stop the wedding tomorrow?"

"How did you know?" Margaux praised him with an affirmative look.

"Because every man knows his wife's obsession and _Victoria_ is the queen of them all," he elaborated in thought. "At one time, it was the prospect of being my wife… later, inheriting the Grayson fortune… and regretfully, years after that, it was David Clarke." Margaux listened while he went into detail, taken with each one. "And now," he concluded. "It seems Daniel's charming fiancé, who I might add, I wholeheartedly approve of, is all that fills her thoughts."

Margaux smirked while he drained his glass, raising hers with the next question. "Yes, it would seem that way. She also claimed that your intentions with _me_ … are less than pure?" On that word, Conrad's sip rather caught in his throat, and he lowered the glass to prevent from choking. Margaux pressed him anyway, ignoring it. "Is that true?"

"Ah, may I assure you," Conrad went on to insist, dabbing his mouth with a dinner napkin. "While my wife may be notorious for flaunting her jealousy it is merely speculative. My intent is _only_ to focus on our business partnership." He stared intently to further impress his sincerity, while Margaux kept a poker face, quietly reading his expression.

"Mm, what a shame," she finally responded, surprising him with her forwardness. "I was hoping there was another reason for this additional rendezvous?"

Conrad broke into a devilish grin as he took her meaning, edging into unchartered territory. "Well, I certainly find you captivating Ms. LeMarchal," he digressed, feigning modesty. "But I'm clearly old enough to be your father."

"That's not quite what I meant," Margaux countered boldly, recently being made aware that his story had somehow disappeared from her hard drive. "Perhaps you'd like the chance to tell me about your _own_ obsession?"

"Pray tell, what you think that is?" Conrad asked innocently.

Margaux sneered seductively. "The truth – what _really_ happened to Amanda Clarke?"

 **SCENE**

It was early evening when Victoria heard the sound of someone treading briskly up the stairs, and she stood in expectation, hoping Patrick had returned so she could explain the plan she hatched. As much as he wanted to let the wedding go on without interruption, she could not bear the thought of allowing Daniel to marry Emily just so that Amanda could have a forum to take Conrad down. Whatever scheme Amanda had planned could happen without Victoria having to sacrifice one son's happiness for another's.

But to her surprise, it was Daniel that rushed into her room, instead of Patrick. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?!" he bellowed angrily, barging right in. "I know it was you that spun that lie about Emily being pregnant!"

"Then you confirmed it isn't true?" she retorted defensively.

"I didn't _have_ to!" he barked, mere inches from her face. "Margaux told me how you fed her the information _,_ " he emphasized caustically. "Right before I had her issue a retraction. Fortunately she had the sense to publish it as a _rumor_ that we were expecting; I can only imagine if she actually ran with your psychotic theories!"

"Daniel, you shouldn't have, it's obvious Emily's hiding something—" Victoria begged, but he ignored her pleas.

"Emily and I don't have secrets," Daniel insisted proudly. "And why would she hide something like that from _me –_ from the child's _father_?"

"Have you not considered it may not even be _yours_?" she nearly shouted, and Daniel had to restrain his instinct to lash out.

"You're _sick!_ You know that?" he balked in repulsion.

Realizing she had dealt him a serious blow, Victoria reached out to him in apology but he batted her away. "Son, I know how much it pains you to hear, but you _must_ think about the possibility! Perhaps this is the reason she's been rushing you into _marrying_ her?" Victoria solved with ease. Daniel rolled his eyes, finding it laughable as memories of all the proposals Emily had either postponed or delayed came to mind.

"Oh, you mean like _you_ did with Dad?" he snapped. "To cover up all your bastard children?" Visibly stung, Victoria slapped him bitterly in response and Daniel had to clench his jaw to calm down, shaking his head in disgust. "You've completely lost your mind, you know that?" he continued. "No matter what you think about her, Emily is _nothing_ like you!"

"Daniel, open your eyes-!" Victoria attempted again, but he forced her to stop with final resolution.

"No, Mother— _you_ open your eyes! This isn't a shotgun wedding, alright? She is going to be my wife, whether you like it or not!" he asserted firmly, boring his eyes into her. "You know why? Because, I _love_ her!"

At the echo of those three words, Victoria finally retracted in defeat, believing it to be true with every conviction of her son's body. And though there was still a lingering sadness behind his eyes, she realized it was coming from disappointment in her for failing to support him. She turned away, giving Daniel just the distraction he needed to edge out of the room, swiping past the open jewelry box atop her vanity on his way out.

He paused at the doorway and steadied his breath, offering one last reminder to her turned back. "This time tomorrow, Emily and I will be married," he reiterated, ending with what he'd been waiting to say for a long time. "You lost. Okay? It's over.

 **SCENE**

"You're late," Aiden calmly scolded Emily when she showed up at the gun range later that evening. He watched as she flung her duffel bag into the shooting bracket beside him and began assembling her weapon without a word, her head down the entire time. "So is Daniel," he added, keeping an eye on her.

"Charlotte and Amanda came by the house to surprise me this afternoon," Emily addressed his first observation, somewhat sorely. "And I don't know where Daniel is," she responded to the other. "I'm guessing he'll be here soon."

Aiden skillfully centered on her first reply, noting it had to be the source of her uneasiness. "Charlotte and Amanda, you said?" he repeated innocently. "For what, a girl's-night-out sort of thing?"

"Something like that," Emily replied solemnly, slipping on her protective earphones to take a few practice shots. The distraction only confirmed the tender moments had been hard for her part with, something Aiden had learned to discern from her demeanor. He waited until she finished letting off a round, and then prompted her to finish. "I told Amanda about the plan," she said. "She's fully up to speed now."

"How did she seem?" he pursued curiously.

Emily shrugged. "Happy," she replied, and then looked over when she realized how that could possibly sound to someone who was still in love with her. "To finish the job, that is," she clarified.

Aiden was surprised at her sympathetic gesture, but his focus soon moved to Daniel, who arrived at Emily's side a moment later with his phone in his right hand. "Here," he offered grimly, reaching with his left into a pocket to hand her the bracelet from his mother's bureau. "Sorry I'm late. I got what you needed."

"Is everything alright?" she asked, detecting his irritation immediately.

"Just more than I can handle and it keeps getting worse," he answered abruptly, looking over to Aiden. "Mathis, I hate to do this to you last minute but uh, would you mind standing in as my Best Man?"

Aiden shifted in surprise, followed by Emily's similar reaction a second later. "You're serious?" he asked.

Daniel leaned his head back in exasperation, tapping his phone in explanation. "My buddy from college just called to say he can't make it, and I'm not standing up there with just Patrick," he stressed. "Can you do it?"

"Of course," Aiden shrugged, making light of the odd request. "That'll make it easier to slip on the boat tomorrow night. And I suppose we are more 'best mates' now than 'enemies'," he joked. "I'd be honored."

"Thanks," Daniel only managed a half-hearted smile in return, and had to admit he agreed. Their friendship had its troubles but at the end of the day, it had still become a friendship. With a newfound respect for him, he begged one more favor. "Can I speak to Emily privately?"

Aiden obliged without complaint, leaving Emily alone to be impressed and still yet intrigued by what was going on with Daniel. "That was nice of you to ask him," she commented.

He acknowledged it with barely a nod, more engrossed with what lay on his mind. "Look I know this is going to be hard for us tomorrow, but I just want you to know I'm more determined now than _ever_ to take down my family."

Emily peered closely into his eyes. "Something happened…?" she detected, arriving at her answer when she sensed lingering traces of anger. "Victoria," she realized. "What did she do?"

"What she always does," Daniel confirmed right away. "She spun a lie, desperately trying to break us apart again. I'm just glad I got to it before it got to you." When Emily stared back at rapt attention, he explained. "She called Margaux and had her leek a rumor from _Voulez_ social media, that you were _pregnant_."

Emily felt the hair rise on the back of her neck and she jolted upward, immediately shaken. "What?" she barely whispered. Her mind raced at her adversary's keen perception.

"Yeah, unbelievable right?" Daniel went on, merely taking her reaction to be from indignation. "When I called her on it, she even went so far as to say the only reason you hid it from me is because it's someone else's and you didn't want me to find out before the wedding."

"Well that's _insane,_ " Emily was able to comment objectively.

"Only my mother," Daniel agreed, looking away sheepishly.

Though guilt had already begun to fill her at Daniel still being innocently unaware of their pregnancy, Emily realized Victoria's false accusation of infidelity only incensed her more. Sensing the need to be delicate, she continued probing him carefully. "What did you do?"

Daniel faced her. "First, I had Margaux retract the rumor," he shook his head. "I'm still not sure why she ran with it in the first place." Emily tightened her jaw, reserving her own thoughts about Margaux to herself. "And then I told my mother that she needed to give up – it's over. She lost." Emily's heart pounded at the conviction in his voice, recognizing just how unflinching his faith in her was. As he squeezed her hand, her guilt only intensified and she couldn't bring herself to tell him his mother had been half right.

"She hasn't lost yet," Aiden interrupted over Daniel's shoulder, and Emily looked up from her momentary trance. "I apologize for intruding," he prefaced, glancing at the bracelet that was sitting on Emily's bag. "But if we want to finish this once and for all, you need to make sure that bauble is covered in gunpowder."

Emily acknowledged he was right and returned to her stance, slipping it onto her wrist before raising the prepared murder weapon. Still haunted by her thoughts, she couldn't help giving a final look at Daniel, who nodded anxiously to indicate he was still all in. On her other side, Aiden tipped his head forward in agreement, confirming the same. With nothing else to do but plunge forward, Emily returned her eyes to the target and fired.

 **SCENE**

"Well, this is it - last chance to skip this silly tradition?"

Emily smiled warmly at Daniel coming down the stairwell of her beach house with his overnight bag in hand. He set it down at the bottom and came over to pull her into his arms. "Don't tempt me," she teased, holding onto him tightly. "The more I think about it, it is rather silly."

"Ah, it's probably better this way," Daniel reasoned, nuzzling her with his nose. "I've gotta get used to being away from you for a while, right?" A sore look met him in return, and he thought he sensed regret in her countenance. "Although I do have to say, it's not fair we don't get to have our wedding night," he hinted, grazing her with a sweet kiss.

"You're right," Emily realized, leaning in to kiss him back. "Let's call the whole thing off."

He chuckled at her joke and ran a finger up and down her upper arm, unaware that a part of her was literally grappling with the idea. "You said you had something for me to sign, before I left?" he reminded her.

"Right," Emily remembered, allowing it to break her drifting thoughts. She moved aside to reveal the papers spread out on the kitchen island and handed him a pen. "Here, it's a copy of the deed to the house."

Daniel began signing. "Explain to me again what adding me to this does?"

"Just to make sure you get full ownership without amending my living will," she answered. "If the authorities found out I updated my will just before I supposedly died at sea, it would look suspicious. It could even make you look like you had a hand in it," she anticipated cleverly. "Instead, this way it just looks like a formality – adding my husband to our house."

" _Husband_ ," Daniel repeated, dropping the pen as he finished signing. He cuddled her in his grasp again, smiling down at her big brown eyes. "I like the sound of that," he savored, looking away suddenly. "Though I guess I should get used to the sound of _widow_."

Again Emily felt a sinking feeling in her heart, and she had to look down to contain it. Her stomach was beginning to knot and while she suspected it might be another wave of nausea, her instincts told her it was something different. Letting him go was killing her, let alone keeping from him something she knew would fill him with joy… and yet, pain.

Daniel finally noticed her downcast look. "Are you sure you'll be alright here tonight?" he asked. "Because I can stay…" he glanced at his watch. "We still have about 20 hours before we say goodbye?"

Emily stared at him with yearning in her eyes and felt herself giving in in surrender, even going so far as to open her mouth. "Daniel, there's some—"

Her revelation was interrupted by Nolan entering through the back door with a case in his hand, stopping as he slipped through the sheers. "Sorry, I… guess I'm a little early," he apologized, fading back.

Daniel chuckled; assuring him it was alright with a wave. "What was I thinking, you'll be fine here," he gestured to Nolan in reference. "You've got your sidekick with you."

"He's just dropping off the last few details," Emily explained with an obligatory sigh.

"Of course," Daniel nodded, squinting again. "So what were you about to say?"

Emily stared at him in earnest, having lost her nerve in the moment that had passed. "I um, I was just going to say there's… there's _so_ many things I want to tell you," her voice cracked from the emotion.

She shook her head to avoid tears and Daniel sympathized, brushing one from the corner of her eye. "Em," he whispered but she trudged on, fearfully.

"But basically, it all comes down to this," she continued. "This day means more to me than anything I could have ever hoped for, and even though it comes with sacrifice, I promise… we _are_ going tobe together, Daniel." She paused, fervently searching for a way to intimate the words – but alas, she could not say them. Instead she settled on a sweet sentiment that still rang true. "And once we are, I'm going to give you _everything_ you always wanted. Because you're the _only_ one I want."

Daniel was stilled into silence at the sincerest, most open expression he had ever heard from her, and did not even think of matching it in depth. Instead he simply pledged the same. "You're the only one I want, too," he affirmed, squeezing her hand to his lips. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here."

Emily nodded her head forward at his promise, allowing him to plant a kiss on her forehead in farewell and before she knew it, he was gone. Nolan was steadfast by her side in the minutes that followed, sensing she would need a friend.

"Everything's in place," he assured her gingerly, holding up a few items from his case. "Here's your new identity for when you disappear, complete with passport, little extra cash… red sharpie in case you get bored…" he mumbled in jest. He placed the items on the table and enumerated the rest on each finger of his hand. "Ah, evidence is ready, Conrad's story is erased, and Amanda is on standby to distract Victoria once you get on the boat. I think we're all set. Oh," he added, scanning the room. "Just need the rings?"

"Daniel gave them to Aiden," she answered quietly, collecting herself to face him. "But thank you for everything. We couldn't have done it without you."

"I know," he shrugged proudly, letting his grin fall a slight. "I guess I'll be busy keeping Daniel company the next few months while you're gone," he hinted, testing her out. "Anything I should avoid mentioning…?"

"I couldn't tell him, Nolan," she sighed, already expecting his disappointment. "I almost did, but… after what Victoria did to him today… I just couldn't."

Nolan absorbed her decision, respecting it was hers to make. "Victoria must have really done a number on him," he guessed, unsure of what she was referring to. Before Emily could elaborate, he caught sight of something in the distance. "And apparently – she's still not finished?"

Emily followed his gaze to her back door, where Victoria was standing clear as day. With an agitated look at Nolan, she left the kitchen to answer it, doing her best to repress loathing at the sight of her sworn enemy. "Victoria," she answered, stepping out onto the porch. "To what do I owe this visit?" Her presence incited déjà vu of the first time she left the Hamptons; ironically the night she had ended the engagement. "Another empty gift box?"

"Oh, the time has run out for such frivolity," Victoria sneered at Emily's sarcasm. "Your wedding is tomorrow, and the game is over. I've washed my hands of it. Instead, I've found a place at the main table for Nolan Ross," she asserted, handing over a copy of the response card to the wedding invitation.

Emily's face darkened as she accepted it. Under Victoria's name she had marked the line noted, _Respectfully Decline._ "I don't understand," she replied, holding her composure. "I thought with Patrick being there—?"

"He's welcome to my spot as well," Victoria cut her off, firm in her decision. "Feel free to adjust as you see fit, but I won't be in attendance." With that she allowed her choice to resonate, seemingly pleasured by the concern that read all over Emily's face.

"Congratulations, Emily."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Ok, guys are you ready for "Exodus"? Whew, it feels like it's been a long time coming but I have to say I am really excited! First of all, I have to thank you ALL for your support – it was such a huge treat to reach 200 reviews after posting the last chapter, and to the new folks who starting following, your kind words are genuinely appreciated! I read all of your comments and feedback and they mean so much to me. I do hope you enjoyed this latest installment and it has succeeded in setting the tone for the climactic next chapter. Will Victoria's decision ruin the plan? Will Jack and Amanda find their way back to each other? Will Emily continue to keep the truth from Daniel? And finally… who is the shooter? ALL will be answered very soon, please stay tuned! I hope to update ASAP. Again, many thanks to all of your earnest support and I would love to hear your reviews again. Much, much love and appreciation, yours truly ~MothToANewFlame~**


	30. Chapter 30: Exodus

**A/N: Here it is everyone! I hope you enjoy and read close for a special shout-out to Emily VanCamp for her new movie premiering this weekend. Congratulations to our favorite leading lady of Revenge! ~**

 **Chapter 30: Exodus**

 _In the Old Testament, the book of Exodus tells of a miraculous departure, where those once enslaved to a life of despair were delivered to the Promised Land…_

Emily cast a pensive gaze out over the sea, her illustrious mind an ever moving cluster of thoughts much like the rolling waves below. The sun was setting on the horizon, and from it she drew peace, imagining the hopeful destiny that awaited her. She stepped forward to rest on the railing at the stern of the yacht, aptly decked in her wedding gown while her veil lay discarded at her feet.

 _To prepare for their journey, sacrifices had to be made. Some left their possessions, others even their family…_

The delicate fabric blowing in the wind brought a smile to her face, imagining the soft reprimand she would get from Charlotte for treating it so loosely. But much like her, the veil was about to become just another remnant of the life she planned to leave behind. Mourning the reality, Emily sighed and took a sip from the crystal flute in her hand, draining nearly all of the champagne just as she heard a resounding footstep behind her…

 _And even the strongest were faced with tests to their faith – for every journey has obstacles to overcome before eventually reaching a destination._

… Emily retraced her steps and reached out gingerly, barely uttering a merciful plea. "I'm sorry—"

No sooner had the words come out of her mouth when she felt the impact of two gunshots piercing through her abdomen, knocking her from where she stood. She looked down in agonizing shock, barely able to clutch at the bloodied entry of the bullets before her breath caught in her throat. She managed one last gaze upwards to memorize the face of her assailant before finally tumbling backwards over the stern and plunging fearfully into the ocean depths below…

 **12 HOURS EARLIER**

"While I admire your determination, Ems, shouldn't getting Victoria to your wedding today be your sole focus right now?"

Emily winced as she filled a small test tube with the last drops of her blood, sealing off the capsule before looking up to answer Nolan's question. "I've come too far to let her win," she explained, gazing out of Nolan's rear patio window. With the beach providing a reminder of her planned escape at sea it _should_ have been her sole focus but Emily's mind ranged from a number of things. Admittedly, she was more concerned about the secret she was keeping than the potential of her plan being ruined by Victoria's absence.

Notably, Nolan's mind happened to be on the same topic. "Ah – you sure you want to use that sample on the boat floor?" he questioned, eyeing the capsule of blood in her palm. He lowered his voice meaningfully. "Because when it gets analyzed by forensics, they'll _know_ you were pregnant – and so will Daniel."

"I have a plan for that," Emily assured him with a confident look.

"Oh, something besides _not_ leaving while barely a month into motherhood?" Nolan shot back worriedly, as Emily hushed his volume with a look. Aiden was still somewhere in the house and she didn't want him to hear. Nolan accepted the scolding with a wave of his hand. "Ok, ok, I'm just saying, maybe Victoria backing out is a sign – maybe you shouldn't go through with it?"

"She's not getting off that easy," Emily hissed in absolution, not quite at the point of reconsideration. While Nolan's countenance dropped, she dialed down her irritation and sat eye level to face him. "Look, I'll be gone three months at the most before Daniel and I can safely reunite," she reasoned, doing so also for her own benefit. "By that time I'll just be in my second trimester, which is normally when most women announce a pregnancy anyway."

He tried to relax. "I guess that's _kind of_ romantic," he offered timidly. "You and Daniel whisk off to some island and get started on your family values right away… meanwhile Victoria _almost_ rots in jail for alleged crimes committed?" he added sarcastically.

Emily stood with determination. "Like I said, I have a plan," she reinforced, just as Aiden joined the company from the kitchen.

"Please tell me it involves handling her directly?" he begged, using latex gloves to retrieve the murder weapon from the go-bag. "I already left a message on Daniel's phone, letting him know we may need to go with Plan B." He reloaded the gun, suggestively.

"Then you need to call him back," Emily emphasized, reprimanding him with a glare. "We're not _killing_ Daniel's mother _._ "

Aiden grinned mischievously in response. "Fair enough," he obliged, putting the gun back to reach for the capsule in Emily's hand.

"What's the _other_ option?" Nolan piped in, ignoring Aiden's dark humor.

Emily turned to address them both, holding up the tube of her blood in thought before giving it over. "Proving that blood is the most powerful thing of all."

 **SCENE**

"Leaving so soon?"

Margaux emerged from the bathroom in Conrad's hotel room to find him waiting for her beside the door in his robe. "Ah, shouldn't you be getting ready?" she answered, fastening her earring on as she went to collect her purse from the side of the bed.

"To do what exactly," he guessed, hinting. "Go down for the Amanda Clarke frame-up?"

On the mention of Amanda's name Margaux smiled and turned around, finding him holding up her phone. A quick peek into her purse confirmed he had swiped it while she was out of the room. "I see you found your way into my belongings, Conrad," she entertained him without concern. "Please – enlighten me with your discovery?"

"Only a few emails suggesting that you never intended to print my side of the story after all," he divulged, tossing it onto the bed with a grumble. "Your assistant responded to confirm you pulled my interview from next month's issue. While you were busy faking affection for me last night, really you were playing me for a fool?"

"Aw," Margaux coddled him with a click of her tongue, glancing briefly at her phone before confidently walking past it to approach him. "But I did no such thing," she defended. "As you recall I even gave you a chance to be honest with me last night – but when you insisted you had already told me everything you knew, I had no choice but to trust my instincts."

"Instincts?" Conrad argued.

Margaux remained tightlipped, knowing if she told him how his article had conveniently disappeared; it would only stir him to investigate. Instead, she relied on the more incriminating evidence.

"My father taught me never to print a story you can't confirm," she began, reaching into her purse to remove a small bottle of pills. "Just as he taught me never to drink something I didn't order myself," she added, tossing the bottle to him. He caught it and stared back in surprise. "I found my way to your belongings too, Conrad," she explained. "Did you slip one of these into my Cabernet last night? What was your plan – get me into bed and then threaten to expose me in a scandal if I didn't print your story?"

Conrad rolled his eyes, recalling that he had in fact ordered her drink before her arrival, though now as he recollected, she had held decoratively but never sipped from. "I'm afraid you have it all wrong," he insisted, twisting the label for her to see. "This is merely a _sleeping_ medication I've been taking – a product of years of living with Victoria,thank you very much," he defended. "And I certainly didn't put anything into your wine."

"Perhaps," she obliged him, nodding fairly. "But I wasn't about to take the risk. I'm glad to hear it was a harmless notion however," she remarked, turning to collect her phone. She then tucked her jacket under her arm before facing him. "Since I made sure you had twice the dosage before going to bed."

Taken by her admission, Conrad thought back to his hazy memory of the previous night. Margaux had accompanied him to his room and even suggestively helped him out of his jacket before excusing herself to the bathroom. When she returned with a drink he assumed the rest of the night had been a lustful blur, but now as he recalled, he must have passed out immediately – giving her time to safely avoid his advances.

While he was left aghast by her calculated counterattack, Margaux made headway to the door. "From the moment you came to _Voulez_ I suspected you were lying and now I'm positive. Rest assured, I shall find the truth – and I will expose it." She smiled triumphantly in farewell. " _Au revoir_ , Conrad," she wished him, her face brightening in taunt. "See you at the wedding _."_

Conrad sat there a brief time longer, until his phone alerted and the message that appeared caught his immediate attention.

 **SCENE**

Emily rehearsed her disappointed expression right up until Conrad arrived at her door, glumly lowering her head as she led him over to the island of her kitchen.

"I gather from the tenor of your text that all is not well this morning?" he observed.

"Victoria isn't attending the wedding," she confessed right away, shaking her head. "I know that she and I have had our differences, but to miss her son's wedding?"

Conrad let out a grand sigh. "Why is it the women in my life never cease to surprise and disappoint?" he remarked and Emily wondered had something happened to account for his own wry demeanor. "Well, you and your union have my full support, Emily," he went on. "So please don't think me presumptuous when I say, I hope that you might find me as adequate recompense?"

"I do, Conrad," Emily forced through clenched teeth, unable to stop herself from adding, "And I know my father would share my feelings for you if he was still alive." Conrad offered a benevolent tap at her acceptance and began walking back through the room. Worried he had already given up, Emily elaborated in her feigned misery. "But I can't help picturing what's to come. This will only be the first of many things that Victoria misses. Anniversaries… family dinners…" she elaborated, eyeing Conrad with special emphasis on the last. "The birth of our _children_ –"

"You and Daniel plan to get started right away, huh?" Conrad begged excitement, crossing his arms proudly at the thought.

"Sooner than you can imagine," Emily hinted, continuing. "And while you and Charlotte may still be at odds, please know how much Daniel _sincerely_ wants you in the life of your future grandchildren," she tempted, tugging at his heartstrings.

"I suppose I have been rather hardhearted towards Daniel lately," Conrad admitted, still fresh in his reexamination of their relationship. "It's something of a relief to know I've been wrong about him."

Emily nodded emphatically. "He would do anything to unite this family again," she stressed, preparing to dangle a powerful piece of information. "In fact, as a peace offering he's even invited Patrick to be one of his groomsmen." She shrugged complacently, and walked out of the room in pretend defeat.

Conrad slowly followed her out, digesting what he had just heard. "I'm sorry; did you say _Patrick_ is returned for the wedding _?"_ he repeated in disbelief.

Before turning to face him, Emily smiled proudly. Her ploy was working. "Yes," she insisted, wearing a sincere expression. "You'd think Patrick would remind Victoria of the pain her absence can cause," she pretended to guess innocently. "But I suppose even _he's_ not enough to sway her."

Still thinking, Conrad furrowed his brow and charged her with one additional question. "So Victoria's attendance means that much to you?"

Satisfied that he was about to accomplish what she needed, Emily rested her eyes on him in a final extension of mercy. "I just want this day to be perfect – from start to finish."

 **SCENE**

Victoria confirmed her plans for the afternoon as she traversed the Manor courtyard, headed back inside the house. She had made light work of finding something to occupy with while nearly the rest of the Hamptons would be attending the wedding of the century. "I'll see you then," she hung up with her associate, but her attention was quickly taken as she saw her son waiting at the dining room table.

" _Patrick_ ," she began. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be getting ready for the wedding—" she stopped short, only to round the corner and see Conrad affixed proudly at the other end. "Darling, are you alright?!" she exclaimed to her son, rushing over to plant herself in front of him.

"He's fine," Conrad assured her with a wave, rising from the table. "We were just having a little chat. While you were sly to exile him to the nearest island, did you not think I'd come to know he was back in Manhattan?" he interrogated her, puffing out his chest proudly. "And in my _house_ no less, not two nights ago?"

"You stay away from my son!" Victoria barked at him angrily.

"Oh, you didn't really expect me to do that," Conrad reasoned cleverly. "Certainly not when he's serving as one of Daniel's groomsmen," he pointed out. "But I suppose that was your underhanded way of making sure our encounter happened out in the public?"

"Exactly," Victoria owned up immediately. "Where I knew you couldn't harm him!"

Conrad relented with a pretense of humility. "Well on the contrary, I have no intention of inflicting harm. In fact, I'll even _forgive_ his near attempt at murder," he extended, pausing dramatically with reserve. "That is, if you change your mind about attending?"

Victoria narrowed her eyes. "I can't imagine why you would care," she buffered, suddenly realizing. "Oh, wait. Let me guess— Emily put you up to it?"

"Well, she and I both agreed that your absence shouldn't become today's focus," Conrad admitted, looking over Victoria's head to meet eyes with Patrick. "So, as I was saying, I'm willing to quash my understandable resistance to embrace one son of yours if _you_ are willing to muster up enough affection to support the other?"

Victoria was hesitant to be swayed. "If you think I'm going to be blackmailed by collusion—" she threatened.

Patrick stepped in then, resting an arm on her shoulder in plea. "Mother, he's given me a second chance," he argued, glancing up at Conrad notably. "He could have turned me over to the authorities on sight, but he's reaching out for Daniel's sake. I want to do the same."

"Son, you don't understand when Conrad reaches out, beware of what's in his hand," she whispered back, turning to face her loathed husband. "If anything should happen to Patrick, understand this—"

"This is not a bargain for you to make, Victoria," Conrad cut her short, thoroughly exhausted of being up-handed by females for one day. "So either you accept this pardon and get into formal attire, or I suggest you prepare to engage in a long-distance relationship yet again. Only this time," he threatened, pointing to her son before exiting the room. "Patrick will be hidden behind four walls."

A feeling of dread entered Victoria's heart as Conrad left, but was quickly absolved by more of Patrick's insisting. "Mother, please. I'm begging you just to go through with this. Daniel is on the brink of exposing him for attempted murder; one more night and his threats will mean nothing." She bowed her head slightly in submission and Patrick went on. "Besides… something tells me you'll _want_ to be there."

Victoria lifted her head in interest. "Why?" she probed curiously. "What do you know?"

Still uncertain, Patrick hesitated to elaborate before his theory could be proven. "I'm not sure yet," he replied. "But by tonight I plan to find out."

 **SCENE**

"Okay, let's go over this one last time…" Emily stood against Nolan's side counter, gathered with her band of cohorts while Aiden led the formation in rehearsal.

"Before you board the Grayson yacht," he began. "I'll get on first to preset the gun we bought in Victoria's name." Aiden lifted a wine crate that had been decorated to mask the necessary items. "Since I'm Best Man, the captain will assume I'm delivering a gift for the bride and groom. In the meantime, I will hide out and wait until exactly 10 past 9:00, when you should be approaching the buoy…"

"…At which point, you will premiere the Grayson family slide show," Nolan interjected, pointing to Emily as he took his turn. "Which I nauseatingly prepared," he added, switching places with Aiden on her other side.

"When everyone's watching," Amanda piped in next, entering the half-circle. "I'll distract Victoria," she asserted confidently. "By telling her I still have evidence proving that Conrad framed David, _and_ that she helped him. And when she tries to call my bluff, I'll tell her to check her stateroom…"

Aiden closely paced beside Amanda, passing her with notable tension. "…Once she's taken the bait, I'll make sure she's trapped inside, then await the sound of gunshots…" he looked over to Emily.

"And I'll only fire once I've poured my blood on deck as evidence that she shot me," Emily inserted, interrupting the awkward interlude between them.

"Once you've jumped overboard," Aiden continued. "I'll release Victoria's door, ensuring her lack of alibi. You'll have exactly 20 minutes until the coast guard starts the search to retrieve the case from the buoy, use the mini scuba tank to get beneath the surface, catch the current…"

"And arrive at the beach," Nolan finished. "Where your getaway boat and new identity will be waiting for you to disappear…" he trailed off solemnly, holding up the case that contained all Emily needed to make it happen.

Emily detected his uneasiness, but quickly glossed over it. "Then finally, with means, motive, gunshot residue on her bracelet, and no alibi, Victoria Grayson will be under arrest for my murder…" she trailed off, and her expression suddenly contorted as one additional stakeholder joined the room.

"And under questioning, I guarantee that she'll roll on my father in an attempt to save herself," Daniel completed, arriving late to the party. He glanced over at Amanda. "With Amanda's threat to expose the evidence, she'll make sure he takes the fall with her," he paused to fix his eyes on Emily again. "And I'll ensure every word of their conspiracy gets printed in _Voulez_ for the world to see."

Emily shook her head in surprise, breaking away from the company to go over to him. "Daniel, what are you doing here?"

"Aiden called me," he gestured, rubbing her in assurance. "And before you get upset, I only came because I heard there was a concern about my mother being there." Emily lowered her head, wishing Aiden had let her take care of it instead of burdening Daniel with the details. "Hey," he prompted her to look at him. "I went by the Manor and the maid told me my mother was getting ready. She's coming – everything's going to work out fine. Alright?"

Despite being relieved, Emily could not help feeling somewhat unnerved by his unexpected presence. "Right," she managed to reply. "No, good, it's just um," she stammered, reflexively looking over to Nolan. He in turn, sensed the reason behind her conflict, but let her continue with a different explanation. "It's just bad luck for the groom to see the bride, that's all," she finished.

Daniel chuckled. "I think it's safe to say we've already had our share of that," he argued, scrunching his nose up. He leaned in to steal a kiss, and just beyond them Amanda exchanged a knowing look with Nolan, followed by a slightly tense look over to Aiden, who was already staring her way.

Consciously, Aiden broke his trance and went over to tap Daniel in a hurry. "Sorry to interrupt your practice for later," he apologized, impelling them both to part with a blush. "But we, uh, better get going if we want to be there on time." Daniel nodded and graciously let go of Emily's hand while she stared after him and watched them both leave.

"I should get going too," Amanda added when they had gone, poking Emily affectionately. "I just have to stop by the _Stowaway_ to pick up my dress and then I'll be over to help you get ready at the bridal suite."

"Okay," Emily waved her off, remembering something. "Don't forget to tell Jack what I asked you to – I might not get the chance later on."

"Don't worry, I won't," Amanda promised with a tender smile and departed, leaving her with just Nolan behind.

"Well, look at that," Nolan observed, coming up beside her. "All the revengers assembled for battle, including an appearance by your own _Captain America_ ," he described Daniel, glancing over to opine. "Perfect opportunity for a last-minute confession and yet, he _still_ has no idea… I don't know, Ems. I'd say that's strike one _—"_

"And I'd say it's time for you to get in a tuxedo," Emily shut him down with a sharp look. She faced ahead with determination. "There's no going back now," she reminded him. "Let's take down the Graysons once and for all."

 **SCENE**

When Amanda returned to the _Stowaway_ , she couldn't help standing back a moment before going inside. With business hours adjusted for the wedding the bar was empty, leave for Jack who was already in his suit and playing with Carl at one of the tables. Carl's bag was packed for a stay at the sitter's and Amanda admired how caring and responsible Jack was, and clearly had been, for quite some time in her absence. Next, Charlotte came out of her room in her bridesmaid gown, beaming at the two of them and exchanging a mild laugh. Realizing the scene playing out was her new family; Amanda urged herself to dismiss the conflict she felt from being around Aiden just a short while before. Instead, she took a deep breath and entered with a fresh outlook.

"Hey," she greeted them. "It's about that time…"

"Oh good, you're here!" Charlotte received her excitedly. She turned and produced a clear box with a bright colored corsage inside. "They delivered yours early, I was afraid you already were at the bridal suite with Emily," she explained in relief.

"Ah, not yet," Amanda glossed discreetly, as Jack stared her way. "Just running a few last minute errands; I'm going to meet her over there." She took the corsage from Charlotte gratefully and then leaned in to affectionately nuzzle Carl. "Ooh," she came up with a turn of her nose. "Somebody needs to get changed before they go to the sitter," she noticed.

"Here, I'll take him," Charlotte offered, lifting him out of his seat and then disappearing into the back.

"Careful, watch your dress," Jack called after her with a grin. He shook his head and then met eyes with Amanda. "So…is Emily ready?" he asked expectantly.

"Yes," Amanda surmised, continuing nervously. "She wanted me to tell you how much she appreciates you letting her finish this."

He shrugged somewhat guiltily. "Sometimes I think about the way I came at her at the beginning of summer; I probably pushed her too hard," he admitted. "I never planned to out her… I just, I don't know, I just always wanted a way for us to finally be together."

Amanda braced herself to endure his loving admission, knowing how much she must have disappointed him by calling their relationship into question. "I realize that," she acknowledged arduously. "Which is why… I volunteered to help."

Jack's brow immediately creased in surprise. "Wait, what?"

"I'm in the wedding, Jack," Amanda whispered, conscious of her voice not carrying. "It only makes sense for me to be there when everything happens. Besides, I'm the best person to distract Victoria—"

"Think about why that _is!_ " Jack nearly exploded, though he was conscious to lower his voice. However, as her proposal continued to register it only made him angrier. "Amanda, they _know_ you had evidence about David – they probably even suspect it was _you_ who shot Conrad at the end of last year! Just because they haven't acted yet doesn't mean they still won't. And you think it's safe to go on a privatetrip with these people to Nantucket?"

"A trip they're never going to make it to, remember?" Amanda reminded him. "Emily's plan is foolproof; by the time they realize what's happened the police will be taking _them_ away, not me!"

He continued to shake his head vehemently. "What about Aiden? Huh? It's already enough that you have to be in the wedding with him, now you're going off on a boat together?"

"A boat full of other people," Amanda argued, arching her neck in surprise. "You really don't trust me that much?"

 _"Should I?"_ he argued, conscious that his voice was raising slightly.

"You know what, you're right," Amanda had to honestly concede after a moment. "I haven't earned your trust back, yet. But you can trust _Aiden_ ," she emphasized, hoping that he would not see it as a weak argument. "He's only there for one reason, and it's the same reason I am – to help Emily."

Jack remained silent, vacillating on whether he should trust her or hold to his gut. Admittedly, things were just getting back to normal between them and even the plan held the promise of restoring their relationship permanently. But a part of him kept wishing she could have made the choice not to go on her own. More than anything he wanted her to show that she wanted to be with _him_ that night, and nowhere else.

But Amanda was insistent. "Come on, Jack," she pressed, her eyes pleading with him for approval. "You said it yourself; _you're_ the one that rushed Emily to finish this by the end of summer. I almost ruined it for her so many times – I owe her this. Now do you want it to be done… or not?"

 **SCENE**

"I'm proud of you son – you did well playing contrite for Conrad earlier."

Patrick turned to his mother, who looked up at him adoringly while he escorted her into the ceremony on his arm. Not many men could boast a mother as beautiful as her, looking years younger than her age in an eye-catching burgundy gown adorned with her favorite diamond bracelet. "That's kind of you to say, Mother," he acknowledged. "But I meant what I said about bringing the family back together."

"I know you did." Victoria stared ahead drably as they approached the entrance, where a large photo of Daniel and Emily was stationed on an easel. "It's the idea of accepting Emily as a part of this family that sickens me," she vexed.

Meanwhile, a voice could be heard expressing just the opposite behind them. "Ah, I can't picture a couple more perfect for each other," Margaux fawned at the photo and they both turned to face her. "Oh, except of course, you and dear Conrad?" she added to Victoria, noting that Patrick was accompanying her in his place. "Will he also be joining you today?"

Victoria sneered in reply. "Patrick, meet Margaux LeMarchal, Chief Officer of _Voulez,_ " she introduced flatly, and they shook hands. "She's taken a keen interest in Conrad and been his confidant for the past few evenings," she aptly described, adding, "Among other things, I presume?"

Margaux absorbed her insinuating comment with grace. "Oh, sorry to disappoint but I only took him off your hands for a brief business dinner and conversation," she promised. Seeing there was more to their conversation than they were openly admitting, Patrick quickly lost interest and began scanning the other guests arriving, his sights soon falling on Charlotte a few feet away.

"And even _that_ was a momentary lapse of reason—" Conrad chimed in, coming up behind them with an icy glare to Victoria. "Not unlike our last approach to the altar," he jabbed with ease, while simultaneously offering his arm to escort her.

Margaux grinned at the territorialism her presence elicited and merely went in ahead, while Victoria was less than tolerant. "Thank you, Conrad but Patrick is seeing me in," she declined.

"Ah, no that's alright," Patrick begged off softly, while his mother's expression pleaded with him to stay. "I should get over to Charlotte." He looked at her meaningfully, as if to remind him of his mission to rekindle the family.

Victoria allowed him to break away with an understanding nod, and then contained her disgust to take Conrad's still extended arm. She gave in with a grunt and they proceeded, while Patrick swiftly went down the steps to arrive at Charlotte's side. "So it looks like we're walking together?" he greeted, extending a kind hand.

Charlotte looked up and reluctantly allowed Jack to go ahead of her so she could take her place with Patrick. "Don't remind me," she answered sourly.

"Charlotte, please," Patrick begged, stopping short after a few steps. He faced her with genuine remorse in his eyes. "I can't tell you how sorry I am—"

"Save it, Patrick," she interrupted him, but for a different reason than he expected. "You don't have to keep apologizing." She stared down at her belly, rubbing it in thought. "I know you've been waiting for me to forgive you this whole time, and honestly I'm not even sure why I'm still holding back?" She glanced into the distance. "I guess after I thought I lost Amanda and Declan last year I became this other person – scarred by everything that happened to me."

Patrick listened intently, searching her eyes for any glimmer of hope or reconsideration. When she finally turned to face him, it was there.

"But by some miracle, I got my sister back," she resolved. "And it taught me that I need to value the family that I have, as long as I have them. And truthfully… you're just as much my sibling as Daniel or Amanda," she pointed out, thinking. "And I guess after today, Emily."

On the mention of Emily's name Patrick's attention was momentarily broken; he even vaguely thought he heard Charlotte offer her forgiveness, but was too distracted to pay attention. "Charlotte, do you mind me asking – why _is_ Emily so close to Amanda?" he probed instead.

Despite his question being odd-placed, Charlotte replied. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, she's a little obsessed with her if you ask me," he expounded. "Buying her father's house? Replacing you with _her_ as Maid of Honor?"

"Oh," Charlotte digressed with a shake of her head. "No, that was _my_ idea. And, anyway Emily and Amanda have a close bond, it's like…" she trailed off in thought, searching for a way to describe it. "It's like they've known each other for years, honestly."

Patrick remained skeptical. "But they haven't? Victoria told me they only met two years ago?"

"I'm not sure why our mother _cares_ ," Charlotte emphasized, growing prickly at the reference to her. "Especially when it's so obvious how she much she hates Emily. But _I_ care about them both. To me, Amanda and Emily are one in the same."

Patrick apologized, not wishing to upset her. "Sorry, I was just curious—" he began and swiftly cut his own reply short. "Wait, what did you just say?" he whispered under his breath.

But Charlotte had not heard him, and instead was lifting the hem of her gown so she could continue inside. The music was playing to cue all guests to take their seats. "Anyway, we should get ready – it's almost time to walk," she beckoned him, satisfied with the extent of their conversation.

Patrick remained engrossed in thought, as her choice of words weighed on him, playing over and over again in his head. _Amanda and Emily are one in the same… Amanda and Emily are one in the same._ It meant something but he could not decide what or why. He started to reach into the pocket of his jacket lining, where he had stashed the cover page that he never delivered to Daniel. But Charlotte already had her arm out for him to lead her in, and he postponed his theory in favor of their reconciliation.

"Ready?" she verified.

He straightened his posture, keeping his thoughts to himself. "Ready."

 **SCENE**

Emily felt the minutes passing in a blur as photographers encircled her in the bridal suite, capturing the final moments of her preparation. She appreciated the still quiet of being alone once they left, admiring her gown in the threefold mirror while allowing a rare, girlish feeling to wash over her. It would be easy to fantasize how perfect every nuance of the day was about to be, but for Emily there was no rest as the incessant clock ticked away in the back of her mind: seconds left to execution, to departure, and finally, to resolution. Her journey felt more real than ever and yet, there was one variable hanging over her plans she could not ignore.

Her hand drifted softly to her lower abdomen, imagining where the life inside her was beginning to grow. At a time like this it filled her with fear but was also a place that filled her with joy. The irony was, based on her doctor's assessment; the night of conception was the same night she had told Daniel about her plan. The moments they shared then had also been a culmination of both fear and joy, both of them desperately wanting to be as close to the other before inevitably parting. Triggered partially by the memory, Emily suddenly remembered her garter and retrieved it from her garment bag. She was slipping it on just as she heard the bridal suite door open and the only person that was allowed in came through.

"Fixing your something 'blue'?" Amanda observed with a snicker.

Emily smiled back sweetly, standing up straight when she was done. "And my something _new,_ " she added, reaching out to hug her dear friend. "That you got for me."

"Just yesterday morning, in fact," Amanda shared back with a laugh. "So it is definitely new. What about 'something old'?"

With a slight flourish Emily held up her veil, and Amanda helped her put it on. "Charlotte picked this out the day we went to get dresses," she explained over her shoulder, while Amanda fiddled behind her in the mirror. "She found it at a vintage shop."

"She's a good sister," Amanda commented, impelling Emily to briefly lower her head in thought. But Amanda guided her to hold her head up straight and with the veil secured, they both looked at each other in the reflection. "You look beautiful," she complimented her sincerely, as Emily brushed a stray hair out of her face. "And even without the veil as your something old," Amanda pointed out, taking soft hold of her wrist. "You always have _this_."

Emily followed Amanda's gaze to her infinity tattoo, agreeing it was the oldest accessory on her, and clearly with the most permanent significance. "I keep looking at it," she replied. "I don't want to forget the real reason why I started all of this – my father."

Amanda could not help noticing hesitancy in Emily's tone. "You sound like you have reserves?"

"Some," she openly admitted, turning slowly to face her. "I've just waited for this day for so long, it's ah," she fought the truth, tucking it away just as she had for weeks. "It's just overwhelming."

Amanda was brimming with curiosity but kept calm. "What about something borrowed?" she offered in distraction.

Emily shrugged. "I think I forgot that one."

A thought came rippling into Amanda's mind, as if it had been put there by a higher power. Though Emily's gown was stunningly beautiful, her neck was visibly empty. "Here, I have something," she offered. She reached back to remove the necklace Aiden had given her and transferred it to Emily.

"Oh, Amanda I can't take this—" Emily begged.

"Please," Amanda fastened it on, insisting it was non-negotiable. "I feel like I neverhave something to give back to you, and after all you've done for me…" she trailed off, sensing the tears would be coming soon. She didn't fight them, and instead took both of Emily's hands in gratitude. "You've always been _so_ willing to sacrifice and I just want you to know how much I appreciate all you've given up." She shook her head in realization. "Your wedding night, your identity… _Jack_ … everything."

Emily looked down as her own tears began welling up, unable to bear the sentiment. It was not the first time she and Amanda had shared such things, but as their lives seemed to continuously reach pinnacles of coming together and drifting apart, it had become a ritual. "It's nothing you haven't already done for me," she humbly diverted.

"I guess we share a lot of things in common," Amanda acknowledged, and with an uncertain look at her friend she dared to go further, trusting the instinct that she had felt. "Especiallynow … that you're going to be a mom?" she finished.

Emily looked up instantly and the tear that was struggling at the corner of her eye rolled down her face. "Oh my god—" she gasped in surprise. "How did you _know_?"

Amanda dabbed at Emily's cheek so her makeup didn't smear. "I didn't," she chuckled. "You just told me." Emily rolled her eyes at her own careless reaction, but Amanda squeezed her hands in reminder. "But I _have_ always had a sixth sense about these things… Congratulations!"

Emily couldn't hold back and finally pulled Amanda into an embrace. "I'm going to miss you so much," she whispered.

Amanda reciprocated through tears. "I wish you nothing but happiness always, Miss _Clarke_ ," she emphasized, making an exception to their identity rule. But she quickly realized it would soon hold little bearing. "I mean, Mrs. _Grayson_ ," she corrected.

Emily sighed in return, hugging her back. Amanda's subtle allusion to the person she was leaving behind was a needed reminder of who she was to become. In spite of all she had worked to accomplish, this moment was not only rectifying her past but solidifying her future and with it, the man by her side. Sharing that truth with the person she shared a life-long sisterhood with gave her release, convincing her that she could make it down the aisle to Daniel. "Thank you," Emily finally replied. "Mrs. _Porter._ "

They separated at that point and Amanda smiled and left her in peace. "I'll see you out there."

 **SCENE**

Overall, the tension between the pairings walking the aisle was muted by wedding splendor as the ceremony began. Decorated from top to bottom in the freshest flowers and fine linen, the venue was splendid, brightened even more by the smile Daniel wore as he waited nobly at the altar with Aiden beside him. And though his parents graced the promenade first, Daniel still could not restrain his joy, knowing that even their presence together was a necessary evil for the evening.

Patrick escorted Charlotte next, who beamed at Daniel as she stood a few paces from him and looked back to watch Amanda come in last. A flash of cameras ensued around her arrival, but Amanda kept composed, not once turning to look at them. She did not even glance at Jack, who observed her with adoration from the audience, but instead focused on Charlotte with a sisterly smile, then respectfully at Daniel, and last, at Aiden. Their gaze interlocked for a few still moments as she reached the anterior of the canopy until Amanda finally forced herself to look away, swallowing her emotions as they awaited the guest of honor.

At last the moment came, and all the guests stood in reception. Nolan appeared from around the corner with Emily anxiously grasping his arm. She squeezed him at the sight of the assembly, but when he glanced over there was nothing but confidence and readiness in her eyes. "Only you can make vengeance look so beautiful," he whispered as they began their stride.

Emily heard his comment but had her sights set on the object of her desire a short distance away – Daniel. Doing so brought back memories from two years before, where a planned encounter spurred on by revenge had unintentionally brought her happiness. As it was then, such was the case today. "If I'm glowing it's because of him," she admitted as they reached halfway. "He's given me everything I ever wanted, Nolan."

Surprised by her willingness to declare it aloud, Nolan grinned discreetly. "Besides the very thing you came to the Hamptons for?" he whispered.

They were nearly there and Daniel's excitement was now visible, watching her every step, eager for his bride to take her place beside him. Emily did so with an air of grace and comfort, but first she turned to kiss Nolan goodbye, breathing in reply, "So much more."

Her words gave Nolan a paternal sense of relief as he shook Daniel's hand and proudly gave her over. The confirmation that Emily's happiness had finally surpassed her obsession with revenge was a milestone, and in the days she was gone, he could rest easy knowing she had truly completed her journey. He took his seat and looked on in admiration and the happy couple knitted their hands together as the ceremony began.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Emily Rebecca Thorne and Daniel Edward Grayson," the officiant began and Daniel repressed an ironic smile, knowing that the real Emily Rebecca Thorne was actually standing behind his soon-to-be bride. But it was a technicality in such a moment, when _his_ Emily was staring deep into his eyes, promising that the love they had was real even if her identity was not.

"If anyone has reason to object to their blessed union, please speak now or forever hold your peace?" the officiant continued, and it was Emily's turn to mask her irony. She knew Victoria was desperate to interrupt, but had to stay quiet if she wanted Patrick to stay protected from Conrad. It was a clever idea to use her weakness against her, making their union an impassable subject.

Following the silence, Daniel turned to Aiden and then faced Emily, holding up her wedding band. "Emily," he began his vows. "With this ring, I commit to you, to a bond that could never be broken, to a love tested through time, and to our future together," he paused, drumming up emphasis on the word _future_. He let out a breath, slipping the ring onto her finger and there was sadness in his voice that caused it to crack as he spoke. "I love you, Emily, now and _always_."

His heartfelt expression sent a chill up Emily's spine as she braved on for her turn. There was so much more she wanted to say than she was allowed, and yet she had to choose words only Daniel would understand. "Daniel," she started, and vivid memories entered her mind as she spoke. "I looked forward to this day since I was a little girl . . ." she began, and then suddenly stopped.

Daniel's heart skipped as he searched her face for what was wrong, but soon realized she was just speechless. Though she had rehearsed it in her head, there was nothing that could prepare her for the intensity of the moment. The guests listened anxiously, a few whispering to each other while others patiently waited. Victoria even leaned in as if ready to pounce, but Daniel was resolute and knew Emily would finish when ready. He held her hands and smiled, nudging her to go on.

"Sorry," she apologized, but his forgiving eyes gave her the strength to finish. "Daniel," she started over. "I…as much as I looked forward to this day, I never could have imagined how happy I would be now that it's finally here," she confessed honestly, speaking through partial sobs. "You have helped me become the woman that I've always wanted to be – the woman that I _needed_ to be – in so many ways." Her eyes flickered downwards in reflection. "I don't know what I did to deserve you… but I love you. And I'm so, so _thankful_ that we met."

Daniel let out a great breath, narrowly realizing her vow was an expression of gratitude – the admission that his love had healed her from a lifetime of pain. Flabbergasted by the power of her words, he swiped a tear from his eye and offered a fitting reply. " _'To chance meetings'_ ," he pledged, calling back a memory she had triggered.

Emily let out a laugh, remembering it immediately. " _'To an unforgettable summer'_ ," she coined in return, with a smile. He reached over to catch a tear from her eye this time and they sighed in calm unison, allowing the officiant to see they were ready.

"By the powers vested in me by God and the state of New York," he supplemented right away. "I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss your bride."

As the crowd watched and awed at their affectionate display, Daniel and Emily met in a victorious kiss that breathed new life into them both. They clutched each other with joy and basked in the moment, committing every second to memory as they both knew it would be their stronghold for the days ahead. With hands stretched high they turned to celebrate with the audience as the announcement finally came.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to present to you Daniel and Emily Grayson!"

 **SCENE**

"I can't believe I have to let you go after this."

Emily raised her eyes at Daniel's declaration, swaying to the gentle music of their first dance while she answered him. "I know," she echoed, feeling the same. She looked around the dancefloor, at the admiring faces in a sea of white beneath the reception tent. "It's going to be hard for me too."

"Not just because it's our wedding day," Daniel continued, brewing in thought. "But everything you said, it meant a lot to me," he recalled. He captured her with a look that conveyed honor and respect. "I never knew you felt that way?"

Emily bowed her head. "It won't be long, I promise," she redirected, working doubly as hard to stay focused on the plan. She had not expected to be so incited to emotion, and her vulnerability was making her nervous. Daniel stayed quiet and merely swayed in response, and Emily rushed to offer recompense so he would not think she was retracting from him. "Hey, I've been thinking about it," she inserted. "And with Nolan and Aiden here to help – the longest we need to be apart is three months, at most."

"Well, I guess I've waited forever for this moment," he answered her concern, relieving her with a lopsided grin. "What's three more months?" He further affirmed his acceptance with a soft peck at her cheek, and Emily tucked her lips under, restraining her guilt.

When their song ended, the band cued up the bridal party to join them for the next dance. More couples began pairing around them, including Victoria begrudgingly joining Conrad while Patrick extended a hand to Charlotte. But Charlotte declined with a gesture to her belly and Patrick ended up turning to Margaux instead, who obliged in her place. Lastly, Aiden invited Amanda out and she reluctantly accepted so they could take position as Best Man and Maid of Honor, respectively.

"I see you've stopped wearing the necklace I gave you?" Aiden broke the ice first as they danced. He stared down at her neck while she uneasily took his left hand and allowed him to guide her with his right.

"Emily needed something borrowed," Amanda replied flatly, looking away.

"Borrowed?" Aiden questioned, glancing over. Indeed, Emily was donning the necklace as she rested cheek to cheek with Daniel. "Does that mean she'll be giving it back?" he asked lightheartedly.

"Well, she is about to _disappear_ ," Amanda reminded him with a scowl. She could feel Jack's eyes on her from their table at the edge of the dancefloor. "I wouldn't hold it against her if she forgets?"

"Just as long as _you_ don't forget ... what it represents," Aiden pressed.

"Maybe I just don't want to remember?" Amanda defied him.

"Oh I think you do," he argued, pulling her closer ever so slightly. "I think you're just _afraid_ of remembering." With the space between them enclosed, her breathing quickened and he rushed to keep talking. "But don't worry," he assuaged her. "That necklace represented something that's never going to change, whether you remember it or not – the way I feel about you."

On his bold admission, she finally faced him. "Aiden, please, Jack is—"

"Watching you, I noticed," he cut her off, already conscious of where Jack was sitting. "He doesn't trust you when you're with me; I can't say I blame him," he asserted.

"I _made_ my decision, Aiden—" she argued.

"You didn't have a _choice_ , Amanda," he fired back in symmetry. This time she listened more intently to his argument. "Charlotte outed you to the world; you had no other option than to return to your husband."

"Actually, I chose to do that," she inserted, daring him with fire in her eyes.

"Why didn't you let _him_ choose?" he countered, raising an eyebrow. "If you're as overcome by guilt as you claim to be, shouldn't you have waited for Jack to tell you when _he_ was ready?" His words hung in the air, inciting her to think. "Or did you think he never would?"

Amanda licked her lips pensively. "I suppose that's your way of elevating yourself over him?" she challenged. "Since you didmake the offer?"

"No, it's my way of helping you see that you can't always just take what you want when you want it," he retorted vehemently, and Amanda realized his entire speech had been driving at her for being selfish. But before she could muster a reply, Jack was abruptly beside them.

"Hey," he cut in, staring Aiden down with a sharp look. "Mind if I dance with my _wife_?"

Aiden resisted the urge to snicker at his jealousy. "Certainly," he obliged, separating from Amanda without hesitation. He left her with a final look of contempt. "She's all yours."

While the tension rose with Jack awkwardly taking Aiden's place, another transition of partners was occurring just a few feet away. Nolan stepped up to Emily and kindly begged Daniel's permission to cut in. However, theirs was a more affable separation and Daniel excused himself to gather his thoughts outside while Nolan took over.

"So," Nolan began with a devilish look. "Tell me you just saw that _intensely_ uncomfortable interchange between your fellow 'Takedites'?" When Emily nodded and looked in the general direction of where Amanda and Jack were now dancing, he went on. "One thing's for sure – there's still going to be plenty of drama in the Hamptons when you're gone."

Emily remained silent, engrossed in thought as she danced with her friend. Nolan didn't notice her quietness at first, and continued chatting aimlessly. "Not to mention after those heart wrenching _vows_ ," he emphasized, shaking his head. "You and the groom sure brought this old timer to tears… it's just a shame the bride only has a few hours to live?"

Though he was commenting in jest, the reality was continuing to bud inside Emily, finally resulting in a mild outburst. "Nolan, I don't think I can do this," she let out in a hushed whisper.

His eyes jerked to hers at once. "What – what do you mean, everything?"

She shook her head, but the thought had crossed her mind. "I can't leave without telling him about the baby," she resolved for the moment.

"But I thought telling him meant – you couldn't _leave_?" Nolan reversed in disbelief.

Emily's eyes were moving a mile a minute, shifting back and forth in acceptance of something she realized she had already decided. "Then I can't," she finally breathed, shocking Nolan to his core.

He stared at her in surprise, not sure whether to keep on dancing, or sound a figurative alarm to the rest of the revengers. "Emily, what are you going to do—" he barely got out, when she broke away and left him on the floor, alone and baffled.

 **SCENE**

Patrick watched Emily leave with interest, and observed as a moment later Amanda and her husband also evacuated the dance floor, reducing it to just a few couples remaining. "Looks like the bridal party is turning their dancing shoes in early," he quipped to his partner with a smile. "I guess I'm fortunate you volunteered to step in, Ms. LeMarchal?"

"Not at all, I'm flattered you asked," she drawled back with a flirty grin. "And please, call me Margaux."

"Very well, _Margaux_ ," Patrick agreed, enjoying the sound of her thick accent as it rolled off her tongue. "I suppose I shouldn't hold it against Charlotte," he reasoned, noting his sister had just got up, likely to answer another frequent call of nature from being pregnant. "At least she has a decent reason?"

"And in spite of it, she still plans to get on a boat ride," Margaux chuckled back, shaking her head. "Sailing to Nantucket is risky for her, if you ask me."

"Charlotte can be pretty determined," Patrick sighed in recollection, feeling comfortable enough to divulge a little. "She even kicked me out of town once." When Margaux wrinkled her nose in surprise, he added, "It's kind of a long story – family things."

Margaux gave a slow nod in return, instantly finding common ground with her tall companion. "Ah, I understand. Family bonds can make you do things you never expected," she related, thinking back. "My father, Pascal and I have had a strained relationship as far back as I can remember. But if something ever happened to him – I would be there in a heartbeat."

Patrick looked towards Victoria a few feet away from them. "I feel that way about my mother," he sympathized easily. "I suppose there's a special bond between mothers and sons, just like there is between fathers and daughters?"

"A recurring theme, I'm finding," Margaux agreed in thought, and continued to answer the look of intrigue Patrick gave her. "I've been doing a lot of research on Amanda Clarke lately, for _Voulez_ ," she explained, impelling him to look in her direction. "She loved her father very much, despite the fact he was convicted as a terrorist."

Patrick followed her gaze, using it to segue way into his own theories. "Right; Daniel told me her story somehow involves Conrad," he probed in a low whisper. "Sounded like you were on the same trail when you had words with my mother earlier?"

Margaux held her tongue at the mention of Conrad, and averted her attention to where he had just excused himself from dancing with Victoria. Before she could leave, Aiden stepped up in his place and offered his hand. Victoria appeared unenthused, but as Patrick was still occupied, she relented and allowed Aiden to finish the dance.

"Yes," Margaux finally responded, more comfortable now that Conrad was gone. But she remained discreet. "Though I can't discuss the details – let's just say I'm not sure which direction the story will be going, for the moment."

"I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of it," Patrick recoiled, shifting topic. He tried again to make light conversation. "You sure picked a convenient time to start a magazine in the Hamptons – first the wedding of the century then the return of Amanda Clarke? You'll be selling off the shelves."

"And I have Emily to thank for all of it," Margaux reflected.

Again, Patrick's interest was piqued. "What do you mean?"

Margaux licked her lips. "Well, let's just say at one time I thought she and Victoria were determined to send me packing," she divulged, and Patrick craned to look over at his mother. She was rigid as a board, while Aiden seemed mildly aware that they were being watched. Patrick turned back to finish listening. "But, it ended up creating an even more lucrative opportunity to stay," Margaux continued. "An investor became very interested and gave me just the deal I needed to get _Voulez_ started."

Patrick stewed in thought. "Emily didn't make out too bad either," he pointed out. "I mean, she gets a wedding exclusive in one issue, and her best friend gets the cover story in the next. Maybe she _wanted_ you to stay all along?"

"Hm," Margaux debated, seeing it with fresh perspective. "I never thought about it that way?"

"Trust me, I know firsthand," Patrick insisted ominously, just as the song came to an end. "If Emily wants something – she'll find a way to get it." The music stopped and they separated to clap briefly.

"Well, thank you Patrick," Margaux apprised him for the dance, ready to return to oversight of the photography. "And I must say you portray Emily as very powerful," she summed up in departure. "What a perfect addition to the Grayson family, no?"

Patrick gave a tight grin to her coy response, but his thoughts continued to churn as she left, certain that he was closing in on a master of manipulation in Emily. With determination, he looked once again for his mother, who was finally free to speak with him. He slipped over to pull her aside to the edge of the dance floor, while Aiden watched them go with a cautious eye.

 **SCENE**

"I'm sorry, Amanda – but this is how it has to be. I'll be outside."

Emily found herself interrupting the tail end of a conversation between Jack and Amanda when she emerged from the reception area towards the tent entrance. Jack was leaving the premises, with Amanda hanging back behind. "What was that all about?" she asked, coming up beside her.

Amanda flinched and lowered her voice to answer. "Jack doesn't want me to be a part of tonight," she explained regretfully, her expression conveying indecision. "He thinks it's dangerous for me to be on the boat, and frankly I don't think he trusts me around Aiden. Emily, I'm sorry," she began pleading right away. "I know you need my help, but I can't ruin what we have again – this is my last chance. I have to be with Jack tonight."

Always on damage control, Emily immediately calmed her with a gesture. "No please, I understand," she insisted, heartily nodding. "Just _go_ ," she begged her. "I'll figure something out."

Amanda thanked her with sincere appreciation in her eyes that just happened to catch sight of Aiden coming out of the reception area. Using that as her cue, she turned immediately to follow after Jack; already catching up to him by the time Aiden had reached Emily's side.

"I take it she's off, then?" he assumed, watching Amanda go. One look at Emily answered his question and he proceeded with the next. "Right; well we better come up with a new plan then to distract your adversary."

"We don't need one," Emily turned to face him brazenly. "I just came out here to find Daniel; I'm calling it off."

Aiden's eyes doubled in size. "You're not serious?" he gaped, inches from her face. "Emily, that's _out of the question!_ "

She jerked away. "Aiden, you don't understand—" she began.

"No, I don't think _you_ understand!" he forced in a hushed whisper, getting even closer. "Patrick has something on you," he declared, and Emily snapped back in alarm. "Yes, that's right I overheard him probing Margaux for information."

"On _what_?" Emily challenged.

"Amanda, David, your collusion with Victoria for _Voulez,_ " he elaborated, and each one struck fear into the other. "What does it matter – he's circling the truth, and when I left just now he was cheek to cheek with Mommy Dearest. You need to take them down before he eventually finds what he's looking for, and you know it," he reminded her sternly. "This _has_ to happen tonight."

With grim acceptance of the reality, Emily stared down at the floor and then back up at Aiden as she felt her focus returning. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. There was too much invested already and with a risk hanging over them, it could ruin everything if she didn't act now. She was still facing off in realization when Daniel came walking back into the tent with Charlotte on his arm.

"Hey," Daniel greeted them, sensing the palpable tension immediately. He glanced from Emily to Aiden and back again. "Is uh, everything alright?"

Aiden stepped back a smidge, giving Emily room. "Of course," he replied, turning to the other. "Isn't it, Emily?"

Emily slipped a dirty look at him but was able to soften her expression for Charlotte's benefit. "Yes, of course," she put on a sweet voice. "Aiden and I were just looking for you," she replied to Daniel. "It's time to cut the cake."

Charlotte chuckled. "That's funny; we came to tell you the same thing?"

Emily shrugged up her shoulders with another forced smile, taking Daniel's other arm. "Well, then. Let's go cut the cake!"

 **SCENE**

Delightful sighs rang through the crowd as Emily and Daniel fed each other wedding cake, followed by applause and the flash of cameras when they kissed afterwards. Nearby, Charlotte fawned in admiration, while Conrad did the same. Aiden even afforded a few happy looks while he maintained a watchful stance beside Nolan, who had been debriefed that the plan was back in motion. But while the majority of the guests found Daniel and Emily's affections adorable, Victoria stood at the outer rim of the assembly and rolled her eyes in disgust, whispering privately to Patrick.

"I can't tell you how relieved I'll be when this day is over," she complained, sipping at the drink in her hand. "My presence was clearly unnecessary – Daniel hasn't uttered a word to me. And I don't know if I have the stomach for any more of _this_ ," she gestured, as the couple took yet another photo.

Patrick nodded in understanding. "I can imagine sharing the floor with Conrad was enough to make you nauseated?"

"Ugh, he repulses me," Victoria concurred, presuming her husband was off to flirt with Margaux as she watched him disappear in that direction. "And worse even, was Aiden Mathis taking his place," she vexed, shaking her head. "How Daniel could make that traitor his Best Man is beyond me."

"You sure you're not just sour you couldn't spend the whole night on my arm?" Patrick kidded playfully, able to make his mother smile at last.

"Admittedly, yes," she confirmed, squeezing his arm. "You know how much I enjoy your company – though you seemed rather smitten with Margaux? Anything you care to share from your conversation?" she pried.

"As a matter of fact, yes," he divulged, drawing her attention. However, he remained conscious of their surroundings, including Emily and Daniel just a few feet away. "But it's best if we talk in private," he recommended. "Tonight – on the boat?"

"Of course," Victoria obliged, smarmily facing the center of the circle again. "That'll give me something to look forward to on this dreaded eve."

 **SCENE**

"Ah, you've decided to accompany the family on our trip, Ms. LeMarchal?"

Margaux barely gave Conrad a sidelong glance as she helped her assistant set up the main room aboard the yacht, directing her to the best locations for photos. "Just doing my job, Conrad," she deflected him neatly, studying a few of the negatives from the ceremony.

"Yes, and with such dedication for an _editor_ ," Conrad grumbled, snacking on a piece of fruit from the refreshment spread. "I suppose you were just doing your job when you took the floor with Patrick earlier?" he observed, keen to her wiles. "You looked deep in conversation – any topics of interest?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Margaux ended their repartee with a smile and stepped away.

Her departure made room for Daniel to escort Charlotte aboard, followed by Victoria and Patrick. Emily was last, taking her time up the stairwell to make discreet eye contact with Aiden who was already stowed away, hidden in the hallway. With a courageous nod to him, she lifted the hem of her dress to proceed into the main room.

"Ah, the guest of honor," Conrad greeted her with a kiss on her cheek while she winced unnoticeably. "You looked marvelous today, my dear. Won't the rest of the bridal party be joining us?"

"Aiden decided to sit this one out, but he sent a gift for the voyage," she explained as rehearsed, verifying the wine crate was right where it was supposed to be.

"What a gentleman. But a shame he couldn't make it," Conrad digressed with a glare at his wife. "I know how much his presence would have greatly entertained _Victoria_."

While Victoria seethed, Emily bypassed it and took a breath for her next announcement. "And Amanda chose to spend the evening with her family, of course," she continued, noting the concern that spread on Daniel's face.

"Oh, what a shame for _you_ Conrad," Victoria sneered in fair reply. "I know just how much you were looking forward to her company." He gave her a sharp look back, and Margaux perked up with interest but continued about her business.

Emily allowed their interchange to take center stage and excused herself to the refreshment table to ready for her speech. Knowing it was time, Daniel came up beside her with a hint of worry. "Hey, you ok?" he asked.

"Fine," she assured seamlessly, expecting he was surprised by Amanda's absence. "We're still on track. I've got it under control."

He echoed her confidence with a caress on her shoulder and then returned to position at the back of the room. Adjusting to her new plan for distraction, Emily surveyed the table and reached for a bottle that was apparently there for Charlotte's benefit. She was almost finished pouring a glass when a voice snuck up behind her.

"Hey sis – that's _mine_ ," Charlotte tapped her with a smirk. "See," she pointed to the label. "Non-alcoholic; basically just cider," she chuckled. She reached over to an already full glass of real champagne on the table and passed it over to exchange. "Here's the one you want."

"Oh, goodness," Emily pretended to catch on and ruefully handed over her glass. She tried not to let it concern her too much as she didn't plan on drinking it anyway. "Sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention."

Charlotte merely shrugged to say it was no problem and Emily let her go, readying for her big moment. With another affirmative nod at Daniel she took her place at the front of the room and addressed the family. "Can I get everyone's attention, please?" she clanked her glass to raise a toast. "I know that many of you thought a family honeymoon was odd, to say the least. But I want this marriage to be about _family_."

Daniel clenched his jaw as she paused on that word, aware of the hidden meaning. He stayed close by Patrick as Emily finished.

"On that note, I put together a video of some of our Grayson celebrations over the past couple of years. I wanted to screen it for you all now," she stepped aside to let the projection play while Margaux dimmed the lights in the cabin. "To ties that bind," she finished, raising her glass as the others did the same. "Cheers – to family."

"To family," the rest cheered in unison. But rather than drink, Emily took a step forward and intentionally misplaced her footing so that she tripped and her glass emptied right in Victoria's lap.

"Oh-my-gosh, I'm _so sorry!_ " Emily apologized at once, playing up her reaction to appear sincere.

Victoria thinly veiled her irritation, standing up. "It's alright, I'll take care of it in the stateroom," she deflected with a glare, and stormed off. Patrick stared after her but Daniel nudged him with a hand, insisting she would be alright.

With the first step in motion, Emily plastered a contrite look on her face as the others continued watching the projection and set her empty glass down, then slipped past Daniel to head towards the deck. Ensuring no one was watching, she made her way to the upper balcony, where Aiden was waiting for her.

"Everything set?" he verified.

Emily nodded. "Victoria just went downstairs. You should have plenty of time to lock her in." She paused to catch her breath, amazed at how quickly everything was moving.

"Good," Aiden confirmed, pointing to two items – the capsule with Emily's blood and then the murder weapon. Both were set onto a pile of towels for Emily to use. "Give it a few minutes to be safe and then fire," he instructed her. Seeing there was nothing else left to do, he merely raised his eyes to her in farewell. "Best wishes, Mrs. Grayson – it's been a pleasure."

Emily absorbed it with a sigh, beginning to feel overwhelmed with all the emotional goodbyes in one day. But when she looked up again, she realized his was different – Aiden was wearing a proud grin and holding out another glass of champagne. "To celebrate," he added.

"Oh, ah, Aiden I can't—" she begged off, but he put a finger to his lips.

"Don't worry, it's from Charlotte's bottle," he assured her and Emily looked at him in shock, wondering how he could possibly know her secret. "I overheard you and Nolan talking," he finally revealed slyly. "Congratulations."

Emily could barely contain her amazement at how many of her close friends were now informed of her pregnancy and wondered was she completely losing her ability to be inconspicuous. But rather than dwell on it, a detail came to mind, something she had meant to attend to sooner. "Aiden," she called him back with a note of urgency in her eyes. "While I'm gone – I need you to do something for me."

 **SCENE**

"She's taking a long time down there maybe I should go help her?" Patrick suggested.

Daniel reached over to calm him, clapping him on the back. "Ah, I'm sure she'll be fine," he assured, diverting his attention to a photo that came up. "Hey, look at that," he pointed to a photo from his birthday clambake on the beach. Charlotte was in the picture and Daniel tried to get her attention. "Char, remember how crazy that night was?"

When she didn't respond, Daniel and Patrick looked to see she was doubled forward with her hand at her stomach, trying to lift herself off of the couch. "Charlotte?" Daniel repeated, and rushed over, while Patrick followed.

"Oh my god," she sighed, unable to get up. She glanced back at her seat where there was now a large wet spot. "Danny, I think my water just broke!" she exclaimed.

The next moments were mayhem as everyone began to clamor around her, while Daniel stayed at her side. Yet the distraction could not have come at a worse time. "I'll get Victoria," Patrick volunteered, and this time Daniel could not stop him. He was trapped beside Charlotte while she squeezed his arm through the first contraction.

"Oh no, this _hurts_ ," she gasped as it struck her without warning. "Arrrrggghhh!"

"Dear God," Conrad paled beside her and thought quickly. "I'll get the captain – tell him we need to turn the boat around." In an instant he was gone, leaving just Margaux with the other two.

"Hold on, Char," Daniel urged her, trying to think quickly. "Just hold on," he guided her through it, with a wave of déjà vu. "Margaux, can you stay here with her while I get Emily?" he begged in a panic.

"Of course," Margaux came to his rescue without question and took his place, caressing Charlotte's forehead as she began to perspire. "Your brother's gone to get help," she whispered. "Everything's going to be alright."

Breaking away, Daniel dashed into the hall to try to catch up with Patrick, but he was already below deck. Instead, he nearly ran into Aiden in hiding in the hallway. "What the hell is going on?" Aiden hissed, clearly interrupted from barring Victoria in.

"They're turning the boat around," Daniel explained under his breath, inches from him. "My sister just went into labor!"

"But everything's already in position?" Aiden insisted frantically.

"Well, we have to figure out something else!" Daniel stammered. "Patrick went downstairs to get my mother; he's going to ruin everything—" he was cut short as Aiden's sharp senses picked up on a noise and he seized him by the arm, pulling him back.

"Wait—" Aiden hushed him, and they stayed carefully out of sight as Patrick emerged from below and rushed back up the steps into the front cabin. They listened close and were faintly able to make out his response.

"She's coming right up," he promised Charlotte, amidst her screams of discomfort.

"Now's our chance," Aiden whispered back to Daniel, letting him go. "Get to Emily now and tell her to wait before she fires, I'll stall your mother downstairs." With Daniel's nod of confirmation at their adjusted plan, he checked to make sure the coast was clear and then darted downstairs while Daniel took off in the other direction to the upper deck.

 **SCENE**

Emily cast a pensive gaze out over the sea, her illustrious mind an ever moving cluster of thoughts much like the rolling waves below. The sun was setting on the horizon, and from it she drew peace, imagining the hopeful destiny that awaited her. She stepped forward to rest on the railing at the stern of the yacht, aptly decked in her wedding gown while her veil lay discarded at her feet. The delicate fabric blowing in the wind brought a smile to her face, imagining the soft reprimand she would get from Charlotte for treating it so loosely. But much like her, the veil was about to become just another remnant of the life she planned to leave behind.

Mourning the reality, Emily sighed and took a sip from the crystal flute in her hand, draining nearly all of the champagne just as she heard a resounding footstep behind her… and turned around to see Daniel running in her direction.

"Daniel, what are you doing out here?" she gaped, glancing over at the gun resting on the chair where she was just about to grab it. "It's almost time; you have to stay inside—!"

"Charlotte's water broke," he interrupted her in one breath, and Emily's heart sank with realization. He stopped barely a few inches from where she stood. "She's in labor, right now – we're turning back."

" _What?!"_ Emily erupted, and shuddered as she felt the yacht lurch in confirmation from the captain changing course.

"Aiden thinks we can still stick with the plan," Daniel assured her, steadying himself on the railing for balance. "He sent me to tell you to wait a few minutes."

Emily looked around frantically, overwhelmed. "No, it's too dangerous—" she began.

"Em, it'll be alright," Daniel tried to calm her, cupping her face as he prepared to break away. "I just need to get back over there so I'm seen, ok?"

"No, Daniel, _wait!_ " she insisted, tugging at his arm before he could go. He stared into her eyes, reading that her concerns went beyond the sudden change. "That's it," she finally breathed. "I can't ignore the signs anymore, I'm not doing this!"

"Emily, what are you talking about—" he began but she was trudging on.

"Not just because of Charlotte," she confessed, panting nervously. "There's something else."

"Alright, Emily you're scaring me," Daniel replied, enthralled at her attention. "What is it? What's going on?"

With her head hung low, she forced her eyes to meet his in fear of the unknown and finally unveiled the truth.

"Daniel, I'm pregnant."

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte? I'm coming dear!"

Victoria's worried cry was barely out of her mouth when Aiden slipped up from behind and caught her halfway up the stairwell, covering her face with a cloth drenched in chloroform. She struggled for barely a second before the chemical made its way into her lungs and rendered her unconscious and limp in his arms. Aiden dragged her backwards into her stateroom, tossing her onto the bed before deftly slipping out to secure the door shut behind him.

Meanwhile, the others remained at Charlotte's side in the front cabin. Margaux tried to keep her steady, squeezing her hand while she endured the pain. "We'll be there soon," she assured her. "Don't worry, we'll be there soon." Charlotte leaned back to catch her breath and Margaux looked over at Patrick. "I knew this wasn't a good idea for her."

He nodded and Conrad joined them a minute later with an update from the cockpit. "We're back on course for the Hamptons," he informed, reaching over to touch Charlotte's head. "You're going to be alright, honey—"

"Get away from me!" Charlotte suddenly belted, and Conrad retracted. "It's _your_ fault his father's not here!" she cried, her face reddening as she stroked her stomach protectively.

"What is she talking about?" Margaux asked, while Conrad feigned ignorance.

"I'm sure she's just delirious," he dodged, stepping away to console his nerves with hard liquor instead.

Margaux glared at him but continued soothing Charlotte. "Just relax, darling. Breathe, breathe…" As Charlotte grew weak, she looked around for something to support her head. "Is there anything I can put under her neck?"

Patrick immediately stood to remove his jacket and rolled it up into a mound. "Here," he handed over to Margaux. "Try this for now."

"Thank you," Margaux tucked it under her, while Charlotte continued to squirm uncomfortably, muttering another dry comment in Patrick's direction. "She's just irritable," Margaux chimed in, hoping he wasn't offended. "She'll be more at ease with her mother, or Daniel."

"Where _is_ Daniel?" Patrick looked around, growing concerned.

"He went to get Emily," Margaux replied without looking up.

Conrad was last to call out the final absentee. "And _where_ is Victoria?"

 **SCENE**

"You're serious?" was all Daniel could say as he peered into Emily's eyes; though the fear that lingered in them already told him she was.

"I wanted to tell you," she promised, and he quickly realized she had been hiding it for some time. "But, I didn't think you'd let me leave if you knew," she confessed as the guilt overran her, causing her heart to pound furiously. "And after yesterday… I was worried you would think your mother was right."

Daniel forced himself to replay the day before, which felt like an eternity away. But at last the memories came to mind – the story his mother had hatched only to have him unknowingly thrash it to pieces as false. _Could this be – was it actually true?_

"We're going to have a baby," Emily answered, as if reading his mind. " _Our_ baby," she emphasized, dispelling any concern that it wasn't his. Again she looked at him for a reaction but he was merely stunned. "We can't go through with framing your mother, tonight," she impressed further, taking his hands into hers. "We have to figure out something else – I can't leave you! Not now, not like this."

Daniel was silent and Emily could barely stand the stillness of his refusal to speak, finally bowing her head in penitence and closing her eyes. "Please, Daniel," she whispered. "Say _something_." Seconds passed that felt like hours, until finally Emily heard a reply.

"You're a liar."

She snatched her eyes open and lifted her head in guilt, but soon realized it had not been Daniel's voice that she had heard. Like her, Daniel was now turned facing the deck where barely ten feet away stood the source of the comment.

" _Patrick_ ," Emily gasped, and felt Daniel edge ever so slightly to block her.

"Hey," Daniel called out to him in explanation. "I uh, I just came out here to tell Emily about Charlotte—"

"Well, I guess you should," Patrick asserted in dry irony. "Since she's _her_ sister, too?"

At that, Daniel and Emily braced themselves, knowing the plot had been foiled. Daniel reached back to clutch at Emily's hand while she remained rigid as stone, staring Patrick down like a wildcat ready to pounce.

"I heard everything," Patrick started in, taking a step with every word he spoke. "All this time you've been planning this? You used me, that's why you asked me to be in the wedding?!" He shook his head in comprehension and absentmindedly reached for the photo that was in his jacket, which he realized was now bundled under Charlotte's head in the front cabin.

"Come on, Patrick you've got it all wrong—" Daniel attempted, but Patrick trudged forward.

"I always wondered what it was about her," he addressed Emily, deciphering her plan. "Why you were _so_ intent on making my mother's life miserable? I thought it was your friendship with Amanda that made you target her – until I figured it out. _Amanda_ is YOU!"

Emily tightened her jaw in expectation, keeping her eyes fixed on Patrick as he got closer and closer, until he was level with the gun on the chair. She followed his gaze, already guessing what he was up to, but he got there too fast.

"You were going to frame Victoria?" he exploded, lunging to pick up the gun just as Daniel reached for it at the same time. But Patrick was quicker and Daniel froze, watching him while he used his body to shield Emily.

"Patrick, you don't want to do this—" Daniel tried to negotiate. He only needed to hold him off a moment longer.

"Let's see who you try to pin _this_ on—" Patrick retorted, clenching the trigger just as an arm suddenly appeared from behind him, and he was overcome by Aiden with a chloroform rag in hand.

"Daniel, get the gun!" Aiden shouted, but this takedown was not as easy as Victoria's. Patrick fought him off with quick reflexes, throwing an elbow in Aiden's throat that sent him flying back, just as Daniel rushed him from the front.

"No, wait!" Emily yelled out, lunging forward as she watched them collapse onto the deck.

"Emily, stay back!" Daniel called back to her, but the distraction was just enough time for Patrick to punch him in the stomach and whip him with the barrel of the gun. With Daniel incapacitated for a mere second too long, Patrick reeled upward with the weapon still in hand and stared straight ahead.

Emily retraced her steps and reached out gingerly, barely uttering a merciful plea. "I'm sorry—"

No sooner had the words come out of her mouth when she felt the impact of two gunshots piercing through her abdomen, knocking her from where she stood. She looked down in agonizing shock, barely able to clutch at the bloodied entry of the bullets before her breath caught in her throat. She managed one last gaze upwards to memorize the face of her assailant before finally tumbling backwards over the stern and plunging fearfully into the ocean depths below.

At the gunshot's release, Daniel overcame Patrick once more, nailing him with a punch across the jaw. He mounted him with another crack against his chin and Patrick finally fell back, the force sending the gun clattering across the deck. Daniel turned back fearfully and staggered to his feet, his heart sinking to his stomach. He ran over to the railing and stared out into the ocean, fearfully catching a glimpse of Emily floating in her bloodstained gown.

"NO!" he let out a bloodcurdling cry, as the boat plundered away. He was about to dive after her when he felt the blow of someone rushing him from behind. He twisted around and Patrick had him by the neck, squeezing with all his might.

"Here's to family! Isn't that right?!" Patrick taunted as Daniel squirmed for air. "To ties that bind!" he threatened in his face as he choked out Daniel's final breath, tighter and tighter—

-Until suddenly he jolted loose. Daniel heaved oxygen back into his lungs, realizing Patrick's grip had released from the impact of a gunshot to the head. Patrick stared back blankly before finally tumbling forward, first onto the railing and then finally overboard, down into the watery deep. Narrowly escaping death himself, Daniel stared back over to the deck where Aiden stood behind the smoking barrel, clutching at his injuries but still managing to fire the perfect shot.

The moment of rescue was fleeting as Daniel recognized the boat was only drifting further away, striking a blinding pain through his heart with every second that passed. He pulled himself up to look over the side in desperation, calling out with hope and praying that she had somehow survived.

"EMILY!"

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Whew! Guys I need a moment…. Can I just say that writing this chapter was one of the HARDEST things I've ever had to do! Ugh, I literally had to force myself to finish, it was so exhausting! But there you have it – the reveal is finally here. Was it who you expected? I did my best to keep things ambiguous, although I wanted it to make logical sense and tie into all the plot points that have been planted, honestly since S2. There's a lot more that went on in this chapter besides Demily tying the knot and the big pregnancy reveal, so please stay tuned for much more to come! I'm sure you know by now that Emily is going to survive… but did Patrick? Will the baby? Is the plan ruined? Answers ARE coming! In the meantime I hope you enjoyed the mix of tender moments, suspense, and culmination – and stay tuned for the aftermath of "Homecoming" which I hope to complete in the next few weeks, by this story's 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Can you believe it? I only have YOU all to thank of course! So please accept my humble words of gratitude, I can't thank you enough for your support and I'm honestly DYING to hear all your reactions! Please take some time to review if you can and know how much I love you all! ~~ Many Many Hugs & Kisses!~~ Love and Revenge~~ MothToANewFlame**


	31. Chapter 31: Homecoming

**A/N: Hello again, faithful readers! I apologize for the delay in getting this installment up but a lot of loose ends needed to be tied and I wanted to allow for the perfect reveal. So without further ado… ENJOY!**

 **Chapter 31: Homecoming**

"EMILY!"

Daniel's voice thundered in his ears as his body went numb, desperately hoping that Emily had survived. Staring over the railing was doing him no good, so he instantly broke into a stride back towards the cabin, stopped only by Aiden who reached out brusquely to catch his sleeve.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Getting them to turn the ship around, we have to go back for her!" Daniel belted, shaking out of his jacket in order to rip himself away.

" _Wait!"_ Aiden enforced his grasp.

" _Let go!_ " Daniel insisted, but Aiden leaned in sharply.

"Daniel, people are going to be coming through that door in seconds," he whispered in a rush, mere inches from Daniel's face. "You have to stay _here_ and stick to the plan!" he commanded him.

"Forget the plan, she could be _dying_!" he yelled back, his voice cracking as he recalled the painstaking reality. He tried to shield himself from the pain and implication of what it meant, especially on the heels of Emily's revelation but he could not escape it, could not avoid the fear that all was lost. "He shot her twice in the stomach, I saw it—" he gasped.

"You didn't see a thing, do you understand?" Aiden cut him off, holding up Daniel's jacket in his hand. Daniel glanced down, seeing that the lapel was stained with Patrick's blood. As he watched, Aiden cast the jacket into the sea and then began purging the scene. He grabbed the gun and the capsule of Emily's blood still hidden under the towels and stashed them in his bag, and then pulled from it some kind of tracking device. "You heard the gunshots and you came outside and this is all you saw—" he instructed him, gesturing to the deck. "And as far as they're concerned, I was never here."

Daniel squinted as he tried to follow Aiden's quick thinking, slowly catching up. "You're going after her?" he verified, offering it more as a plea than a statement.

Aiden read his tracker intently and aimed it at the sea, locking onto a coordinate. "Yes," he confirmed, slipping it and the bag over his shoulder as he took position at the railing. "You stay behind," he ordered him, surveying the deck. The unsightly evidence of the real life atrocity still fit their intended purpose. Emily's veil was even left as a ghastly clue, blowing in the wind where it had caught on the railing. "Follow everything we rehearsed, Daniel, _please—"_

"But Patrick is the one that shot her!" Daniel exploded, as Aiden mounted the ledge. "That's the truth?!"

"Patrick's _dead!_ " Aiden fired back, leveling a glare at him. "There's no way he survived that shot, but there _is_ a chance Emily's alive. And on the off chance Patrick knew who she was, he might have already found a way to get to your mother and then what? Even if we find Emily, she'll be exposed and it's all been for nothing!" He paused to catch his breath; conscious that the fear and confusion mounting in his throat had to pale in comparison to what Daniel was feeling. He tried to be understanding, lowering his voice to a tone of reason. "Think about what she would want Daniel," he persuaded him. "The truth won't save her and you know it."

Daniel found himself at a crossroads, glancing from Aiden to the cabin to the sea and back again. He was right, time was running out and soon he would have no other choice. "You _have_ to find her," he finally insisted, granting his consent.

"Trust me," Aiden assured him, holding up the tracker that he was eternally grateful that he still had. "I will." With that he took a dive head first into the ocean, swimming at a furious pace towards the signal. Thanks to Amanda's kindness only hours before, Aiden knew that Emily was wearing the necklace he had once crafted to track his lover, but could now use as a beacon of hope to save his friend.

Meanwhile, Daniel slowly backed away, still overcome with shock. _If you had only got to her sooner,_ his mind tortured him as the guilt crept in. _If you had only stayed in front of her,_ it continued to vex him, until he had to physically wipe the beads of sweat from his face to rid himself of the troublesome thoughts. With them came a stinging reminder of Emily's words, _We're going to have a baby,_ she had said. _I can't leave you, not like this!_ They echoed in his head over and over again, and he found himself palming her veil, lifting it from where it was tethered to the edge of the railing. His conflict only delayed him further from listening to Aiden's admonition, and before he realized he needed to get back inside the cabin, it was already too late.

"MAN OVERBOARD!" a member of the crew called out overhead, and Daniel looked up at the sound of the emergency alarm ringing. Before he could escape, his father was first out onto the deck, catching him mid-step as he rushed away from the railing.

"Daniel—" Conrad called out upon sight of him, and then allowed his sight to drift to the ghastly splatter of blood at the end of the deck. "What the hell—" he began, and with familiar acknowledgement, looked to Daniel in confirmation. "Son, are you alright?"

Shell-shocked, the words he was to say immediately flew out of Daniel's mind and he was rendered speechless, only drawing more attention to Emily's veil in his hands.

Conrad eyed it with intrigue and a darkened look came over him as he pressed for answers. "Daniel, what happened?" he asked, looking around in fear. "And where is _Emily_?"

 **SCENE**

"Welcome home, Mrs. Porter."

Amanda's eyes fluttered open to find Jack quietly watching her, running a finger along her cheek as she awoke from a peaceful sleep. She moaned in delight, fondly remembering the night they had shared – at last being together intimately in a final confirmation of forgiveness. It was their first time since she had come back and Amanda gazed back into Jack's eyes happily, conveying months of unrequited emotion in just the softness of her expression. "Good to be home," she returned, and a gentle breeze from the open window gave her bare skin a chill beneath the blanket.

"Alone at last," Jack added with a chuckle, pressing in to keep her warm.

"Mm," Amanda agreed, relishing the peaceful silence of their room above the _Stowaway_. "That was nice of Nolan to look after Carl for the night," she recalled appreciatively.

"Yeah, he's a great friend," Jack nodded wholeheartedly, reflecting. "Guess we're gonna need to look after _him_ now," he realized. "It's gonna be hard for him with Emily gone… speaking of," he trailed off and reached over for the television remote on the nightstand. "I'm sure you're dying to hear if everything went as planned?"

Amanda agreed by sitting up in bed while Jack put the news on. "Aren't you?" she echoed, grabbing for her cellphone next. She had been considerate of his feelings the entire night, not once checking for an update but promising the full undivided attention he deserved. But in the back of her mind, she felt a nagging to be certain all had went to execution in spite of her absence.

"This is Emily we're talking about. She knows what she's doing," Jack reminded her, finding the station at last. "And there you have it – mission accomplished." He turned up the sound so they both could listen.

 _"Former governor Conrad Grayson and his immediate family are being questioned by authorities at the Hamptons Coast Guard facility,"_ the anchor reported, as still shots of Conrad, Victoria and Daniel appeared onscreen. _"Now few details are known at this point, but what has been confirmed is socialite Emily Thorne has disappeared during her honeymoon cruise with publisher Daniel Grayson…"_

"She did it," Jack exhaled with a grin, impressed at how perfectly everything had unfolded. But as the report continued, something caught his attention. "That's strange; they didn't show Charlotte or Patrick just now in the clip—"

"Oh my God!" Amanda suddenly blurted, and Jack noticed she had been listening to a voice mail the entire time. She hung up and stared back at him. "That was a message from Margaux, Charlotte went into _labor_!"

"What?" Jack started, adding. "Before she got on the boat?"

"I don't know, she didn't say!" Amanda mumbled in a rush, leaping up to put her clothes on. "We have to get to the hospital – if the Graysons are being questioned, that means she's there all by herself—"

"Right," Jack obliged, snapping into action. They both took their eyes off of the television to get ready in a hurry, missing the end of the news report.

"You know it wouldn't surprise me if this whole thing with Emily was what pushed her over the edge," Jack guessed as they both rushed down the stairwell. "That's a lot of stress for her to take in all at once?"

"That may have been the one thing Emily didn't consider," Amanda supplemented with a downcast look. "I'm sure it's killing her to miss this moment."

"Hey," Jack tenderly stopped her at the doorway. "That's why Charlotte has us, right? Dec Jr is our nephew too – we've got to be there for her."

"You're right," Amanda agreed, giving her yet another reason to be thankful for him and their rekindled relationship. "More now than ever."

"Besides," Jack assured her as they walked out of the door. "I'm sure wherever Emily is, she's probably celebrating … She finally did it."

 **SCENE**

Emily gasped for breath as she swam to the lighthouse marker, using all of her remaining strength to clutch onto the side with one arm while she held the wounds at her abdomen with the other. She panted in angst, desperate to get to where the emergency pack was stored. But her energy was quickly evading as the wounds pulsed and her eyesight grew dimmer. She tried to blink away the interference but shock was setting in, and her hands were shaking. _Please,_ she thought to no one in particular, and realized she was talking to the budding life that rested in her womb. _Please hold on,_ she coached both it and her subconscious, thrashing with her arm to reach the cord, taking hold of it and beginning to pull up and up and up-

-Until finally her strength gave in and it released, thudding back down towards the sea floor. With it went all of her inertia and as an overwhelming sense of failure crept in, Emily pinched her eyes shut and prepared to meet her end. She had just let go of the marker ledge when a force was pulling her back up to the surface, accompanied by a voice. Her hearing returned and she made a fuzzy attempt at identifying. "Daniel?" she whispered.

"Emily! _Emily can you hear me?_ " he was repeating, and vaguely it became clear that it was someone else. "I've got you – you're going to be alright!"

Emily forced her eyes open and finally recognized her rescuer. "Aiden?" she breathed in confirmation, and felt him pulling her onto a floating device. "How—how did you find me?" she panted, wincing through the pain.

"Try not to talk, Emily," he urged her, making light work of lifting the emergency pack and then quickly opening it to address her wounds. He gently palmed the necklace still around her neck in explanation. "I had help."

Her eyes softened. "Remember what I told you, Aiden—" she begged.

"Please, don't," he insisted, as a concerned look spread across his face. Midway through caring for her wounds it was evident they were beyond his ability – she needed to get to a hospital. He glanced at her face again and saw she was shaking her head, as if saying goodbye. "Listen to me," he leaned in close. "If I don't get you help, you're going to die. Do you understand?"

But she was drifting away right before him, as her body allowed her to slip into the peaceful confines of unconsciousness. "Tell Daniel I'm sorry…" she whispered before going under and all Aiden could do was panic.

"Emily! _Emily, stay with me!"_ he pressed, frantically looking around for immediate assistance. And finally, as if sent by an angel, his sight fell on a small fishing vessel a short distance away…

 **SCENE**

"This is ridiculous, it shouldn't matter if I'm family or not, I'm the only person she has right now-!"

Margaux's adamant berating of hospital personnel was interrupted by the sight of two familiar faces rushing down the corridor. She halted her rant and stepped away to meet them instead. "Jack, Amanda," she greeted them. "Thank goodness you're here!"

"We got your message," Amanda represented them in a fluster. "Where's Charlotte?"

"They just took her into delivery— maybe they'll let you go in as her sister," Margaux explained, gesturing to the nurse. Amanda nodded and blew past without hesitation, while Jack hung back inquisitively.

"Guess the rest of the family couldn't make it?" he supposed, hoping to confirm the outworking of Emily's plans.

"They are being questioned by the police," Margaux explained grimly, lowering her expression to deliver the unfortunate news. "The media is keeping their conclusions mum for now, but it appears Emily was shot. I was by Charlotte's side when she went into labor in the main cabin – I didn't see anything."

Jack worked to portray intensity in his expression. "Do the police have any suspects?" he probed, hoping her next words would indict Victoria.

"I'm afraid the person of interest is outrageous," Margaux continued, but much to his alarm, her response was notably different. "The last person seen with her… was _Daniel_."

"Wait, what?" Jack stammered in a low whisper, while the other looked around suspiciously. _How could Daniel have ended up a suspect,_ he thought, wondering if perhaps some element of their timed execution had went wrong.

"Jack, I hope I can rely on your discretion," Margaux suddenly persisted, leaning in close. "I was instructed not to discuss the matter with anyone. But considering Amanda's public relationship with Emily… and what you've shared about the Grayson family, I thought you'd want to know."

While Jack absorbed her revelation with genuine fear, Margaux turned to collect her things from a nearby chair. "Wait a minute, you don't believe that, do you?" he couldn't resist verifying.

"Not for one moment," Margaux stood erect, folding a jacket over her arm. "Which is why I want to get back to the police station immediately to give my statement– and then my next stop is _Voulez_. I've known Daniel for years and I refuse to let him be marred in the press for a crime I'm certain he didn't commit."

Jack nodded slowly on her words, partially relieved that for the moment she appeared to be an ally. Before letting her depart through the exit doors, he followed up with one last question. "Ah, Margaux," he pressed. "You were there – if it wasn't Daniel, then ah, who do you think it was?"

She stood pensively, wrestling with nagging instincts. "Between you and me?" she ventured, suddenly feeling that she could trust Jack with just about anything. "One other person disappeared during the entire ordeal. I've been thinking about it and I don't believe it was a coincidence."

"Victoria?" Jack guessed hopefully.

But again, Margaux's reply surprised him. "No," she stated firmly. "Though her feud with Emily was common knowledge, something tells me it wasn't her. She's crafty, but not desperate. But I think it may have been her son – Patrick."

" _Patrick_?" Jack repeated, further suspecting something had gone wrong.

"Haven't you seen the news?" Margaux asked, and called his attention to a television monitor in the hospital waiting area. "He's also missing."

Jack followed her reference and slowly approached the television, realizing he and Amanda had to have missed the additional report in their hurry to leave the house. Anxious to find out the detail, he focused his attention with a brief farewell. "Thanks, Margaux," he concluded.

Margaux nodded respectfully and left through the sliding doors, clutching onto the jacket she had absentmindedly grabbed along with her own belongings. Looking down, she realized it was from when Charlotte's pains first began, and with alarming recognition she recalled Patrick had been the one to give it to her. Intrigued, she felt through the garment and discovered a paper in the inner pocket. Coming to a full stop mid-stride, she unfolded it and read the familiar _Voulez_ subtype across the top of a draft cover page. But even more condemning was who was in the picture that accompanied the headline – Emily Thorne.

 **SCENE**

"I heard the gunshots and ran out – and that's when I saw the blood on the deck."

Daniel took in a gristly breath before finishing his statement, watching the eyes of his questioning officer. "Emily's veil was hooked onto the railing… but um, but there was no sign of her," he finally exhaled the lie, while his heart pounded through his chest.

The officer made some notes and examined him carefully. "And no one else was out there with you?" he probed.

With a long swallow of the hard lump in his throat, Daniel shook his head. "I didn't see anyone," he answered, adding, "I just came out to find her after my sister went into labor… and she was gone."

"What about your half-brother, Patrick Osbourne?" the next question rattled him. "He's also been reported missing. Did you see him at any time when you left the main cabin?"

Daniel's eyes remained empty as he delivered a reply. "No." He plowed through his discomfort, shifting tone in favor of his real concerns. "Please tell me we're done here, I'm still waiting for word on my wife?"

"We're using all the resources at our disposal," the officer assured him. "I'm sorry, it's just important that we establish your whereabouts at the time of the shooting—"

"He already told you, he was in the main room with his family," Conrad interrupted, coming over to Daniel's side. "And as former governor of this state, I am _certain_ there is more that can be done to find my son's bride, so would you please see to that?" he instructed with a cavalier attitude. "This young man deserves a moment alone."

Immediately the officer sympathized and complied with a nod. At his departure, Conrad slithered into the seat across from Daniel. "We're gonna find her son," he swore, noticing Daniel's restlessness in his presence. "I just spoke to your mother and while I don't want to alarm you, I feel incumbent to share what she told me. She said Emily gave Patrick a large sum to come to the Hamptons the first time. Were you aware of their hidden relationship?"

Daniel scoffed at his father's raised brow, already suspecting what he was hinting at. "It was a business transaction at best. Emily was trying to pacify Mom after she opposed us getting married– and she _told_ her that, publicly. The only person Patrick had a hidden relationship with was Charlotte," he corrected him bluntly, to a surprised look in return. "Yeah, last year he _seduced_ her in an attempt to get close to Mom – but I bet she left that part out?"

"Well," Conrad exhaled with a grumble, clasping his hands as he leaned forward on the table. "That's reason enough to kill him," he whispered.

"I didn't _kill_ Patrick," Daniel asserted sharply. "And I didn't _shoot_ my wife if that's what you were implying," he added.

Conrad calmed him down with a wave. "No, no, I'm merely reminding you that two people are missing and currently _you_ are the only person who the police believe might know anything about it, a fact which should encourage you to tread carefully given your unfortunate track record." He watched his son glower at the unfair reference but put on an unassuming expression. "But if that's your story and you're sticking to it…?"

Daniel took his eyes away from him in disgust, and allowed them to drift over to his mother nearby. He could not be certain which of the two repulsed him more in that moment, and he realized their coincidental innocence in the whole ordeal was abhorrently annoying. Of course that in itself was not a diversion from the plan, but knowing that Patrick had no difficulty committing the crime he had planned to frame his mother for gave him a measure of validation. As he listened, Victoria's statement was ripe with the same amount of deceit he would have expected had she actually been guilty…

"… What you're asking is preposterous," she chided her investigating officer. "For the hundredth time, the last thing I remember is Patrick telling me that Charlotte was in labor. But I am _not_ the shooter!"

"No one said you _were_ , Mrs. Grayson," the detective reminded her. "But you can understand our trouble establishing your alibi when your son also is missing?"

Victoria scowled. "A fact you should be investigating instead of wasting time here with me!" she scolded back, just as Conrad made his way over to intervene at the sound of her shrill tone.

"Come now, Victoria," Conrad attempting to cajole her. "I'm sure the police are doing their best; thank you for your diligence, Detective," he verified dismissively.

"We'll give you some time," the detective backed off temporarily. "But just so you know, this investigation will go a lot smoother with your family's full cooperation," he tacked on.

"Which you will undoubtedly have," Conrad put on a pretense, waiting until the detective finally walked away to turn back to Victoria. "Tread carefully, my dear," he warned her, resting his hands on her shoulders. "The questions being asked may sound suspiciously leading to you, but it's their barrage of _Daniel_ that worries me the most."

Victoria gazed over at her son a few feet away. "They can't be serious," she reacted in surprise. "How is he taking it?"

"Surprisingly well," Conrad answered uneasily. "Though he does seem a bit unnerved, I think right now his sole focus is just finding Emily." When Victoria sucked her teeth in recourse, he furrowed his brow. "Should it be something else?"

"Disappeared or not, that girl has done nothing but wreak havoc on Daniel's life," she defended in a low whisper. "Tell me you're not getting the slightest sense of déjà vu from the night of their first engagement party?" she reminded him, clutching at her waist in worry.

Conrad conceded with a thought. "Now that you mention it, there is a familiarity. Right down to the money-grubbing _leech_ that reappeared just as it all went down," he hinted, defining. "Your son's ill-timed return makes a fine replacement for Tyler."

She seethed with anger. "I should have known you wouldn't waste time throwing that in my face! I told you about Patrick's payoff because of the connection to Emily," she hissed. "And I'm almost certain her disappearance has something to do with his."

"Yes, well might I remind you that it was _Emily's_ blood discovered on the deck," Conrad grunted back. "Not Patrick's. _She_ is the sole victim the police are investigating – so even if your son isn't a casualty, at the very least he'll be another suspect if he reappears. So which would you have the police go after – him," he paused to look back meaningfully. "Or Daniel?"

Victoria followed Conrad's regard over to her son, realizing she was faced with quite the ultimatum of whom to believe. At a time like this it almost didn't matter what had really happened, only that both her male children were likely involved, and possibly would be implicated in a short period of time. The thought of Emily as the only unifier nauseated her, so when a police officer approached Daniel and she saw him leap to his feet anxiously, she imagined the same factor had been the cause.

"Mr. Grayson," she overheard the officer say. "They just reported your wife was admitted into Emergency at Suffolk Memorial – you're free to go."

 **SCENE**

"Not such a bad uncle after all."

Nolan prided himself at his first babysitting attempt despite it being the wee hours of the morning before little Carl finally went to sleep. He rose from where he had dozed off on the floor beside his small bed and tiptoed quietly out of the room, securing the door shut with a smile. Yawning as he aimed to catch up on shuteye in his own bedroom, his walk down the hallway was suddenly interrupted by a loud voice on the patio.

"NOLAN!" Aiden was belting at the top of his lungs, pounding on the glass doors.

"Hey!" Nolan replied in a shrill whisper, rushing over. "Shh! Carl's asleep-" he hushed, letting him in.

"There's been an accident, Emily was shot!" Aiden ignored him, barging through.

" _WHAT?!_ " Nolan quickly forgot his concern for volume and followed him into the other room. "What _happened_?!"

"The plan went off track," Aiden stammered, clutching at the bruise on his neck as he tried to summarize the catastrophe. "Patrick cornered her and Daniel about her identity – we tried to contain him but he got hold of the weapon we planted for Victoria—" he had to stop himself mid-sentence to collect his thoughts amidst his anxiety. "I got her to Suffolk Memorial but… Nolan, I don't know if she's going to make it."

Nolan's hands immediately were at his mouth, crushed by the news. He paled in shock, and then began looking around. "We—we've got to get to the _hospital_ ," he barely got out, choking on his breath.

"Hold on that's why I came here first, we have to wait—" Aiden inserted, while Nolan was already halfway to the door.

"Wait?!" Nolan was beside himself, looking at him incredulously. He pinched the bridge of his nose, explaining what he assumed Aiden still didn't know. "You don't understand, Emily's _pregnant—_ "

"I do understand, as a matter of fact!" Aiden interrupted, surprising him. He caught up with Nolan at the doorway to impress his foreknowledge. "I overheard you both talking yesterday, and she confirmed it on the boat, just before…" he trailed off and again Nolan suppressed tears that were struggling to get through. Aiden noticed and pushed to hold it together, though they both knew what it quite possibly meant in the wake of Emily's injury. "Nolan, she also told me something else," he began.

He was cut short by another rapping at the door just beside them and Nolan opened it to let Jack in. " _Jack,_ have you heard—"

"I just came from the hospital," Jack cut him off anxiously. "They had Emily in surgery when I left."

Nolan was incredulous. "How did you know?"

"It's a long story but I was already there," Jack shook his head while he explained. "Amanda's with Charlotte in delivery. I just came to pick up Carl and tell you the news."

"Charlotte's having the _baby?_ " Nolan looked over at Aiden. "Because this day didn't have enough drama to begin with," he quipped dryly, but Aiden was locked into Jack's line of sight.

"You were there," Jack accosted him. "You want to explain what the hell happened?"

Aiden met his stare fearlessly. "We had an unforeseen event, that's what happened. Despite not having a key _player_ ," he retorted, emphasizing Amanda's absence. "We were set to continue with the plan until Charlotte went into labor. Patrick went to tell Victoria, so I had to have Daniel stall Emily until I could get Victoria alone. When I came up Patrick had confronted them both – he knew everything." His expression darkened as he reached the heaviest source of his guilt. "I tried to attack him but he knocked me back and got off two shots before we could stop him. Emily went overboard before Daniel could get to her."

"My God," Nolan sighed through his glum expression, and digested. "But you were able to find her?"

"She was wearing the necklace I gave to—" Aiden caught himself and omitted the detail. "To track her in an emergency," he finished. "I located her and made sure she was discovered."

"And Patrick?" Jack pressed.

Aiden's eyes narrowed, asserting an intimidating look in return. "I took care of him," he replied. "Permanently." It left an eerie silence in the air as both could assume with that meant.

"Well, you two better get down there," Jack surmised, focusing again on Nolan. "I'm gonna take him home," he advised and went down the hallway to get Carl.

With Jack temporarily out of earshot Aiden reached out to Nolan again. "Before we head over, there's something we need to do," he insisted, reminding him of the earlier train of.

"Aiden, can't it wait—" Nolan begged desperately.

" _No,_ it can't," Aiden assured him with intensity. "Trust me – a life depends on it."

 **MONTAGE**

"Alright, Charlotte it's time to start pushing!"

Amanda clutched onto Charlotte as she grappled beside her, lunging into the first push with all her might. She squeezed Amanda's hand until she could endure no longer and leaned back for relief, panting heavily. Amanda supported her with nods of reassurance and dabbed at the sweat on her forehead, fully sympathizing as she plundered through intense waves of pain.

"You're doing great, sis," she assured her. "You can do this!"

Meanwhile, all she could think was how fortunate Charlotte was to be completely ignorant of her true sister, fighting for her life in another part of the hospital…

 **SCENE**

"We're losing her!"

Still and motionless on the operating table, Emily was alive, but rendered so only by the team of doctors revolving around her. The next few moments would be crucial as they worked to restore her vitals to the proper levels. Gradually her pulse came back, and the attending staff monitored how her body would react to being allowed to support on its own. The room fell silent as they watched it register on the screen, and all they could do was wait for her willpower to kick in…

 **SCENE**

"Aaaaargh!" Charlotte exhaled a yelp as the force of her final push sent her backward, and moments later her exhaustion was rewarded with a piercing cry.

"He's here!" Amanda gasped beside her. She smiled as the doctors took hold of the fruit of her labor and held him up for her to see. "Look, Charlotte!" she insisted. "Declan Jr's here! You did it!"

"Oh my goodness," Charlotte breathed, desperate to keep her eyes open to take every second in. "He's perfect!" It felt like forever before her infant was cleaned and returned to her, and though her entire body ached from straining, she could not take her eyes off of the beautiful life in her hands...

 **SCENE**

Emily fought her way through a sea of memories, each with an even ghastlier impression than the last… a man smiling at her on the beach only to be taken away by the authorities in what seemed like the same day… nearby a woman with dark hair looked on in fear and watched her closely while another image flashed forward of her leaning in to whisper, _Where the hell is my son?!..._ The image disappeared and then a gaping hole followed it where more faces appeared, each harder to recognize than the other… A feeling of joy temporarily emerged amongst them and a shadowy impression of a young man on a boat ushered in next. He was amused as she leaned in to clean a spill from his jacket when suddenly, gunshots rang out… The light feeling subsided into dark and Emily felt the sensation of falling backwards in slow motion and plunging into an ocean of silence… The hushed calm felt like an eternally dark hole where nothing existed, until finally there was a sound of someone in the distance.

"We've got her back!" Emily's closest attending doctor urged her, placing a hand at her forehead. "Hang in there bride, you're gonna make it."

 **END OF MONTAGE**

Daniel awoke with a start, and breathed a sigh of relief as he looked up from the side of Emily's hospital bed. Though she was not yet awake, the machines beeped reassuringly to evidence she was alive and well and he took hold of her hand, gently squeezing it in support. Words could not express what a reprieve it was to be by her side, something he feared he might never experience again. And while the doctors had been notably tight-lipped about her overall condition, the one thing they had assured him of was she was going to pull through, and that was all he cared about. He had just placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand in comfort, when suddenly her palm flinched at the impact and her eyes snapped open.

"Where—Where am I?" she asked abruptly, taking hold of his wrist.

"Em?" His eyes lit up at her alertness, pleased that she was finally coherent. " _Hey_ ," he soothed her, stroking her arm softly. "It's alright, babe, I'm here. Don't worry, you're in the hospital."

Despite his attempts at pacifying, Emily only became more panicked. She pulled her hand away to inspect everything around her – from the tubes taped down in her veins, to her hospital gown, and finally to the patched injuries at her stomach where a soreness warned her of the injury. "Why?" she gasped frantically. "What happened?!"

Daniel furrowed his brow. "You don't remember?" he asked, studying her odd reaction. Her eyes averted up to meet his without even the slightest gleam of familiarity.

"No," she sputtered, shaking her head. She began searching again, as if there was some way to trigger recognition by looking around but all she could feel was emptiness. "No, I don't remember anything!" she resolved, becoming increasingly more terrified.

"Emily, it's me—" Daniel tried to calm her, but she drew back, startling him.

Her face only softened to plead with him in desperation. "Please tell me," she suddenly begged. " _Who am I?!"_

 **SCENE**

"Don't you understand… she's _faking_ her condition?"

Aiden stood at eye level with Daniel and Nolan in the family waiting room, assuring them with every conviction that Emily's memory loss was nothing more than a ploy. But despite being in the company of those that knew her best, Daniel thoroughly disagreed.

"I'm telling you she isn't faking it," he insisted with an audible layer of panic in his tone. "She looked me right in the eye and asked me who she was!"

"Did you tell her?" Nolan chimed in.

"How could I?" Daniel reasoned. "If she doesn't even remember who she _is_ , she can't possibly know who she's pretending to _be_!" His voice was elevating and Aiden reached over to calm him with a clasp on the back while Daniel rubbed his forehead in frustration.

Nolan sighed. "This is _bad,_ " he lamented.

"Alright, alright maybe we just need to try again," Aiden suggested in a soothing tone, glancing up at Nolan. "One of us can go in with you, perhaps her memories will come back slowly—"

Daniel looked up to argue but instead caught sight of the doctor, conversing with a few police officers scattered in the hall. "Hang on, I've been waiting to talk to her," he broke away, leaving them to sprint down the corridor. Nolan started to reach out but Aiden silenced him with a wave, suspiciously nodding to let him go.

"Doctor!" Daniel approached, getting her attention. "Please tell me you have an update?"

"Ah, Mr. Grayson," she nodded and checked her clipboard, peering just outside the room. "Your wife's a very lucky woman. She suffered massive blood loss from the gunshots to the abdomen, and she sustained a cranial injury from the impact of the water. There's been some bleeding on the parietal lobe, which we'll monitor, but she'll pull through."

Daniel followed her every word, nodding on each syllable. "The cranial injury you mentioned," he inquired. "Can it cause memory loss?"

"Yes, I'm afraid she may experience transient global amnesia as she comes to, but that should clear up with time," she promised. "Some respond differently than others, it all depends on the amount of trauma experienced by the patient."

He swallowed in partial relief, but braced himself for his biggest concern. "And… the baby?" he finally exhaled. "None of the nurses have said a word – please, I need to know."

With an expression that twisted Daniel's stomach into knots, the doctor lifted her chin in confusion. "I'm sorry—what baby?"

Daniel stole a glance around to make sure no one was listening. "Emily was pregnant," he informed her. "She told me just before—just before everything happened."

She shifted uneasily in her stance, lowering her head in apology. "I'm terribly sorry to tell you this Mr. Grayson but…" she consulted her the file in hand before finishing. "There's no record that your wife was pregnant?"

If Daniel's heart was on the brink of breaking, that had been the final blow to shatter it. " _What?_ " he demanded in a hoarse whisper. "No, no, there has to be – she was at least a couple of weeks along?!"

Again the doctor reviewed her notes. "I'm sorry, but this is the entire write-up from when I took over her recovery yesterday," she explained, searching for something to console him. "There's no mention of her being with child. Unless…" she watched his eyes darken and prepared to deliver a more troublesome possibility. "After the incident your wife was at sea for quite some time… it's rare, but possible she suffered a miscarriage—"

"No, God _no_ , please don't tell me that," Daniel begged.

She placed a hand at his shoulder. "It's very unlikely for it to have gone undetected at intake but I can question the attending doctor further," she promised. "I can even order another set of tests to confirm, but unfortunately, the likelihood is your wife was never pregnant to begin with… I'm very sorry."

Stunned into disbelief, Daniel silenced her appeasement with a wave of his hand and found himself stumbling down the hall just to grasp a moment alone. His mind rocked with questions as he tried to process it all, but more than anything else he wondered how in just over 24 hours he could have gained and then lost everything that mattered most to him…

 **SCENE**

Victoria paced at the end of the maternity ward, growing tired of being relegated to waiting rooms while her daughter and grandchild remained inaccessible a short distance away. She turned at the sound of someone coming down the hall but sighed when it was only Conrad. Like her, he had taken advantage of being released from questioning to return home and change, with a plan to return to see Charlotte in the evening.

"They're still not letting anyone in to see her?" he guessed at her restless stance.

"I've been here for hours," Victoria snapped, shaking her head. "This is ridiculous, she must have personally requested for us to be barred from entry," she resolved, slumping into a nearby seat to massage her headache.

"Eh, give her some time," Conrad shrugged arrogantly, and Victoria wondered if he enjoyed watching Charlotte's indifference to him extend to her also.

"Oh? Perhaps you'd like to put this time to use," she fired back, holding up her phone. "By calling in whatever connections you had as former governor to find my _son_!" She watched his head tip in acknowledgement, realizing the true source of her apathy. "It's been over 24 hours, how can you allow them to treat Patrick's disappearance like it's nothing?!"

Conrad could not help a vicious chuckle. "He would've done the same for me, and almost did if I recall?" he retorted.

Victoria glared at him, beside herself with contempt. "You sick bastard! It's obvious there's been foul play, and yet not a single soul is treating his life with any inkling of concern—"

"As much as I sympathize to your distress," Conrad cut her off, growing serious. "I am here to see my _daughter_ , Victoria!" He breathed into her face with emphasis, only backing down when he saw a familiar face emerge down the hall. Victoria turned to look and stood upon recognition.

"Amanda?" she accosted her.

Amanda slowly treaded the hallway, making it ironically evident that she had been the only family member permitted to see Charlotte. "Your _daughter_ is resting – but she's doing well," she informed, overhearing Conrad's last reply. "And she has a healthy new boy," she finished proudly.

Both Victoria and Conrad sighed in a break of joyful relief, but Amanda did not allow the mood to lighten for long.

"Unfortunately," she dangled triumphantly. "She's made it clear that she doesn't want to see anyone right now. She just wants to be alone with her newborn son." As Victoria glowered in response, Amanda happily brushed past to take her exit. "Surely you understand, Victoria?"

 **SCENE**

Another night had passed by the time Charlotte felt ready to accept visitors, but her comfort level remained limited only to Jack. Up until that point she assumed Daniel and Emily were reconvening their honeymoon, until Jack finally mustered up the courage to break the news. She was still digesting it when the nurse brought Declan Jr in for a feeding and Charlotte gave him over to Jack to hold for the first time.

"Ah, forgot how much I missed when they're like this," Jack admired his tiny nephew in his arms, occasionally checking to see how Charlotte was holding up. "Hey, you know Amanda should be back up here tonight," he reassured her. "She's home with Carl but we're gonna take turns. Believe me, she wanted to tell you everything yesterday, it's just—"

"She had enough on her hands," Charlotte agreed in her defense, stopping him. "Jack, please you don't have to say another word. I'm just so thankful she was here by my side through everything," she sighed gratefully, shaking her head. "It all feels so surreal… It's like I got my sister back just in time, only to nearly lose another one?" She closed her eyes. "I'm dying to see Emily."

Jack grew somewhat solemn at the mention, jiggling the infant to keep occupied. "Emily's going to pull through, Charlotte," he reassured her, passing Declan Jr. back over. "Don't you worry about her; you've got this one to focus on."

Charlotte managed a half-smile down at her son, taking in a breath. "I know, I just can't believe someone would do that to her, and on her _wedding night,_ " she pontificated, clearly seeking answers. "Who do the police think did it?"

"They don't know yet," Jack replied, wondering the same thing. "I think they took statements from your family but they won't know until Emily's memory returns… and right now there's still no change." Jack shook his head. "I think that's what's tearing Daniel apart the most, is not being able to connect with her… or else he would've been here," he assured. "No one's seen him since that first visit."

She barely flinched at his explanation, having long forgiven her brother's absence in light of the extenuating circumstances. As much as she felt compelled to her role as a new mother, her emotions were pushing her to help in some way. "Perhaps there's something I can do?" she suddenly offered.

Jack narrowed his eyes at her suggestion, but before long he found himself complying – wheeling her down the corridor with Declan Jr swaddled on her lap until they finally reached Emily's room. He knocked as they entered and fortunately Emily was awake.

"Remember, she's not going to know you," Jack whispered to Charlotte, regretfully wheeling her up close.

"Emily," Charlotte greeted her nervously. "I know you don't remember me but I'm _Charlotte,_ your sister-in-law," she introduced.

Emily's eyes fluttered slightly at the sight of her and though she did not respond, her expression showed no signs of being unsettled. The young girl was timid but friendly, and seemed like someone she would have been predisposed to like. "Hello," she uttered quietly, waiting for her to continue.

"I've been worried about you," Charlotte went on. "And I wanted you to meet someone?" As Emily watched, the girl lifted a sleeping infant from her lap so she could see. His fists were balled up tightly in slumber and his eyes were shut, but he was precious. " _This_ is Declan."

Emily managed a half smile in admiration. "He's beautiful," she commented, and it quickly faded away. "I'm so sorry I don't know you—" she apologized, becoming stressed. She looked off in an effort to recollect, until her eyes fell specifically on Jack.

"You don't have to apologize," Charlotte began and followed her line of sight. "Do you recognize him? This is Jack Porter."

"Porter," Emily repeated, and for a moment Jack felt hopeful for a connection. "No," she quickly ended it. "I feel like I should but… I don't. Ugh, I hate this," she hung her head in disappointment, glancing back down to the baby and then up to Jack again. "Are you the baby's father?" she guessed.

"No, my brother was," Jack corrected her with a friendly grin. "His name was Declan too…" he trailed off sorrowfully, and sensed that Charlotte was tensing just the same. "He's gone now."

Despite the lack of association Emily felt herself sympathizing and placed her hand on top of Charlotte's. "I'm so sorry," she offered. Strangely then, a wave of understanding came rushing into her, guiding her next words. "I lost my father too," she recalled in realization.

Her peculiar choice of words resonated in the air, particularly catching Jack's attention. But Charlotte preceded him with a question. "Do you remember your father?" she posed.

Emily had zoned out, but something in her reply was resolute. "Yes?" she answered as if just discovering. "Yes, I remember him now," she continued with a faint image in her mind.

"Emily, that's good!" Charlotte impressed excitedly, while unbeknownst Jack was fretting behind her. "What's his name?"

It took her a moment to register the familiar name but it was there, clear as day and ready to be spoken aloud. Emily raised her eyes to meet Charlotte, watching her mouth part in surprise as the name rolled off her tongue. "David—" she said with conviction. " _David Clarke_."

 **SCENE**

"And then what happened?"

Nolan listened in earnest as Jack recanted the worrisome events from that afternoon. They were at his kitchen counter, with Aiden on the other side. The three of them were quickly becoming a familiar trio in the aftermath of Emily's slow recovery, compounded even more by Daniel disappearing since the night before. Yet despite the regular company, tensions still remained high.

"Nothing," Jack finished. "Just as Charlotte asked if she was sure, a nurse came in and said Emily needed her rest. I took her back upstairs and she was ready to do the same," he grimaced, shaking his head at the near-miss. "I just hope she chalks it up to being nothing, but you never know with her. She's getting sharper with these things."

Aiden folded his arms. "Well, thank goodness you were there by her side," he taunted dryly.

"Charlotte asked me to take her down to see her," Jack shot back with a glare. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Hm, I don't know, _not_ bring someone who doesn't know Emily's true identity to trigger childhood memories?" he answered flippantly, reminding him. "There are other people you know? _Safer_ people."

"Like who?" Jack challenged, edging closer to him. "Daniel disappeared after he spoke to the doctor, Amanda was home with our _son—"_

"Ah, that's right," Aiden jabbed with sarcasm. "You think locking her away from civilization is the only way to protect her."

Jack stepped up to meet his challenge. "Oh that's rich coming from you, you did a _great_ job of protecting Emily," he alleged, and it was the final straw.

Aiden reached out to swing at him, but fortunately caught air as Nolan jumped in to separate them in time. "Hey—HEY!" he yelled, but they mostly ignored him.

"Why don't you back off; we're just fine without your help, alright?!" Jack spat over Nolan's shoulder.

"I'll let Amanda be the judge of that," Aiden suggested in return, fueling the fire.

"Alright, ENOUGH!" Nolan finally bellowed, and at last they stopped from nearly clobbering each other. "This isn't accomplishing anything! Aren't we forgetting the bigger issue here? Emily doesn't know who she is, _Charlotte_ may be starting to find out sooner than her, and Daniel is nowhere to be found. Not to mention that none of these things helps our original plan of taking down the Graysons at _all!"_ He glared at them both. "Now do you want to take your bar fight outside or do you want to do something about it?"

Jack backed down first, but still needed cooling off. "I'm out of here," he took off. "Nolan, if I think of anything, I'll give you a call."

"Fair enough," Nolan agreed, thinking it was probably best that he go. He looked next to Aiden for a show of truce.

His expression maintained apathy for Jack, but once he left he was able to refocus. "First things first, we need to get to Daniel. The hospital was crawling with too many cops and press to talk at the time," Aiden explained. "But we have to tell him everything."

Fully versed on the private matter, Nolan agreed with a nod. "I'll try a few more places. What about the other problem?"

Aiden lingered in thought. "Emily's slip of tongue in Charlotte's presence may not be too disastrous – just as long as it doesn't happen again."

"How are we going to prevent it?" Nolan posed. "They're still only letting family in to see her."

"Perhaps they'll make an exception on a technicality," he predicted, with a key person in mind. "Either that or it's better to bar anyone from seeing her for now."

"Yet, another reason to find Daniel," Nolan supplemented. "He's the only one besides Emily who can make that call."

Adding it to his agenda, Aiden prepared to leave. "I'll see what I can do. In the meantime," he added meaningfully before walking out of the room. "If you talk to Jack again later you can remind him that I _was_ protecting Emily – when I put a bullet in Patrick's head."

 **SCENE**

Victoria released grip on her phone, letting it drop through her hand as the call she was dreading finally came. The reporting officer had just informed her that Patrick's body had been found and he was confirmed dead. Her pain was too ripe to bear the rest of the details and she spent the next few moments in a blur wandering the halls of the hospital. She mourned Patrick with every step, guiltily cursing herself for welcoming him into the Hamptons in the first place, and then immediately retracting, knowing it had afforded her months of memories she would have never had otherwise. Her conflict had reached an overwhelming height when she finally stopped walking, and found herself unconsciously arrived at Emily's room.

Despite being prevented from seeing Charlotte, the guard at Emily's door let her in as family. Victoria quietly sat down at her side, eerily watching her sleep. "Hello, Emily," she said, masking her inner hatred behind the thin line of her mouth. Surprisingly, Emily's eyes drifted open in recognition and she turned to face her. Victoria raised an eyebrow. "You know your name?"

She squinted back, making out a sense of familiarity in her face. "Everyone keeps telling me I'm Emily Thorne," she answered and struggled to make out why she felt a strong connection to the woman at her side. There was an image of her struggling to get through, that vaguely felt like it was from her childhood a long time ago. "Are you… my mother?" she guessed.

Victoria was repulsed by the thought but found her ignorance strangely delightful. "Not exactly," she answered, studying her. She noticed a tablet sitting on Emily's side tray and picked it up, scrolling through photos that were left her for her benefit. "You're married to my son, Daniel," she referenced, handing over a group capture from the wedding. "That's my other daughter, Charlotte beside you."

Emily stared at it and vaguely recognized that Charlotte had come to visit her earlier. She found it so surreal to look at herself decked in a wedding gown, on such a celebratory occasion and still have no memory of ever being there. "Your children are beautiful," was all she could comment, desperately trying to find some acquaintance with the event.

"I have one other son," Victoria lamented, and realized that perhaps her intuition had led her there purely to investigate. "He's not pictured here… but I've just received news that he's—he's gone," she finally admitted, dropping her head and batting a tear away.

But Emily did not take immediate notice, and instead had become locked onto one of the faces in the photo. "He was here yesterday," she finally determined.

Victoria's eyes snapped up. "Patrick?" she supposed shiftily.

"No," Emily clarified and held up the photo so Victoria could see. " _Him_ ," her voice shook as she started to point to Daniel, then suddenly had to put the tablet down as a pain seared in her head.

Victoria watched her gasp in recollection and reached out to steady her, firmly grabbing her arm. "Emily, do you remember what happened?" she pressed her, growing impatient. "Emily – you have to tell me!" she implored, desperate for answers.

The pressure didn't help as Emily felt a surge of memories coming back at once, flooding in from every direction in piecemeal. She was on a boat, gazing out over the sea when suddenly footsteps were heard… "I can't!" she cried out, afraid of what was beneath the surface.

"Emily, you HAVE to!" Victoria shrieked, standing up to gain control over her and the guard outside finally heard the commotion and came rushing in.

"Ma'am, step away from the patient—" the guard ushered her away but Victoria kept her focus just on Emily.

"Wait, she's remembering something!" Victoria was able to hold him off, drawing him to look. "Emily, tell us! What happened to my _son?!_ "

She winced and shook her head but could not prevent the next image from coming through, as painful as it was. All that she remembered was Daniel running towards her and then suddenly a blinding pain ripping through her abdomen. "It was him!" she finally concluded, pointing back to the photo again.

The guard let go of Victoria so she could look at where Emily's finger lay. "Daniel?" Victoria deciphered. "Emily, are you saying Daniel killed Patrick?"

"No," Emily said with determination, looking up with assuredness at both her and the guard. "Daniel shot _me._ "

 **SCENE**

Daniel closed the small journal in his hand and returned it to its home in the wooden box, staring at the insignia on the lid. The symbol of infinity was one that had evolved with meaning since the first time he saw it on Emily's wrist and now added to its significance was a feeling of emptiness and torture. After spending the last 24 hours wandering aimlessly, he had returned home in hopes of finding a remnant of the person he missed terribly. He had spent hours reading through Emily's journals from her father and learning details he never knew – things to make him loathe his parents, things that granted him a deeper understanding of her journey. But most of all, he was left with the impression of a father's love, something he had experienced for barely a fraction of an instant before it was taken from him, as if it had never existed.

His meditative stupor was soon interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming into the house and up the stairs, and he braced himself for the presence that eventually found him in the bedroom. "Hey, Nolan," he assumed without even having to turn around.

"Could have sworn I checked here," Nolan replied, confirming he was right. He entered carefully out of respect, noting Daniel was unshaven and messily dressed. "Guess you took a few detours before coming home?"

Daniel gestured to the box. "I keep thinking maybe if I read one of her father's journals to her, she'll come back?" he explained, but then shook his head hopelessly. "But after reading it… part of me doesn't want her to _have_ to remember all the pain."

Nolan nodded in understanding. "I know," he sympathized. "It's hard when the person you love only exists the way you know them because of everything they went through. But don't give up hope, Daniel – she's going to come back. And she'll have you to help her through all the memories."

He stood on that comment with an uneasy look. "I'm not so sure she'll want to see me," he replied, walking over to the window. "I should have been able to protect her, Nolan. Everything she's going through right now is my fault."

Nolan joined his side. "You can't blame yourself, Daniel," he countered. "We both know how determined Emily is when she wants to do something – her plan is everything! Nothing was going to change that."

"Something did," Daniel insisted, moved by guilt to share. He paused for a beat and finally turned to confess it. "I don't know if you knew this – but Emily was pregnant. She told me, just moments before Patrick cornered us on the deck. And then she said she couldn't go through with it – it was the one thing holding her back."

"Oh my God," Nolan gasped, never expecting that Emily had finally told him, let alone decided at the last minute to call everything off. For his sake, his surprised reaction disguised his own previous knowledge of her pregnancy and allowed Daniel to continue with more information.

"But that's just it," he finished. "The doctor told me there was nothing there when she came into surgery. She either suffered a miscarriage at sea—or she was never really pregnant?" He shook his head uncomfortably. "They're still running tests...but all I can picture is her face, begging for it all to be over. She meant every word of it Nolan, why she would lie?" He stepped away and headed for the doorway, taking one of the journals with him. "I have to get back up there and find out the truth."

He was already halfway down the stairs when Nolan finally followed behind. "Daniel, she _was_ telling the truth—" he began, and quickly realized Daniel had stopped at the bottom. He was standing in front of the open door, only to find two detectives waiting for him on the other side.

"Daniel Grayson?" they confirmed, identifying him on sight.

"Yes?" he asked in surprise.

They reached in before either could stop them and seized him by the wrist. "You're under arrest for the attempted murder of Emily Thorne."

 **SCENE**

"I'm telling you, I've never seen her like this before," Charlotte insisted while Amanda wheeled her through the doors of the empty _Stowaway_ with the baby nestled on her lap. "She said it with such conviction, like she was positive David was her father?"

Amanda bit her lip apprehensively before answering. Jack had warned her the night before about Charlotte's encounter, and after picking her up from the hospital the following morning, she was beginning to agree it had really tipped her off. "She said that probably because she saw _you,_ " she tried to persuade her, catching eyes with Jack as they rounded the bar.

"Maybe," Charlotte conceded, and finally backed off of the topic. "Sorry I should be thanking you for bringing me home – this whole thing is just making me crazy. I thought I would at least see Daniel before they let me go." She handed the baby over to Amanda and took her time standing up. "Has anyone heard from him yet?"

The answer to her question came as Nolan suddenly burst through the doors in a hurry and raced over to the bar. "Jack, something's happened!" he panted, but the news report playing on the television quickly finished the rest.

 _"And in alarming news, Southampton police arrested well-known publisher Daniel Grayson last night, charging him with the attempted murder of his wife, Emily Thorne, whose disappearance you'll recall rocked the Hamptons just days prior—"_ the newscaster announced.

"What?!" Charlotte gasped in disbelief, hearing every word. "I don't believe it!"

 _"Thorne, whose legal name still has yet to be changed,"_ the broadcast continued. " _Identified Grayson as her assailant just yesterday, following a full recovery of her mental faculties after the injuries she sustained aboard the family yacht—"_

"They're _lying!_ " Charlotte insisted, refusing to accept as true while the others watched in fear. She turned to Amanda and Jack for confirmation. "We were just with her and she's obviously not fully recovered! If Emily doesn't remember her own father how can she know who her shooter was?!" she reasoned.

The baby started to wail in Amanda's arms as Charlotte's voice heightened and she passed him back for her to soothe him. "She's probably just afraid – she doesn't know what she's saying," she assured her, glancing over at Jack.

Jack exchanged a look with Nolan and it was clear they had much to catch up on. "She's right," he inserted however, for Charlotte's benefit. "Someone might have pushed her into confessing, the detectives probably wanted to wrap the case up."

"Well, we can't let them!" Charlotte demanded, rocking Declan in her arms and trying not to break down into tears. Amanda reached over to console her, and gently guided her to sit down again.

"Amanda—" Jack began, but he didn't have to ask.

"Go ahead," she dismissed them both, already knowing they had work to do. "I'll stay here with her."

 **SCENE**

"Isn't there something you can do?"

Jack pled from across Margaux's desk with Nolan right by his side, mirroring his same level of intensity. "Margaux, this was obviously a set-up," he argued in support. "And I know you have connections – you can pull apart this story in a heartbeat and get the police to focus on the _real_ culprit—"

"Which is?" Margaux cut him off, shaking her head when he could not offer reply. She paced irritably, unable to offer them any consolation. "You know I agree wholeheartedly with you both that Daniel was not responsible; I even have my own suspicions on who it could have been, but that's all they are – speculation. And I won't print that. Besides, how can I argue with the victim's story?" She slapped a copy of the paper onto her desk. "The guard witnessed as Emily _identified Daniel_ as her assailant – why would she lie about that?"

"Because she doesn't know what the truth is and what isn't! Or maybe she was _pressured_ into it," Nolan alibied, calling her attention to a specific line in the story. "And I quote one 'Victoria Grayson was also present when the victim recalled her attacker' – coincidence much?"

Margaux froze, folding her arms in thought. "You actually think Victoria would frame her own son?"

Jack and Nolan exchanged looks, knowing that was not quite the truth but wasn't that farfetched. Jack stepped forward to reply without needing to lie. "I think you can't trust her or Conrad. That family's done a lot worse," he alluded truthfully and took a breath before his next confessional. "You want to know the real reason Amanda didn't want to give her story? It's because Conrad framed her father."

He watched as Margaux's countenance fell in disbelief and continued on. "Yeah and when he learned that she had discovered the truth? He tried to kill her. That's why she didn't want you to print anything – it would have only put her in danger again."

"Well fortunate for her, I've decided to abandon the Amanda Clarke expose'," Margaux reflected after letting his admission marinate. "Not only has nothing good come from it, but Conrad's interview mysteriously disappeared from my drives," she hinted, glancing over at renowned computer genius, Nolan Ross. "Only someone with unparalleled hacking skills could have accessed it."

"Hm, don't you just hate it when that happens?" Nolan sidestepped sheepishly.

Meanwhile Jack was essentially checked out, seeing that nothing further could be done there. "Are you _sure_ there's nothing else you can do?" he attempted finally.

Margaux sat behind her desk protectively, and kept discreet. "I'm sorry," she replied sincerely. "But no." With no other choice they left her office, making headway to their next stop.

Once they were gone, Margaux reached into her purse to examine the piece of evidence she was still keeping secret. Not only was it a mystery how and why it ended up in Patrick's possession, but what concerned her even more was the coincidental misprint – Emily's photo on cover that was meant for Amanda. Laying the page flat on her desk, she queued up her screen to search for the corresponding file where it had come from, and stumbled upon a folder that survived the mass deletion. She clicked on it and an old version of the _Amanda Clarke Lives!_ story appeared, notated with the last editor to make changes.

Her thoughts churning, she picked up her desk phone. " _Voulez_ media headquarters," she requested when prompted. "Is Pascal available? Please tell him it's urgent – I need to speak with Ashley Grobet."

 **SCENE**

Conrad staggered grimly through his bedroom, stopping just short of the balcony where his wife stood looking out over the sea like an omen of darkness. "What the hell have you done, Victoria?" he asked.

She answered without turning, keeping her concentration on the waters below. "Our son is guilty of murder, Conrad," she admitted in a harrowing tone. "I've done nothing but allow justice to be served. For once," she added.

"Have you lost your _damn_ mind?" Conrad accused her incredulously. When she still did not turn, he rushed up from behind to grab her by the arm, whirling her to face him. "Daniel is not only innocent but even if he _were_ at fault, what could possibly compel you to ruin his life by turning him over to the authorities?!"

"Patrick is DEAD!" Victoria shouted back at him in defense. "So even if that pathetic girl survived, it still doesn't change what he did to my other son!"

Conrad shook his head in disbelief. "You truly are delusional," he concluded, awed by her audacity. "How can you take the side of one child over another – how can you even be sure Daniel had _anything_ to do with either casualty—"

"Because, Emily has always been his undoing!" she argued. "Patrick swore he had discovered something about her that night, only he never had the chance to tell me. I'm certain that Emily either silenced him before he had the chance or she cornered him with her usual methods of seduction and Daniel caught them both—" she stopped as Conrad rolled his eyes and turned away. "Think about it, Conrad, it's the only thing that makes sense!"

"Only because you are _demented_ in your affections for that imbecile!" Conrad spun around in retort, promptly meeting a bitter slap from Victoria's hand.

She leaned in close, following up with a fearsome glare in her eyes. "Not another word out of your mouth about Patrick, do you understand? I have endured more than enough cruelty from you in this lifetime and I will not let you ruin my hour of mourning!"

Conrad retracted in genuine horror, but still delivered a final scathing remark. "But you would let our son rot in prison… just to prove a point about Emily?"

She turned to face the sea again, answering as he walked away. "She's the one who identified him, Conrad. Not me."

 **SCENE**

Aiden was in a private conversation with one of Emily's attending nurses when he spotted Amanda coming down the hallway, and quickly signaled for her to wait before she came over. He quickly wrapped things up and then walked halfway to meet her. "I presume you're here to help Emily regain her memory," he guessed, getting close enough to whisper. "I was hoping you'd come."

Amanda nodded, ignoring the nervous sensation she got whenever she was in Aiden's presence. "Didn't have much choice when I saw they arrested Daniel," she offered casually. "Nolan and Jack tried talking to Margaux but there's nothing she can do to pull back the story. The only thing left is to help Emily remember what really happened."

"Then now's your chance," Aiden asserted. "I've just spoken with the on-duty nurse and she'll allow you to visit based on your relationship to Charlotte." He paused to make an observation. "Just you, though. Fortunately, I see you left your husband down by the docks?"

She crossed her arms. "Yeah, I heard you two got into a fight," she expressed with disappointment. Aiden's expression validated it and she studied the ground for an appropriate response. "Look, I know Jack may not show it because of the history we have... but he really does appreciate what you did for Emily – saving her life."

"He told you what happened?" Aiden verified.

Amanda confirmed with a slow nod. "Most of it… some I figured out on my own," her eyes flickered up to him dreamily. "I know you used the necklace to find her – the one you gave me?"

He ducked his chin in acknowledgment. "Yes well, I hope you know I only fashioned it as a tracking device in case I needed to find you again," he explained. "But it was _your_ kind gesture before the wedding that made finding her possible."

"Suppose you're right…" she trailed off sadly. "I just keep thinking about how I let her down. Had I only been there—had I not left her at the last minute? Would things have been different?"

Aiden glanced over his shoulder to follow the reference, looking back with a hopeful expression. "We all failed Emily in one way or another that night," he replied to ease her guilt. "But… rest assured, she will recover the things she's lost."

Solemn despite his promise, Amanda sighed. "Not everything," she resolved, and a look from Aiden prompted her to explain. "Emily didn't tell anyone this but – she was going to have a baby. After Jack went to visit her, I asked him did the doctors say anything about it but he said no. I'm guessing that means it didn't survive?"

Aiden swallowed the lump in his throat and allowed a heavy silence to pass. The air was still between them as Amanda grieved the unfortunate tragedy that even Emily did not know of to date. And yet he was torn by the nagging at his gut, and finally succumbed to break the tension with a breath of hope. "That's because… it's what we want them to think," Aiden finally exhaled.

Amanda lifted her gaze to him slowly in rapt attention, narrowing her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

He looked around to ensure they were completely alone and then delivered the truth, starting with a vivid memory of the moments leading up to the shooting…

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

Emily could barely contain her amazement at how many of her close friends were now informed of her pregnancy and wondered was she completely losing her ability to be inconspicuous. But rather than dwell on it, a detail came to mind, something she had meant to attend to sooner. "Aiden," she called him back with a note of urgency in her eyes. "While I'm gone – I need you to do something for me."

Aiden padded back over to the edge of the deck where Emily was standing, wondering what she had up her sleeve. "What is it?" he asked.

Her eyes fell down to the capsule of her own blood hidden under the stack of towels. "When the police run my blood through forensics, I need you to make sure they don't find out I was ever pregnant," she instructed him, explaining. "Not only would it give merit to the lies Victoria spun about me to Daniel, but I know it would break his heart if he found out that way. Please, you've got to make sure Nolan changes the record before anyone sees it."

Aiden nodded, agreeing with her perspective. "I know a doctor who owes me a favor," he recalled. "I'm sure with her and Nolan's help we can keep your secret safe."

Emily closed her eyes appreciatively. "Thank you," she stressed.

"Besides," he added. "If by some chance anything goes wrong, the last thing you want is for Victoria to find out she has a grandchild – even if you and Daniel disappear forever, you'll always be looking over your back."

She grunted in agreement. "That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid."

Aiden granted a final smile before heading back. "But you needn't worry – as usual you've planned for everything…"

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

Aiden concluded retelling the memory to Amanda with heavy regret, picking up from when he found her at sea. "Emily reminded me of her request even as I was rescuing her. As soon as I saw her wounds I worried she had already miscarried, but I called the doctor and made sure she would be there when Emily was brought in," he explained. "She not only successfully treated her but also confirmed the baby was alive, still growing inside of her—and then just as quickly she had the information removed from Emily's public file."

Amanda could only gasp at the extent to which every detail had been accounted for. "My goodness, she must be _some_ doctor," she responded.

"One of the best," Aiden reflected privately. With a nod to his right he elaborated, "She's actually the nurse I was just speaking with – she's going to monitor Emily to make sure she's taken care of properly given her condition. I also had Nolan hack the system and update her transcript, just in case there are any questions. Any other doctor that examines her file will have no idea," he finished with a reassuring conclusion. "But regardless of what the records say – Emily is still very much pregnant."

Amanda found herself wiping tears from her eyes at full acceptance of the revelation, overjoyed that all was truly not lost after all. "So once Emily regains her memory—" she deduced.

"We'll tell her she has another life to look after," Aiden finished. "As I imagine she'll want to keep the baby a secret as long as possible, it's going to take a joint effort to help her do it," he estimated, grimly adding. "But first, she has a husband to exonerate."

Realizing the mission was still incomplete, Amanda took a deep breath. "Then I'm going in there," she resolved with focus. "I'll do my best to try to help her remember."

"I'm off to visit Daniel in custody," Aiden concurred. "Much like Emily, he's still in the dark about all of this."

They nodded in unison and parted ways, but Amanda paused momentarily, calling him back with a last remark. "I suppose Emily is the one thing that's always brought us together, isn't she?" she thought.

Aiden digressed with a glance towards her room. "I'll always be bound to her," he admitted, directing his final savory look for Amanda. "No matter who I _truly_ love."

With a soft tap at her shoulder he left her side and another sensation stole through Amanda's heart as he departed. Despite her commitment to Jack, she knew she too would always be bound to Aiden, much like he was to Emily. Brushing it aside, she entered the room with a fresh outlook, expecting to find her closest friend in a bewildered and foggy state. But to her surprise, Emily was sitting straight up in bed, intently focused on the news report playing on the television.

"Something's wrong," she was panting, glancing over at her visitor. "Please – can you help me?"

"Emily, what is it?" Amanda asked right away, watching the report with her. They were still covering the events of that night, replaying footage from the wedding and the family being brought in for questioning, and then highlighting the latest update that Daniel had been arrested. "Do you remember something?" she pressed.

Emily blinked a few times as she decided how to answer. "Not everything – just more of what happened that night," she replied, and Amanda perked up in interest. "It wasn't him that shot me—" she added with conviction, pointing at the screen as the half-memory finished in her mind.

The man she now knew to be Daniel had come running towards her, but now as she recalled he was warning her of something…impending danger? A secret they were keeping? Each were things that made no sense to her but one thing was certain, he had been standing in front of her just as _another_ man had appeared. The two of them had fought and there was confusion but the final image was as clear as day – the other man held up the gun and before she could stop him, he fired—

The sound of gunshots ringing in her ears nearly drowned out the voice of the woman beside her. "That's good, Emily!" Amanda was urging her on. "Do you remember who it was?"

Just then a breaking news update appeared and Emily's eyes locked onto it. _"And this just in—the other missing person from the Grayson tragedy-at-sea was discovered earlier today. Patrick Osbourne, son of elitist Victoria Grayson, who had been joining the family on their group honeymoon, was pronounced DOA by the coast guard—sustaining one bullet to the head in what the police now suspect may be a connection to the murder attempt—"_

"Him!" Emily thrust her finger at the stock photo of Patrick onscreen without an ounce of doubt. She pointed with fierce determination as Amanda watched in relief beside her.

" _Patrick Osbourne_ ," she repeated direct from the news report. "He was the one who shot me!"

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: And the truth shall set you free!... Are you reeling from another onslaught of non-stop events? I hope you were able to hang in there through the suspenseful moments and my plan was to reward your patience with a happy ending! Patrick is gone and Demily-Baby lives! Will Emily finally get all of her memory back? Will Daniel make it back to her, or will he reap the unfortunate consequences of her plan? And what historical lows will Victoria sink to now that Patrick is dead? Find out in the next chapter "Endurance", coming soon! In the meantime, thanks SO much for hanging on with this one and give me your feedback please! Are you surprised? Delighted? I know this one is a little campy with the whole 'memory loss' arc but a lot of you said you enjoyed it so rest assured this is all for you! Love you guys and sorry this was Demily lite but I promise to fix that very soon :) Much much thanks to all your reviews and PM's they are truly the bright spot of my day! ~Love Always~ MothToANewFlame**


	32. Chapter 32: Endurance

**Chapter 32: Endurance**

 _The value of life can be directly measured by our will to endure. Even when compromised and pushed to our limit, we have a remarkable ability to resist fatigue, to withstand pain, to keep fighting – as long as we don't lose sight of what we're fighting for…_

"Ems?"

Nolan lifted the brim of the hat he was wearing in disguise and rounded the curtain to Emily's room, astonished to find her bed empty. It had taken some creativity to get into her hospital wing, which still had a guard posted. But it was worth the risk to see his closest friend he hadn't spoken to in over a week – though for the moment she appeared to be missing. He momentarily wondered had he snuck into the wrong room when suddenly he heard steps emerge from the bathroom and then felt a force pinning him up against the wall.

" _Who are you?!"_ he heard over his shoulder, and winced in surprise at the voice.

"Emily?!" he gasped, and turned to confirm it. _"Ems, it's me!"_

Instantly she was loosening her grip, but only due to the strain it caused her to stand, let alone twist him in such a position. "Ouch!" she wailed, and immediately recoiled to lean on her bed, clutching at her abdomen.

"Hey, careful," he urged her, shifting from being a hostage to a caregiver. "You're uh, not well enough to try a move like that," he added, helping her back into bed.

"Sorry," Emily replied between slow breaths, flinching as the pain gradually dwindled. She allowed Nolan to help prop her up and laid her head back, finally taking a moment to focus on him. "It's just I'm not sure who to trust these days," she related, confirming her memory still had yet to return. "Are we uh, are we friends?"

Nolan shrugged at her timid question. "You could say that," he answered with a grin. "It's partially my fault I guess, surprising you like this. I'm ah, Nolan – longtime friend, neighbor, and even sometimes, candy striper," he admitted, glancing down at his red and white jacket. "This was the only way I could get in to see you."

"No, it's alright, I think the hospital cut off my visitors," she tilted her head in wonder. "Maybe you can help me. I made a mistake; this man—" Emily handed over her tablet with Patrick's photo queued up onscreen. "He's the one who shot me, not my husband. I've been trying to change my story for over a week now, but the police said they wouldn't take any further statements until I'm fully recovered."

"Well, your _reflexes_ appear fully recovered," Nolan quipped, stretching where Emily had dug her elbow into his back. He glanced at the photo of Patrick with an inkling of hope. "It's good you're remembering more about that night, but ah, I guess they want more assurance on the rest of your mental faculties. You still don't know _me_ …" he conceded curiously. It was incredibly strange to have her not even recognize him. "So what _do_ you know?" he ventured.

Emily exhaled a breath firmly. "All I know is Daniel Grayson is my husband and he didn't shoot me," she recited with minimal emotion. "And that's all that matters. I can't let an innocent man sit in custody for a crime he didn't commit."

"Sounds like your moral compass is still pointing north," Nolan observed proudly. "That's good. Anything else you remember? Maybe… your parents?"

"I thought I remembered my father," Emily stated with heaviness in her tone. "But now I'm not so sure. I keep seeing images of people that I'm drawn to, but some of them are misleading," she tried to explain. "I actually thought Daniel's mother was _mine_ until she told me otherwise… but I'm positive I have memories of her, even when I was a little girl?"

Nolan bit his lip in concern, sensing she was slowly finding her way back to the truth. "Be careful with Victoria," he cautioned. "She's also Patrick's mommie dearest – the man you're certain is the one that shot you."

"I know," she nodded gravely, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "The girl that was here the night I remembered warned me not to tell anyone but the police," she looked up at him. "I'm not even sure why I just told you?"

"Your instincts must be kicking in," Nolan guessed with a chuckle. "But that's good advice she gave. Did uh, did seeing _her_ trigger anything?" he began to probe. "Even her name— _Amanda_?"

She stared back blankly. "Should it?"

He was quick to shrug, fearing it might do more damage than good. "Just, she's another good friend you've had for a while."

Emily sighed anxiously. "I hate this. It's like all these images are jumbled in my head and none of them have a connection. Even from that night – I _know_ Patrick pulled the trigger, but I don't know why?" She shook her head, disappointed with her lack of progress. "Maybe the doctors are right – I shouldn't be able to identify anyone until I can make sense of it all."

Sensing she was getting down, Nolan reached out. "Hey, don't give up that easy. Even that statement alone is enough to get an innocent man released – the police can't hold Daniel on your testimony if you recant it all together?"

"I suppose your right," she relented, though still forlorn. "He must hate me for all of this."

Nolan disagreed with a pull of his bottom lip. "He's worried about you sure, but, more than anything he loves you and wants you to get better. In fact, a friend is going to see him today just to let him know…" he chose his words carefully. "How _well_ you're really doing."

Touched by the sentiment, Emily bowed her head and then raised it slowly. "Do you think I'll ever make sense of it all?"

"I think," Nolan replied prudently, generalizing. "That it takes a special kind of strength to have survived everything you've been through. And eventually, you _will_ understand what it is that makes you so strong – and then everything will come back to you again." With confidence, he tapped her on the wrist. "But for now you probably need to get your rest."

"You know, you're very understanding," Emily admired as he stood. "I can see why we're friends. And I'm sorry about earlier – I didn't mean to attack you like that."

"That's ok," he assured her, fixing his hat back on with a smirk. "That's the girl _I_ remember."

 **SCENE**

A flat-sounding alarm sounded and Daniel looked up from where he was propped against his cell wall. "Grayson!" the guard called out. "You've got company."

Daniel moved the notebook from his lap to get up from his shabby twin bed, taking a breath as he swung his legs around the side. After ten days in police custody his beard had grown in and there was darkness in his eyes that fortunately kept most of his prison mates at bay. But beneath his rugged exterior, his heart ached like an open wound, brokenhearted by the losses he had suffered, and most of all, terribly missing Emily. While her accusation had sent him through an emotional influx, seclusion had given him ample opportunity to guess the true source of where it came from. In addition, he had an envelope from the outside that further led him to speculate, which he tucked into his pocket before exiting his cell. He followed the guard to visitation with a pensive expression that only grew more serious as he saw who was waiting for him.

"What do you want?" he breathed into the receiver, scowling at the face on the other side of the glass.

Aiden leaned forward to reply. "I'm here to apologize. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner; they've been denying my requests to visit. Someone took great measures to make sure you were detained from the outside world." He tried to convey genuine regret, anticipating there would be some tension at their first meeting since his arrest. "In the meantime, I sent you something to hold you over – did you receive it?"

Daniel reached into his pocket and removed the envelope, which only had a single photo as its content – Emily's sonogram. "Just this morning," he confirmed in a brisk undertone. "Did you send it just to torture me?"

Aiden sighed. Being discreet came with a risk, and clearly Daniel was still ignorant of the truth. "Perhaps this is long overdue," he began a new approach. "But I'll say it anyway. While we may have had extensive practice at being enemies in the past, I view you as a friend, Daniel." He glanced up at him with clear resolution. "And I am undeniably loyal to my friends."

Daniel shifted his weight onto his other arm. "I find that hard to believe when a sheet of glass separates us," he retorted. "Aiden, I've had a lot of time to think over what happened and it's made me realize one thing. I'm only in here because you didn't let me tell the truth."

Aiden absorbed it, knowing all along that Daniel would have rather told the authorities everything the way it truly happened. He may have even suspected that his unwillingness to divert from the plan was purely to save his own skin. And the way things had panned out, Aiden could not say he blamed him for it. But he needed to know there was a much more pressing issue at hand.

"I have more respect for the truth than you think," Aiden asserted, carefully choosing his words as they were likely being recorded. "I just believe all things in their time. But you would know that had you read my letter thoroughly," he hinted. "I expressed my sentiments on the front _and_ back."

Narrowing his eyes, Daniel gazed back down to the sonogram again and this time flipped it over. Printed very simply were two words – _Still Alive._ He darted up to look at Aiden again, who nodded back. "Is this real?" Daniel gaped anxiously, and the news began to break the hard shell he had built around his heart.

"It is," Aiden confirmed, hoping he had once again gained his trust. "Great measures were taken to keep that protected," he hinted, alluding partially to the plan still being in motion. As hope and relief slowly glimmered in Daniel's eye, Aiden felt confident that he was once again all-in. "But it _is_ real," he promised. "We're going to get you out of here, Daniel – back to the family members that need you the most... both of them."

 **SCENE**

Victoria looked up from her vanity at the sound of footsteps approaching from the hall, and anticipated her visitor. Conrad strolled in moments later and took note of his wife's somber reflection – decked in a black sheath dress, her hair pulled back off of her face, revealing the pain she wore like a veil of mourning. She was preparing to attend her Patrick's funeral that afternoon, and had little tolerance for Conrad's presence.

"Get out," she whispered before he made it halfway through the room.

"I will," he responded without stopping. "Just as soon as I give you this—" he paused dramatically and rested a document on her vanity table. "Emily's most recent assessment from the doctor; I went down to the hospital to see how that poor girl was recuperating and discovered there was a restriction placed on her visitors?" When Victoria ignored him, Conrad elaborated. "Yes, I assumed that was your handiwork. When I informed the doctor that you had no legal right to do so, she was kind enough to give the most recent status – including Emily's lack of clarity on the night of the shooting _and_ the doctor's notes that she is in no position to render testimony of any kind."

At that, Victoria finally looked up. "Is that so?"

"I've already faxed it over to the DA's office," Conrad boasted, tapping her on the shoulder as he turned to leave. "I'll be sure to let Daniel know it was _your_ hand that forced his prolonged stay in police custody when I pick him up."

He was nearly out of the room when Victoria found her voice, twisting in her chair to face him. "Conrad, you know I wasn't myself when I let them take Daniel," she confessed regretfully. "I was grieving Patrick's loss… I still am. But I hope you know, I never thought Daniel truly responsible."

Conrad assessed her plea with a hand at his hip. "That's not exactly what your statement to the police said," he reminded her. "But I'm sure Daniel will appreciate the vote of confidence _after_ it's all said and done."

"Daniel will have my support just as he always has. I'll be here to welcome his return," she insisted further. "After the services, that is."

Conrad bowed his head respectfully, but he was not without starkness in his reply. "You're finally laying Patrick to rest? You certainly put it off long enough."

Her eyes darted up immediately in anger. "How dare you. You have _no_ concept of what it is to lose a child-!"

"Oh? I see Emily's memory loss is contagious," he interrupted mockingly, hastening back towards her. "Do you think when Lydia died last year; I didn't experience a glimpse of what you're going through?"

"That was different," Victoria argued, glossing over his point.

"And why is that?" Conrad asserted. "Because my child never took a breath? Or because I didn't publicly welcome it into the family the way you did your _son_?" he spat angrily, a short distance from her face. He shook his head in disgust to match the repulsion mounting in her eyes. "Every moment of their loss hurt then, Victoria and still does to this day!" He stopped to calm himself before their quarrel progressed to an all-out fight, and began backing away again. "But of course you wouldn't know that… seeing as you refused to show sympathy in _my_ hour of mourning. Which is why I will in turn, afford you the same."

He walked back towards the doorway, implying that he would not be joining her. But in usual fashion, he would not leave without a final jab.

"Oh, and not to further besmirch his memory," he added, hanging back. "But in the doctor's notes? Emily insisted that _Patrick_ was actually the one who shot her," he informed, expecting it would finally convince her to look at the document. He managed to find a glimmer of resonating affection before leaving his estranged wife. "I'm sorry for your loss."

With Conrad gone, Victoria exhaled a breath she had been holding and read the progress report on Emily. Halfway through, she tossed it aside in disgust, unconvinced it was the truth. But with a calculated glance back at her own reflection, she allowed her vindictive thoughts to channel her imagination and bravely rose from her vanity—with a new sense of purpose.

 **SCENE**

"Can I just say I did not appreciate being the _last_ person to see Emily?"

Amanda followed Nolan onto his back patio, acknowledging his ramblings with an eye-roll. "You're the _only_ one to have seen her in over a week," she reminded him, settling into a lounge chair. "Victoria cut off her visitors since the last time I was there – probably out of spite ever since Charlotte did the same to her," she sighed, noticing his get-up. "Nice jacket."

He flung it off irritably. "Remind me to cite the family-only rule when I pull my donation next year," he huffed, returning to analysis mode on his laptop. "Well, at least Ems is still sticking to her latest story. She was certain Patrick is the one who shot her—but the rest was… pretty anti-climactic," he admitted ruefully. "I kept thinking she'd have this _deus ex machina_ revelation—even as she was holding me in her favorite chokehold—but still, no dice."

"There must be something else blocking her past from getting through," Amanda guessed. "Maybe right now it's a coping mechanism?"

"Very possible," Nolan conceded, scanning over the hospital records he had skillfully hacked into. "I read up on her condition, and it sounds more subconscious than as a result of the injury. Still, the longer this goes on, the greater the risk she accidentally outs her true identity," he worried.

"Then we need a new plan of action," Amanda asserted.

Nolan suddenly perked up. "Or maybe we already have one," he concluded, reading from his screen. "Check it out – I just accessed Southampton PD's system – someone just faxed over a record of Emily reversing her statement. They're processing it as we speak!"

Amanda squinted oddly. "How did they get that?"

"Someone must have called it in," Nolan answered in wonder. "But with a name like _Grayson_ , Daniel could be out as early as… this afternoon?" He shot a hopeful glance to Amanda and then trailed to look behind her.

"Good," she responded without noticing. "The sooner Daniel gets out, the sooner he'll know the truth."

"He already does," said the voice behind her and Aiden came around her other side to announce his presence. "I visited him this morning, he knows about his child. And it's already changed his outlook." While Nolan sighed in relief, he eyed her Amanda with interest. "You're certainly taking a risk coming over to the command center. Does Jack approve of you being here?"

Amanda stood slowly, clutching her bag. "I just dropped by to see how Nolan's visit went… and ah—to pick up something Carl left over here last week," she answered sheepishly, looking to Nolan for support. "Do you mind grabbing that, so I can get going?"

"Uh, sure," Nolan bumbled, playing along. He jumped up to slip inside the house. "Let me go get that for you."

With Nolan gone, the tension rose. "You look lovely," Aiden finally volunteered, observing Amanda's loose-fitting summer dress. "I take it you're settling into a quiet married life with no trouble?"

She humored him with a twitch of her shoulder. "It's not exactly _quiet_ with a newborn and a toddler in the house," she commented, taking a breath. "But I'm not complaining. It's nice to have family around."

"Indeed," Aiden agreed with a nod. "Some of us don't have that luxury." Amanda's countenance dropped, but he continued before she could feel sorry for him. "On that note, I'm hoping that _family_ will be the key to unlocking Emily's memory. Once Daniel gets released he may be our last chance."

"He needs to tell her about the baby," Amanda suggested. "It was the last thing on her mind and she was keeping it a secret. Maybe her subconscious is trying to protect her because she's afraid now that he knows?"

"Or she's worried she's lost it," Aiden answered with a thought, just as his phone rang. "Both are possibilities."

Amanda lingered while he took the call, considering how much trouble he was going to just to reunite them. With admiration she realized his actions were selfless and noble, and it only further ignited the stirring in her heart that she sought to overcome. But as the call went on she forced herself to retreat inside, brushing past him with a subtle caress to his arm.

"It's been nearly a month since I heard from you, Conrad," Aiden was saying as he watched her walk away. "Last time we spoke you were requesting my assistance to keep Daniel out of your way?"

"Yes, well I was actually calling to amend our previous agreement," Conrad dispelled. "Circumstances have changed and since then some things have come to my attention. I believe I've been wrong about Daniel all along. In fact, I'm positive I was."

Aiden smiled contentedly. "So you don't believe the rumors that Daniel shot Emily?"

"Certainly not," Conrad affirmed. "And I'm hoping to mend fences by giving my assurance of good faith in his innocence."

With a satisfying nod, Aiden began walking back towards the house. It all made sense – Conrad had to have been the one to pursue Daniel getting released. "Well, that's excellent," he obliged. "Far be it from me to stand in the way of a father reconnecting with his child," he hinted.

Assuming he was referring to him, Conrad replied with enthusiasm. "Indeed… however I would like to retain your services in the future, should I need them. You've already proven your prowess at staying close to Daniel." He pondered the grim reality. "In the event he doesn't receive the olive branch I'm extending, I may need you to use your skills of persuasion."

"I'll await further instruction from you then," Aiden feigned service. He was willing to let Conrad believe whatever he wanted as long as it helped exonerate his friend.

 **SCENE**

The outer gates of the prison slid open and Daniel walked through, still processing the expediency of his release as he staggered out in the clothing he had come in with. He scanned the lot apprehensively and then suddenly stopped short in his tracks.

"Don't tell me you had something to do with this?" he accosted the man walking up to meet him.

Conrad fastened his jacket button as he neared. "Oh very little," he sidestepped, observing how different his son looked in a week's time. "The judge was planning on waiting until tomorrow morning; I merely made a few calls to get things expedited. But ultimately it was Emily's retraction that forced them to drop the charges." He stopped a few inches away and placed his hands on Daniel's shoulders reassuringly. "Son, we are going to completely clear your name from this."

"What is there to clear? She was delirious, Dad," Daniel brushed him off dryly. "She didn't know what she was saying."

"That or it was a product of your mother's prodding," Conrad supposed. "But either way, the media won't be as forgiving," he reminded, placing an arm around him as they walked in step. "You don't exactly have the best track record to consistently claim wrongful accusation—"

Daniel broke away before they reached Conrad's waiting vehicle. "Dad, I don't care what the media thinks," he asserted firmly, pushing his arm off. "I just want to get back to my wife."

"And indeed you shall," Conrad supplemented with a pleading look. "But son, be sensible. There's still a pending investigation on _Patrick_." He leaned in to whisper. "By fingering him as her assailant Emily may have cleared you from one charge, but it could just as easily be replaced by another if the police suspect Patrick was murdered in retaliation."

Daniel broke his stride. "So then why let me out – why not keep me in custody?"

"Well, fortunately the location and proximity of the bullet wound to the head has left them inconclusive," Conrad obliged. "My guess is they'll rule it as a classic murder-suicide if nothing else comes forward. Which is why we need to _ensure_ nothing else does," he grinned deviously, clapping him on the back. "You need to keep a low profile if you want to catch a break."

Daniel finally cut in. "I'm gonna say this one last time," he emphasized, with a fiery anger lighting his eyes. " _I didn't shoot Patrick_. So you can take whatever story you're spinning to the police and shove it – I don't need your help to defend myself, or your charity." He glanced over at his father's driving service. "And I don't need a ride home – I'd rather walk."

With that he stormed off, leaving Conrad baffled by his refusal. "Daniel, don't be ridiculous—" he called out, but his son was determined. With no other choice but to allow him his right, Conrad returned to his vehicle and sped away.

Meanwhile, once Daniel was almost half a mile down the road, a car approached from afar and slowed to a halt on the opposite side. The passenger window rolled down, revealing Aiden in the driver's seat.

"You look like you could use a lift?"

 **SCENE**

Victoria dabbed at the corner of her eye in the backseat of her limousine, pulled by the curb at Patrick's gravesite. The attendees to the burial had been scarce, mostly made up of her socialite circle with surprisingly no sign of Patrick's foster family. The only person brave enough to approach Victoria was Margaux, who treaded over in fashionably appropriate black attire, and then joined her in the backseat.

"I can't begin to imagine what you're going through," she offered in sympathy. "But I wanted to take a moment to offer my sincerest apologies. I know we've had our differences in the past," she acknowledged, conscious that their last few interchanges had been icy. "But I can only hope to put them behind us."

Victoria exhaled heavily before responding. "Thank you, Margaux. It's been very difficult to endure Patrick's loss by myself," she appreciated genuinely, reflecting on the absence of all of her immediate family members.

Margaux tried at lifting her spirits. "I'm certain Charlotte would have been here if not for nursing a newborn. And Daniel…" she trailed off thoughtfully. "Well, the circumstances keeping him away are truly regrettable."

"Mm," Victoria glanced out of her window reflectively. "I'm afraid you don't know my children quite as well as I do. Charlotte despised my relationship with Patrick. And Daniel and I have drifted apart for some time now. Even though I've only sought what was best for him," she paused to qualify her statement, facing Margaux again. "The only child I had who seemed to appreciate my efforts – has now been laid to rest."

Margaux studied her. "Off the record," she stated cautiously. "Do you believe Daniel is guilty of attempted murder, Victoria?"

"I believe there was foul play," Victoria replied, chewing the inside of her lip. "But I also know that _nothing_ is off the record. You may sympathize with my situation, Margaux but you're still a journalist. Is this your idea of an interview?"

Margaux shifted firmly. "No, Victoria. I seek the truth for personal reasons. I was there on the boat that night," she reminded her with conviction. "And I watched Daniel…he had the look of a man in love, not that of a killer. The views circulating in the news are no match for what I saw as an eyewitness, and _that_ is the very thing I'm trying to corroborate."

"Of course you believe Daniel is innocent," Victoria observed pointedly, bringing her chin upright. "He has a special place in your heart – I've seen it for some time." Margaux began to protest but Victoria ignored her. "But what your affections have blinded you to see is that the source of my son's misfortune will inevitably be his attachment—to Emily. He may not be responsible for _her_ condition, but she has the ability to influence him to do unspeakable things. I've seen it before."

Absorbing, Margaux reached into her handbag. "Be that as it may," she replied. "Daniel's unconditional love for his wife would never be perceived as out of the ordinary. However, your _late_ son's fascination with her," she introduced, revealing a folded paper for Victoria to see. " _That_ is what would raise questions."

As Victoria peered close, Margaux held out the cover page with Emily's photo for her to see. "Where did you get this?" she asked.

"Patrick had it in his jacket, shortly before he disappeared," Margaux explained. "It's a recent photo from Emily's bridal session. He could have only gotten his hands on it days before the wedding." She watched intently as Victoria stared close at the photo, digesting what a leading piece of evidence it was. But her focus fell on the headline.

 _"Amanda Clarke lives?"_ Victoria questioned with interest.

"It was to be the cover-story for next month's issue of _Voulez,_ " Margaux explained. "But we have since abandoned it. There must have been a misprint with Emily's photo from the wedding issue the month before." Dismissing it in favor of the main point of focus, she continued. "Still it points heavily towards your son having some sort of obsession with her? I refrained from turning this over to the police out of respect for you, Victoria. But I would reconsider, if it will aid in seeing Daniel's name cleared."

Victoria remained entranced. "That won't be necessary," she finally resolved, looking up at her. "Conrad has already contacted the authorities with an update on Emily's condition. Without substantial progress they have no choice but to strike her previous statement from the record. Daniel will be released, if he isn't already."

"I'm glad to hear it," Margaux appraised with a breath, glancing back towards the cemetery. "Perhaps it's time to accept the _truth_ about the ones we love?" She allowed her another still moment before reaching out for the photo, which Victoria reluctantly gave over.

"Margaux, I'm sure this only adds to the questions you have. But I couldn't bear any further reproach on my son's memory," Victoria plead. "Can I trust you to keep this private?"

Considering her options, Margaux ducked her chin in acknowledgment. "You can," she confirmed, preparing to leave. "Think of it as a peace offering."

With the critical piece of information back in her possession, Margaux left with assurance that Daniel's exemption was certain and Victoria was now in her debt. Her work completed, she thought nothing of what Victoria would do with what she had just acquired, nor how the headline she had read was now causing her thoughts to churn.

"Back to the Manor, Mrs. Grayson?" the driver asked.

"Not yet," Victoria responded aversely. "First, let's make a stop at Suffolk Memorial."

 **SCENE**

"Alright, let me know what you hear."

Aiden hung up his cell as they slowed to the last stop of several in the past hour – Montauk, by the docks of the _Stowaway._ To his right, Daniel sat exasperated from the constant runaround. "That was Nolan," he updated. "He checked the hospital records and it looks like Emily's been discharged into family care, but they won't divulge with whom. That's why we couldn't get in to see her and why she wasn't at the beach house."

"Let's hope she's here," Daniel sighed, getting out while Aiden stayed behind. "Though I can't imagine how Charlotte is balancing taking care of her _and_ a newborn," he mumbled.

"Be careful," Aiden called after him and watched as Daniel made his way in.

Amanda greeted him from behind the bar. "Daniel?" she exclaimed. "You're out!"

"Hey," he turned, leaning forward anxiously on a bar chair. "Please tell me Emily's here?" he begged first before taking a breath to elaborate. "You've gotta believe me, I'm not the one who shot her—"

"I know," she assured him before he could continue. "She was starting to remember things the last time I saw her. But, she isn't _here_ ," she added nervously. "Are you saying the hospital let her go?"

Before he could respond, an angelic voice was interrupting their exchange from across the room. "Danny?" Charlotte emerged from the downstairs nursery. "Oh my God, it _is_ you! I thought I heard your voice!"

He walked the distance to greet her with an embrace, feeling speechless since the last time he was in her company. "Char, I'm so sorry I missed everything," he found himself apologizing. "It's so good to see you."

"I'm just glad you're _home!_ " she assured him with an eager look in her eyes. "I knew they'd realize you were innocent. Have you been to see Emily yet?"

"Ah, no I'm—uh, kind of in the middle of trying to figure that out now," he stammered, glancing back at Amanda. Hearing the commotion, Jack emerged from the supply room to stand beside her and noted Daniel was over with Charlotte. "Hey Porter," Daniel acknowledged him fairly.

"Welcome back," Jack nodded in interest. "Glad to see they dropped the charges," he remarked, turning his attention to Amanda for the update.

Meanwhile, Charlotte pulled Daniel towards the nursery. "I won't keep you from Emily another minute but there's someone I want you to meet while you're here," she implored, anxious to introduce him to his nephew.

While Daniel obliged, Jack used the moment alone to confer with Amanda. "What's going on?" he asked.

"I don't know, it sounds like Emily got released but he doesn't know where she is," she explained to the best of her knowledge.

Jack furrowed his brow curiously. "Wait a minute, I thought you went to see her this morning?" he clarified.

"I did," she answered in a hurry, forgetting that had been her alibi. "But—um, but she wasn't there." She slipped around him to come from behind the bar, headed over to wipe down the table closest to the door.

"You were gone a long time," Jack continued to probe, following her over. "Where'd you go after that?"

Amanda merely shrugged, trying to buy herself time. Jack was still fully aware that Aiden was staying with Nolan, so any mention of where she had really went would only incriminate her more. "I just had errands to run," she alibied flimsily, hoping he would drop the topic.

Instead he only grew more irritated. "Amanda, what is it gonna take for you to just be honest with me?" he charged her firmly.

"Jack, come on—" she insisted, stepping out of his path.

"No, I've had it up to here with your lies!" he held her back with a slight tug at her arm.

Just then the door swung open, interrupting their quarrel. "Everything alright in here?" Aiden verified as he walked in, scanning the room with particular attention on them.

"Hey— stay out of this!" Jack warned him with a glare. "Shouldn't you be worried about finishing your handiwork? Emily's missing!" He turned his attention back to Amanda, hoping Aiden would take the hint and walk away.

Instead, the added information only fueled Aiden's annoyance, impelling him to take another step forward. "You think you know everything, don't you?" he challenged.

Weeks of repressed tension finally mounted and Jack felt himself suddenly whirling around to deck Aiden across the jaw, sending him flying back onto an empty table. "Yeah," he retorted proudly, catching him off guard. "I do!"

"Hey—stop it!" Amanda forced herself in front of Jack to stop Aiden from lunging back at him once he regained his footing. Daniel rushed out a second later at the sound of the scuffle, just before they were about to go to blows again.

"What's going on?! Porter—back off!" he yelled, stepping in with added force to help Amanda separate them.

"Get the hell out of my bar!" Jack shouted to them both. He could care less whether Daniel bore the brunt of Aiden's presence; he was done seeing either of them.

" _Jack_ — _"_ he heard Charlotte beg from the nursery doorway.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte but they have to go," Jack apologized over his shoulder, determinedly. " _Now!_ " he emphasized.

With a gesture for him to calm down, Daniel merely went along and pushed Aiden to walk through the door despite his angered state. "Come on – let it go! This isn't the time for this. Besides," he reminded him. "I think I know where Emily is."

 **SCENE**

"Where am I?"

Emily blinked several times as she opened her eyes and adjusted to her surroundings: a softly decorated guest room with the shades drawn and a looming presence at her bedside. She recognized her as the woman from her memories, and the one she mistakenly once thought was her mother – Victoria Grayson.

"Well, Grayson Manor, of course," Victoria answered. "Welcome home."

As she watched, Emily attempted to use her arms to sit up, but quickly weakened and had to rest. "I don't understand," she began, struggling to reorient feebly. "My—my doctor discharged me?"

"Yes, straight into my care and your nurse's," Victoria asserted, and a glance to the left made Emily aware of a familiar caretaker from the hospital that was monitoring her vitals. "We thought you'd be more comfortable here," she explained. "You're a Grayson now. And we circle the wagons when tragedy strikes."

To Victoria's credit, the combination of Emily's medication and her memory loss was having the desired effect. Emily managed an appreciative smile, even relaxing at what she took to be genuine kindness from her mother-in-law. "Thank you," she sighed contentedly. "I can't tell you how much that means to me."

"But of course," Victoria forced through clenched teeth. Unable to restrain her curiosity, she took a seat at Emily's side. "Your doctor mentioned that some of your memories are recovering," she probed. "That you now believe Patrick was the one responsible for your wounds?"

Emily called it back to mind groggily. "Uh…I don't know," she muttered, remembering the advice from others not to tell Victoria. "I'm not sure… I keep going back and forth over what happened as that night gets clearer."

Victoria swallowed her contention to investigate. "What about Amanda Clarke?" she tested, thinking about the cover that Margaux had showed her. "Do you remember anything about _her_?"

"Amanda," Emily repeated, and unlike during Nolan's visit, this time it registered. She closed her eyes and immediately saw a little girl on the beach, heard the sound of laughter, smelled the salty sea in the breeze— but just as quickly an unpleasant haze filled and her memories dissipated into fragments. The act of straining to remember only compounded her stress, prompting her nurse to take notice.

"She still needs a rest, Mrs. Grayson," the nurse deliberately chimed in. "That last dosage was a strong one."

Victoria quieted her with a glare and redirected her focus. "Emily, you don't have to worry about what will happen if you remember," she promised falsely. "I only want to help you. Think back to the night of the wedding – what did Patrick say to you?"

"He was – he was angry," Emily muttered under her breath, as another image suddenly awoke in her mind. "Someone tried to stop him." As she recalled, Patrick had been fighting someone just before she stepped forward. But while the images of that night had more clarity than her others, there was still uncertainty in what she was remembering.

"Who?" Victoria pressed, leaning closer. _"Who, Emily?"_

Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she turned to her right. "Daniel," she whispered. Victoria quickly realized Emily was concentrated on the doorway. "You're here?"

Victoria looked over with a guilty expression as her son walked through, bearing an angry glare. "What are you doing, Mother?" he grilled.

"Daniel, you're home!" Victoria exhaled, imploring him innocently. "Oh, thank goodness. Emily was just remembering the night of the shooting—"

"Get away from her," he commanded without hesitation. He glanced over at Emily in her bedridden condition, still requiring the attention of a few portable machines. "What are you, keeping her here hostage—have you completely lost your _mind_?!"

"Daniel, wait—" Emily chimed in faintly, but Victoria rose to her own defense.

"That's ridiculous," Victoria asserted. "The hospital was ready to discharge her into rehab; I only volunteered the Manor so she could recover in peace—"

"You're completely _insane!_ " Daniel shouted back angrily, getting closer. "Peace is the last thing Emily will have here!"

"Daniel, please!" Emily finally mustered enough strength to raise her voice, and only her insistence stopped him mere inches from Victoria. With a pleading expression, she extended a hand to him. "Please, don't be upset with her—you're mother has done nothing but show kindness to me," she begged.

A feeling of shock and disgust crept into Daniel's heart as he realized Emily's petition was out of genuine consideration for his mother. "So, this is your angle, huh?" he deciphered, bitterly glaring at Victoria. "Keeping her under your spell?"

Victoria elongated her neck in a satisfied gesture. "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," she prided herself. "But seeing as you've just been released and this is Emily's first day home – I imagine you'll want a moment alone to catch up." She left them, but not before first leaning over to plant a kiss on Emily's forehead while Daniel looked on, incensed by the blatant display.

"I'll be back to check on you later, dear," Victoria whispered.

 **SCENE**

Despite finally having the moments he sought alone with Emily, in her feeble condition and after her surprising defense of his mother, it had already fell short of Daniel's expectation. Rather than press her for answers, he let her sleep and used the time to get cleaned up at the beach house, returning later that evening. When he rejoined she was in better spirits, and even expressed relief that he was freed of the charges. But to his dismay there was no connection in her eyes, no spark like the woman he remembered vowing to be with forever. Instead, she looked at him with mystery, as if trying to piece together why he was a part of her life.

"How did we fall in love?" Emily asked as they sat by the window sill. She looked up from the pile of wedding photos in her lap, stopping on one where they looked particularly happy.

"That's a… a loaded question," Daniel mumbled, scratching his newly trimmed beard. At one time he wondered if shaving might have helped her recognize him, but her responses made it clear that the detachment ran deeper than the surface.

"Please tell me," she asked sincerely.

Daniel happened to notice her nurse still busying about her room. Uncertain of her loyalties, he chose his words carefully. "Well, when you moved to the Hamptons two years ago… you pretty much swept me off my feet," he tried with a grin.

"That's how we _met_ ," Emily acknowledged without satisfaction. "I was hoping you could tell me more about what it was that drew us to each other," she expounded. "Did we have a lot in common?"

"In some ways," Daniel admitted, thinking back. "But from the time we met until now… we both went through a lot of changes."

"Why?" she asked in intrigue. "What happened?"

"Let's just say we both were faced with similar choices to define who we would become, and what we stood for. It took us time to find the harmony in those but eventually – we ended up on the same page." Daniel paused, expecting she would be only more confused by his vague explanation but instead she appeared deeply interested.

She was gazing deep into his eyes, and with a warm sensation she realized he was incredibly attractive – even the dark shadow of his smoldering brow had a gentleness that easily drew her in. He met her scrutiny with longing, welcoming her by a slight raise of the corner of his mouth. Was she coming back, he wondered. Or was she still learning who he was? A unique concept struck him as he imagined reliving the experience of discovering each other all over again, and he relished the possibility.

But the semblance quickly faded on her next words. "Did you ever hurt me?" Emily asked, immediately regretting it when she saw Daniel draw in an uneasy breath. "Never mind," she begged off. "Sorry – I, I shouldn't have asked that."

"No, don't apologize," Daniel insisted. "It's good that you're asking questions – it's the only thing that's going to help you get better. And… _yes, w_ e both hurt each other at times..." he admitted, watching as her hand drifted protectively to her abdomen. Anxiously, he reached over to place both hands on top of hers in a penitent gesture. "But, Emily you have to believe me— I would never do anything to harm you."

"I know it wasn't you, Daniel," she assured him, brightening. "I didn't tell your mother this but… I remembered more from that night. And it was definitely Patrick that shot me—I remember you and him fighting." She closed her eyes briefly, reaching with her mind for answers. "You were protecting me?" she guessed confidently.

"Yes," he affirmed with a relieved sigh.

"But I just don't understand," she continued dangerously. "Why would Patrick want to kill me? He was your brother, wasn't he?"

Again, Daniel's gaze gently lowered to the floor as he sought a way to protect her. "Emily, there's a lot of things about my family that you don't remember right now, but if you did – you would understand. Take my mother for example," he offered. "I know you think she's looking out for your best interests but trust me, _she is not the caring person you think she is._ "

"Then who is she?" Emily shook her head when he didn't immediately reply, growing exasperated. "Everyone keeps telling me who to trust, who to talk to… But how am I supposed to know who to believe? I don't know what to feel, I don't know what to think – I don't even know who _I_ am?!" Her frustration peaked and she thrust her head into her hands, nearly on the verge of tears.

It pained Daniel to watch her so helpless, with all her strength pinned beneath the surface along with a wealth of knowledge he couldn't yet reveal. But rather than overwhelm her with more expectation, he drew close to rub her back in reassurance and when she leaned in, he pulled her into an embrace.

"I wish I could tell you everything about who you are, Em," he confessed, realizing the tables had turned. "Maybe after all you've been through; it's your body's way of protecting you from the pain," he supposed.

He felt her breathing steady and pulled away to see her face. While she collected herself, he lifted a wedding photo from her lap – one where they were closely nuzzled together on the outdoor swing. A warm feeling collected in his heart as he realized she had already been pregnant then, which only added depth to her glowing smile in the picture. "But I can tell you who are to _me_ ," he added; offering for her to look. "You're my wife, and the only woman I'll ever truly love. And the one I want to be with… forever."

Not wishing to tire her any further, he rose slowly and took her hand to kiss goodbye. Emily stared at the picture as he left, and then keenly observed a small detail. Her arm was raised holding onto the swing, and there appeared to be an insignia on her wrist. She turned over the hand that Daniel had just kissed in verification, stared closely at the tattoo and immediately knew it meant something. Just what it was she could not be sure, but she felt a tugging at her consciousness, signifying it was the key to finding everything she had lost…

 **SCENE**

"Easy does it… and _press._ Quite a shiner you got there?"

Nolan gingerly helped Aiden secure an ice pack to his upper cheek, where the bruise from his fight with Jack was forming. "Porter," Aiden muttered in explanation, irritably snatching the pack away.

"Yeah, I _know_ ," Nolan sighed at his impatience and moved to give him space. "I just got off the phone with Amanda. She's ah—really worried about Emily being in Victoria's care," he switched topic.

"Daniel's with her – she'll be fine," Aiden grumbled. He repositioned the pack and leaned forward on the counter in thought. "And if she isn't… it's not my problem," he added briskly.

Nolan furrowed his brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Staying around here is pointless for me," Aiden huffed back, giving up and tossing the pack down. "Now that Daniel and Emily are reunited, my work is done. There's no need for me to prolong this any further—" he ended abruptly, adding weight to his words by heading to his room to pack.

He was followed closely down the hall by Nolan. "So what—one bar fight and that's it, you're out of here?" Unbelieving, he reached out to stop him halfway. "What about the _mission_? The Graysons still haven't paid for what they've done and Emily doesn't even know who she _is_ yet-!"

"Emily _is_ a Grayson," Aiden turned to remind him sharply. "That's just it. Even if she does remember and takes them down, it's _her_ family now, it's her vendetta, and none of it has anything to do with me—" he broke away to continue packing.

"But she _needs_ us!" Nolan insisted, unable to see how he could overlook it.

"She doesn't need me, Nolan I've already failed her enough!" Aiden finally burst, smashing a frame that was in his hand to the ground. Nolan shrunk back and realized Aiden had slowly allowed Jack's claims to influence on him and was now feeling guilty.

"Well, I never expected to hear that from _you_ ," a voice interrupted them, and Nolan and Aiden turned to see Daniel at the doorway. He looked down at the smashed article at Aiden's feet. "If I had known things would be this bad when I came out, I might've stayed in my cell."

"Daniel," Aiden tried to reassure him apologetically. "I'm sorry; I've just had a rough day. How is Emily recuperating?"

Daniel shrugged as he joined the company. "Still no change," he sighed. "She's starting to give up on herself. She doesn't remember much about our relationship and I'm worried about the new ones she's starting to form." He shifted uncomfortably. "Strangely enough, she seems to be attached to my mother."

"What?" Nolan gaped, making a face as he pictured it. "Victoria, having the Florence Nightingale effect?! _Blech!_ " he gagged. "Sorry, but—that's just a bit overwhelming."

"Yeah, I know," Daniel admitted with no sign of offense. "It's freaking me out too, but only because I can't tell her all the things I think would help her remember," he voiced in concern. "My mother's got her nurse from the hospital watching her round-the-clock."

"Niko?" Aiden suddenly inserted after hearing Daniel describe her. He perked up with the first sign of hope since the conversation had started. "If that's who it is, this could be to our favor—Niko is an associate of mine, she's the doctor I entrusted to care for her injuries when I got her to safety."

"Then she knows Emily is pregnant?" Daniel confirmed.

Aiden nodded. "I wasn't certain if she would find a way to keep watch over her, but she must have talked her way into coming along." Brightening, he came over to clasp Daniel's shoulder. "Emily is good hands under her supervision. I trust her with my life, Daniel—you can speak freely in her presence."

Daniel narrowed his eyes in interest. "Who is she?" he questioned.

"An ally," he responded in part, maintaining a respectful degree of discretion. More personally he added, "And a very close friend."

Nolan watched Daniel attempt to read his underlying meaning and finally piped in. "So, what do you say, Danny – up for another try at the girl with the infinity tattoo?"

"I have something to handle first," Daniel established with confidence. "But I'll keep trying as long as it takes to get her back," he vowed, turning to face Aiden. "I know she wouldn't want any of those closest to her to give up."

Aiden digressed, explaining his earlier comment. "Daniel, it's not that I've given up on Emily, I'm just evaluating whether I can be of help—"

"You don't get to make that call," Daniel cut him short. His stern glare spoke volumes, reminding him that he still resented Aiden for the anguish he had to endure the past week. "I'm Emily's husband, remember? Which means when she's out of commission," he glanced over to Nolan. "I'm in charge. And none of this is over until I say it is." Daniel bent down to pick up the largest piece of the frame Aiden had shattered, glancing at it quickly before handing it over. "After all, that's what endurance is, right? Waiting as long as we have to—for the people we love."

With heavy meaning Daniel left, and Nolan followed behind him with an impressed look. Meanwhile, Aiden pondered his words as he stared down at the photo he had been keeping of Amanda, and wondered if his foolish attachment to her was truly worth waiting for.

 **SCENE**

"I hope you saved some energy for a visitor?"

It was late morning the following day when Emily looked up from the outdoor courtyard of Grayson Manor to see two somewhat familiar faces coming through, accompanied by a stroller in front of them. She squinted, recalling them from the hospital. "Ch-Charlotte?" she guessed slowly.

"That's _right,_ Emily!" Charlotte beamed with excitement, tapping Jack at her side. "See, she is remembering things!"

"Not everything," Emily assured her.

Charlotte turned to thank Marta for escorting them out and pulled the stroller up next to Emily so she could sit beside her. "I'm sorry I haven't been to see you sooner – Daniel told me our mother put a moratorium on guests."

"Ah, I guess she wanted me to rest," Emily shrugged, still uncertain on how she felt about Victoria. "I haven't seen her yet this morning."

"Probably for the best," Jack piped in dryly, hanging back. "I'll stand guard while you two catch up," he begged off, following Marta just inside the doorway.

"Thanks Jack," Charlotte nodded with little enthusiasm.

Emily watched him go curiously, noting a bandage on his hand. She sensed an odd tension between them and decided to take Daniel's advice and ask. "I know I probably wouldn't know the difference," she admitted. "But ah—is everything alright with him?"

Charlotte chuckled. "Guess your instincts really are getting better," she appraised her. "Actually things have been a little awkward since Daniel got released. He came by the _Stowaway_ and while I was introducing him to DJ," she glanced down at her sleeping infant. "Jack and Aiden got into a fight."

"Aiden?" Emily asked, gradually feeling that the name was familiar.

"He used to work with Daniel," Charlotte started to explain and then found herself quickly remiss. "Honestly I don't know much more about him than that – except he was the Best Man at your wedding…" she trailed off with a shrug. "I still don't know what the fight was about but ever since, Jack has been evasive and Amanda won't talk about it." She stared at her sister-in-law with friendly longing. "Sometimes I feel like you're the only one not keeping any secrets."

Emily managed an oblivious smile. "Funny," she commented, reaching over to pinch baby DJ's feet. "Right now I feel like my whole life is a secret." A glance at Charlotte's sincere and trusting eyes made Emily feel open to confide in her. "Charlotte maybe you can answer this – why do you think your mother is keeping me here? Everyone I talk to tells me I shouldn't trust her – but no one will tell me why?"

Charlotte gave it a thought. "While I guess it is noble of her to look after you," she conceded irritably, looking around their surroundings. "I just think it wouldn't surprise any of us if she had other intentions. Before everything happened on your wedding night – you two didn't exactly get along."

Emily furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"Probably because, in her mind she'll always think no one is good enough for my brother," Charlotte guessed indifferently. "And she'll do anything to get what she wants." Stating it aloud suddenly held new meaning as Charlotte considered the fact that Emily's shooter still had yet to be identified. "Emily, I know you're still recovering," she decided. "But if you do remember what happened that night – don't be afraid to tell the truth. You don't have to stay here," she added. "You'll always have a home with us."

Emily smiled at Charlotte's generous invitation but declined it with a shake of her head. "I appreciate that Charlotte," she replied graciously. "But I can't go anywhere – not just yet. I know it sounds strange but… I keep having this urge to stay as close to your mother as possible?"

Charlotte sighed respectfully and stood, glancing towards the doorway. "Well in that case, I better get going. I'm not quite brave enough to face her as you are," she confessed, leaning over to hug her sister-in-law goodbye. "I hope you get better soon, Emily. Call me if you need anything." With that she pushed the stroller away and quietly departed with Jack.

"Thanks, Charlotte," Emily called out softly as she left, and inwardly wondered at her own decision. Everyone was in some way or another encouraging her to keep her distance from Victoria and yet something kept driving her to push through. Again she glanced down at the tattoo on her wrist and felt a connection, but could not justify what it meant…

 **SCENE**

"Ms. LeMarchal? You have an Ashley Grobet on Line 1?"

Margaux finished jotting down a few notes on her tablet when the assistant peeked in and quickly scooted over to her desk. "Thank you, Paige – you can put her through," she instructed, gesturing for her to close the door to her office as she left. "Ashley," she greeted with a hint of intrigue. "I was beginning to wonder if you would ever return my calls?"

"My apologies," Ashley's diplomatic tone rang true. "With Paris Fashion Week just a few days away and the launch of a new brand it's been bloody insane." She hesitated and Margaux could almost hear her smirking. "But from what I hear things haven't exactly been quiet on your end, have they?"

"I'll say. Aside from the Grayson tragedy at sea," Margaux replied coyly. "Let's not forget that not long after _you_ left to work for my father, Amanda Clarke returned from the dead." She led in with her questioning. "You were working on the article exposing the treachery around her supposed death, Ashley. You spent countless hours interviewing Jack Porter."

"So?" Ashley challenged.

"So, I find it strange that at no point in your thorough investigation did you even suspect Amanda might still be alive?" Margaux fired. "Or were you keeping that under your hat along with your intent to resign?"

"My reporting skills were amateur at best – _that's_ the reason I transferred," Ashley alibied neatly. "But I should think that irrelevant now, seeing as how that article was trashed the same time you invited Conrad Grayson into bed with _Voulez,_ " she shot back. "Don't think your father doesn't know about your dealings with him, Margaux. He's got eyes and ears everywhere."

"You're a foolish woman if you think you can trust Pascal," Margaux asserted without backing down. "The little information you think you know is nothing compared to what he's truly capable of."

But Ashley was not keen on retracting. "I quite agree," she countered. "But since Pascal has plans to visit soon and I'll be accompanying him, I look forward to discussing the subject further with you then." Ashley used that as her final cue to hang up, leaving Margaux irritated and distressed.

It just so happened her temper was about to be pushed even further to the limit, when seconds later Victoria came waltzing into her office and slammed the most recent copy of _Voulez_ on her desk. "We had a deal!" she exclaimed. "I thought you promised not to bring Patrick into this?"

Margaux stood in alarm, lifting the fresh copy of that month's issue. "Victoria, what are you talking about?" she asked, paging through to the center article just as Victoria snatched it from her hand.

" _'An eyewitness reports that Patrick Osbourne is now the lead suspect. He was heard interrogating guests about Emily Thorne and was even seen headed for where the victim was last seen on deck_ —" Victoria read off in a fury, chucking the magazine back at her. "This is clearly your doing!"

Margaux reread it in her hands, adamantly shaking her head. "No—no I didn't write this!" she exclaimed, looking up with a pleading expression. "Victoria, I assure you, _I didn't do it_ -!"

"Then who did?!" Victoria fired back, her angry tenor masking the noise of someone entering behind her.

"I did," Daniel admitted with his entrance into the office, drawing both women to look at him.

"Daniel?!" Margaux said in disbelief.

He matched their empty gazes with a sinister one of his own. "I do have final authority on editing this magazine, after all," he reminded them, sauntering over with his hands in both pockets. "I've been here since last night making final changes before sending it to publishing."

"No, Daniel you can't insert a statement like this, _especially_ after you were questioned as a suspect—it's a conflict of interest!" Margaux exploded, favoring her integrity to journalism.

"Oh and your little 'agreement' isn't?" he accused them, motioning with quotes in the air. "Emily remembered Patrick was her shooter. How else do you think I got released?" He jerked his head in Victoria's direction. "My mother here is just trying to save his reputation— or her own."

Margaux paced from around her desk into close proximity with him. "Daniel, despite how relieved I am that you were released, what you've just done could violate this magazine's entire credibility!" She shook her head in disappointment. "Not to mention, how you were able to do it when I had already submitted the article to meet the deadline?"

Daniel snorted at her claim. "You're not the only one with connections," he hinted, saving a proud look for his mother. Victoria sneered in response, leaving Margaux feeling like a mediator between them.

"I have to go speak with my contacts in compliance," Margaux finally announced, stepping between them. "But we are not finished here," she scolded Daniel strongly, while he barely blinked an eye.

With her gone, Daniel turned his attention to his mother. "How long did you think I would go along with you holding Emily captive?" he charged, folding his arms. "Now, not only is the memory of your firstborn son forever shaded, but everyone will see how obvious it is that you were protecting him. And that includes Dad, Charlotte," he used his digits to enumerate and shrugged incisively. "Even your new grandson will eventually learn what a monster you are. So why not just give up?"

Victoria seethed, taking a slow stride towards him in response. "Daniel, the calloused way in which you seek to exploit me only proves what I've been trying to warn you of all along. If you only knew the degree to which I've sacrificed for you," she recalled, reaching out to touch his face. "Just to watch you turn so completely cruel and dark inside?"

He caught her hand before she could continue her sentimental prodding. "Don't even try it," he warned her. "I know all about your so-called sacrifices. Staying silent when they threw me in lockup? Making sure I was denied visitors? Keeping Emily as your little hostage?" He thrust her hand back towards her, brushing past to walk out. "I think you've cornered the market on cruelty."

"Emily doesn't share your opinion of me – nor is she being held against her will!" Victoria called out before he was all but gone. She faced him with her only card of triumph. "She's more than content to call Grayson Manor home."

Daniel stopped briefly in the doorway. "Capitalizing on her condition is only going to make this worse in the end," he warned before leaving. "And she _does_ share my opinion of you, Mother. She just doesn't know it yet."

 **SCENE**

When Victoria finally returned home late in the day, she arrived to find a barrage of suitcases at the entrance and immediately worried Daniel had found a way to move Emily out. But to her surprise, Conrad was rolling the last case down the hall, as the staff helped him get his belongings to the car waiting outside.

"At last—you're finally making it official," Victoria tapped with a condescending glare. "I've waited years to see you evicted from this house; why the sudden rush to comply?"

"Charming, my dear," Conrad humored, turning to answer Victoria's question by handing over a manila envelope. "Your endurance has finally paid off," he mocked her with a smile. "I'm ready to give you exactly what you deserve – starting with this."

With a careful eye on her husband, Victoria opened the envelope and unveiled a neatly folded set of legal documents that she had seen once before—a divorce decree. "Why Conrad," she sighed smarmily, cracking a smile. "You've made my week!"

He rolled his eyes. "As much as I'd like to continue this endless match we seem to be playing, your insistence on keeping that poor girl here," he nodded towards Emily's room. "Coupled with that fantastic article in _Voulez_ highlighting Patrick –may he rest in peace—as the _shooter_ is quite enough." Conrad glanced through the open door at the press hounds beginning to crowd the edge of their property. "It won't be long before the law enforcement foils exactly what you're up to and descends upon you for justice – and I for one, will be far beyond these walls when it happens."

Victoria balked at his claim with a cocked eyebrow. "So now you think I had something to do with it?" She shook her head and flung the papers on the table nonchalantly. "Your idiocy never ceases to amaze me. Farewell then, Conrad – and if you think for one second that by leaving this house it's going to spare you of any future implications?" She sneered over her shoulder. "Think again."

She returned strutting through the halls as he departed, stopped only by Emily's presence in the doorway of her room. "Victoria," she called out to her, glancing in the direction she had just come from. "Was that Conrad just leaving?"

"Emily, you're up," Victoria observed with little emotion. "And yes. It seems everyone in my family has elected to abandon me."

With interest, Emily gingerly retreated back into her room and Victoria followed. "I can't imagine why anyone would want to desert you," she commented, settling onto the couch across from the fireplace. "You've shown nothing but the utmost consideration looking after me?"

"Hm, well your husband has a much different opinion," Victoria countered with a flick of her eyebrow. She found a seat beside Emily in hopes to return to the investigation that Daniel cut short the previous day. "He would like to do nothing more than destroy me."

"Why do you say that?" Emily asked innocently.

Victoria reached over on the coffee table, providing Emily with the latest issue of _Voulez_ to explain. "He used his position with _Voulez_ to paint an unfavorable image of my son, Patrick," she advised, sliding it over. "It all but completely implicates him in the crime, and even hints that I conspired with him. While it may not be an official statement to the police, it was surely done to tarnish my image in the public eye."

Emily perused the article in a somewhat disillusioned state. "You know, Victoria I'm only just beginning to feel a sense of familiarity with anyone – including Daniel," she admitted. "I'm afraid it's too soon for me to comment on why he would want to do this to you?"

Victoria sighed, drawing comfort from the fact that Emily still seemed so unaware of her surroundings. It was a silent triumph just to keep her away from Daniel. "I wouldn't expect you to understand," she soothed. "But I do hope you'll help me set the record straight?"

"I would very much like to do that. However," Emily added, as she slowly turned over the last page and looked up. "What I do see is that Daniel cares about the truth. And a man with that kind of integrity is someone I feel I can trust … which is why _I_ asked him to publish my statement."

Victoria nearly froze in place, not believing her ears. " _You_ gave him the story? I was under the impression Daniel contrived the whole thing!"

Emily closed the magazine and faced her with determination. "Why? When my memory of that night is as clear as day—Patrick came out on that deck with the intention of killing me," she resolved with a breath. "I may not remember everything but I'm well enough to know what was real. And spending time with Daniel gave me my certainty. He was trying to protect me from your other son."

While Victoria remained still, Emily never once ceased eye contact, focusing on her as if to make out her character. Meanwhile, Victoria met her challenge with a priceless look of her own, staring her down as a declared enemy.

"I realize that it must be hard for you, Victoria; knowing now that Patrick was a cold-blooded killer," Emily continued in a pretentious tone that sparked up from deep inside of her. "And finding out just after his death— but rest assured, I don't believe that you had anything to do with it." With a smile that glimmered with concavity she finished by saying, "How could you? You've been like a second mother to me."

"How very kind of you to say," Victoria forced smarmily, rising to her feet. "But I'm afraid the time has come to remind you who I truly am," she paused meaningfully, leveling a look at Emily that revealed the true nature of her feelings. "I'm not your mother, Emily. Nor will I continue to be a stooge to your recovery."

"Victoria—" Emily begged in disillusion.

"What I am is a woman seeking redemption for a beloved son," Victoria continued without pause, turning with determination to pick up a rather heavy suitcase next to the couch that had been used to transport Emily's belongings. "And seeing how you serve no future purpose in helping me to that end, I have no choice but to exercise my right as owner of this house—" Victoria spun around as Emily staggered over to protest, and intentionally thrust the case right at the wounds to her gut.

"Ah!" Emily gasped, catching the weight in her arms while she cringed in pain.

"—and put you out of it," Victoria finished.

 **SCENE**

"She could have severely hurt you, you know? That was foolish egging her on like that."

Emily glanced up at the pointed comment from her nurse, and winced as she began delicately redressing the wounds where Victoria had shoved her. "I wasn't egging her on," she insisted sincerely. "I just wanted her to know I didn't hold her responsible for what Patrick did! I meant every word I said."

Niko smirked and continued sealing the bandages. "By now even _you_ don't know what your words mean," she assessed. "Your subliminal emotions are beginning to supersede your memory, Emily. You _hate_ Victoria."

With that she stood and Emily watched her collect her belongings, following Victoria's orders to transport her out. "How do you know that?" she fawned in disbelief.

Niko sighed and returned to her side. "Because for years it was all that my father talked about," she confessed boldly. "First, the Graysons. And the destruction they brought to our family. And then, his prized pupil, who vowed to seek justice for their crimes." She cocked an eyebrow and nodded meaningfully in her direction. " _You_."

" _I_ was your father's prized pupil?" Emily repeated in amazement, previously assuming the woman that stood before her was nothing more than a nurse from Suffolk Memorial. "I don't even know you?"

"You never did," Niko affirmed. "But I heard about you from my father for years. Your memories are protected by that layer of hatred you built around your heart," Niko continued, edging closer. Emily's gaze had fallen to her chest as she tried to make sense of her figurative explanations. "But the pain always finds its way through—" she suddenly broke her sentence to try a frontal attack towards her abdomen that Emily deflected, surprising herself with her reflexes. Niko chuckled. "How do you think you knew how to do that? Even your body remembers more than your mind. And this time – you were ready."

Emily examined the defensive stance she had found herself in and sensed a breakthrough was imminent. "Daniel was right," she resolved. "There _is_ something I'm protecting… I feel so close to it?"

"That's because you are," Niko confirmed. "It's time you finally faced what it is."

 **SCENE**

"That's it, one more step."

Emily grimaced as she leaned on Niko for support up the stairwell to the beach house, and was almost at the porch landing when Daniel joined them from around the other side. "Em?" he gaped in surprise, coming over to help. "I was just on my way over to see you."

"Daniel," Emily sighed, and nodded to Niko that she could take it from there. While she went to gather her things, Emily examined her husband more closely, noticing a difference. "You shaved?"

"You came _home_?" he added more importantly, helping her over to the porch swing.

"Your mother put me out," she explained. "I guess you were right about her. As soon as I confirmed it was Patrick that shot me and that I let you publish my story—she kicked me to the curb." Emily rubbed at her stomach protectively. "I'm still sore from her parting gift."

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Daniel apologized, bridling his anger in favor of soothing Emily. "But I am relieved that you see it for yourself. I hope your decision to come here wasn't just a last resort?"

Emily shook her head subtly, setting her sights on the view before them. "It wasn't just that," she assured him. "Something awoke in me and my instincts kept pulling me here…" she turned to him for affirmation. "We must have really had some beautiful times in this place. I feel so drawn to it, like… like I've been here my whole life?"

Daniel exhaled through his nose, noting the irony. "You have, Em," he replied, the first straight answer he'd given since being reunited. "Do you want to go inside?" he asked, hoping it would trigger even more to resurface.

"Not yet," she replied, squeezing the arm of the swing in security. She gazed towards the beach, where the sun was setting in the distance. "Would you mind if we stayed out here a little longer?"

"Of course not," Daniel shrugged, and nestled in closer to put his arm around her. When she recoiled slightly, he hesitated. "Is this…alright?" he thought to ask.

"Yeah," she tried unconvincingly, unsure of why she suddenly felt uneasy. "Ah, I mean, no…" she stuttered restlessly a few seconds later. She suddenly needed to stand, so he helped her up and allowed her to walk a few paces ahead. "Daniel—what is this place?" she asked, trying to understand the feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What happened here?"

Daniel took a deep breath before spilling the truth. "Emily, I don't know how to tell you this but—you lived in this house when you were a little girl." He paused on her shocked expression. "Before your father and everything you knew was taken away from you."

"David Clarke?" Emily guessed, triggering a memory from the previous week. "He _was_ my father?"

"Yes," Daniel nodded honestly and came over to where she was standing. "He was framed for a terrible crime he didn't commit. He died later in prison...but you were there when he got arrested, it all happened right in front of you."

Panicking, Emily's eyes darted around as she tried to understand the traumatic emotions spiraling through her. "Then why did I come back here?" she asked in confusion. "Why would I want to come back to the Hamptons?"

Nervously, Daniel gave the answer. "You came to get revenge on the people that– the people that did all of those terrible things—" he hesitated and clenched his jaw. "They're my parents, Emily. My mother and father are the ones that framed him."

Her expression remained stunned for nearly a full minute before Daniel reached out to comfort her, only to watch as she pulled away and stepped back. " _What?_ " she gasped.

"Emily, I'm _sorry_ ," he immediately pled when it didn't trigger any recognition. She continued backing away from him until she was up against the porch railing, "Listen, I promised I would help you – I want nothing to do with what they did—" he desperately tried to soften her.

"They took my _family_?!" Emily exhaled in between raspy breaths, processing it all. "Please, just go," she waved him away.

Daniel continued to protest. "Emily listen to me, you have _me_ alright?" At long last he had to say the only thing he had left. "We're going to have a family of our own—"

But she would not hear it. "Get away from me!" she finally exploded, shocking both Daniel and herself with the outburst. They stood apart for a few moments until he eventually realized she had not been ready to bear it.

"I'll get Niko," he accepted grimly and backed away, his heart breaking in his chest as he treaded back towards the house.

When he was gone Emily shook her head in overwhelming shock and felt a sinking feeling of regret for being so harsh with him. But the burden of having the truth unloaded on her in rapid fire was too much and she needed to think. A wave of dizziness washed over her and she was leaning on the porch rail to catch her breath when her fingers grazed an unleveled spot on the post. She looked down and realized it was a carved symbol. Recognizing it, she turned over her wrist to match the insignia to it – and then held on for dear life as a surge suddenly riddled through her mind…

 _ **FLASHBACK MONTAGE**_

In one vision her hands were outstretched towards her father while a team of officers were hauling her away from him. "Daddy – DADDY!" she screamed. "Amanda!" he yelled back… In another, she was older, walking out of a prison gate and skeptically approaching a tall man waiting for her. "Who are you?" she asked. "Friend of your father's," he answered, extending a box with a symbol on it. "He wanted you to have this…" In a third vision, she stared with determination into the dark night. "Amanda Clarke no longer exists…" and then later in the same space she stood before a man with a hurt expression on his face. "I told you, I'm not the girl you fell in love with," she exhaled, placing a ring into his palm… But from there another vision arose of her with the ring back on her finger, staring at him across a candlelit table. "I want nothing more than to see my parents exposed for who they really are," he swore, and they made a pact to leave forever… At last finally, she saw herself back on the boat, and every detail snapped into place to make sense. "Emily you're scaring me," Daniel was saying. "What is it? What's going on?" With her head hung low, she forced her eyes to meet his in fear of the unknown and finally unveiled the truth. "Daniel, I'm pregnant," she exhaled, and the vision sped up to conclude with the sound of gunshots in her ears—

 _ **END MONTAGE**_

"Daniel!"

Emily yelled at the top of her lungs, waking from her trance to find she was still staring down at her father's infinity carving on the porch post. "DANIEL!" she called out again, whirling around as seconds later he came running back out of the house.

"Emily, what is it, what's wrong—!" he rushed over, and immediately saw a familiar fire in her eyes.

She clasped her hands around his face and held him tightly. "I remember!" she gasped, shaking from the impact of reliving all of it at once. Slowly she had found her way back to the person she was, the one she had vowed to be. "I remember everything!" she repeated again, her heart sinking with meaning.

"Oh thank _God!_ " Daniel's face erupted into a smile and he immediately embraced her. He moaned heavily at the reprieve of finally having her back, feeling as if the weight of a thousand tons had been lifted from him, and never wanting the space between them to be filled with anything other than her presence.

They parted when moments later she let out a soft cry, and he pulled away to console her while rubbing away his own tears at the same time. "Em," he uttered softly, pressing his lips to hers with intense passion. "Emily, I'm so glad you're back," he sighed between kisses.

"Daniel," she whispered with a panicked look in her eye. Her hands drifted down to her stomach and he immediately knew what her fear was. "The baby—" she began in worry.

"It's alright," he assured before her worst fears could consume her. "The baby's fine," he confessed with excitement. "Look at me, Emily," he lifted her chin, bringing her eyes level with his. "You're going to be a mother."

Emily was speechless as his words filled her heart with hope again, and all she could do was nod continuously in affirmation before collapsing once again into his arms, while he kissed her on the forehead and held her tight.

With her head burrowed into his chest, Daniel felt complete for the first time since their wedding day and became confident that everything was going to be alright. Yet as he lifted his gaze into the distance, he was transfixed on the one obstacle that he knew still remained. At the balcony of Grayson Manor stood his mother, surveying their reunion from afar like a bird watching its prey. Daniel glared back and squeezed Emily even tighter in his arms, shamelessly indicating that he would never back down at Victoria's menace and if anything – he and Emily were now all the more stronger.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: She's baaaaaack….Emily returns! Welcome readers! Sorry I took so long posting this latest chapter, it actually took a lot more crafting than I anticipated but I wanted it to be worth the wait, especially for the payoff at the end. In some ways it almost felt conclusive when I wrote it, but rest assured more is to come! There is still so much more Revenge to go round :) So I do hope you enjoyed it and are eager to find out how Daniel and Emily proceed from here and whether Victoria will quickly begin finding out the truth about Emily now that Margaux has set her down the path of questioning! Please stay tuned and give me your feedback on how you enjoyed this chapter! All of your reviews (can't believe this story is at 250, it's seriously overwhelming!) and PM's have been extremely encouraging and I also want to thank all those that kindly defended my inspiration for the Demily baby's survival. Those of you that read the real-life account, it's really so touching that you took an interest. And those that still question the believability but are still along for the ride – I truly appreciate your support! Look forward to hearing from you soon and stay tuned for the "Hatred" coming in the next installment :) Love you all so much! Thanks a million! ~MothToANewFlame~**


	33. Chapter 33: Hatred

**Chapter 33: Hatred**

 _When I was a child, my father woke me every morning with the same phrase - "Life is a great sunrise." The words shaped the way I saw the dawn. But after my father was taken from me, the morning sun burned like fire. That's when I learned what hatred was and that it would greet me each day to come…_

"Now I _know_ you're fully recovered."

Emily sheathed the cap onto her red marker at the sound of Daniel's greeting, placing it back inside the box sitting atop her lap. "Good morning," she glanced over at him in bed beside her, the tenor of her voice indicating she had been awake for some time.

"Updating your Revenge album?" Daniel guessed, shifting in the warm sunlight. He noted the group wedding photo she was staring upon was now defaced with a red "X" over Patrick's face.

"It's a scary feeling not being able to remember your past," Emily sighed, dropping the photo into the box. "The only thing worse was reliving each painful memory as it came back." She was about to return the box to the night table, when Daniel's hand gently stopped her.

"Not every memory," he encouraged, and reached underneath his pillow to produce the sonogram Aiden had given to him in lockup. He propped himself up to mirror her position and handed it over while she admired it lovingly. "Thought you could add this to your well of secrets...since it's still going to be between us for a while."

Emily could not resist an endearing smile at his gesture, and immediately felt her uneasiness melting away. After a week of being home in their love nest, not just her flesh wounds were healing but also those at the core of her soul. "This is one secret I wish I could tell," she said affectionately, making it the final addition to the Infinity box. With it finally set aside she cuddled into Daniel's arms. "You sure you won't change your mind?"

"I'm not saying a word until we can't hide it anymore," Daniel replied, rubbing from her shoulder to collarbone. "I don't want anything putting you or the baby at risk while my mother's on the prowl," he confided, adding with a smirk. "That's not to say I don't wish I could scream it from the top of the roof right now!"

Emily chuckled against his chest and looked up at him. "I would pay to see that," she joked, reflecting as she stared into his beaming browns. "You know you're becoming a different man right before my eyes."

Daniel scrunched his nose. "You sure it's not just the beard?" he guessed, mockingly stroking his trimmed look. At Emily's request he had consented to growing it back in.

Emily shook her head no, and then grew serious trying to discern what it was. "You're still the same Daniel I remember," she concluded. "But there's something different… something more assertive…" She peered closely. "Wiser, maybe?" He teased her with a stern look and she became lighthearted again. "Maybe it _is_ the beard," she quipped.

He sobered to respond. "Well maybe that's because I'm finally growing into my role around here. I am your husband now," he reminded her, dabbing at her nose with a finger. "And that means I need to start putting my foot down… even if it includes pulling the reins back on any plans churning in that head of yours?"

Emily snorted at his prompt. "Daniel, you don't have to worry about that. This past week I realized everything that's happened – it's all been for a reason. I lost," she shrugged complacently. "It's over – I failed."

Daniel pulled his head back in surprise. "Are you kidding? My mother lost Patrick, my father's _divorcing_ her, and Charlotte won't even speak to her. I'd say you succeeded," he differed.

"I didn't come here just to cause your family pain," Emily quieted him with a penitent look. Her eyes conveyed a newfound sense of regret that he imagined was the only form of sympathy he had ever seen in them. "I came to clear my father's name," she clarified solemnly. "Something I realized when all my memories came back – that was supposed to be my true mission and I've lost focus – and now it's too late." Downcast, she prodded the hairs on his chest with her fingers in thought. "It's time to give up."

"Now, wait just a minute," Daniel redirected, propping himself up on his elbow. "Just because I'm asking you to take it easy does not mean my parents get off scot-free. My mother and father still need to answer for what they've done," he vowed, taking her hand. "I'd just rather do it myself than put you at risk—"

"Don't waste your time," Emily inserted with a shake of her head. "You've already suffered enough trying to support my cause—all of our friends have," she reminded, calling to mind their more recent exposure to prison time, media scandals, and the like. With a determined look that truly shocked her husband, Emily remained firm as she voiced her decision. "No, as soon as I can I want us to leave the Hamptons…start over… raise our baby together…" she paused, meeting his concerned eyes with clarity of purpose. "And never come back."

 **SCENE**

"If you're here to see Daniel, he's on two week leave to look after his wife."

Margaux responded to Conrad's presence in her office without even looking up, busily continuing to make notes on a composition for the upcoming issue. Though keenly aware that he was likely there with a request, she hoped her dismissive tone would give him the hint.

"Of course, nursing her to recovery," Conrad supposed, still edging towards her desk. "But as much as I would like to speak with my son, I'm here to see _you_."

At that Margaux looked up. "The Amanda Clarke story is not happening," she established just in case. "So please let it go."

Conrad couldn't resist a snarky grin. "Why? You clearly haven't." He challenged her raised brow with a quick retort. "Oh, did you think I wouldn't hear you'd been asking around?"

"I was verifying information for my personal benefit," she asserted. "Not for the magazine."

"Fair enough," Conrad obliged, comfortably taking a seat in her guest chair. "But let's talk about the magazine, shall we? If I'm correct, it's not exactly _Voulez_ standard to voice such a firm opinion on Emily's shooter," he dangled, watching as Margaux grew suspicious of his concern. "Don't get me wrong," he offered, putting his palms up. "I agree with it, but I _was_ surprised."

Margaux folded her hands on the desk. "Yes, well the late edits to that issue were unauthorized."

"Ah, perhaps by an employee who's conveniently on leave right now?" he hinted back. Margaux folded her arms at his indirect reference to Daniel, prompting him to be frank. "You know, Ms. LeMarchal, my son has always had _quite_ a talent for writing, ever since his college days. I recognized his style immediately when I read this issue but I imagine as a former suspect, he must be on thin ice with your compliance department… Could that be why he's _really_ on leave?" he ventured, plastering a curious expression on his face.

Margaux rocked back and forth in her seat before relaxing into a reply. "Truthfully, Conrad, I'm doing everything I can to save his job. But it may be out of my hands."

"Mm," Conrad buffered, leaning forward. "Perhaps it's better served in _mine_? You see I was instrumental in expediting Daniel's release and I believe I can help solve this problem."

She couldn't resist a high-pitched guffaw at his offer. "And why should I trust you?"

"Oh, I should think it obvious," Conrad continued without offense, sneering on his next remark. "From an ethical standpoint you don't have a choice. Prosecuting him would make for considerable expense in legal fees and research, hours of poring over policy while trying to keep your investment partner protected. And then of course, there's the element of how _Pascal_ is going to feel about this breaching conflict of interest…" he trailed off with a hint of intrigue. "Especially if he were to hear about it from me?"

Margaux finally grew tired of his roundabout charade and pulled in to her desk, strumming the pen in her hand. "Alright," she consented. "What is your proposition?"

 **SCENE**

Amanda could feel the pressure change as her husband tread down the stairs with Carl in his arms to where she was drying off glasses behind the bar. Admittedly, she had been throwing herself into work at the _Stowaway_ more than ever before, perhaps even subconsciously working harder out of guilt for instigating the incident just a week prior. But regardless of her efforts to be helpful, Jack remained noticeably evasive and only truly acknowledged her when it related to Carl, as was the case now.

"Hey, the sitter cancelled," he greeted her, propping their son into a high chair. "So we'll have to postpone and spend the night in."

While Jack gathered Carl's breakfast, Amanda sighed and came around to follow him, disappointed that once again they were going to miss a planned date night together. "Jack, that's the second week in a row," she lamented with a hand on her hip. Her gaze fell on the downstairs nursery. "Why don't you want to ask Charlotte?" she tried.

"Are you serious?" Jack sidestepped on his way out of the kitchen, glossing over the suggestion. "Just because she's already home with a newborn doesn't mean she wants double duty. And what about when _she_ needs a night off, huh?"

Amanda stopped him before he could ignore her again. "Tell the truth, Jack," she forced him. "You're avoiding this. You've been distant ever since the fight."

"No, I've been distant since you started keeping secrets again," he corrected her. He walked around her to give attention to his son, lacking the tolerance for yet another frustrating conversation.

"Jack, I'm _with_ you," Amanda insisted, making her petitions while his back was turned. "I made you a promise." She hesitated, wondering if it was worth to address the elephant in the room, and then finally dove in. "I can't control where Aiden is going to be, you just need to _trust_ me—"

"I wish I did, Amanda!" he finally burst and quickly resigned himself from feeding his son in his annoyed state. He shook his head and then walked over to where Amanda was standing, handing it over for her to finish. "I really do," he reinforced with plea in his eyes before he walked out of the room.

Already used to his more recent pattern of retreat, Amanda sighed and went over to finish with Carl while she presumed Jack would be throwing himself into inventory for the next few hours. With her unrest at an all-time high, she did not even notice the unannounced visitor that waited by the doorway, and flinched upon finally seeing her. "Victoria," she grunted in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The soon-to-be-divorced queen of the Hamptons strolled in and gave an apathetic look around the rustically furnished bar. "You know, this isn't my first visit to Montauk's popular retreat. Though I see you've redecorated since the last time I came as a patron," she noticed, zeroing in on Carl in his chair. "And I imagine one of the rooms you've expanded is the nursery?"

Oblivious, Carl garbled a cheerful reply at Victoria while Amanda caught on to her meaning. "You're looking for Charlotte," she concluded. "Well, I'm sorry but she took Declan for a checkup this morning. But I can tell you even if she _were_ here?" She lifted Carl out of his seat and rested him on her hip. "She wouldn't want to see you."

"I see," Victoria absorbed solemnly, observing Amanda's protective stance holding her son. She thought silently, taking a moment to compose her next words. "Tell me, Amanda. After your unfortunate accident and the temporary separation from your son it caused – how did it feel to finally have him back?"

Amanda stroked the back of Carl's head in her arms, wondering at Victoria's question. "I missed him, of course," she answered almost mechanically. "I would do anything for him."

Though she meant it as a threat, Victoria gladly used her reply as an arguing point. "Naturally," she agreed. "I'm sure it's the reason you wouldn't trust him with just anyone," she continued, hinting to overhearing her conversation with Jack about finding a sitter. "And the same reason Charlotte has denied me visitation to my grandchild – an innate desire to protect the ones we love, especially those we bore into the world."

Amanda jiggled Carl in her arms, curious where she was going. "Yeah, so?"

"So you can sympathize with the way I feel about _my_ firstborn," Victoria answered. "And the need to unearth the truth regarding Patrick's untimely death," she revealed, cocking an eyebrow.

"What do you want me to say, Victoria? Patrick made a choice," Amanda refuted, citing the police's ruling of suicide. "Just like he chose to _shoot_ my best friend," she added pointedly. "If you need help spinning a different angle on what happened, you came to the wrong place."

Victoria nodded expectantly. "I know how close you are to Emily, which is why I expected that you would only defend her. But tell me this; during the course of your friendship did she happen to tell you she employed Patrick to come back to the Hamptons the first time?" She watched as Amanda's expression answered her question and dug further. "Of course not," she added pretentiously. "What was I thinking? That's when you were presumed dead – yet another truth that had yet to come forward until recently."

"What are you getting at?" Amanda grilled her.

Victoria wore a devious smile in return. "Only what I've suspected all along. That you two are hiding something—you always have been. And you can rest assured – I'm going to find out just what it is."

 **SCENE**

"So, what was Daniel's reaction when you told him?"

Emily grimaced as she planted her feet firmly in place and stretched forward to reach where Niko was guiding her arms, a routine part of her daily recuperative therapy. "Surprise," she answered in a whisper. A few moments passed and then Niko nodded for her to relax, indicating her final exercise was finished. Emily took a sip of water before meeting eyes with her caregiver, and then glanced down towards the shore from where they stood at the peak of a sand dune. "Honestly, I think he was disappointed," she admitted at last.

"Can't blame him for that," Niko retorted, drawing Emily to glare back. "Well you _can't_ ," she reemphasized in her thick Australian accent. "Do you know what I've been wondering this past week, while I've helped you recover? Is what happened to my father's favorite disciple—" She reached forward to slightly lift the hem of Emily's shirt, revealing the marks from where her wounds were all but healed. "He said you were resilient, tolerant of all levels of pain," she quoted. "Unwilling to quit, insatiably driven, and last but not least – unflinchingly stubborn."

Niko released her shirt and Emily watched her begin packing up the mats. "You don't agree?" she concluded.

"Of course I don't," Niko replied irritably, turning around. "Except for the stubborn part you haven't shown any of the things he praised you for. I was called here to help repair you for your mission, not stitch you up to send you off gallivanting to some deserted island—" she shook her head in disgust and swiftly started back towards the beach house.

Able to walk with more ease than before, Emily quickly followed on her heels. "That's not what I'm doing—"

"Well, it sure seems like it," she countered. "The only one who appears to have maintained focus is your husband," she shouted over her shoulder. "It's amazing how right now the son of your enemy possesses more dedication than _you_."

"Niko, listen to me," Emily pulled her around to face her. "Do you know what orphans dream of when they stop wishing for their parents to return? We think about filling the emptiness with families of our own." While Niko remained silent, Emily placed a hand just beneath her scars to the secret she was keeping. "You know better than anyone else, how close I was to losing that dream. I can't risk losing it again."

Niko stared at her pensively. "Yes, I know," she admitted, dropping the bag over her shoulder to stand in place. "I saw the fear in Aiden's eyes when he brought you in. But that same night I watched a miracle happen _,_ " she added fairly. "You and that child growing inside of you are both survivors. You may not be ready for a sparring match, but when was that ever part of your plan?" She raised her chin assumptively. "If you were ever going to win against Victoria, it was going to be because of your mind—not your body. Using your pregnancy as a reason not to try is just an excuse."

Emily mulled over her point, inwardly agreeing that the most successful warfare she ever waged against Victoria had always been psychological. In fact, up until recently neither had even laid a hand on each other, nor had she ever planned to. Niko was right, and perhaps was even exposing a different reason for her hesitancy to proceed—one Emily still had yet to face.

"And if you're wondering how I came to know so much about you," Niko supplemented, noting the crease in Emily's brow. "It's only because all my father ever did was sing your praises," she said, bringing up a nostalgic air as Emily thought about Takeda. "And of course," she added uncomfortably. "Aiden, too."

Emily glanced up at the mention, recalling Niko had been evasive regarding their previous relationship. "How close were you two?" she finally asked.

"We were lovers last year," Niko finally admitted with a thoughtless grin. "I don't know why I ever entertained it could be more than that. The very first day he arrived he told me he was there to put the Hamptons behind him… killing his sister's murderer… getting over the girl he once loved," she hinted, referring to Emily. "And then, later, obsessing over the one he mentored," she finished.

"Amanda," Emily concluded. "Niko, you know she's married to Jack?"

She nodded. "Yeah, apparently Aiden has a thing for forbidden fruit," she snorted, masking her inner pain with a layer of dry sarcasm. "But regardless, I knew I would never be more than a last resort to him, always. Foolishly I envisioned more than that but… I've learned to accept it."

Dropping her head slightly, Emily sympathized with her awkward situation. "I wish there was something I could say—" she began.

"Not your job," Niko interrupted her bluntly, lifting her equipment back onto her shoulder. "Aiden asked me to help _you_ , not the other way around. And anyway it doesn't matter," she reminded her dryly. "You're leaving, right?"

Emily watched her go, suddenly distracted by a thought that crept into her mind. Daniel had left earlier to go meet with Aiden, and if his enthusiasm matched anything like what she saw in Niko, convincing him of their choice to leave would not be an easy task. She thought about it as she remained a few moments longer on the beach, focusing on the waves lapping not far from her feet. Entranced by the pull of the ocean, Emily closed her eyes in meditation and only opened them when she felt a familiar presence walking down to join her.

"Say, uh, do you know the girl that lives here?" he joked slyly at her side, pointing his thumb back towards the beach house. "Because I hear she went away for a while, and now she's back?"

"Nolan," Emily sighed, turning to pull her friend and partner into a relieved embrace. No sooner than she did, guilt crept into her heart, reminding her just how hard it was going to be to tell him her decision. "Unfortunately not for long," she breathed in reply and upon separating, took a deep breath to answer his curious expression.

 **SCENE**

"What do you expect me to say?"

Daniel leaned back in his chair, incredulous at the response that had just come out of Aiden's mouth. He tempered his volume upon reply, careful of the potential for listening ears in a less known pub on the other side of town. "Are you kidding?" he fired back. "Say you'll help me!"

Aiden leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table, his all-black getup rendering him reminiscent of a hired assassin. "Daniel, if Emily doesn't want to proceed with this, I can't imagine what measure of help I'm going to be," he argued. "And besides – I don't really have the freedom of speech to argue when I'm about to do the same."

Daniel traded more looks of surprise. "Wait a minute, _you're_ leaving too? I thought I changed your mind about that."

"Daniel, c'mon," he begged off, twisting the glass of liquor in his hand. "That was a noble speech you gave over at Nolan's but we both know I've long reached my expiration here," he lowered his head in a more serious tone. "Not to mention the fair reminder I get every time I happen to cross paths with Jack."

Daniel sighed, having experienced his own fair share of similar frustration. "So you're gonna let that stop you from everything you've worked for?" he attempted to rile him.

Aiden glowered between a sip. "Look I'm not completely pulling out but any help I give you will have to be from afar. I'm done waiting for the people I love to fall in love with me." Noting the twinge upon Daniel's face, he further specified. "I'm saying goodbye to Amanda tonight."

"Well," Daniel sighed a few moments later, resigned. "I guess I'm on my own, then?" A cloud of desertion filled his demeanor as he sensed Aiden was letting his emotions get the better of him, and rather than wait for him to look up, he got up from the table abruptly.

"Daniel," Aiden called out when he realized the other had left with barely a gesture. He half-turned, barely giving him his attention. "Hatred is a powerful vice – but without control it can become a deadly addiction."

Daniel twisted his jaw in slight annoyance before replying. "Then I guess you have no other choice but to get away," he presumed, attempting to be understanding.

But Aiden countered in surprise. "I wasn't talking about me," he redirected with an eerie stillness. "I was talking about _you._ You need to be careful going down this road, especially against Emily's wishes. The last thing you want is to allow emotions to cloud your focus – putting both her and your child in danger again."

With determination, Daniel raised his head to the warning and firmly rebuffed it. "That's not gonna happen."

 **SCENE**

"So how did it go today?" Amanda forced a warm smile as she finished wiping down the _Stowaway_ in the evening _,_ while Charlotte paced back and forth between the tables, hoping to rock baby Declan to sleep.

"He's as healthy as could be," Charlotte beamed with pride, tenderly rubbing his back. "But, he did mention that I need to pump more," she added sheepishly, stifling an embarrassed laugh. "Which I have to admit, I just find so _weird._ How is it they leave out all the creepy stuff you have to do when you're a mom, ugh! Did you go through this with Carl?"

Amanda gave a quick glance towards the upstairs, affording a tiny smile in reflection. "Not quite," she recalled. "Because I was still pretty weak I couldn't nurse Carl as much as I should've in the beginning, so we had to switch over to formula pretty quick."

Charlotte grew quiet at her reply, remembering the unfortunate accident that rendered Amanda unconscious during her baby shower at Grayson Manor. "Gosh, with everything that happened late last year, I nearly forgot how traumatic that day was," she recalled. "I still think my mother should have done more to make it up to you. You nearly died because of her."

"And that was only her first try," Amanda mumbled under her breath.

"What'd you say?" Charlotte prompted innocently.

Amanda looked up, glossing over it. "I said uh, she actually stopped by," she reconstructed. "This morning, while you were gone."

"Thank goodness for that," Charlotte sighed in relief. "I still don't want to see her." She glanced down at the infant that was now sleeping in her arms. "Me and Dec are just fine here with you and Jack… hey, where is he anyway?" she suddenly realized, looking up. "Weren't you supposed to go out?"

"Um, I think he was tired," Amanda projected in his behalf. "He probably fell asleep reading to Carl again," she pretended, straining a half-grin.

Charlotte laughed it off without the slightest notice. "Well, I guess I better not pass up on a night of sleep either," she decided, starting back towards her room. She stopped to nod towards the empty bar. "I'm gonna put him down—do you need any help down here?"

"Nah, you go ahead," Amanda encouraged her, tossing a towel over her shoulder. "I'm almost finished." While Charlotte retreated into her room she swallowed the lonely feeling in her gut and went through the motions of closing up, at last making her way over to lock the door. She was fumbling in her pocket for the keys when she looked back up again, and was startled to see someone waiting on the other side.

Aiden was softly motioning to her through the glass and Amanda checked once over her shoulder before reluctantly stepping outside. "Are you insane?" she hissed nervously. "Or you just that intent on a rematch?"

"I didn't come here to fight," he assured her with a calming wave. "I came to say goodbye," he confessed, clasping his hands behind his back.

Amanda couldn't resist shifting into a disbelieving stance. "Sorry, it's just not the first time I've heard you say that," she retorted, mockingly feeling her wrist and ears. "So what tracking device did you plant on me this time?"

Aiden cracked a smile. "I suppose I deserved that," he relented, bowing his head. When he looked up, the softness in his eyes quickly forced Amanda to relax. "Truly, though," he continued. "I'm going somewhere where contact won't be an option, and I'd rather like it to stay that way. Unless of course I'm needed by the others," he supplemented. "In which case I'm sure Nolan will be in touch – but I don't plan on returning."

Realizing he was serious, Amanda folded her arms and began ignoring the mental clock that was ticking away the longer she stood talking with him. "Then I guess this is really it," she resolved. She stared at the ground, wondering what things could possibly remain unsaid between them that had not been uttered on their many other goodbyes.

And just as quickly, Aiden answered her unspoken question. "As clear as it is that you're meant to be with Jack in this life," he conceded, drawing closer to her. "I just want you to know I would have never let you go if I had it all over again." He extended a hand towards her face, grazing her cheek with his forefinger. "The moment you came into my world I should have forced you to stay."

Amanda exhaled uneasily, his touch giving her a chill. "Yeah, well," she toughened, glancing around. "No one's ever had much success getting me to stay anyplace." She felt the free spirit that existed deep inside bursting to get through as she said it, and then fixed her gaze intently on him as it moved her to confession. "But you helped me want to stop running," she admitted.

Though meant as a farewell, her raw feelings only stirred the emotion in Aiden's heart. Sensing it, Amanda quickly pushed his hand away from her face and turned to go back inside. "Bye Aiden," she wished him. "I hope you find all the happiness you've always wanted."

But before her departure could separate them forever, Aiden was reaching out to take her by the arm and pulling her back into a passionate, unexpected kiss. He overpowered her, trapping her within his arms while igniting dormant surges of emotion that now erupted in excitement. Though her mind was blaring with alarm Amanda allowed the indulgence, regretting every second. Her jaw ached from the intensity of his mouth and her frame was nearly crushed from the tightness of his grasp but she endured, knowing after the fervor ended, he would be gone.

Aiden's mind preceded hers in expectation and he could almost countdown to the moment when reality would return and she would rip herself away. He could already hear her chastising him for ruining their last seconds together with conflicted emotions, and even predicted she might slap him angrily for it but he didn't care—only soaked up every last second while he could.

And yet before the inevitable could transpire, what neither of them knew was that it would first be witnessed by an unsuspecting onlooker. Unbeknownst to them, Charlotte had emerged from her downstairs room and was stopped dead in her tracks, staring through the other side of the door at the unbelievable treachery unfolding…

 **SCENE**

"Hey, Margaux – what happened to the copy on the Amanda Clarke piece?"

Margaux halted her stride past Daniel's office at the sound of his beckoning and retraced her steps to enter with a perturbed look. "Daniel? What are you doing here; you're supposed to be on leave looking after Emily?" she accosted him nervously.

Daniel remained hovered over the assortment of pages spread out on his desk. "Part of doing that is keeping a roof over our heads right?" he contested. "I have a story I want to run when I come back."

" _Excusez-moi_?" Margaux replied, taking an impatient step forward.

He rose to eye level. "Amanda Clarke's mistaken death at sea was no accident," he informed and his expression grew dark with intensity as he prepared to discharge every bit of ammunition he had. "My father tried to have her _killed._ She's the second member of that family that he's conspired against, only with the first he succeeded." When Margaux's brow nearly rose off her face in disbelief, he offered the final clinching detail. "He framed David Clarke for the crimes _he_ committed and even went so far as to arrange his death in prison."

Floored, Margaux immediately backpedaled to close the door and then returned to inquire in privacy. "You have _proof_ of this?" she gaped, her voice still in a whisper.

"I'm his _son_ ," Daniel asserted nonchalantly. "I've seen it first-hand and then some."

Margaux's expression deflated. "Daniel, I'm afraid that won't be enough," she responded apprehensively. "While you've been gone, our Compliance and Legal departments held several meetings – and I'm afraid we can't print anything further from your word." She bowed her head to deliver the resolution. "They have advised both me and my father that in order to avoid any potential lawsuit we must either remove you as Senior Editor or part ways altogether. I was waiting until your leave was over to tell you."

Daniel's face was sunken in disappointment. "Wait a minute, I'm a partner – they can't force me out?" he argued. "My investment in this company secures that—"

"There's a clause in your contract that gives _Voulez_ the right to buy back your investment," she reminded him fatefully. "I'm sorry; Daniel – but we've already received another offer."

His face tightened in anticipation. "From _who?_ "

Before Margaux could respond, the answer to Daniel's question knocked at the door, and then walked through before even being summoned in. "Ah, Daniel there you are," Conrad greeted him. "I hope you don't mind the intrusion… how have you been? How's Emily?"

Daniel ignored his question and instead burrowed a glare at Margaux, confirming the unspoken reveal. "Dad, what did you do?" he exhaled in a raspy voice.

"Oh, just saved your behind for, what's this, the 2nd time in two weeks?" Conrad answered, waltzing in amongst them. "You know, you're fortunate to have me around as often as you seem to put yourself in dire straits," he chided, shaking a finger at him.

" _He's_ purchasing my share?" Daniel fumed at Margaux. "Are you insane?!"

"Daniel, please," she begged before he could go on a tirade. "I didn't have a choice – this was the only agreement I could reach to even retain you as an employee—"

"So what, he can turn _Voulez_ into Grayson Global all over again?!" Daniel fired back, glaring from one to the other. He rested his disappointed gaze on Margaux. "No thanks. You want to get in bed with the Devil? Clearly I can't stop you," he finished, breaking away to storm out. "I'm out of here."

Conrad sighed as once again his son rebuffed him and brushed past, while Margaux followed him out through the office and into the corridor. "Daniel, please wait – I did everything I could but my hands were tied!"

"Yeah, well so are mine," he shouted back without stopping. "If you can go through with this after everything I just told you, it's clear where you stand—"

"I stand by _your_ side!" she defended, speeding up to stop him by standing in his path. "You have no idea the lengths I went to in order to clear your name – if I did not agree the damage would have been _much_ worse!"

"You're beginning to sound just like my mother," Daniel observed in displeasure. "Margaux, don't you understand this is what my father _does,"_ he pled, placing his hands together. "He threatens with the lesser of two evils, just to get you to feed into his actual plan!" Giving up, he shook his head and prepared his final exit. "Pardon me for not waiting around to watch history repeat itself—but if you won't help me take him down I'll just have to do it on my own."

He was halfway down the hall when Margaux called out with one last thing before he could leave _Voulez_ forever. "I know Conrad is corrupt," she assured him self-consciously. "And I believe what you told me is true. But both you and I know no story is worth its weight in print without evidence to support the facts," she forced him to acknowledge.

Yet, while Daniel stewed over the truth in her statement, he still could not prevent the overwhelming hatred he had for his father from dominating his thoughts. Noting it in his demeanor, Margaux concluded with a final admonition before leaving him be.

"Come back when you have it."

 **SCENE**

Emily studied her reflection, admiring the contour of her dress along with her accompanying new hairstyle. At Nolan's recommendation she had allowed herself an afternoon of moderate pampering, which she did find to be a confidence boost after weeks of lurking in a bathrobe, almost fully incapacitated. He joined her for the exercise in retail therapy, taking advantage of the quality time together to fervently try talking her out of leaving. But regardless, Emily had still been resolute when they parted ways for the evening, and as she stood in the mirror she couldn't help caressing the primary motivator just beneath her waistline. It was too early for her to show and yet her unborn child had become so real so quickly that she might as well have been nine months in.

The chime of the oven timer disrupted her drifting thoughts and she went downstairs to attend to dinner, sporting the new pair of heels she had also been trying on. It was at that moment that Daniel made his entrance, somewhat to her surprise.

"Daniel, you're early," she observed, reading his solemn countenance. "What's wrong?"

"Just a rough day," he glossed over the truth, tossing his jacket onto a chair. With attentiveness he quickly took note of Emily's alluring outfit and how nicely it accentuated her figure. "Wow, you look _amazing,_ " he spilled forth, pulling her in for a kiss and another once-over. "What's the occasion?"

"Well, I was trying to surprise you," she answered, blushing slightly at the seductive hint in his eyes. "I was tired of moping around so I did a little shopping, went by the salon…" her gaze trailed to the kitchen table which Daniel soon noticed was candle lit and set for two. "…And finally made you that dinner I owed you from, oh about two years ago?"

He exhaled through a broad grin, remembering clearly the night he had come by to find her in Jack's company, long before he finally understood who she was. And yet years later, the memory seemed trivial compared to all they had been through, instead her efforts simply warmed his heart. "Well, if this is a taste of married life to come," he replied. "I guess we can call it even?"

"Good," she sighed sheepishly, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Because I may need your help with the dishes," she added with a chuckle. "Sorry for the mess."

"Yeah, well I've had plenty of practice cleaning up things today," Daniel said aside as they took their seats to eat. He folded his hands over his plate and finally delivered the news. "Starting with my office—my father had me ousted from _Voulez._ "

" _What?_ " Emily stopped in the middle of spooning pasta onto his plate and grew stark with concern. "How is that even possible?"

"I came in to pitch the piece on Amanda and Margaux told me the company decided to part ways," he confessed. "That whole conflict of interest about the article I ran caused some legal issues. And of course, who do you think was conveniently there to purchase my shares at twice the market value?"

"Oh Daniel, I'm so sorry," Emily sighed, somewhat expecting it to happen. As touching as his persistence was, fingering Patrick as her shooter was a move she regretted doing before gaining her senses back. But regardless, she met it with a measure of acceptance. "Well, perhaps it's for the best… just another reason to put this all behind us."

It was Daniel's turn to grow dim with worry. "You're really serious about leaving?"

"Daniel, I told you, I _lost_ ," she confirmed with an eerily blank look. "There's no point in dragging this out any further—I don't want to." Sighing, she leaned back into her chair as she prepared to share her own measure of news. "It's one of the reasons I wanted to make this night special; so our last few evenings here could be memorable."

 _"Last?_ " Daniel detected the haste in her tone.

"I contacted a realtor today," Emily admitted, anticipating even more disappointment to follow. "I'm putting the house up for sale."

Daniel could barely believe his ears. He struggled to keep up with the sudden influx of emotion and speculated it to be a side effect of pregnancy mood swings. "Wait a minute, Em – what about everything you've worked for, _we've_ worked for? And now you want to just throw it all away? What about Charlotte—" he quickly added in plea.

"I'm going to tell her the truth," Emily replied calmly. "Tonight, in fact; I asked her to come by after dinner. I just hope she can forgive me." Certain that it was doing nothing to curb his surprise; she broke her stoic demeanor to contend her reason. "Daniel, isn't this what you wanted? You _told_ me to take it easy—"

"For your health's sake, Em," Daniel clarified. "I didn't expect you to give up altogether; I just wanted you to let me handle things for a while—"

"Handle things?" she digressed. "Daniel, I was supposed to finish this by the summer's end – had everything gone to plan we would be miles away right now!"

"Yeah, but that's just it, it _didn't_ go to plan," he reminded her firmly. "I almost lost you _and_ the baby I barely knew about!"

"So then why stay?!" Emily retorted, feeling it only strengthened the argument to leave. She momentarily wondered if he still resented her for keeping it from him.

"Because it's not _over_!" Daniel had to restrain his outburst. He took a breath to calm down before finishing. "Our plan may have failed, but that doesn't mean we stop fighting. You said it yourself – your mission was to clear your father's name. Well, making sure my father gets what he deserves is now _mine,_ " he urged, reflecting. "He's made it clear he'll stop at nothing, so I can't afford to either. The only way to keep you and the baby safe is to put him behind bars where he belongs."

For the first time in a long time Emily realized they were on opposing sides. Just as she had finally come to see the value of forgiveness, Daniel had come to a full acceptance of mortal vindication. Whether it had been the shooting or the prospect of a new life between them was uncertain, but something had impelled them to shift and the difference in point of view was now becoming clear.

"I've been where you are, Daniel," Emily finally responded after a brief silence. "Only the person that I loved _was_ taken from me," she empathized. "And from that point forward I was consumed by the path hatred took me down, one I almost didn't come back from. But I haven't stopped fighting," she vowed, placing a hand suggestively to her belly. "I fought for our child," she expressed with sincerity, looking to him next. "And I'm _fighting_ for you."

He swallowed, following her thinking. "You think you're going to lose me to this," he presumed, perhaps even subtly agreeing he was in a darker place than normal. "Well I disagree. I may not have trained overseas with a master of martial arts," he asserted. "But I learned from the best not to give up on what I believe in." Lifting his napkin onto the table in a gesture of absolution, Daniel rose, all the while concentrating on Emily. "So I say – we're not going anywhere."

Emily glowered at his claim. "Oh? Is this you 'putting your foot down'," she mocked slightly.

"You bet, babe," Daniel sneered, fully aware he was provoking her. "I'm the head of this house now, remember? And unfortunately – you can't sell it without me," he reminded. "My name is on that deed, and I'm not letting it go."

Emily folded her arms derisively, unable to retort before he left the table headed for the front door. To her surprise he didn't slam it on his way out, giving her solace that their first disagreement as a married couple had been simply that – a clash of opinions. Morbidly enough, it was a nontraditional topic, but perhaps he would be more reasonable when he returned. Or maybe, she thought, _she_ was the one who needed readjusting. Daniel had endured a long day; only to be greeted with her insistence on leaving, one even she did not understand fully. Rather than dwell on it, she focused on the gnawing at her stomach and quietly finished dinner alone while awaiting the more fearsome confrontation of her evening – telling her sister the truth.

 **SCENE**

"Well, I guess this is it."

Nolan shrugged and awkwardly jammed a hand in his pocket as he walked Aiden to the door. "I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'm really going to miss having a roommate," he admitted with a grin, trying to keep the farewell as light as possible.

Aiden chuckled, clasping him in a friendly hug. "I think you'll manage," he assured him, adding. "Or you'll just put a wanted ad in the paper for a trained assassin."

"Oh, heh, speaking of," Nolan suddenly appeared to remember. He dashed into the kitchen and returned with a small envelope. "Niko asked me to give this to you when I went to visit Ems earlier," he explained, having been brought up to speed about Takeda's daughter in the past week.

With interest, Aiden opened it to read in front of him, and shared to Nolan's curiosity. "Niko has… decided to stay locally," he recanted with angst.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Nolan expected. "She's helping Emily get back to normal faster than anyone expected."

"It goes beyond that," Aiden clarified, his face draining as he looked up. "She wants to avenge her father's death. And she's soliciting my help – if I'm willing."

Nolan took a moment to exhale at the gravity of her declaration, knowing Aiden had been fatefully responsible. "Whoa… ah, what are you going to do?"

He pondered it, and then shredded the letter in his hand. "Nothing," he answered, slipping the pieces into his pocket. "It's just another incentive to get on a plane out of here." With a grim expression, he nodded his goodbye. "I'll miss you old friend – but I'll be in touch. In the meantime, what's on your agenda?"

"Well…" Nolan fumbled to continue normal conversation. "I'm supposed to meet Jack at the park tomorrow for a chat but seeing as you two don't exactly get along, I'll spare you the details," he alluded uncomfortably. "So other than that, just waiting on the big phone call from Ems tonight…"

"Ah yes, Charlotte," Aiden recalled. "She's going to tell her everything."

Nolan shrugged. "I tried to talk her out of leaving this afternoon but, her mind was made up," he lamented. "I know her memory's back, but honestly she still doesn't seem like herself. Giving up on her plan… running for the hills… telling Charlotte… it's just not the Ems I know." He shook his head with a touch of self-pity. "Or maybe I'm just bitter over having no idea what to do with all this free time once my entire Revenge family is gone?"

Aiden smirked. "Well as much as you can bet on me, I'm not so sure the others will go as easily," he countered. "Last I spoke to Daniel, he was intent on finishing things out," he answered to Nolan's raised brow.

"Without Emily's help?" Nolan bemused. "How?"

Aiden stepped halfway out of the door before turning back to respond. "I wouldn't give up on her just yet," he advised, his previous knowledge guiding his instincts. "Things don't always work out the way we expect them to."

 **SCENE**

"Well, aren't you the perfect housewife?"

Emily looked up at Charlotte's entrance through the French doors later that evening, barely hearing her over the running dish water. "Charlotte, you made it," she greeted, removing her apron and gloves to give her a hug.

"You look fabulous," Charlotte replied, admiring her dress.

"Oh, I'm sure I look a wreck," Emily downplayed it with a shrug. Though still dressed up, she was reduced to bare feet with the pin that styled her hair also removed. It shook free around her shoulders, giving her a tousled, casually soft look.

"Don't be silly," Charlotte insisted, switching quickly into care mode. "But you're taking it easy right?" she verified. "Where's Daniel? He should be helping you with this."

"No, really I'm fine," Emily waved it off awkwardly. "Daniel is, uh… out walking the beach to clear his head." At Charlotte's soft whimper in sympathy, Emily guided her by the arm and stayed upbeat. "He'll be alright; just a long day at work. Come in here for a minute – I want to show you something."

Charlotte found her seat while Emily took a deep breath and retrieved her Infinity Box from its temporary location in her blue desk, keeping ii nearby for just this occasion. She sat it onto the coffee table, turning to face her sister. "I was hoping Daniel and I could tell you this together," she began at last. "But it can't wait."

But Charlotte was already panting before Emily could start. "Neither can this," she interrupted, her expression slowly crumbling before her. "I'm sorry, but there's something I need to tell you first. Something I just can't hold in any longer… It's about Amanda!"

Emily gave pause to redirect her attention to Charlotte. "Amanda…" she repeated curiously.

"Yes," Charlotte confirmed. "Have you talked to her?"

"She came by the day after I came home," Emily confirmed, wondering if her sister already had half an idea of where the conversation was headed. "But no, not since then… Charlotte, did Amanda say something—"

But before she could play a guess Charlotte burst with her secret. "I saw her and _Aiden kissing!_ " she divulged incredulously, watching as Emily's eyes widened in alarm. "I _know_! Isn't it terrible? I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!"

Emily slowly brought her hand to her mouth in reaction, though hers related more to Amanda's carelessness than the act in itself. "When, um, when did you see this?" her troubleshooting instincts kicked in.

"Last night," Charlotte spilled sadly. "I had just got up to get DJ another bottle and they were standing right outside the _Stowaway_ door," she sighed, shaking her head. "No _wonder_ that fight happened, Jack must have suspected it all along! But how could she do that to him? To her _family?!_ " Grieved, she continued. "I even asked her this morning if there was anything she wanted to tell me and she said no. I just don't understand how she could keep that from me, I thought we were sisters!"

As Charlotte grew more and more emotional, Emily put an arm around her to console her, all the while feeling her guilt mount at the irony of her own secret she was about to divulge. "Charlotte," she began carefully. "I know this is… I know this must be hard for you. Sometimes family members keep things, but it's not because they don't love us. It's to protect us—"

"No!" Charlotte suddenly snapped upright while adamantly shaking her head. "No, I don't believe that! It's something my mother would say," she argued, startling Emily. "I'm sorry – it's, it's not that I'm upset with you it's just I'm so disappointed in Amanda. I don't even know if I can stay with them anymore—"

"Charlotte, you have to let them work this out," Emily tried to interject but Charlotte was determined.

"She hasn't even told Jack yet," she insisted. "And the last thing I need is to be around when he finds out and their problems get worse. Don't worry," she rushed in assurance. "I wouldn't dream of imposing on you and Daniel, you deserve every minute of being newlyweds after all you've been through. I know it sounds crazy but… I'm considering moving back into Grayson Manor."

Her concluding resolution left Emily short of breath. "Charlotte, that's—that's _crazy,_ " she stammered unintentionally.

Charlotte tilted her head at her obvious concern. "What's crazy is keeping my son from his grandmother like she's some beast in the west wing," she admitted embarrassedly. "And not even speaking to her since my half-brother died… Look, I may never get to a normal place with my mother, but ever since you moved past your differences during your stay there, I've been thinking maybe I need to do the same." Emily clenched her jaw at the unfortunate side effect temporary amnesia had rendered, but was forced to keep silent while she went on. "And now that my dad moved out, it's worth trying to deal with it… at least for a little while."

Charlotte took a break to dab at the moisture in her eyes, and Emily found her a tissue while still debating on whether to proceed. "So what was it you had to show me?" she prompted, as if on cue.

Motivated by the onslaught of events and a feeling nagging at her gut, Emily began rethinking her decision as she reached over to open the box and slowly removed one of its contents. "I, um...wanted to show you this," she revealed uneasily.

Charlotte accepted it into her hand and within seconds realized she was staring at something extraordinary – a sonogram. Her eyes widened as tears formed again and she broke into an elated smile. "Oh my god, Emily!" she gasped for joy.

Emily reached in to return her embrace, feeling a brief wave of relief that in that moment she had made her sister happy rather than break her heart. Yet her exterior toughened with grey acceptance knowing it only renewed her commitment to the biggest secret of all – her mission for revenge.

 **SCENE**

"Come on, Jack. You really think she would do that to you again?"

Nolan turned to face his troubled friend on the park bench, hoping to comfort him with a spirit of optimism after listening to his concerns for the past half hour. Carl giggled in the sandbox a few feet away from them, balancing on his stubby legs while another girl his age plopped down to play along.

Jack grinned halfheartedly at his son and then turned to give Nolan a direct reply. "I hate to say it, but… yes," he sighed. "It's just I can tell when Amanda's keeping something from me, and every time I finally start to trust her… she just makes it so hard."

Finding it difficult to give a satisfying answer, Nolan just sat with him in silence while Jack recounted recent times that he felt something amiss. Meanwhile an onlooker watched them, concealed on the opposite side of the park – Victoria.

Her sights focused on Carl, Victoria paid rapt attention as the little girl ran off with his toy, prompting him to wander off and follow her. Victoria watched as Jack remained distracted in conversation and was just about to alert him when suddenly a young redhead rushed over to the two children, sweeping the girl into her arms.

"Sadie Lynne Ellis, if you aren't the reincarnation of your mama I don't know who is. Tsk, tsk, always taking something that don't belong to you," she scolded. Sadie whined as the young woman took Carl's toy from her and bent down to give it back. Carl mimicked the cries a moment later, prompting the young woman to take him by the hand. "Now there's no need for _you_ to cry," she soothed him, looking around. "Where is your mother?"

"Ah, his father actually," Jack was dashing over in seconds, hearing his son's familiar wail. "Sorry about that, I just looked away for a second," he explained sheepishly, picking Carl up. "Thanks for keeping an eye on him."

"Oh, not at all," the woman flipped her red tresses over her shoulder with a friendly smile. "Where I'm from everyone looks after every body's kids," she chuckled, looking at Sadie on her hip. "And anyway I think this one started it—every time I watch her, I swear she finds trouble to get into."

Judging by her accent Jack assumed she was from the south and it cheered him into a grin. "Well thanks again," he appreciated, starting to walk away. He hesitated and then doubled back. "Pardon me, but did you say you were just sitting for her?" he asked.

"Only 'till her mother gets back," the woman explained with a nod. "She's my niece."

"Oh I see," Jack said in reply, explaining. "Sorry, it's just things have gotten busy lately and it's been hard to find a reliable sitter for this guy," he gazed down affectionately at his son. "I was hoping you'd say you were in the business."

"Aw, no, just in town for a short while," she gushed, somewhat flattered. "Though I'm sure he's just a darling! But I'm staying with my brother and his wife in Montauk."

"That's where we live actually," Jack connected with a warm welcome. "I own the bar down by the docks – the _Stowaway_ ; you should come check us out while you're in town. I'm Jack by the way," he introduced, extending his hand. "Jack Porter."

"Heavens, where are my manners," she fawned back, albeit hesitantly. "Louise," she shook his hand, refraining from sharing a last name. "And this is Sadie," she referred to her niece.

Jack grinned and began on his way. "Well, it was nice meeting you both. Hope you enjoy your time in the Hamptons."

He was already out of sight when Louise mumbled a reply under her breath. "Seems I already am," she whispered with a smile. Brushing off the simple thoughts that followed, she returned her attention to her niece and walked her back to the other side of the park before setting down on a park bench to watch her again. To her surprise, her companion at the other end began speaking to her.

"Louise _Ellis_ , isn't it?" Victoria asked quietly, purporting a regal air when Louise turned in alarm "I heard you talking to your niece. You wouldn't be related to the Kentucky Ellis, would you?" she predicted.

"Did you know where I'm from there's a _law_ against eavesdroppin'?" Louise defended at once, giving her the eye. "There's actually a town that will prosecute you for it."

Victoria humored her with a smile. "That doesn't surprise me one bit if we're talking about the south… so you _are_ of the Kentucky Ellis family. You're quite the long way from home?"

"And just where are you from?" Louise snapped rather irritably. "I don't recall you giving _your_ name before asking all your questions?"

"Victoria Grayson," she answered smoothly, beginning to find her amusing. "If you stay up on current events that should tell you all you need to know."

"Grayson?" Louise mumbled, triggering her to remember. "As in Conrad Grayson – the former governor? Oh my goodness, _yes,_ I heard about the tragedy at your son's wedding—I'm so sorry, here you must be trying to steal a moment away to yourself and I just snap your head right off!" She immediately shifted from skepticism to sympathy. "My apologies, are you a friend of my mother's?"

Victoria glossed over it with a wave. "Our kind graze in the same circles, that's all. Though I'm rather interested to hear what brings you to mine?" She paused to observe Louise's casual attire and her niece playing nearby. "Clearly you don't wish to be recognized."

"Well, let's just say it's been a rough year," Louise begged off, glancing down at her lap. "My mama thought it might be good if I had some time away… got a fresh start… made some new friends, you know. Typical maternal values – ship your crazy daughter off to a new life while you run around with a man half your age," she lamented with repressed anxiety. "I'm sure you would agree it's a foolproof formula?"

"On the contrary," Victoria countered. "I would give anything to have my children back at home with me again. Especially my eldest, who was recently laid to rest…" she trailed off thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry, I'm projecting again," Louise apologized and slid a smidge closer. "You'll have to forgive me, I had no idea you lost your _son_ in all this – I'm afraid I didn't catch all the details as to what happened?"

"That's exactly what I'm trying to find out," Victoria answered her with interest. "The police held my son responsible for attempted murder and his own suicide but they concluded their investigation abruptly, leaving me with many unanswered questions. I believe there was more to it than that – I think he was framed."

"Gosh, that's horrible! I know a thing or two about wrongful accusations, and I wouldn't put anything past the local enforcement," she hinted helplessly. "Well, is there anything I can do to help?" As Louise remained fairly concerned, a clever thought entered Victoria's mind.

"You say your mother sent you here to make new friends?" Victoria posed. "Well, I happen to value friendship a great deal. Would you care to join me for tea at Grayson Manor?" As she extended the offer, her focus shifted to Jack finally leaving the park with Carl in the distance. "I think perhaps we could both help each other."

Louise barely had to think about it before gladly accepting. "Why, I'd love to."

 **SCENE**

The sun was shining brilliantly when Emily returned from her morning swim, and she couldn't help stopping on her porch step to look at her father's carving while she toweled off. She ran her fingers along its precise ridges, recalling it had been almost two weeks since the symbol helped restore all the precious memories of him she thought she had lost. It continued to have a similar effect as she closed her eyes and searched for the reason why, just the day before, she was considering walking away. It all seemed rather foolish now, as if the infinity stamp served to tether her to the mission forever – and yet she feared it in a way she could not explain.

"Back to your early dips in the ocean?" Daniel's voice interrupted her thoughts, coming around the side of the porch. "You were sleep when I came in last night, and gone when I got up."

"Hey," she exhaled, relaxing with his presence. She joined him where he took a seat on her father's swing. "I woke up with a new outlook."

"So did I," he replied pensively. He noticed she had come from the post where her father's carving was engraved. "Listen, I've been thinking and I was wrong last night," he faced her penitently. "I may be on the deed but this house obviously means more to you than it ever could to me. It belongs to _you_ , and it's yours to do with as you please, even if that means letting it go."

Emily sighed appreciatively at his loving concession, though it would soon be null. "No, that won't be necessary," she assured him, drawing his surprise. " _You_ were right, actually. We should stay."

He furrowed his brow. "Even after you told Charlotte?"

"I didn't tell her," she revealed with a hint of regret. "Before I could, she shared something that made me realize how betrayed she's going to feel when I finally do." Emily shrugged and cast a solemn look into the distance. "And I'm just not ready for her to hate me yet."

"Charlotte could never hate you," Daniel soothed, taking her hand. "I'm sure she'll have a hard time with it at first, but she loves you, Emily." He gave her hand a squeeze before lifting it to add an affirming kiss. "And I love you, too."

"I'm sorry we fought," Emily returned in kind, uneasily. "And also for this … I told Charlotte about the baby." She bared her teeth apologetically, but he wasn't upset. "I had to tell her _something_ and considering we're keeping everything else from her – I just figured she's the one person who should get to know first. She promised not to say anything."

"Ah, that's fine," Daniel passed over it easily. "I trust her, and there's only so long we can hide it anyway. Besides I'm more interested in what changed your mind about staying?"

Emily swallowed, still struggling with the reason herself. "Something you said last night," she began pensively. "Remember you thought I was worried I might lose you to all of this – that it would consume you?"

"Yeah," he recalled vaguely.

"Well, it's not you I've been worried about… It's me." She faced him with a fearful expression, one he had never seen before. "Since my memories came back I've been trying to figure out why I still don't feel like myself; why it's so hard for me to focus… before everything happened I used to wake up each day with determination and now," she shrugged, hoping for direction. "I just wake up wanting it all to be over—and I'm not sure what that means?"

Daniel listened intently, considering the possibilities. "I mean, things _are_ about to change for us, Em," he admitted, reaching over to tap her knee. "There's nothing wrong with wanting it to be over. After all, we're gonna be parents soon—we're gonna have a family." Reflectively, he added emphasis. "Which is why I need you to just let me finish this; I don't want anything getting in the way of us finally being happy."

Rather than reply, Emily kept her thoughts to herself and tried to remain complacent for his sake. Not only would it avoid another argument but his mention of being parents only reminded her of something she suspected as the cause of her uneasiness. While being pregnant evoked fond memories of her father, it also jogged her memory of the severe depression her mother experienced, beginning shortly after giving birth. It was something Emily was beginning to worry about inheriting, especially as she considered how abruptly she had recently wanted things to end.

"Em, you still with me?" Daniel was staring at her concernedly as she came out of the trance. "You ok?"

"Fine," she said in a rush. "Sorry—that's fine, whatever you need to do," she acquiesced.

He smiled cautiously. "I was saying I could still use your advice for what I have planned. See when I was calling around to get the deed corrected, I came across an attorney who has just as much reason to take down my parents as we do," he elaborated. "Maybe more?"

"And you think they can help," Emily concluded. She felt a tingle as her strategic senses heightened and Daniel watched her brow wrinkle into a familiar line. "Now I'm curious… who'd you call?"

 **SCENE**

"How was the flight from California?"

The middle-aged woman adjusted her blazer beneath her sandy blonde locks as she followed her driver across the tarmac to where her car was waiting. "Smooth," she replied pleasantly as he helped with her bags.

"It's funny," he continued with a touch of surprise. "When they told me who I was meeting, I was expecting to see the former governor's wife."

"Hardly," she emphasized proudly, clarifying. "I'm the _first_ Mrs. Grayson."

"Well, you know what they say," he quipped, holding the door open for her to get in. "Nothing beats the original."

She cracked a smile in agreement. "I think so, too."

 **SCENE**

Niko was studying the inward workings of her father's house, when suddenly she heard the front door swing open and to her surprise, Aiden came walking through. "I thought you'd gone already," she sighed, relieved to see him.

He met her apprehensively, holding up her note. "I decided to stop here first when I received your message," he explained.

"So you're still leaving, then?" she confirmed with a raised eyebrow. "You know for once, you surprise me. I didn't expect you to stay for me of course; I learned my lesson back in Japan. But this is my _father_ we're talking about," she enforced with disappointment. "He trained you to be what you are today – and you still won't help me avenge his death?"

Dodging the subject, Aiden grew closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'd much rather help you find peace instead," he offered. "Trust me – you won't find it here. I know because I killed the man that murdered my sister," he reflected. "And it did nothing. I was empty afterwards, still searching for meaning, and now I finally understand it. The only chance for happiness is to set aside our hatred – and focus on the ones we love."

She studied him carefully, not yet understanding. "But I thought you loved Amanda?"

Hearing it declared aloud stung him, but Aiden lumbered through it. "I thought I did too," he attempted in agreement. "But perhaps I was wrong… perhaps I've been missing what's been right in front of me all this time?"

Niko bravely met his eyes to determine if it was the truth, and as she expected they lacked conviction – he was lying not only to her but to himself. But in spite of it, her pride would not trump the moment she had envisioned so many times before. Even if his feelings were not yet true, she believed in her heart that with time together perhaps they could grow to be – only if they were given the chance.

Deciding there was only one way to find out, she conceded. "So you came here to tell me you want to give us a shot?" she verified.

Aiden was struggling with his decision but could not postpone it any longer. "I came here to tell you I'm only leaving on one condition," he replied. "That you come with me – back to Japan."

Niko felt her angst dissipating, and her commitment to vengeance quickly took a backseat to the most sincere proposition she had ever received from the man she loved. Knowing it was more than possible she might regret it, she gave in regardless, answering him with a reassuring embrace. "Say no more," she whispered.

Aiden sighed with relief as she wrapped her arms around him in acceptance, and while he knew it was dangerous to reengage with someone new while still attached to someone else, the circumstances left him no choice. It was either have her favor or face her loathing if she ever found out the truth – she was in love with her father's killer.

 **SCENE**

"Yes, Mama I know… no, Mama I _can't,_ I'm out right now…"

Victoria perked up as she heard the tail end of Louise's phone conversation while she came trailing through the halls of Grayson Manor, making her way to the parlor. She remained poised in her seat as she listened to the low pitched ramblings, sipping at her tea until Louise finally arrived at the steps.

"Alright, I really have to go now, Mama _please_ … I'll call you later, alright?" Louise rolled her eyes as she ended her call, which sounded like it was still ongoing just before she turned off her phone. "I apologize, it's impossible to have a conversation with that woman without it turning into an interrogation," she announced humbly, striding over to the couch beside the grand chair. "May I?"

"Please," Victoria offered for her to sit, observing she was notably transformed from the day before. Her hair was down in soft wavy tresses and her dress rivaled even some of Victoria's in style and fit. "You clean up nicely, my dear," she complimented her. "What a lovely ensemble."

"Oh, thank you," Louise fawned, sipping the tea that Marta brought over to her. "I thought I'd make a second attempt at impressing you, since I fumbled so terribly on the first."

Victoria smiled forgivingly. "Not at all," she assured as her thoughts began to churn. "Though I digress, I found your inclination towards keeping a low profile to be invaluable yesterday, in addition to your nurturing and kind nature. They are just the skills needed to carry out the task I envision… that is, if you're still interested?"

Louise looked up fondly at the woman she hoped to make her new friend. "Of course," she swore right away. "You said you're trying to solve the mystery around your son's death, right? So how do I fit in – is there some hard-nosed detective you need me to cozy up to?" She brightened up confidently. "Or are you thinkin' maybe get in good with the district attorney? Because if so you're in luck, politicians run in my family and charm _is_ my forte."

"I can see that," Victoria agreed with a smile. The more she examined Louise; she was shaping up to be perfect for what she had in mind. "But I'm afraid my sights are set on someone who could produce answers faster than the justice system ever could." She took a breath before divulging further. "Before I tell you however, I must ask that you keep this confidential – it has to be our secret and ours alone."

Tickled by the indication, Louise agreed wholeheartedly. "Oh, you can trust me Victoria," she insisted, placing a hand over her heart. "I am the _most_ discreet person I know!"

While Victoria doubted it, she was willing to take a gamble. "Very well, then. Her name is Amanda Porter, known more publicly as Amanda Clarke – David Clarke's daughter. She disappeared on her honeymoon last year only to reappear in the Hamptons earlier this summer, just in time for the wedding. And I don't think it a coincidence."

Louise turned her nose up. "Story sort of rings a bell… so you want me to get close to her?"

"No," Victoria clarified with a brilliant idea. "I want you to get close to her son."

 **SCENE**

Amanda was deep in thought when Jack found her in the supply room, and didn't flinch once the entire time he walked over, just continued tirelessly taking inventory. He stood back admiring her diligence for a beat, and realized he hadn't thanked her for all her help lately, something that was out of his character to not do. Admittedly he hadn't been in a normal frame of mind, and he realized perhaps his frustration stemmed not just from distrust in her, but also disappointment in himself.

Itching to correct it, he announced his presence. "Hey," he said softly, and pushed a grin to his lips when she turned around. "You don't have to finish that."

She stood and faced him awkwardly. "I thought we had to get this done by the end of the week?" she asked.

"Leave it for tomorrow," Jack shrugged and then surprised her by extending a hand. "We're going out tonight." At her uncertain look he clarified, "On a _date._ "

As much as it pained her to face his undeserved acts of kindness while she still had lingering guilt from her goodbye with Aiden, she had to acknowledge the extension. "You're serious?" she verified, to which he nodded. "I thought you said it would be too much for Charlotte to watch both the boys?"

"It would," he agreed. "She's been a little distant lately, and probably could use a break herself," he noted to himself, quickly brushing past it. "So I found a sitter instead," he revealed, hoping it would give her reassurance that he was willing to try to get back to normal. And while Amanda appeared hesitant, she was so touched by his effort that she allowed it to take priority over her struggling feelings.

"You did?" she confirmed brightly, coming over to him.

"Yeah, go get ready," he urged her with a lopsided grin that brought back memories of their earlier days. He had a similar look the time he gave in and decided to take off to Atlantic City for a weekend of thrills. Amanda continued to admire him a second longer and he surprised her again, reaching over to plant a kiss on her forehead. She winced as if his endless mercy physically hurt, but Jack did not notice and instead listened for a noise outside the room. "Hang on – I want you to meet her first. _In here!_ " he called out.

Revealing her presence, Louise walked through holding Carl on her hip. Her appearance was adjusted back to her casual look from the previous day, despite now serving a much different purpose. Yet her demeanor was unsuspecting while she jiggled Carl in her arms, whispered to him in baby talk and looking up to meet her new employer.

"Why you must be Amanda," Louise greeted her sweetly. "I've heard _so_ much about you."

 **SCENE**

"Is this what you wanted? To break me?"

Emily turned to meet the harried reaction from Daniel at their bedroom doorway, and stood poised in her nightgown with her hands behind her back. "I take it you got my note?" she answered in expectation, studying his serious expression.

He remained stern a moment longer, holding up said note in his hand. " _'Need your help – it's urgent_ '," he recited, to which he produced the other item that had been alongside it – a small bottle of sea foam green nail polish. " _This_ is your idea of 'urgent'?" he chided, finally relaxing into an unimpressed grin.

Emily mirrored his wry expression as she settled onto the side of the bed and ever so daintily crossed her legs to hike up the hem of her gown. "The flesh wounds are almost healed but Niko said I could still pull a muscle if I overextend," she explained, stretching out her right foot and flexing her big toe. "Can you help me reach?" she begged pleasantly, hinting with sarcasm. "I don't want to disobey doctor's orders."

Daniel couldn't help chuckling at her audacity. "Oh, going for a swim around the pier is fine but _this_ you need help with?" he retorted, shaking his head. But it was no use trying to entertain the argument when clearly Emily was going to have her way. Expecting it would be the first of many to come, he merely took position at the foot of the bed and propped her foot up on his knee.

"Thank you, _darling,_ " she emphasized with a scrunch of her nose.

"Oh, you're welcome, _Mrs. Grayson,_ " he teetered back in the same tone. While he concentrated on applying the first coat of polish squarely onto her nail Emily just watched, chuckling every so often at how sweet it was that he truly did not seem to mind. As if reading her thoughts, Daniel looked up before moving onto the next foot. "I suppose I should get used to this, since a few months from now you won't even be able to see these."

"Mm, don't remind me," Emily moaned, having given little thought to just how big she was going to get once she reached full term. After being physically agile for years, it felt strange imagining being unable to see her feet or having to deal with swollen ankles. But inwardly she hoped by then the plan would be finished and there would be no reason to engage in anything that required a physical defense. "Just remember _we_ did this to each other," she coaxed softly, reminding him of the night of conception.

"Oh, I remember," he added slyly, his eyes flickering up to hers in suggestion. He had been unflinchingly patient while her wounds recovered, yet it often crept into his mind that they had yet to officially consummate their matrimony. And while the obstacles that prevented it had been notably surmountable, it didn't stop him from thinking about it in her company. "But you know, if you're starting to have a touch of amnesia again… I can always jog your memory?" he hinted.

Emily inclined her neck in return, inviting him with a smolder she reserved only for their tender moments behind closed doors. Reading it right away, Daniel slipped the nail polish wand back into the bottle and grinned devilishly, looming over Emily as she leaned back onto the bed. While he removed his clothing she readied to relax into the passionate moment, but she felt self-conscious as he began to slip her nightgown over her head, and a voice in her mind suddenly broke the mood. _But even when we try to deny our hatred, it always finds a way to emerge…_

"Wait!" she whispered, interrupting his attempt at a kiss.

"What's wrong – something hurts?" he assumed, glancing down at her abdomen. Emily's hands were there covering it. "Hey –you're worried about the scar, aren't you? Em, you know I don't care about that —"

"It's not that—" she began, interrupting herself. Unable to articulate what she was feeling, she thudded her head back and then quickly rose. Daniel moved so she could sit up. "Daniel, I don't know if I can do this," she blurted out.

"Emily, if you're not ready we can wait," he insisted, growing serious. "I mean it; we don't have to do anything tonight?"

"No, I mean _this_ ," she gestured to her stomach and alarmingly the tears were already forming in her eyes. She stood up at once, venting all of her concerns. "This baby, Daniel… how can I take care of another life, what if something _happens_?"

"Hey!" he raised his voice slightly and swung his legs over the side of the bed to face her. " _Nothing_ is going to happen, alright? Come on, we talked about this – we have a plan, everything's going to be fine."

"No," she insisted, shaking her head furiously while pacing back and forth. "No, we can't just rely on the plan we have to do more than that—"

" _Emily, please,_ " Daniel was standing now with his palms placed together as he implored Emily to calm down. "You're just scared because this is all happening at once, but I'm promising you – we are _going_ to be alright. Come on," he rested his arms beneath hers to pull her in towards his bare chest. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you or the baby. We're a family now – we do things together… because we belong together."

His pep talk slowly began to have an effect and Emily calmed down, and eventually followed him back over to the bed. Sensing she needed comfort more than stimulation, Daniel merely guided her to lie down rather than pick up where they left off and he snuggled against her, hoping she would feel safe and reassured in his arms.

Yet as much as she wanted to relax into his promise, Emily could not be so easily dissuaded. Her fear of loss encapsulated her once again, taking her into another realm and filling her with every notion she had tried to repress. It felt like her mind was blacking out and she could nearly hear the blood thundering in her ears, the pound of her heart, shadowed by another beat just behind it. When she came to it was much later in the dead of night, but more than just the hour had changed. Rather, the hatred that she once tucked away had returned with a vengeance, blinding her with the impact of its emotion and giving birth to a new purpose. While Daniel assumed that she had finally fallen asleep instead Emily lay awake, fully alert and fixated on the only thing she knew would ever protect her child: killing the Graysons.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Thank you for joining again, dear readers! It was very important to me that I recoup this particular chapter, seeing as it's counterpart episode was quite hard to watch for any Demily shippers =/ So as much as I wanted to continue the realistic obstacles they would encounter as newlyweds, it was very important to bandage their scenes with different outcomes, though I did use a lot of the same dialogue in writing them. I also included a lot of deep rooted emotions that will help shape the rest of the "season"… so I truly hope you enjoyed and let me know your thoughts please, of course! Will Victoria continue getting closer to the truth? What will Charlotte do with the secret(s) she stumbled upon? And has Emily lost her way? To be continued! Also lmk your thoughts about the "early" appearance of a S4 character! It's one I love writing in my other works and one I wished they would have introduced earlier on the show to keep up the continuity. I have big plans for her here so stay tuned for her to play a big role in the grand finish of this season… we're getting there! Slowly but surely! Thanks for all of your patience and as always, ~ Love and Revenge ~ MothToANewFlame**


	34. Chapter 34: Payback

**Chapter 34: Payback**

 _Of all the weapons we take into battle, there is none more powerful than the mind.  
It holds our instincts and our training and allows us to distinguish friend from foe, love from hate…_

"You can sit back now, Mrs. Grayson…"

Emily relaxed against the paper shield on the examination table, enduring the awkward positioning as the technician manipulated the screen to better view the output. It seemed like the minutes dragged on forever while she searched for the best angle, and Emily forced herself to look away rather than stare impatiently. Instead her gaze rested on Daniel beside her, who returned an anxious smile to her more wearisome look. Her thoughts were just beginning to drift when a noise suddenly caught her attention – a persistent throbbing that sounded like it was deep under water.

"Is that—is that the heartbeat?" Emily stammered.

"Yes," the technician answered brightly, turning to address them. "And _this_ is your baby," she announced, stepping aside to show the sonogram display.

Both Emily and Daniel leaned forward excitedly to view it, the latter gasping when the small peanut-sized embryo came into view. "Oh my god," he breathed excitedly, immediately feeling a rush of emotion at what they had created together. "That's amazing…"

Meanwhile Emily was strangely still, merely staring at the screen with a numbness that rendered her silent. After a few moments Daniel looked over to gauge her reaction. "Looks like a girl to me," he joked, rubbing Emily's back. But she did not respond, only continued mesmerized by the display.

"It's a bit early to determine the sex," the technician volunteered when the quietness became awkward. "Maybe by your next check-up?" Still, Emily did not utter a word and the technician shifted attention to Daniel. "It's not unusual to get a bit overwhelmed at this stage – I'll give you two some alone time before I send the doctor in."

Daniel nodded his appreciation, and then concentrated on Emily once she had gone. "Hey," he nudged her gently. "You alright?"

… _But if that weapon is unsound, it is by no means disarmed. For the mind is all the more dangerous when damaged. And there's no guarantee that it won't choose itself as its next victim..._

"Fine," Emily finally snapped out of it, forcing a smile. "Sorry, I just zoned out for a second… it's amazing, right?"

The corner of Daniel's mouth curled upwards. "Yeah, that's what I was just saying," he repeated, continuing to study the unusualness in her demeanor. He was about to ask again when the doctor reentered the room faster than expected, postponing his thoughts.

"Mrs. Grayson," a middle-aged man addressed her. "I have good news," he prefaced. "Physically, you've recovered beyond expectation. Not only are you cleared to resume regular activity but the baby appears healthy and developing extremely well for just over two months."

"Thank you, Doctor," Emily sighed with gratitude, sitting up straight. "I can't tell you what a relief that is."

"Of course you'll need to keep up with regular checkups," he admonished. "Continue a healthy diet, take your prenatal vitamins, exercise… But as long as you stay with your current regimen I don't foresee any concerns." Emily nodded her compliance, having always been impeccably disciplined with her physical routine.

Daniel absorbed the positive report yet his conscience ached to inquire further. "Excuse me, I know this isn't your area of expertise but ah, what about her head trauma?" he pried. "She went through some pretty severe memory loss at the beginning stages of her recovery."

While Emily shot him a curious look, the doctor consulted his notes. "Her primary hasn't noted any permanent neurological problems," he answered. "However, the increase in hormone levels is certainly something we'll monitor."

"Isn't that normal for pregnancy?" Emily argued.

"It depends," the doctor commented fairly. "The brain secretes different hormones than your reproductive system. Though it can be difficult to tell them apart, there are ways to identify the difference. Mrs. Grayson, have you been experiencing any strange symptoms?"

Emily was shrugging to say no when Daniel suddenly interrupted. "She's been having nightmares," he volunteered.

She turned this time more noticeably. "Daniel?" she scolded.

"Look, I didn't want to worry you," he explained right away. "But the past week you've had some pretty rough nights – you thrash in your sleep… sometimes you even have random outbursts… but when you wake up you never talk about it."

"Probably because I don't _remember_ it happening?" she defended irritably.

The doctor interjected before they could debate further. "If I may, it's best to let the proper tests determine if this is a concern or not. I'm not a neurologist." He glanced at his portfolio. "But I can recommend one – and if I make a few calls you could see them as early as this afternoon?"

Daniel was just about to accept when Emily over talked him. "That won't be possible, we have another appointment scheduled," she reminded, sending a stern glare towards her husband. "Besides, I'm sure it's nothing."

Despite not wanting to, Daniel retracted his concerns for a later time. "Thank you for the recommendation, Doctor," he relented instead. "And of course, for your discretion," he added with seriousness. "I'm sure you can understand how difficult it is to keep this a secret with a name like _Grayson_."

"Well that's the doctor-patient privilege," the doctor obliged respectfully. With their decision made he stood to conclude the visit. "I wish you all the best and I'll see you on your next visit. I'm sure you're both just as eager to pass that name onto your growing family. "

Something about the phrasing of his well-intentioned comment only elevated Emily's discomfort. And though her bouts with nausea had long since passed, she felt a wave of dizziness that mimicked it, prompting her to excuse herself. "Just a second," she begged off from Daniel as they prepared to leave, going into the private restroom instead.

Once inside she braced herself on the sink and closed her eyes to endure a familiar pounding in her head. At first it reminded her of the baby's heartbeat, a sound she treasured with all her heart. But gradually it triggered a different pounding, one that resonated and nearly made her faint. She stared into the mirror and desperately tried to hold onto consciousness but what she saw in the reflection was a person she did not recognize. It was as if she had been replaced by someone else… not Amanda Clarke, not Emily Thorne, but another entity altogether… one who would annihilate anything that stood in the path of her revenge—including herself.

 **SCENE**

"You sure you didn't want to stay for those tests?"

Emily repressed a sigh as she walked ahead of Daniel up the entrance to the _Stowaway_. "Daniel, I'm _fine_ ," she assured him for the third time since they had left the doctor's office. "Why do you keep pressing this?"

"Because, Em you haven't been yourself lately," he started, rethinking how to qualify the statement when she half-turned to glare at him. "And it's not just your usual mood swings…" he whispered, drawing close. "Is there something I should know? You don't resent me for changing your mind about leaving, do you?"

With an exasperated shake of her head, Emily turned away and paraded inside. "You didn't change my mind, Daniel – I did," she asserted over her shoulder. "And despite what you think, I'm still in control of all my mental faculties and I can assure you, they're working perfectly." Poised at the bar, she folded her arms in expectation while he caught up to her. "With the only exception that I can't read _your_ mind, so do you want to tell me your plan or not?"

Her attitude only confirmed his suspicions but Daniel absorbed it patiently, and stole a glance around the room before answering. "My plan is right over there," he replied, gesturing to an attractive middle-aged woman that was sitting alone in a corner booth. Upon noticing him by the door she stood from her seat, while Daniel ushered Emily over.

"Stevie, thank you for coming all this way to meet us on short notice," Daniel greeted her with a handshake. "This is my wife, Emily," he introduced.

While Emily edged forward apprehensively, Stevie extended a warm hand. "Emily, it's a pleasure. I'm Stevie Grayson."

With a pitched look, Emily quickly deciphered who she was. "Conrad's first wife?" she verified aloud, glancing over to Daniel. "Ah, sorry, my husband only mentioned that you were an attorney we could trust," she hinted, finally shaking her hand. "I certainly hope this isn't awkward for you?"

"Not at all," Stevie assured, offering for them to sit. "My past with Conrad has never precluded me from wanting to meet his children. When Daniel reached out – I knew it was finally time," she nodded to him. Noting that Emily appeared somewhat uneasy, she continued. "Granted, the circumstances are unfortunate, but you have my word as a professional – I only want to help solve your legal problems with the least amount of collateral damage," she added, opening her pad folio.

"We appreciate that," Daniel replied graciously. "But at this point it may not be possible. My father is ruthless, as I'm sure you're aware, and he's intent on manipulating the public with his new position at _Voulez_ ," he paused, alluding to their surroundings. "Which is why I asked to meet somewhere out of the way."

"Of course," Stevie obliged. "And I'm glad you suggested here. I always liked hiding out in this _Stowaway;_ I used to come here years ago…"

While Daniel continued polite banter with Stevie, Emily slowly felt herself zoning out again and before long she had completely faded out of the conversation. Ever conscious, it was Daniel that drew attention to it first. "Em, you alright?"

Emily looked up and caught eyes with Amanda emerging from the supply room before eventually responding. "Um, you know what I'm actually feeling a little lightheaded," she explained, hoping Daniel would presume on her meaning.

He caught on and cleverly jumped to her aid. "Oh, right," he nodded and faced Stevie. "Sorry – it's just the meds she's been on for her injuries make her a little loopy," he lied seamlessly.

"Would you prefer to reschedule?" Stevie offered with heartfelt concern.

"No, no," Emily insisted. She gestured towards the back of the bar. "You two go ahead; I'm just going to ask Amanda if I can lay down upstairs."

She rose gingerly, prompting Daniel to watch her with a wistful look as she followed Amanda out of sight. Once she was gone, he returned his full attention to Stevie. "Sorry about that," he apologized.

"Please don't be – I heard about the incident," Stevie assured him. "How tragic for you both… Interesting though, you didn't mention how close Emily is to Amanda Clarke?"

Daniel was careful not to reveal too much. "Ah yes – very close," he answered, overstepping the irony. "I thought you might've heard already… she was Emily's Maid of Honor?"

Stevie shook her head gracefully. "I'm afraid I only started following the story after your wife's shooting," she digressed. "But it is refreshing to see someone of her stature take an interest in someone who's been through so much. David's arrest coincided with one of my last trips to the Hamptons." When Daniel perked up in interest, she volunteered, "I happened to be one of the few people that believed he was innocent."

Filling with excitement, Daniel leaned forward in earnest. "Well then, we should get along great. Because that's exactly what we're looking to prove," he began, moving onto the matter at hand. Stevie raised her brow in intrigue as he finished. "The truth is, the legal action I'm seeking against my father isn't just for swindling me out of my investment in _Voulez –_ it's time for him to finally answer for the sins of his past."

 **SCENE**

Victoria descended the stairwell of Grayson Manor with a sense of hope and revival –emotions she could scarcely believe were real in light of everything she had been through recently. But beyond just the fellowship of a new confidant in Louise and her liberating divorce that was soon to be finalized, she was beside herself with delight from the previous evening. Charlotte had finally stopped by to introduce her to her grandson and she had met the long awaited meeting with overwhelming joy. Her elation continued as entered the dining area and took in the sight of Charlotte seated at the table, feeding a bottle to the newborn swaddled in her arms. Victoria affectionately recalled doing the same herself with Daniel so many years ago, back when her largest concern was making a proud entrance into society and scrubbing off Conrad's dismissed first wife. She cast the thoughts aside upon reaching Charlotte, and couldn't help hovering over Declan Jr to take in his lovable little face again.

"I can't tell you how much I enjoyed your visit, sweetheart," Victoria fawned sincerely. "And, how glad I am you accepted my offer to stay the night."

Charlotte absorbed it with a measure of indifference but remained approachable. "Well, my conscience just kept bothering me about staying away for so long," she explained. "I just thought you deserved another chance."

Victoria nodded cordially, taking her seat. "I hope you'll consider extending your stay," she proposed before a sip of coffee. "As relieved as I am to have your father gone, this house can get quite cold and lonely. Having you and the baby here warms it considerably." With apprehension, she took a breath before another proposal. "I hope you don't mind, but I've arranged to have your old room accommodated for a nursery. I'd like for you to be comfortable visiting more often?"

Charlotte ruminated on her offer as she finished feeding Declan Jr and then settled him in for a morning nap. "Actually," she began, hoping she was making the right decision. "Lately, I've been thinking about moving back in," she finally sighed.

Victoria's countenance lit with delight. "Oh my dear, that would be _wonderful!_ " Her mind began running with ideas. "Please say you will – it would be just in time for me to give you a proper welcome affair! After all, it _is_ your birthday tomorrow; you didn't think I'd forgotten did you?"

As enticing as it was to hear her mother say all the right things, Charlotte knew better than to give in completely. "It wouldn't be the first time," she answered honestly. "But truthfully, Mom, I don't want you bending over backwards just to win me over. I didn't come here for a party or a lavish room for DJ—" she emphasized, glancing at her son. "I came here because you're my mother, and it was the right thing to do."

"Of course darling," Victoria acquiesced, still exuding her will. "But surely you must know how grateful I am just to have you here – if anything, recent events have taught me not to take any relationships for granted," she hinted. "At least allow me the honor of giving Declan Jr a proper welcome – Emily never allowed me to do justice to your baby shower."

"That's because you had your own agenda," Charlotte reminded her squarely.

"Which islong over with," Victoria promised airily, despite it being the furthest thing from the truth. "I'm ready to embrace your new family – _including_ Jack  & Amanda if you think they would come?" She took another sip of coffee while allowing her offer to marinate, hoping Charlotte would concede so that it could further her investigation.

As if on cue, the chime of Victoria's phone sounded, buying Charlotte time to respond. "Think about it, dear," Victoria urged her before getting up to take the call out of the room.

"Louise," she answered once out of earshot. "Do you have an update?"

On the other line, Louise lurked at the foot of the stairwell in the _Stowaway,_ watching Emily follow Amanda upstairs. "Well this was startin' to feel like a wild goose chase until this morning finally," she replied. "Your daughter-in-law just stopped by and disappeared upstairs with Amanda. Whatever she's here to discuss, it must be a big secret."

"Be careful," Victoria instructed. "Emily is not to be trusted, and neither is Amanda."

"Yeah, I gather that," Louise drawled pensively. "Seeing how she makes a point keep that door locked every time I come to pick up Carl or drop him off. Do you think maybe she's hiding something up there?"

"I wouldn't put anything past either of them," Victoria affirmed, her thoughts churning.

"Ugh, if only I could get inside," she lamented. "I really want to help you figure out what happened to your son, Victoria."

With a thoughtful glance back towards Charlotte in the other room, Victoria answered with intrigue. "You may yet be able to… If my assumption is correct, the Porters will be in need of your services tomorrow evening – and that may be just the opportunity we need to finally gain access to what they know."

 **SCENE**

"Hey – what's going on? You've been avoiding me."

Emily wasted no time ripping right into Amanda once they were alone, cleverly using her distraction from the meeting with Stevie to chastise her friend instead. Sensing it coming, Amanda gave a generic answer. "Sorry it's just been crazy around here, I'm working a lot more—"

"Yeah, apparently overtime," Emily lit into her. "Charlotte saw you _kissing_ Aiden!" she revealed. "What the hell is wrong with you?! I thought you wanted things to work out with Jack and already you're two-timing him?!"

"Is _that_ why she's been staying away?" Amanda concluded, thinking first of Charlotte. "Emily, that's not what happened! I was saying _goodbye_ and Aiden took it too far before I could stop him." Emily looked away in disbelief, and Amanda stepped into her path to get her attention. "Trust me – it was _nothing_ and he's gone."

"Or maybe it's nothing _because_ he's gone, hm?" Emily shot back smartly.

"Look, just please don't say anything to Jack," Amanda begged sincerely. "We're just getting back to a good place and I don't think we can take another setback—"

Emily rubbed her head irritably. "It doesn't matter what I say, Amanda, don't you get it? Charlotte's disgusted – she thinks you've been lying to him! She wants to move back into Grayson Manor." Amanda shrunk back at the severity of her decision while Emily continued to impress upon it, standing mere inches away from her. "Look whether or not you care about Jack is your business, but I am not going to allow your carelessness to put my sisterat risk!" she hissed.

"Emily, how long did you expect her to stay away from her own mother?" Amanda reasoned back. "So she's spending time with her, it isn't the end of the world—"

" _It is if she's in the crossfire when I destroy Victoria!_ " Emily belted in a whisper, unable to finish before the sound of voices could be heard outside the room. Her adamant reaction worried Amanda, noting an abnormally enraged fire in her tone and wording, but as the voices got louder she was forced to go open the door. When she did, Jack was holding Carl with Louise just behind him.

"Hey," he eyed both women, feeling like he was interrupting something. "Ah, Louise is here to pick Carl up, she just needs his bag?"

"Right," Amanda exhaled nimbly and went to get him a spare set of clothes.

Jack turned his attention to Emily. "Glad to see you're doing well," he addressed her with a grin. "You look better every time I see you."

She attempted to soften, coming over uneasily. "So does this guy," she related, nudging Carl. "You like having a little cousin, buddy?"

Jack looked to see if Carl would smile back and then answered on his behalf. "We'll see when Charlotte gets back with him," he joked, alerting Emily that he still assumed she would be returning. Carl began fussing and it was at that moment that Emily noticed Louise for the first time.

"Here please, allow me," Louise offered, and Jack passed Carl over.

With her addition, the room was feeling crowded and Emily became conscious of getting back downstairs to Daniel. "I should get going," she begged off, disappearing down the stairs. Jack followed after her and at last Amanda returned from the nursery.

"Thanks," Louise offered, stealing a look around the room. Her eyes fell on a backpack that she didn't remember seeing before. "Should I just put it in here?" she gestured.

"No—" Amanda quickly snatched the backpack away. She tossed it into the closet and then handed over a different bag instead. "This one's his," she explained.

"Oh, sorry – silly me!" Louise apologized and then went ahead with Carl down the stairs, trying not to be too conspicuous as she memorized the location of the bag Amanda stashed.

Back over by the bar, Daniel was just walking Stevie to the door when Emily joined them. "You feeling better?" he asked.

"Yes, much," she answered shortly. "Stevie – I'm so sorry I wasn't able join you," she apologized.

"Not to worry," Stevie replied with a vague heaviness in her tone. "Daniel and I discussed quite a bit today. I have a lot of research to do – but I'll be in touch soon." Her gaze rested on Daniel for a moment and then trailed over to Jack, to their notice.

"By the way, this is our friend Jack – he owns the bar," Emily gestured over. "Jack, this is Stevie."

Jack tried not to smirk at Emily's liberal use of 'our' while he extended a hand. "Jack Porter," he introduced himself, trying to ascertain her relationship to them.

"It's a pleasure," Stevie brightened, alluding. "Once upon a time, this bar made the best sidecars."

Jack chuckled. "Which means you knew my father," he concluded while she nodded in response. "Those were his specialty…"

"Oh yes," she agreed with a smile. "That was quite some time ago… things were a lot more rowdy here back then."

"Oh, it still has its moments," Daniel chimed in, thinking back a few weeks to the fight that nearly broke out. Jack caught the reference with a side eye and Daniel used that as his cue to see Emily out the door. "Come on, we better get going. Nice meeting you, Stevie."

"You too, Daniel, Emily," she waved them off, hanging back a beat. When she turned back towards the bar, Jack was saying goodbye to Carl and Louise and Amanda was joining him for her shift. He gave her a box of supplies that needed storing in the back and then faced Stevie again, noting her reluctance to leave just yet.

"Right so, I can't promise I have my father's skills with sidecars, but I can try for a loyal customer?" he offered.

"I'm fine, thanks," Stevie politely declined. "Just passing through for old times' sake…" She stared at him a moment longer before finally readying to leave. "It was nice meeting you, Jack Porter."

"You too, Stevie—ah, what did you say your last name was?" he asked, suddenly realizing he had not gotten it.

With an expression that conveyed how surprised she expected him to be, she replied just shy of walking out. "Grayson – Stevie Grayson."

 **SCENE**

"You just _had_ to pick somewhere with a view of the ocean, didn't you?"

Emily looked up from a prenatal stretching exercise to see Nolan making his way up to her mat, looking somewhat out of breath in the process. Its location had required him to make a small climb to get there.

"During our therapy sessions, Niko recommended I get out of my natural surroundings," she explained, casting a glance around the elevated parapet that rested on a sand dune along the shoreline. "When I told her this place was where her father used to practice with me," she added, nostalgically. "She insisted we use it. I've been coming back ever since."

Nolan nodded, admiring the serenity of its location. "It does make a rather appropriate 'Revenge Retreat'," he coined, eyeing an array of plants that decorated the southern corner. "So, was taking up _gardening_ also a part of your therapy?" he joked, reaching out to graze a leaf.

"Careful!" Emily suddenly yelled out, and broke her stance to come over. Nolan put his hands up in surrender as she stepped between him and the plant, forcing him to move away. "Some of those have thorns," she explained shortly and then returned to the eastern side, resting along the rails.

"Hm, how fitting," Nolan mumbled with a puzzled look before moving on with conversation. "Well, being that my sidekick status has been limited since you and Danny crossed the threshold and _almost_ crossed the border—" he inserted with a smirk. "I just want you to know I'm glad you decided to stay." Emily acknowledged his comment with her own subtle return of sentiment and he continued. "So, now that you finally have some down time… how are you feeling?"

Emily took a deep breath and continued staring into the distance. "Still not exactly myself," she hinted honestly, as if hiding something. "But the doctor said I could resume physical activity. So I am."

Nolan peered close. "Something tells me those exercises you were doing weren't just preparation for Baby Grayson…" he hinted, guessing. "You've got a new lead?"

"Daniel does," she acknowledged flatly. "He sent for Stevie Grayson. According to him she has a stake in dismantling his father."

"Calling in the _ex_ to take down Conrad's _next_ ," Nolan observed favorably. " _Ex_ -cellent."

Emily leaned forward in thought. "We met her earlier today but I'm not convinced an attorney is the answer," she countered. "The justice system failed my father the first time, what's to stop it this time around? Not to mention how drawn out the process would be before a judge might even _consider_ reopening the case…" Concentrating, she shook her head with determination. "No, we need to be more aggressive than that."

Nolan wrinkled his brow in surprise. "Far cry from where you were last week…"

"That was before Charlotte decided to move back in with Victoria," Emily retorted, finally facing him. "Apparently that whole thing with Aiden and Amanda really got to her. She's making it official."

He started to gape in surprise, relaxing as the details began to make sense. "Well that explains why _this_ was in my inbox this afternoon," he rationalized, pulling out his phone to show Emily an email invitation to an event at Grayson Manor. "And here I thought Victoria was genuinely missing my presence on her party scene."

"It's a party to welcome her home," Emily confirmed bitterly, having received the same invite just moments before she decided to come to her retreat. "She's not wasting any time cozying up."

Realizing his friend saw the reconciliation as a setback, Nolan sighed in sympathy. "Ems, I'm sorry – I know this is the last thing you wanted," he reasoned. "But maybe Daniel's strategy isn't such a bad idea – maybe Conrad's ex has more experience dealing with the Graysons than the average attorney, and she can _help_ —"

"No one has more experience dealing with the Graysons than _me!_ " Emily asserted, cutting him off irritably. "And I'm telling you, doing this the roundabout way isn't enough – they'll find a way out!" Her temper was quickly growing short and she could feel the pounding returning in her ears despite her attempts at focusing to stop it.

"Alright, alright," Nolan conceded, finding her more prickly than normal. "But what other option is there?" he asked.

Emily deliberated on the only one that remained. "I'm going to the party tomorrow night," she whispered under her breath. "Victoria doesn't realize it but she just gave me the perfect opportunity."

"For what?" he probed. No sooner than he did, a chill went up his spine when he saw the eerie coldness in her eyes as she answered.

"For me to do what I should've done in the first place," Emily replied darkly. "I'm gonna kill them all."

 **SCENE**

"So what do you say – will you come?" Charlotte beamed up at Margaux as she waited for her reply, hoping the cooing infant at her hip would help sway her decision.

Margaux couldn't help but be persuaded by the Charlotte's adorable son, who was a welcome change to the stressful environment at _Voulez_. But, she could not be certain what work related issues would continue to detain her. "Honestly, I would love to," she insisted with sincerity in her eyes. "But I'm afraid I can't make any promises." When Charlotte pouted in response, she bowed respectfully. "I'm sorry, but there's still a lot to catch up on since Daniel's departure."

"Oh yeah, about that," Charlotte inquired, recalling. "What exactly happened?"

Before Margaux could provide her with a more sensitive answer, a familiar voice behind Charlotte replied instead. "Daniel and the company have decided to respectfully part ways," Conrad inserted, pardoning his intrusion with a kind gesture. He approached slowly as his daughtered turned, revealing the baby in her arms. "But I sincerely hope you'll reconsider before choosing to do the same with me," he pleaded.

Charlotte tightened up at his plea. "Dad," she addressed him coolly. "Of course; why am I not surprised you had something to do with this?"

"Charlotte, please," Conrad tried again, this time emphasizing with a contrite expression. "Tomorrow's your _birthday._ I haven't seen you since the delivery – I haven't even had the chance to meet your newborn baby boy—"

"And you still won't," she snapped back, unflinching. "But I'm sure you know why," she alluded heavily, briefly glancing over at Margaux. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I hope you'll be able to make it, Margaux."

With that she walked out of her office, hugging Declan Jr close to her as she brushed past her father without eye contact. Ostensibly irked by the interchange, Conrad glared over to Margaux for verification. "I presume she was inviting you to a celebration of some sort?"

Margaux eyed him suspiciously. "Victoria is hosting an affair to welcome her home to Grayson Manor," she replied, aiming to gather information by first sharing some.

"Ah, so she's moving back in," Conrad pondered. "Well, no wonder Victoria spent no time contesting the divorce – she's too eager to have her next _victims_ back under the roof," he muttered dryly. "A roof she's fortunate I even let her _keep…_ "

"If you ask me, it's _you_ that Charlotte sees as the predator," Margaux volunteered, folding her arms. "That's the second time she's berated you in connection with her child. Would you care to explain that?" she posed curiously. "Exactly what kind of person have I just gone into business with?"

Conrad dismissed her accusation with a signature turn of arrogance. "A powerful one," he replied. He tapped authoritatively on her desk before exiting, leaving her feeling somewhat trapped. "Let's leave it at that."

 **SCENE**

"Hey uh, Jack, can I uh- borrow you a sec?"

Jack got a feeling of déjà vu as he responded to Nolan's entry around the side of the bar, and took a breather from waiting on customers to come around to him. "Hey man," he greeted somewhat distantly. "I think I can guess why you're here."

As Nolan looked on nervously, Jack pulled up his tablet and showed Nolan the same invite he had just shared with Emily. "Can you believe this? A week ago Charlotte couldn't be happier here and then she just up and decides to move in with Victoria and doesn't tell us?" Jack just shook his head, puzzled. "When she said she was visiting for a few days I didn't think it would be permanent – I mean, half of her stuff is still in the nursery!"

Sympathizing, Nolan sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know, I found out the same way you did – look, I know this is sudden but you may decide to attend after you hear about the even _bigger_ problem we have," he urged, getting an odd look in return.

Jack furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

"I just came from Emily," he began, keeping his voice low. "And despite what the doctor says – I'm not sure she's fully recovered from her head injury. In fact, I'm pretty sure she's having a mental _break…_ " He tried to collect his thoughts while Jack struggled to follow along. "She said she wants to use the party tomorrow as her chance to _kill Victoria,"_ he emphasized.

"What?!" Jack echoed, flabbergasted. "You're sure that's what she said?"

"Well, technically she said kill _'them all_ '," Nolan recanted, sorting it out with a wry look. "Which could mean allthe _Graysons_ – and is one reason why I'm telling this to you, and not Daniel," he rationalized, raising two hands before Jack could protest. "Look I know it sounds _insane,_ but Jack I've never seen her like this before! It's like… like she's a totally different person?"

Jack folded his arms apprehensively as he tried to reason. "Nolan, I literally saw Emily _just this morning_ and she seemed fine! She was here _with_ Daniel; I can't believe she would include him in this—"

"Maybe she isn't," Nolan conceded fairly. "Maybe this is just a delayed reaction to everything that's happened to her, but can we take that chance? Even if it's just Victoria and Conrad she's talking about, she's about to do something she will not come back from, ever!"

Finally noting the urgency, Jack nodded emphatically. "Alright, so what do we do – how do we stop her?"

Nolan sighed and began thinking it through. "She didn't seem like she would listen to me, but maybe if someone else talks to her… Someone who had a connection before all of this ever started?" he hinted, hoping Jack would volunteer.

"What are you, kidding?" Jack shot it down right away. "Our friendship didn't stop her from everything she's done the last three years, I doubt it would make a difference now," he reasoned. "And I'm pretty sure with Amanda's track record of going after Conrad; she would only give Emily her blessing!" He suddenly wondered if that had been what he walked in on them discussing earlier. It certainly wouldn't be farfetched.

"You're right. Aiden probably would too," Nolan agreed, before realizing it was a tender subject.

Jack grimaced at the similarity, piquing him to ask another question. "Wait a minute – what does _he_ say in all this, he trained with her for years right? If anyone can get through to her, maybe he can!"

"While I tend to agree, unfortunately Aiden is currently in Japan with Niko," Nolan lamented, though it was technically good news for Jack. As expected, his countenance lifted visibly. "Or _fortunately_ , depending how you look at it," Nolan mumbled, still fretting. "God, there's got to be someone that can help!"

Just then, Jack felt a slight tug at his shoulder and turned to see Louise had been standing there with Carl, hanging back until she could get his attention. "I'm so sorry to interrupt," she apologized. "But I couldn't find your wife, and I didn't want to put him down without tellin' one of you?"

"No, of course," Jack assured her, lifting his son from her arms appreciatively. Before she could leave, he called out. "Hey – if it isn't too much trouble, do you think you'll be able to watch him tomorrow night? I uh," he paused to look intently at Nolan. "I think we'll be headed out in the evening."

Expecting the request, Louise nodded pleasantly. "Why sure," she replied brightly, with a touch of coyness in her eyes. "Anything you need."

"Thanks," Jack expressed genuinely and waited for her to leave before growing serious with Nolan again.

"Nice babysitter," Nolan observed with interest. _"Anything you need?"_ he repeated.

"She's from the South," Jack brushed over it, refocusing on the issue at hand. "Look, I have to put Carl down but between now and tomorrow night you need to figure some way to stop her. Because whether we show up there or not, when Emily puts her mind to something, it gets done."

Nolan knew he was right, and looked away to reassess his options, wondering who else stood a chance of getting through to the most stubborn person he knew.

"You want my advice?" Jack added at last. "If there's one thing I've learned from being with Amanda, it's that love can save a person from their dark side."

Nolan swallowed a twinge of guilt at his statement, knowing he was saying it in full confidence without knowledge of his wife's most recent dalliance.

"And sometimes it's the only thing," Jack continued, shifting his son onto his other hip as he finished his point. "If you want to help Emily – you need to tell Daniel."

 **SCENE**

Victoria beamed with pride as she observed the party details coming together; strolling through the courtyard with a keen eye to ensure everything would be to her daughter's liking. It only added to the sense of hope that had blossomed since Charlotte had moved in, and it was liberating to be at the helm of an elegant affair – especially one that could further her own agenda. The thought of which reminded her to make a phone call, and she ended her stroll by the edge of the pool area to do so privately.

"Louise?" she heralded her willing assistant. "Tell me you have something."

"As a matter of fact, I do," Louise replied in a less pitchy tone than usual. She glanced over her shoulder, confirming Jack and Amanda were definitely gone before retreating back upstairs. "Porters just left and I think I figured out what Miss Clarke has been hiding all this time – she almost had a cow when I stumbled across a backpack of hers earlier," she divulged.

Victoria leaned into her receiver anxiously. "Do you have it? What do you see?"

"Right now just a bunch of old photos," Louise replied, sorting through it without much promise. "But I think you'll find what I overheard yesterday to be of value… I was dropping off their son and I could have sworn I heard Jack say something about Amanda having a track record of going after Conrad?" She shrugged uncertainly. "I know you said you couldn't stand your soon-to-be ex but I thought it was worth mentioning."

Victoria began pacing back towards the courtyard where guests were slowly filtering to the outside. "Interesting," she remarked. "Did he say anything else?"

"Ugh, I couldn't make it out, they were talking low like they didn't want anyone to hear," Louise explained, still digging through Amanda's bag. "I just happened to catch that part."

"You said they," Victoria repeated cleverly. "Who was Jack talking to?"

"This is going to sound silly but, I could've _sworn_ it was Nolan Ross," Louise guessed. "I've seen him on Forbes list at least a hundred times – and I never forget a face."

"Well you seem to have upheld that record," Victoria noted pensively. "As surprising as it may sound, Nolan Ross is a fixture in the Hamptons and knows Jack Porter well. Not to mention his friendship with Emily – those two are thick as thieves."

Louise paused before answering back, as she finally stumbled upon something under the inside lining. Carefully pulling it back, she discovered a bundle of letters and curiously removed the one on top. "Well now," she sighed triumphantly in response. "It seems Mr. Forbes isn't the only one."

Victoria perked up immediately. "What did you find?"

"It looks like Emily went to Allenwood juvenile correction center for a time…" she trailed off, and her voice betrayed a note of sympathy. "Did you know that?"

"Yes," Victoria sighed, uninterested. "A previous investigator relayed that to me when Emily first came to the Hamptons, and she admitted it publicly. What does that have to do with Amanda?"

"Turns out – she was there too," Louise relayed as she pawed through the letter. "At the same time. I'm looking at a letter she wrote that Emily must have returned to her. Says they shared a cell, and after her release Amanda promised to come back for Emily… they've known each other all along." She shrunk back after that to read the details of the letter, and found herself becoming engrossed in every word.

While Louise remained mystified, Victoria's eyes lit up as if she had just stumbled on a pot of gold. "Thank you, Louise – you've been most helpful."

 **SCENE**

"You alright?"

Emily had to take a moment to absorb her surroundings as Daniel's voice snapped her back to reality, reminding her that she was in the courtyard at Grayson Manor, surrounded by party guests. She squeezed the small linen clutch in her hands for comfort and turned to face him. "Hm?" she answered.

"I was saying it must be hard for you to see my mother after everything?" he repeated, eyeing her closely. Despite being there in person, for the past 24 hours it seemed like her mind was a million miles away. They had barely spoken since the day before, and she had been notably silent the entire time getting ready, though he had to admit she looked stunning.

"Everything?" she stared him dead in the face with brilliantly brown eyes.

"After the way she tried to take advantage of you when you were here," he reminded her, convinced now there was something amiss. "Babe, tell me what's wrong," he pleaded, reaching out to take her arm. "We don't have to stay if it makes you uncomfortable—"

"No, I want to," Emily quickly mumbled and slipped out of his grasp as she spied her sister inside. "I'll be right back." Despite his better judgment Daniel let her go, planning to still keep an eye on her from afar.

Meanwhile, Emily made her way over to Charlotte, feeling relieved upon seeing her. "Charlotte—" she exhaled, only to find she was speaking in unison with Victoria on her other side. "Victoria," she uttered with less enthusiasm.

"Emily," Victoria grazed her adversary, realizing they had both reached Charlotte at the same time. "It's good to see you doing so well these days."

"Is it?" Emily challenged, while Charlotte felt awkwardly juxtaposed between the two.

"Mom," she stammered nervously. "I just want tonight to go smoothly – Emily came to support me, so please try not to make a scene."

Victoria absorbed the berating from her daughter with grace, turning to lift a glass of champagne from the table. "But of course not," she feigned compliance, extending it for Emily to take. "I was just about to ask Emily to make the welcome toast."

Emily took the glass apprehensively, but no sooner had she begun to contrive an excuse when Charlotte jumped to her aid. "Oh no, she can't!" she exclaimed, and then quickly dialed down her enthusiasm. "I mean, after all this is _your_ party, Mother," Charlotte alibied, looking back to Victoria. "I was hoping you would give it for me?"

Though Charlotte's reaction drew a note of surprise from Victoria, she was more enamored by the request that followed. "Of course I would, dear," she responded warmly, and drew her in for a hug.

Emily took advantage of Victoria's basking in the moment to eye the glass perniciously, and when they had separated she handed it back over. "Then I should let you have this, Victoria," she bowed respectfully, glancing at Charlotte with a tap to her belly. "I haven't eaten just yet and I'd rather not get an upset stomach."

Charlotte faced her sister-in-law with a pleading expression, rather embarrassed that she had almost given away her secret. "Right – you did say you were hungry," she attempted to recover, when the sound of an infant wail could be heard in the distance.

"And so is your son, it appears?" Victoria chimed in with concealed pleasure. Charlotte excused herself to go tend to Declan Jr, mouthing a silent apology to Emily as she departed. At last the two women were alone.

Emily faced Victoria with a simple expression. "Well, I suppose I should eat something," she prefaced, glancing over at the hors d'oeuvres table. "What a lovely spread, Victoria, and a beautiful party… and all of this on such short notice?" She fluttered her eyelids in mock admiration before beginning to walk away. "But then again, you always were proficient at last ditch efforts to impress."

Victoria seethed at the derision in her tone, but remained empowered by her newly acquired information. "Almost as skilled as _you_ are at attempting to hide your past," she retorted, drawing Emily to stop short in her tracks and turn around. When she did so, Victoria took a bold step forward, still proudly toting her glass in hand. "Emily, you may have the rest of the Hamptons fooled, but you and I know that your secrets are bound to come out eventually."

"And just what secrets are you referring to?" Emily countered fearlessly.

Victoria grinned devilishly, ready for the showdown she had been waiting for. "Let's start with the true nature of your connection to Amanda Clarke?"

 **SCENE**

Despite his intention to keep an eye on his wife, Daniel was at the mercy of late-arriving guests that blocked his view. Yet as he moved through the courtyard to get closer, he found himself face to face with his ex-employer.

"Well, well, Margaux," Daniel greeted her sourly. "Shouldn't you be off somewhere shining up my father's pitchfork?" She leered at his insult, only prompting him to go further. "Oh, by the way, I noticed _Voulez_ missed a deadline last week – guess you're finding out the hard way that Dad's regime isn't much for punctual reporting?"

Margaux bowed her head, taking both remarks in stride. "We've been busy preparing for my father's visit," she answered honestly, expecting his bitterness. "And yes, it was an oversight."

"Yeah, one you wouldn't have had if you retained your senior editor," he fired back sharply.

"I still haven't hired a replacement," Margaux confessed, taking a step forward to speak openly. "Conrad is ruling with an iron fist – and my other investors are already starting to back out."

Daniel's brow danced with satisfaction. "Oh perfect – by the time he gets done buying their shares, he'll have a controlling interest. But hey, you had no choice right?" he continued to twist the knife, starting to walk around her.

"Daniel –you were right," she insisted, pleading for him to wait. "I knew it the day we let you go, and it's only been confirmed with time." Recent events, including her run-in with Charlotte had all but made it a certainty, and though she did not expect his forgiveness, she needed him to know. "Trust me," she promised. "When Pascal gets here I'm going to do everything in my power to get Conrad out and bring you back."

"As tempting as that domestic coup sounds… what if I don't want to come back?" Daniel challenged skeptically.

"Please," Margaux penitently tried approaching him again. "I thought our friendship would help us look past our business obligations. I never intended for your father to manipulate his way into this and I still don't. He may be powerful but he's not in full control yet."

But with confidence Daniel shook her off, already having reached his conclusion from her words. "No," he asserted. "But _you_ are."

 **SCENE**

"Jack, I have a bad feeling about this—can't we just leave?"

Amanda grimaced on her husband's arm at the entrance to Grayson Manor, getting a familiar sinking feeling in her stomach after walking in. To her surprise, Jack had insisted they go, even though it was obvious to her why Victoria extended the invite. "Look, she just wants to gloat over drawing Charlotte away from us," she added to support her argument. "Why are we even giving her the satisfaction?"

Jack still considered it best for her not to know and tailored his answer. "We're not—if anything, we're letting her know she hasn't won. If she wants to play nice, then so can we," he reasoned, anxiously looking around for Nolan.

"The last time I 'played nice' with Victoria, I went over that balcony," Amanda reminded him, glancing upwards. She stared at him incredulously. "And let's not forget this is her _grandson_ she's lording over us – you really want to test her when it comes to her own blood?"

"Just trust me, alright?" he finally sighed in exasperation. She folded her arms and he attempted to be more understanding. "Look, I know the memory of the last time you were here isn't exactly something you want to relive, but I need you to believe me when I say there's a reason we need to be here tonight."

Amanda studied him carefully as a stray thought came to mind. "Jack," she began. "That—that wasn't the last time I was here…" she trailed off, eliciting an odd look in return.

"Huh?" he started to reply, and then finally caught sight of Nolan. "Hang on – I'll be right back, just find Charlotte alright? Keep an eye on her," he instructed before breaking away to go catch up with Nolan. Amanda was left hanging, struggling with her confession and how it related to why Charlotte had been staying away. Both were factors in why she had no desire to be there but despite her wishes it was obvious something else was going on.

"Nolan!" Jack beckoned him in a low tone from the parlor. "What's going on—is she here?"

"Tied up in a corner with Victoria," was Nolan's brisk reply as he rushed over with a concerned expression. "And Daniel's out on the dais talking to Margaux."

"Did you tell him?" Jack asked anxiously.

Nolan shook his head. "Regretfully, I passed on your advice and spent all day hacking into Emily's health records instead," he admitted to a disappointed look from Jack. "I know, I know, I was just hoping maybe it would help me make sense of how she's been acting, whether its pregnancy hormones, delusions from her brain injuries…"

"And, was it?" Jack inquired.

"Afraid not," Nolan sighed with an even more fearsome expression. "That's when it finally dawned on me to look into her _family_ history. You remember last year when Emily discovered her mother tried to kill her when she was little?" After an uneasy nod from Jack he delivered the inconvenient truth. "Well, take a guess when her mother's psychosis started showing early signs?"

Jack could barely stomach it. "While she was pregnant…"

"Specifically her _first_ trimester," Nolan confirmed. "If what Emily has is an inherited trait, then she really is dangerous," he added, turning to continuing spying on her from afar. "Oh my God," he suddenly gasped. "I think I just saw her hand her drink over to Victoria _._ "

"You don't think – _poison?_ " Jack shook his head as he watched, flabbergasted. "Now, what? What do we do, just let Emily go through with this?!"

Nolan realized that if anyone, the responsibility weighed upon him to do something. "No, this was my fault," he insisted. "I should have done something sooner; I have to stop her now."

" _How?!_ " Jack was in a panic.

Nolan thought frantically and suddenly an idea came to him. "By taking a page out of her book."

 **SCENE**

Emily's eyes remained locked onto Victoria's without a hint of fear, despite how close to the truth she was circling. "Don't you mean Amanda _Porter_?" she corrected her. "She's a married woman like you and I, remember?" Emily paused to cast shade down her nose. "Or like _me,_ I should say _,_ since your marriage once again ending."

Victoria refused to falter, glowering at her incisive remarks. "Don't worry, yours is soon to follow," she presumed bitterly, gazing over towards the courtyard where she could see her son talking to Margaux. "And you can hardly blame Daniel with all you've put him through – false accusations, turning him into your nursemaid," she chided disdainfully. "He was even denied his wedding night – replaced instead with tragedy that, if anything, was an indicator of how destined you are to failure."

Emily restrained her sensitivity to Victoria's sharp retorts, and shook away the reminder that her marriage to Daniel remained still unconsummated for the time being. "Why don't you say what this is really about, Victoria?" she dared her instead, getting up close to her face. "You're bitter because you've lost everything and now you're just trying to destroy the lives of everyone around you. How long do you think it'll take Charlotte to see that?"

"My daughter returned willingly," Victoria defended.

"Charlotte has no idea who you really are," Emily insisted, closing the space between them.

"Oh and just how well does she actually know _you_?" Victoria probed, using it to return to the same question Emily evaded. "How well do any of us for that matter? And why is it the only person who seems to have a history with you… is Amanda?"

Emily felt the blood thundering in her ears but she endured it. "She's my friend," she declared. "A concept you wouldn't understand."

"Is she?" Victoria challenged in disbelief. "Or are you _her_ accomplice? I know about your time in juvie together—"

"I've never denied that—" Emily began.

"Yet, you never once acknowledged sharing a cell with _her_ ," Victoria alleged, recalling more contents from the letter Louise read to her. "Nor have you ever divulged the source of your means, and how it suddenly brought you to the Hamptons—to purchase the home that Amanda lived in as a child?"

Emily eyed the glass that still remained poised in Victoria's hand and shook her head with disdain. "You think you've discovered something," she replied with poise, beginning to see the picture she was painting of a grifter that Amanda had employed on her behalf. "You think you've got it all figured out don't you, Victoria?" Emily snarled, surprisingly unfazed. "And maybe… just maybe… you're right."

Her partial admission came with a thud as Victoria raised a brow in suspicion, not expecting Emily to own up to it. Instead her blank expression only added confidence that she was on to something, and Victoria took it as a moment of triumph, causing her to do exactly what Emily wanted her to – celebrate. At last, Victoria raised her glass to take a sip amidst their chilling standoff.

Yet, no sooner had the rim of the flute grazed her lips when she suddenly lurched forward and yelped from being bumped into, while the contents of the glass spilled forward onto Emily. "Agh!" Emily gasped in shock, looking past the other's bewildered expression to see who had just foiled her plan.

"Oh, _stupid, stupid_ me!" Nolan's bumbling voice apologized from behind Victoria as he came into view between the two women. "Leave it to _this_ idiot to ruin the reunion of Mrs. G and the _other_ Mrs. G– " he mired, calling over his shoulder. "Marta! Can we get some help over here?!"

Emily stared daggers into him and arched to keep her soiled dress from dripping everywhere. "Ooh, _so_ sorry Ems, _please_ don't kill me," Nolan kidded ironically, just as Daniel burst into the room.

"Emily!" Daniel rushed to her aid, glancing to his mother in assumption. "What happened?"

Before either could explain, once again Nolan intervened. "Ah, this one's on clumsy _me,_ actually," he acknowledged. "Too much drink and talk, not enough watching where I walk – sorry," he added with a sheepish grin. "But nothing a little trip to freshen up won't fix?"

Daniel squinted in disbelief, but with Emily still dripping beside him he didn't have time to question it. "Come on, let's get you cleaned off," he gestured, glaring at his mother nonetheless as he ushered Emily away.

Where he left, Nolan quickly took his place to address Victoria and noticed Marta was already mopping at the floor where a splatter had reached the toe of her shoe. "Oh, gosh, not on the _Loubs_ —Victoria, how can I ever make it up to you? Should I call Christian right now to have him send a new pair?" he offered, holding up his phone.

"Spare me," Victoria quieted him irritably, and instead stormed off to change in the opposite direction.

With both sides seemingly neutralized for the moment, Nolan glanced over to where Jack was waiting and signaled that it was done – at least for the time being, the crisis had been averted.

 **SCENE**

It was late in the evening when Stevie heard a knock at her hotel room door, interrupting her stream of thought as she pored over research from her meeting with Daniel. She partly hoped it was him with answers to some of her many questions, but was met with surprise when his father stood on the other side instead. "Ah, I see I'm not the only Grayson excluded from my daughter's birthday affair," he greeted wryly. "Not that you would have been invited anyway."

"Conrad," she reacted with disappointment. "How did you find me?"

He took a moment to look her over before responding, conveying years of unrequited feeling. "I think the better question might perhaps be, _why_ you are here _,_ " he offered. "But ironically, a rather pressing matter spurred me to look you up this afternoon. After several phone calls I learned that business had brought you to the Hamptons and you were staying at the South Fork…" he paused, with a smile. "…as it so happens, just a few doors down from me. Coincidence?"

"I'd call it bad luck," Stevie retorted in kind. Conrad chuckled and used it to segue way his entrance deeper into the room, which she allowed against her better judgment. "Well, with all that detective work you did to find me, it's a wonder you still don't know what brought me here?"

"Oh, I can guess a few reasons," Conrad sighed nonchalantly. "Though I suspect my newly available status isn't one of them?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Stevie shot down his attempt at flirting. "I could care less about another one of your infamous divorces. I'm here for your son," she admitted honestly. "You don't seem to applaud Daniel's integrity to justice, Conrad—why is that?"

"Oh, I applaud it; I've just learned firsthand it doesn't work," Conrad downplayed. "Everyone wants to do the right thing, but ah, it's not always that simple."

While he appeared to drift off in thought, Stevie took advantage of the springboard. "Was it simple when you flung me to the side to be with Victoria?" she posed brashly. "Or when you made sure I was disbarred for a bogus charge?"

"Stevie, you're not really going to do this after all these years—" Conrad protested.

"And how did it feel coming back to you?" she ignored him, folding her arms. "Like when Victoria was unfaithful to you with David Clarke? You know, he may have met an unfortunate fate but that pain of her betrayal lived on." She watched him closely, reading his expression. "Seems like it still does."

A glimmer of sincerity spread onto Conrad's face. "Yes," he acknowledged. "I admit at times it does." Catching his vulnerability he quickly added, "But only on the occasions when Victoria prides herself in rubbing it in my face, like tonight for example."

"Oh certainly," Stevie followed his lead. "I'm sure not being invited to an elaborate affair in your former home, to welcome the daughter she had with David, whom you suspected for years was your own I might add, must be painful for you," she enumerated while he grimaced in return. "But then again, it's not the first time you've had to endure each other's sins – now is it?"

As she finally arrived at her cleverly placed question, Conrad realized she was more informed than he was expecting. "Certainly not… something I often regret when I think about how hasty I was in ending things with _you_ ," he diverted, changing the subject. "I always wonder what would have happened had I tried to make things work instead of giving up so easily."

Stevie protected her feelings with an unamused smirk, sensing he was only toying with her. "You didn't come here to talk about us Conrad, or your regrets," she read him. "The man I knew never once felt remorse over any of the decisions he made."

Conrad grinned soberly. "Well, that was before I nearly lost everything," he digressed.

"Seems to me you've still managed to _take_ a few things," Stevie countered, alluding.

"Ah, yes, I forgot Daniel's already gotten to you with his warped reasoning," Conrad stood irritably, determining the degree of resistance he could expect. Using it as his cue to exit, he started back for the door. "Well forgive me if I'm loath to take advice from my _son_ , but he has no comprehension of why I had to make the choices I have in recent times. Nor does he know yet what it feels to have your child challenge the very things you've done for their sake, and for your family."

At that Stevie lowered her chin, appearing to reflect inwardly. "You could argue _my_ inexperience in those areas too, Conrad," she offered. "And yet I have every confidence in defending him."

"Or," he argued with a measure of insight, turning to stand in the doorway. "You're simply taking advantage of the opportunity to stick it to me—and perhaps Victoria?" Stevie cocked her neck ruefully to refute his allegation, but Conrad was cheered nonetheless, assuming he knew better. "If the latter, I can honestly say I support you… and I may even be able to offer some assistance in dethroning your successor?"

Stevie rebuffed it with a sigh, pulling the door almost to a close. "And what if it's only you I'm after?"

Conrad sneered mischievously, welcoming the challenge. "Then I guess I'll see you in court."

 **SCENE**

"Well, this dress is ruined."

Emily tossed aside the towel she was using to dab at her dress, and strode from the adjoining bathroom through what had been her bedroom while she was convalescing at Grayson Manor. She walked briskly towards the door, anxious to get back into the party.

"Yeah, along with whatever you were planning for my mother," Daniel retorted as she passed by, reaching out to stop her. "Not so fast, Em—what was really going on out there?"

"You're so concerned about her all of a sudden?" Emily mocked with contempt, trying to shake him off.

"No, I'm concerned about _you_!" Daniel asserted, keeping a firm grasp. "I know that look Nolan had, and that was no accident – he obviously did it to stop you from something, now what was it? Are you gonna tell me or do I have to ask him?"

"You don't have to ask, I'll tell you _,_ " Nolan's voice could be heard from the doorway, and they both turned to look. He edged in guiltily, bracing his interruption by holding up Emily's clutch in his hand, which she had left on the table inside. "I should've told you to begin with, but I thought I could handle it." Despite Emily's fuming glare, he continued unsteadily. "Ems, he deserves to know," he begged, handing the purse over.

"Nolan, you don't know what you're talking about!" Emily fired at him, snatching it out of his hand. He exchanged a look that told her he had already gone through the contents and it only fueled her annoyance more, triggering the pounding in her head to return.

"What does he mean?" Daniel was too keen for his own good. His eyes went to her purse immediately and he took it from her, scouting it in seconds until he came across a small vial. "This – this is what you were planning?" he accosted, holding it up. "What is this – poison? You were gonna _kill_ her?!"

"No!" Emily silenced him, just as Nolan agreed in the affirmative at the same time. She reproached him with a sharp look and then reinforced her answer. " _No_ , I wasn't going to kill anyone," she repeated to him also, and his brow wrinkled in confusion. "I know what I said," she addressed his memory of the day before, as if reading his mind. "But it's not what you think."

"Then what is it, Em?" Daniel pressed anxiously.

Emily took a breath and slowly held up the vial. "This isn't poison – it's an extract from a Japanese plant that when ingested, makes the body _mimic_ death for 12 hours. But it's _safe_ ," she insisted. "It would've given everyone a scare, but it wouldn't have harmed her."

While it only spurred more inquiry in Daniel's countenance, Nolan had a moment of clarity. "The plants in your garden," he recalled, flashing back to the one she urged him not to touch. "Wait, that's what those were?"

"I asked Aiden to send one overseas after he went back to Japan with Niko," Emily explained, nodding. "Years ago we used it on a mission. The only way we could kidnap an informant was to convince the crime lord that he was dead. Once we got him out he told us everything he knew – and then we gave him his freedom."

"And your plan was to do that to my mother?" Daniel questioned, still uneasily.

"All we would've needed was for her to confess when she came to," Emily affirmed. "Same goes for Conrad—get them to admit to everything in writing and then use it to clear my father's name. By the time they realized that the world thinks they're dead, they'd have no choice to but to disappear forever or risk permanent ruin if they ever return."

"Wow," Nolan stammered, once again stunned into submission by her prowess of planning. "Faking _their_ death instead of yours this time… guess that's what you meant by _kill_ them all," he restated blushingly, now fully understanding the reference. Sensing that Daniel was still less enthusiastic, he suddenly felt impelled to get out of the way. "Ems, I was wrong,—I'm sorry. I should… I should go."

Emily closed her eyes in acknowledgment as he trailed out, waiting for the door to close before next looking for Daniel's reaction.

"No," he asserted firmly at last. "No – I didn't approve of this alright? I don't like the idea of them still getting away unscathed, it's too easy—"

"It's _expedient_ ," Emily insisted desperately, shaking her head. "I want this to be over Daniel, do you have any idea what I've been going through lately?!"

"How can I – you won't talk to me!" he abridged, wishing with all his might that he did.

"Fine, I admit it," Emily consented. "You were right when you said I haven't been myself – it's because I don't _want_ to be! I wake up every day scared to death of what kind of mother I'm going to be to our child. I mean, think about it Daniel— revenge is all I've ever known! What if I can't let go of it? This was never the future that we imagined; what if it continues to consume me even after the baby comes?"

Again the pounding in her head intensified and at long last Daniel realized that what she was experiencing was an acute form of anxiety, heightened by her damaged past. He reached out to hold her before she could rip away from him again.

"Emily, I know you're scared, but you can't keep doing this. You can't think that just by ending everything it will make the pain go away—" Daniel insisted.

"I'm _finishing_ what I started!" she clarified, pulling away again but he held on.

"You're shutting me out in the process!" Daniel used both hands to cup her face and the warmth in her cheek told him she was on the verge of tears. "Listen to me," he urged her in a soothing tone. "I know you think you're protecting our future, but there are no shortcuts. Alright? The only way to get through this is to do it together, every step of the way. Em… you have to let me help you."

Emily forced herself to finally look into his eyes, and saw how sincerely he was pleading for her to just give in and let go of her inhibitions. And in a strange way, she realized it hadn't been him that she was resisting all this time, but herself. Time and again Daniel had pledged his undying support and understanding, and yet she had succumbed to her own fears in spite of it, and pushed him away. The realization gradually caused the pounding in her head to subside, and instead it was replaced with an aching desire from her heart.

"You're right. Help me, Daniel," she whispered back to him, watching as his expression first twisted in surprise and then softened with gratitude. "Help me…" she repeated again, looking away only to follow up with a sudden rush as her eyes locked back onto his. "Help me take this off."

Daniel paused for a beat to digest her meaning, but then quickly caught on. Her submission was not only a mental and emotional acceptance but had also breached into the physical realm – the nature of which had been sorely missed in recent times. Knowing it to be true, he glanced down at her stained dress and then slowly reached over to slip the straps off her shoulders, quickening as she mirrored him by grabbing for his shirt buttons. Almost automatically their familiar rhythm of intimacy returned, and in mere seconds they were enveloped in each other's bare skin, their passion heightened by urgency and rendering them indifferent to their surroundings and the ongoing party outside. All that mattered in the moment was the longing within, a culmination from weeks of stress and anxiety and the continued obstacles that seemed to forever overshadow the most important thing – their love.

The distractions all dissipated into a blur in Emily's mind as Daniel lowered her to the bed beside them and claimed her mouth for a scintillating kiss that had been long overdue. With fervent release she at last welcomed her husband, eagerly returning her lips to his and finally leaving every trail of fear behind as she gave in without restraint…

 **SCENE**

"Interesting evening?"

Jack slid his keys across the nightstand and observed Amanda's countenance as they began getting ready for bed, noting how quiet she had been since they left Grayson Manor. "How did it go with Charlotte?" he pursued when she did not immediately respond to his first comment.

Amanda paused before replying, turning her back to engross herself in hanging her dress. "Fine. She was putting Declan to bed so, um, we didn't get much time to talk," she glossed intentionally, rather than tell him the truth that despite confronting Charlotte about what she had seen, it was obvious she still didn't trust her. It pained Amanda that she remained unconvinced, especially when her glaring absence from their household only served as a reminder that she had been the cause.

But Jack refrained from poking at their relationship further, and instead gave interest to another topic. "You know, earlier when you said it wasn't the last time you had been at Grayson Manor?" he began.

"Jack, I'd really rather not talk about the past—" Amanda quickly averted, but when she looked over, his hands were raised innocently in surrender.

"No, it's not that," he assured her genuinely. "I was just going to thank you for being honest," he praised her instead, and drew in close to do so with tender affection. "And to tell you that I believe you when you say everything with Aiden is over. I really do," he added, drawing comfort from the morsel of information Nolan had shared. Though it should not have been that simple somehow knowing that he was miles across the ocean with someone else gave him relief. "And I'm sorry for being so hard on you. Here you trusted me tonight when I needed you to, which is what I should've been doing all along."

As much as his endearing and innocent words made Amanda cringe with guilt, the added reference to the evening was a welcome distraction. "That's right," she replied with interest as it jogged her memory. "You said there was another reason you needed to be there tonight… Is everything alright?"

He nodded gratefully. "Hopefully for now," he replied in short, planting an appreciative kiss on her forehead. He had just pulled her in for an embrace when a knock at the _Stowaway_ door could be heard downstairs, surprising them. "Louise must have forgotten something," he assumed. "Here, I'll get it."

While Amanda remained upstairs in a reflective state, Jack descended down to get the door and was surprised to find Stevie Grayson on the other side. "Mrs. Grayson?" he answered with a perplexed look. "Sorry, but ah, we've adjusted our weeknight hours since back when my father owned the place?" he started.

"I'm not here as a customer," she assured him at once, waving a hand apologetically. "Jack, I'm so sorry to disturb you this late, but…" Stevie paused to process the emotions her visit with Conrad had awakened. Specifically his comments regarding family had ensured a lingering effect and she finally decided it was best just to lay it bare. "There's just – there's something you need to know and I couldn't wait any longer to tell you."

Puzzled as to what it could be, Jack stood back with his arms folded in anticipation. "Alright," he edged in nervously. "What is it?"

Stevie took a breath and forced herself to look directly at him as she delivered the honest truth. "Jack, I'm your mother."

 **SCENE**

"Louise, when you get this message please be sure to return my call. It's very urgent."

Victoria sighed impatiently as she hung up after a trilogy of phone calls that still had yet to be returned. Despite seemingly stumbling upon the jackpot the night before, it concerned her that Louise was now being evasive, and she stewed over what reasons there could be as she came down for her morning coffee. Marta was arranging the brightly colored breakfast spread, and Victoria stopped over to pick from it while reading the paper.

"Has Charlotte come down yet?" she asked casually, relishing the ability to ask that question since her return.

"No, Mrs. Grayson," Marta replied to her dismay. "But the items you ordered for the nursery are being delivered this morning. Shall I send them up when they arrive?"

"Yes, at once," Victoria nodded, setting the paper down. "I'll go up and let her know so she can be out of the way."

While Marta complied, Victoria retreated back into the hallway to get Charlotte and was almost halfway to the stairs when she heard the distinct sound of a muffled voice in the downstairs bedroom. She paced back towards the door curiously, now certain that it was two voices she was hearing. Incensed at the thought that her daughter was entertaining a visitor, she knocked once softly before deciding to barge in. "Charlotte?" she called ahead—

—And immediately her countenance fell as she was met instead with the sight of Daniel and Emily in bed, their naked bodies covered only by the sheets at their neckline.

"Victoria!" Emily exclaimed a rehearsed greeting in surprise first, prompting Daniel to look over next. She blushed bashfully and tugged at the bedcovers for more decency, while still triumphantly glaring back at the other.

While Victoria froze unsuspectingly, Daniel muttered his reply. "Mom," his face wrinkled in embarrassment. "Well, this is awkward… Sorry we uh, tried to clean Emily's dress off last night and ah, one thing led to another," he glanced affectionately at Emily with a snicker, exacting a kind of revenge towards his mother that for once, was harmless. "So – what did you want to talk about? The weather?"

Victoria glowered at their display and finally shut the door to spare any further mortification. She rolled her eyes at the encore of muffled laughter that resounded on the other side and bitterly tried to shake away the image. It was enough to accidentally stumble onto her son in the throes of morning after marital pleasure, but she had not forgotten a shred of her conversation with Emily the night before. Convinced now that everything in connection with her had sinister meaning, Victoria briskly walked away in response to the challenge. If she was dangling her son as one of many means of power she held against her, then Victoria would not back down. As far as she was concerned – the battle had just begun.

 **A/N: Touche, Demily! And welcome back readers! Apologies for the delay in this installment, it took a lot of crafting to get it just right since it essentially combines both "Payback" and "Struggle" to help advance the story on :) It felt right when I was writing it, so I do hope you enjoyed and were able to hang in there for some delicious twists and satisfaction in the end! I hope you enjoyed it and are happy to have Emily FINALLY on the road back to normal after *cough* releasing some of the stress that was weighing her down… LOL. More family drama abounds, and Victoria nears ever closer to the truth. What more will she learn? What new allies will form? Will anyone else will find out about Em's pregnancy? And lastly, who is next to get the red Sharpie? Find out in the next chapter "Disgrace", coming soon! In the meantime please leave your feedback and tell me your thoughts, as always your reviews and PM's are extremely motivational and I can't thank you all enough for over 50,000 views to this all the new favorites/follows. You guys are simply the best and I love you so much! Appreciate your support dearly! ~Much Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	35. Chapter 35: Disgrace

**Chapter 35: Disgrace**

 _Grace is at the core of tragedy. For if there's no height at which to drop, no pride taken in the life lived, you have nothing to lose. But once in the free fall of disgrace the only way to change its momentum is to use it to your advantage._

Emily fled down the grand staircase of the Metropolitan Opera House with precision, taking each step with care despite the mounting anxiety in her heart that impelled her to move faster. Her brow wrinkled with urgency as she sought to reach the bottom, yet rather than endanger her condition at the risk of falling, she was forced to take caution as she ran. Somehow it made her descent feel as if it were happening in slow motion, while the pitched shrill of a soprano voice belted from inside the theater. She raised a hand to shield herself just before finally reaching the doors, where the blinding light of camera flashes only served to magnify her intense fear. For despite her desperate efforts to conceal a most inopportune truth, it had all been dashed to pieces in a matter of seconds…

 **36 HOURS EARLIER**

"I forgot, Mom – tomorrow's the opening night of the opera."

Charlotte scooted over to a seat in the grand dining room, smiling curtly at the sight of her infant son in her mother's arms. It had been difficult to get used to the notion of Victoria being involved in her grandson's life, but as with any extension of forgiveness, it grew easier with time. And, she had to admit, her mother's attempts to persuade her with a safe environment and convenient childcare did have its benefits, though she tried not to indulge too heavily in those things as her reason for staying.

"It's Pagliacci. One of Patrick's favorites," Victoria observed when Charlotte slid the playbill over for her to see, along with an accompanying envelope that held the tickets. "We planned to attend together back when he was staying here," she reminisced with a forlorn expression. She shifted Declan in her arms almost symbolically as thoughts of her late firstborn son swept through her mind.

"I'm sorry he's gone," Charlotte offered sympathetically. It was all she could say as she often struggled with conflict over her deceased brother, considering all the harm he caused both to her and during his final moments with Emily. "But I can go with you if you like?" she extended, hoping to brighten the mood.

"Thank you, Charlotte," Victoria accepted appreciatively. "My only consolation is that your father won't be there," she thought aloud, handing the baby over as he began wailing for his mother. She inspected the envelope afterwards, adding. "That gives us two empty seats if you would like to invite someone, darling?"

"What about Daniel & Emily?" Charlotte suggested upon getting up from the table to get a bottle for Declan Jr.

Victoria glared at the mention. "Surely they can afford their _own_ arrangements," she glowered, twitching in discomfort at the memory of the last run-in she had with her son and loathsome daughter-in-law.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Charlotte's voice trailed back in from the hall. She returned with the infant over her shoulder and bottle in tow. "Why are you suddenly redecorating the downstairs guest room? You know we're fine in the upstairs nursery, right?"

"Mm, that room just needed a fresh look," Victoria explained discreetly, silently hoping the renovators were almost done. Before she could continue any further thoughts about the images she sought to purge, Marta beckoned her from the foyer steps.

"Mrs. Grayson? You have a visitor," she alerted her.

"I'll take it in the study, please. Excuse me, dear," Victoria begged off from Charlotte, maintaining discretion as she assumed it be Louise finally coming at her request. After almost a week of phone silence, she was growing more concerned by the day that something had happened – a feeling that only elevated when Victoria arrived at the study doorway and found someone else waiting for her instead.

"Victoria," Stevie Grayson approached proudly, enjoying the unnerved reaction her presence gave. "It's been a while."

" _Stevie Grayson_?" Victoria sneered, thinly masking her alarm behind a veil of superiority. "If that's what you still call yourself… Just what brings youback to the Hamptons, let alone to my private home?"

Stevie turned slowly to meet her gaze, chuckling inwardly. "Funny you should mention that – because I'm here for the very land upon which you stand," she answered. While the other digested her pithy retort, Stevie handed over a folded document. "That's a copy of the Grayson Manor property deed – turns out it was purchased by Conrad before our divorce was final. And while I may not have gotten much money in the split, I did get all undeveloped real estate holdings." With a stern expression, Stevie concluded. "This house belongs to me."

After briefly reviewing the deed, Victoria glanced up perniciously. "Don't tell me this clearly desperate seizure for ownership is on behalf of Conrad," she supposed. "How low he must have stooped to put you on his legal team?"

"Not at all," Stevie contested, ignoring her insult. Though Conrad had given her the idea, her intentions had a much deeper purpose. "I have no interest in interfering in another of your redundant divorce proceedings," she quipped. "I'm merely sharing pertinent information that I came across during my research."

"Which I'm assuming was hindered by your penchant for inebriation," Victoria slung in objection. Stevie was visibly stung by the implication of her affront; meanwhile Victoria dropped the deed on her desk nonchalantly and leaned forward. "I don't care what you claim to own, I will fight you on this until my last breath!"

"Let's hope that's sooner than later," Stevie shot back with a hint of triumph. "But until then, I own this place," she emphasized before turning for a dramatic exit. "And I want you out by the end of the week."

 **SCENE**

"Morning, Nolan."

Emily's cavalier greeting met Nolan as he let himself into her kitchen, catching her midstride bringing Daniel a cup of steaming coffee. She was in business attire, her form-fitting dress a sure sign that she was back to her routine, meanwhile Daniel was more relaxed in semi-casual sportswear. He looked up briefly and bobbed his head to say hello, then returned his attention to the documents spread on the table beside a modest breakfast and Emily's Infinity Box.

"Hope I'm not interrupting, newlyweds," Nolan grinned at the sight, finding the glimpse into their morning rituals to be charming. "Sorry for not dropping in sooner – I came by the morning after the party but no one was home?"

Daniel exchanged a devilish look at Emily as she sat down. "We ah, stayed over at Grayson Manor," he answered, tucking away his smirk behind a sip of coffee.

Nolan caught Emily blushing next and immediately caught on. "Whoa, _quite_ the walk of shame," he hinted, grabbing a seat next to his best girl. "Did you really truck it home in the same clothes from the night before?"

"You mean the Donna Karen you ruined?" she averted with a sly look.

It was Nolan's turn to look sheepish. "Buy you a new one?" he offered, shifting his attention to the array of research on the table. "So… what's the latest in the Ex-Files?"

"Actually we made a discovery," Daniel chimed in, gesturing for Emily to finish while he headed towards the sink.

"After Daniel filled me in on his conversation with Stevie, something sounded familiar," Emily continued, reaching into her Infinity Box. "So I looked into my father's journals, and sure enough, she was one of the people that came to visit him." She handed over the specific page for Nolan to examine. "I cross-referenced it with the prison manifest – Stevie Grayson a.k.a. Stephanie Pruitt, only checked into the visitor log once in 1997. It sounds like she had every intention of helping, only like many others, she never got the chance."

"Arrested for a DUI three days later and disbarred?" Nolan read from Emily's notes. " _Yikes."_

"There must be more to it though," Emily inferred. "The mere fact she used her maiden name tells me she didn't want Conrad to know she was digging—"

"Or, she already knew he was still gunning for David even behind bars and wanted to warn him in advance," Daniel inserted, perching on the counter. "I wouldn't put it past my father for staging the arrest that got her disbarred either."

Emily cocked her head in agreement, turning to Nolan again. "Something I hope to discuss when I talk to her today," she explained, adding with a note of regret. "I only wish I was more alert last week, I could have remembered all of this sooner."

Daniel came to her side and stroked her back in assurance. "Try not to be so hard on yourself, Em. You were dealing with a lot. I'm just glad you're feeling better. Alright, I'm off," he reminded her, bending down for a kiss. He lingered a few seconds and then finally separated to check his watch. "I promised Charlotte I'd spend some time with her and the baby today. Let me know what you find out later."

Emily nodded tenderly while Nolan saluted a goodbye, leaving them alone once Daniel went out the door. " _So_ good to see you lovebirds back to normal," Nolan chirped with a grin, reaching for a pastry from the table.

"Don't you have some shopping to do?" Emily shot back with an eye-roll, heading into the kitchen. But in spite of her show of privacy, her best friend was right. It was a relief to be back in a good place with Daniel, the thought of which afforded her at least momentary joy amidst the usual plotting.

"You mean, you won't be requiring my services?" Nolan verified with intrigue.

"I didn't quite say that," Emily conceded, returning with purpose. "There's something else. When Victoria and I had our run-in at the party she seemed to have acquired new information – about Amanda." Nolan raised his brow in surprise and she finished reluctantly. "Somehow she figured out we were in juvie together."

Expectedly, Nolan rose from his seat in alarm. "What? Uh… Ems, that's a problem _major!_ If she makes the connection she could figure out everything—?"

"I know," Emily acknowledged it, having pondered on the concept for over a week. "For now it doesn't seem like she's put it together, but what concerns me is her continued interest in Amanda. It was only a matter of time before the Graysons remembered everything she threatened them with before they tried to silence her. And while she may have dodged their first attempt on her life, this time she may not be so lucky…" She paused nervously, tracing through her mind how she could find a solution that both protected her friend and her identity at the same time. But on this rare instance, she was at a loss. "But if I have to, I'd rather take the fall before I let them try," she confessed.

Nolan tensed considerably; never imagining the day would come when she would be willing to out herself. But in light of her tumultuous week before, he had to admit it was refreshing to hear her speak from a place of compassion. "Hopefully it won't get to that," he predicted, still brainstorming. "You know what troubles me?" he realized. "How did Victoria suddenly happen upon all of this? I mean, I know for a fact you had every public record completely locked _down_. Where's her source?"

"Or _who,_ " Emily's expression twisted in likewise concern as she concentrated on the same question. "That's where you come in. I need you to check up on Jack and Amanda; see who they've been talking to. My guess is Victoria stumbled across what she knows while she was digging for something else – find out what it is."

"Got it," Nolan agreed adamantly, gaining incentive by the validation of being needed once again.

"In the meantime, I'm moving forward with Stevie," Emily explained. "I'm going to push to have the case brought against Conrad as soon as possible. Hopefully if things move fast enough, Victoria won't get the chance to pursue her suspicions any further, and she'll stay away from Amanda."

Before she left, Nolan brought up another point. "And what if she decides to go after you instead?"

Emily gazed into his eyes with determination. "I can handle her."

 **SCENE**

"Stevie, it's good to see you." Emily was punctual outside the location Stevie requested for them to meet at, and brightened upon seeing her emerge from an unfamiliar building. "I hope your morning went well?" she added with a hint of interest.

"Emily, good to see you too," Stevie returned, joining the smartly dressed young woman on the sidewalk. "Mine was off to a rocky start, but I always feel much better after attending one of these," she referred, gesturing back towards the building.

Finally, Emily peered close enough to decipher where she had been. "AA," she whispered. Though not intentional, she could not help a sudden pang of concern that the information she had stumbled upon in Stevie's record was true. "Ah, I'm sorry I didn't realize—"

"Don't be," Stevie assured her, reaching out to display something in her hand. Emily looked down and realized it was a token. "I'm twenty years sober, and not ashamed in the least. I attribute my progress to never once missing a single meeting – it's helped me considerably."

With her admission, Emily straightened her stance to convey support. "Well, I certainly admire that," she relented kindly. "I've become a strong believer in the ability people have to change."

"Thank you, dear," Stevie accepted graciously. "Now on to more pressing matters—" she began, but was interrupted by Jack just a few feet behind her.

"Listen, I was thinking if you have time we could grab lunch—" Jack addressed her, before realizing Emily was at her side. "Oh, hey – I didn't realize you already had plans," he quickly deduced.

"Jack?" Emily greeted him with intrigue. "What are you doing here?"

Stevie turned to exchange a glance, and a nod from Jack granted her permission to answer on his behalf. "Emily, I was going to tell you this once we had a chance to talk but I suppose now is a good time," she explained. "The case you and Daniel have asked me to work with you on has quickly become very personal for me. You see…" she paused for emphasis and fell back a step to stand at Jack's side. "Jack is my son."

 **SCENE**

Conrad had just been seated in his usual corner of the South Fork Inn dining area when he looked up to find his soon-to-be ex-wife storming over in his direction. "Victoria," he greeted coolly. "I thought we agreed the South Fork would be my turf in our divorce settlement?"

"That was before you sent Stevie to do your dirty work," she countered, dropping the property deed in his lap just as he unfolded his napkin. "Just what is the meaning of this?" she demanded.

"Ah, _that_ would be an indication that the fading structure you're so determined to hold onto is slipping through your fingers," Conrad replied, maintaining an aloof disposition. He could never resist an opportunity to make her squirm. "I thought you'd appreciate the advance notice so you could seek new accommodations," he chuckled.

"That house belongs to _me_ ," Victoria insisted with indignation. "And if you think I'm giving it over without so much as a fight, you're delusional. Not to mention endlessly cruel for turning out both your daughter _and_ her son onto the street," she added.

"As petty as it may sound," Conrad was ready with reply. "It was your own deliberate attempt to pull Charlotte away from me that resulted in my decision to pull the public record," he explained, watching Victoria shrink back in amazement at his retaliatory nature. "Perhaps you can explain that to her yourself when you help her find a new home, hm?"

Realizing his jab was primarily motivated by being shut out of Charlotte's life, Victoria merely shook her head in derision. "You're disgraceful," she spat. "And senseless for choosing now to start a war with me. Do you know I have in my possession a priceless piece of information that you've been trying to uncover for nearly a year now?" Victoria stood erect, proudly reflecting on the tip Louise had overheard the week before. And though she had yet to obtain concrete evidence, after mulling it over for the past few days there was no doubt in her mind.

"And pray tell what that is?" Conrad entertained her. But when Victoria appeared intent on lording it over him, he quickly gave up interest. "As I suspected, another one of your baseless attempts at luring me into getting what you want. Now if you don't mind, I'm meeting someone," he dismissed her without acknowledgement, leaving her to about face in the direct path of his lunch companion. "Victoria, you remember Pascal?"

At his behest Victoria stopped short in her tracks, and a sea of memories flooded in as she took in sight of the virile man before her. Though slightly greying and older than she remembered, he still knew how to capture her attention, despite clearly being there to see Conrad. "Pascal LeMarchal," she addressed him, quickly finding her air of regality in his presence.

"Beautiful as ever, Victoria," he resounded softly, his thick accent rolling over his tongue. He turned up his brow upon looking her over, conveying how mesmerizing he still found her to be. Suddenly conscious of Conrad just beneath them, he stopped in place. "I hope I'm not intruding?"

"Not at all," Victoria assured him, reserving a glare for her former husband. "I just stopped by to let Conrad know he was about to lose at his own game," she sneered.

"Ah, that must have been very hard for him to digest," Pascal humored her, taking his seat across from Conrad. "You know how important winning is to him – he'll stop at nothing," he added, hinting towards the business dealings they were about to discuss.

Conrad met his appraisal with a jut of his chin. "Only for the things worth my while," he clarified, gesturing towards Victoria. "In retrospect, there are some battles I would have gladly lost to you had I known how short-lived the trophy would be," he jabbed ruefully.

Exasperated of his cutting remarks, Victoria turned a cold shoulder and stormed away, leaving Pascal somewhat sympathetic at her departure. "Was it really necessary to degrade her in that way?" he scolded.

Conrad let out an unregretful laugh. "Believe me, she can handle it," he assured. "You should know that better than anyone – after all, you introduced us." He waited for Pascal to nod in confirmation and then proceeded on. "Now, let's say we discuss the business proposition that finally got you onto the continent?"

Pascal raised his eyes with intrigue. "I'm all ears."

While Conrad and Pascal continued their luncheon, Victoria hung back in the hall curiously and pondered over the purpose of their meeting. Before finally deciding to leave, she peered back towards the foyer of the hotel, and immediately spied a familiar face heading out of the south entrance.

"Louise?" she called out.

"Victoria!" Louise's surprised demeanor was enough to convey she had been caught, and despite her nervous glances around there was no escape.

"Louise, it's been over a week! I was beginning to think you had shafted our agreement," Victoria accosted her at once, noting the suitcase in her hand. "And it appears you have?"

"Oh nothing like that, Mrs. Grayson," Louise rushed into explanation. She peered around frantically for somewhere private they could speak but Victoria appeared content at the entrance, looming a few steps over Louise. "I just um—I've started to feel like I'm a bit in over my head? I think I need to take a break, maybe."

Victoria came down to stand level with her, taking the bag from her hand. "Why of course, dear – I'm sure the deception you uncovered was more than enough to make you rattled," she presumed, forcing it at as the only reason. "Send your cab away," she instructed with a glance down to the road. "And we'll go somewhere we can talk." She impressed her will with a serene smile, starting down the walk towards her own driver service while still clutching Louise's bag.

With little choice, Louise followed behind and finally sighed in explanation once they were in Victoria's backseat. "It's just," she began nervously, deliberating how to express herself. "After reading those letters it became clear to me how much those women have been through, and…" she paused to look up apprehensively. "Victoria, I know we don't talk much about my background. But you see, my father was abusive too and, well last year… I had sort of a similar situation to Emily's."

Victoria nodded with interest. "I see," she absorbed sternly. "But Louise you mustn't allow Emily's past to deceive you. Both she _and_ Amanda are capable of executing far more pain to others than they have personally endured."

Louise appeared to drift on in thought, and her blank stare became somewhat unnerving as the seconds wore on. "I'm sure you're right," she conceded finally, but her voice shook as she continued. "But ever since my daddy died, I've been carrying a lot around with me… it's honestly the reason why I came here to get away. And after reading those letters, it just—well it just brought it all back." She stopped midway to give Victoria a pleading expression. "Look, please don't get me wrong, I want to do everything I can to help you avenge your son. But at times I can't help feeling like… perhaps I'm not really getting the help _I_ need?"

"If help is all you need, you needn't fear a thing," Victoria assured her quickly. "Don't think I've forgotten my end of our agreement – not only can I recommend a therapist you can trust with your life, but the ties you cement by pledging me your loyalty won't soon be broken. The people I bring into my inner circle will always be protected," she assured her, dangling opportunity as bait. "As a matter of fact, how would you like to secure your entry into that circle right away?"

Finally shaking off the concerns that plagued her, Louise softened at Victoria's offer. "Do you mean that Victoria?"

"But of course," she insisted, reaching into her purse with an idea. "You'll need to be discreet – but I'd love for you to attend," she invited, handing over a playbill to the opera. She waited for Louise's expression to light up with excitement before adding one final condition. "That is, if you can keep to our agreement – for but one last favor?"

 **SCENE**

"If you're looking for Jack, he's out with his mom."

Amanda's wry greeting met Nolan with surprise a few minutes after he came into the _Stowaway,_ and he found himself doing a double take on the opposing side of the bar. "I'm sorry – come again?" he begged her to repeat.

"Turns out, Jack's mother is Stevie Grayson," Amanda explained, tossing down the towel over her shoulder as she leaned in close to talk to Nolan quietly. "Yeah, she told him the night of Charlotte's party, apparently she kept it a secret all these years. Can you believe it? Jack was stunned at first, but ever since he's been spending time with her – trying to get to know her better."

"That… can't be easy?" Nolan stammered, partially at a loss for words. One look at Amanda's expression told him she agreed, but considering the level of difficulty their marriage had been at since her return he considered it was a measure of good news, relatively speaking.

"It's not. But honestly, I'm happy for him," Amanda resolved, echoing Nolan's thoughts.

Nolan empathized with a kind expression, but then suddenly grew troubled as he recalled his mission. Emily had asked him to look for the source of Victoria's intel, and considering that Amanda had just revealed Stevie to be Jack's mother, it now raised questions. _Could she be the leak,_ he wondered, recalling how her arrival coincided with Victoria's newfound information. It wouldn't be the first time their perception of someone's loyalties had been wrong and Stevie was after all, an attorney, and likely had connections to find out things that would be otherwise classified. Not to mention if she had been spending time with Jack lately, there was no telling what details she could be investigating.

"Say, Amanda," Nolan probed curiously. "Has Stevie shown any interest in getting to know _you_ better since the big reveal?"

Amanda's reaction somewhat deflated the concept. "Not particularly," she replied. "She's been nice and everything but her focus is on Jack, not me… thought I wouldn't mind it if she were. I'd give anything to have one of my family members back again," she confessed openly in reflection.

In spite of his wandering theories, Nolan knew they did little good while he was with Amanda and Emily was with Stevie at present. He made a mental note to run it past her later and refocused his attention on Amanda instead, noting she had zoned out slightly.

"Well I guess we both don't talk much about our biological families," he reentered conversation. "But I feel the same. When I lost my dad he was pretty much all I had left. And even though Ems is like the sibling I never had…still, it's hard being alone." He watched her agree with a nod and then used it to transition. "But, at least you have Carl and Jack now – and, even if it's not quite DNA certified—Charlotte still sees you as her sister?"

Amanda grew uneasy at the mention, revealing things had not changed much on that front. "I tried calling her a few times this week, but I think she's still avoiding me," she admitted. "I wanted to stop by and patch things up today but she said she had plans with Daniel."

"Well, I can verify that to be true, so at least you know she's not blowing you off," Nolan offered in consolation.

"Yeah," Amanda acknowledged solemnly, quickly brightening with an idea. "You know what, maybe if I catch her right after she'll be in a better mood and we can talk. Would you possibly be able to watch Carl while I go?" she asked sincerely. "I haven't heard back from the sitter and Jack was supposed to open but he's not back yet."

"Uh, hello? Uncle Nol, reporting for duty? Of _course_ I will," Nolan obliged, signaling for her to go get Carl. He shook his head with a laugh while she went, muttering to himself. "I swear no one ever uses me to my full capacity."

Within moments Amanda returned to hand him over, thanking him with a look of relief. "I really appreciate this," she expressed, and finally left at Nolan's urging.

"So, buddy," Nolan played with his adoptive nephew once she had gone. "What kind of trouble should we get into today? Wanna help Auntie Em on her next takedown?" he quipped, sauntering over to the _Stowaway_ door. He had begun walking back through the main dining area when suddenly the door opened behind him.

"Oh—ah, hi there," a young woman with red hair greeted him, and Nolan immediately recognized she was the sitter. "Is his mother here?" she nodded towards Carl.

"Just missed her," Nolan replied, eyeing her attentively. "She put me on duty before she left. You're the sitter, right… What was your name again?"

She hesitated before answering. "It's Louise," she replied with a plastered smile. "Well then, I guess I'll come back later on if you've got things under control here." She started for the door but Nolan kept up behind her.

"You know you look _really_ familiar," he observed, squinting as he shifted Carl onto his hip to follow.

"Um, I saw you the other day, remember?" she dodged without turning around. "With Jack," she tried to gloss over it.

But Nolan continued, striding ahead to catch her in the doorway. "No, I'm sure it's not that," he concluded, struggling to determine where he might have seen her before. "Are you originally from this area?"

This time Louise faced him more proudly. "I'm not exactly a native New Yorker, can't you tell?" she asserted in her rich Southern drawl.

"Yeah, I like the accent actually," Nolan flirted, just as Carl let out an excited garble that grasped his attention and went on for a few minutes. "Hey, look at that – so does the little guy. You must be quite the charmer…" he hinted, only to look up and see Louise had already gone.

Never the stranger to a touch of mystery, Nolan smirked as he watched her go and jiggled Carl in his arm as if soliciting his opinion. "Now what do you suppose was her rush?" he wondered aloud.

Despite instantly finding Louise attractive, there was something else about her that he could not quite put his finger on. It left him mystified in the quiet moments that followed, but also afforded him the chance to think more about his growing suspicion of Stevie. If she was in fact Jack's mother as Amanda said, there could have been a hidden motive behind her arrival in the Hamptons. And if she was getting close just to feed information to Victoria – Emily was possibly about to put her trust in the enemy.

 **SCENE**

Daniel enjoyed a carefree moment with his sister as they strolled through her favorite park in Montauk. It was a treat to steal away a peaceful afternoon with her, enhanced even more so by the ability to watch her in action as a mother. As he observed, Charlotte excelled in her role, looking after Declan Jr's needs with care while still maintaining the girlish quality he always saw in her. Admittedly, he was proud of how far she had come and attributed her natural instinct for perseverance to the parent she shared with Emily. It only made it more puzzling to him why she insisted on staying with Victoria, a subject he reluctantly decided to breach after walking together for some time.

"So… you're going to see Pagliacci with Mom," he restated from an earlier comment she had made. "Looking forward to it?"

"I'm looking forward to the _opera_ , if that's what you mean," Charlotte answered coyly, already expecting his surprise at her choice. "And hoping you and Emily will come too?" she added with optimism. "Mom is… Mom. I know you probably think I'm crazy for moving back in with her."

"Not crazy," Daniel attempted to be delicate, stopping as they came to a bench by the pond. He took a seat, hoping it would engender deeper conversation. "More like… _brave_ ," he settled instead.

Charlotte followed his meaning with a chuckle as she parked Declan beside them. "Speaking of brave," she quickly transitioned, nodding at her sleeping son. "Are you looking forward to having one of _these_ yourself soon?"

Daniel grinned, expecting it was coming sooner or later. "Hopefully he or she is just as good as my nephew," he acknowledged softly, admiring him. "But yeah, actually I am," he refocused on Charlotte, emphasizing his answer with a seriousness in his tone. "And it's nice that of everyone, Emily chose to tell you," he added, tapping his sister playfully. "You two share a … special relationship."

Charlotte smiled at the sentiment, none suspecting that there was more to his words than he was letting on. "I just can't wait to see Emily as a mother," she expressed, a thought Daniel echoed in his countenance. "And don't worry," she assured him. "I promised her I wouldn't say anything, especially not to Mom. Just because I'm living at home doesn't mean she needs to know everything like before."

He nodded in appreciation, despite hearing about an instance where she had almost slipped. Rather than dwell on the risk, he focused on potentially eliminating it all together. "Back to that… so what made you want to move back in? I mean, this can't be permanent right?"

"No, it isn't," Charlotte sighed awkwardly. "It's just, until I can find a way to provide for myself I'm forced to rely on other people. And more recently, living with people I thought I knew has been a little too eye-opening for me," she alluded, casting a look into the distance. "At least with Mom I know what I'm getting – no surprises."

"For now," Daniel argued fairly. "But if you're talking about who I think you are, all I can suggest is you get the full story," he offered. "Sometimes people in love make mistakes – you know that. But it's up to them to work out their relationship – it's not up to us to judge."

A forlorn expression came over Charlotte as she returned her gaze to Daniel. "I haven't thought about love in… a long time. I guess you could say I've been out of touch with what it's like to be in a relationship," she admitted, and Daniel sensed a glimmer of regret in her countenance. "It's just, the way things are now – I have everything I need," she rationalized. "Mom has been surprisingly great with Declan…the staff helps out _a lot_ when I need time to myself… and I'm even closer to you and Emily."

"And what about Amanda and Jack?" Daniel continued to stress. "Come on Char – this is their nephew too. If you can forgive Mom, you can forgive your sister," he reasoned, partially hoping it would be true to every depth possible.

With a sigh, Charlotte finally conceded. "You're right, I've been avoiding her," she confessed. "I'll make it up to her. I was hoping you and Emily would take the two seats with me and Mom but – maybe I should ask Amanda and Jack instead?"

"Atta girl," Daniel applauded her choice by squeezing an arm around her and beamed at helping further her progress.

"Just promise me you and Emily will still try to come," Charlotte insisted under his grasp. "I really like having you both around."

Despite being less than inclined, Daniel realized it was almost mandatory that they attend. "Don't worry," he assured her with a hint of foreshadowing. "We wouldn't miss it."

 **SCENE**

The uneasiness that plagued Emily when she returned home that evening quickly faded into the background as she walked through the door. Daniel hovered by the stove and a savory aroma was in the air, tempting her into the kitchen where a tantalizing meal was underway. "You made dinner?" she remarked in surprise and delight, coming over to him.

Daniel turned eagerly with a proud smile. "Wait – try this first," he welcomed her, holding out a wooden spoon for Emily to taste before she could embrace him.

"Mm," Emily responded, licking her lips to absorb the rich flavor. "That's delicious. What's the occasion?" she inquired, spotting the dinner table was also set.

"Well, seeing as how I'm not working and you're back to handling things without me," Daniel replied, returning the spoon to the counter. Though theirs was not the typical setup, it was becoming more of a humorous incidental than something that actually bothered him. "Just thought I'd pull my weight around here," he added with a smirk.

Emily leaned into him affectionately, finding it adorable. "Well, you sure make a hot 'housewife' in my apron," she flirted back. "How long until it's ready?" Before he could answer she was nudging him for a kiss and when they connected it sent a surge through her that ran from head to toe. She wasn't sure whether it was the warmth in the kitchen, the sight of him so handsomely domesticated or her raging hormones that made her want him more.

Sensing things quickly escalating, Daniel forced himself to separate, grazing her cheek with his beard when he pulled away. "Before you get too excited, let's see if you're still in a good mood when I tell you this," he alluded, and Emily restrained herself to listen. "I promised Charlotte we'd go to the opera with her and my mother."

"Ah, I knew there had to be a catch," Emily acknowledged, only slightly deflated. She rubbed her nose to his for an Eskimo kiss before reluctantly pulling away and following his lead towards the table.

"But, in good news I think she's coming around in respects with Amanda," he continued, apportioning the meal onto their respective plates. "She invited her and Jack to come too."

"That will make for an interesting evening," Emily commented, spreading a napkin on her lap as she sat down. "But I'm glad they're back on good terms. Hopefully the public setting will either keep your mother at bay or force her to show her hand."

"That's what I was thinking," Daniel agreed, taking his seat across from her. "So how did things go with Stevie?"

Emily swallowed a bite of salad and hesitated to answer. "Not exactly as planned," she admitted, and met his worried reaction. "But still productive. We didn't have as much time to talk because Jack was with her." She took an additional breath to finally explain. "She's his mother."

Daniel nearly had to scrape his jaw off of the floor. " _What?_ " he exclaimed. "You're kidding!"

"The night of Charlotte's party, she came by the Stowaway to tell him the truth," Emily continued with the background he had given her. "Apparently she and your father were having problems in their marriage when her addiction to alcohol began, landing her in the arms of Jack's father, Carl." She paused to allow him to digest the details, all of which made sense considering several things Stevie had mentioned. "When she found out she was pregnant she went away to conceal it, and when she came back your mother was already in the picture. She had to choose whether to stay and face the shame or leave and get help. She chose to leave."

"Wow," Daniel was flabbergasted. "Talk about six degrees of separation," he observed, noting nearly everyone they knew somehow had a connection to one another. "So was that DUI she got disbarred for really legitimate?" he wondered.

"Not according to her," Emily relayed. "She says by then she was clean and Conrad did it out of spite to keep her from helping my father. But I'm not so sure…"

Conscious of his wife's tendency for distrust, Daniel zeroed in on her suspicions. "What do you mean?"

Emily stopped eating dinner and leaned back pensively. "After my meeting with Stevie got sidetracked I went to visit Nolan. And the more we discussed the possibilities for who could have leaked the info to your mother about me and Amanda… it could have easily been her."

"Stevie?" Daniel balked in surprise. "She hates my mother; why would she want to help her out?"

"Leverage, maybe?" Emily shrugged. "Look, I don't want to believe it was her either, but I can't deny the fact that the timeline matches up, and the kind of access someone with legal connections could easily have," she continued pensively. "Not to mention if she's trying to get information on Amanda, there's no better way than going through her husband Jack, who suddenly, is her long lost son? Come on, Daniel – don't you think it's all a little coincidental?"

"Yeah, but that's all I think it is," he affirmed. "If Stevie was in that deep she would have stumbled across a lot more than you and Amanda being in the same correction center, and she would have revealed it by now. Trust me Emily, I have a feeling Stevie is one of the good ones."

Emily sighed, subsisting on his confidence. "Let's hope so," she conceded, finally revealing the one piece of information she was able to obtain. "Because this is all she had time to give me today, and it might be all we have left."

When Daniel looked up she had slid a piece of paper across the table with a case number and an address on it. "What's this?"

"That's the firm Stevie was working for when she researched my father's case," Emily divulged in a breath. "She said right before they confiscated everything, she received a suspicious piece of evidence but she couldn't verify the source. If we can find it in the archive, not only will it confirm we can trust Stevie but it might help us finally get my father's case reopened."

Daniel thumbed the paper and then set it down anxiously. "Sounds like we need Nolan," he deduced.

"I already had him look into it," Emily nodded, one step ahead. "But the case is too dated for the drives to be on an online database. So in order to access the information—"

"You have to physically _break_ into the archives," Daniel finished, drawing on his data security knowledge from his brief stint as CEO of Grayson Global. He followed up with a look of worry. " _Please_ tell me you're not considering doing that on your own?"

Emily sat up gracefully, placing a hand over her posh midsection that was only just beginning to round outwardly. "Of course not," she replied, surprising him. "I knew you'd want me to take things easy so I asked Nolan to take this one while I walk him through from behind my laptop. He's on the hunt for a team of lawyers anyway so it's a perfect excuse for him to be at Stevie's old firm." She watched as Daniel relaxed with comfort and then finished. "But, I did suggest someone he could bring along to handle the operation while he runs cover…"

Instantly worried that she had volunteered him instead, Daniel's countenance dropped. "You didn't?"

"Not _you_ ," she quickly assured him, glancing off with a coy expression. "No, in the event that Stevie is actually working in tandem with Victoria, we need an inside man she wouldn't risk setting up. And as of today, there happens to be someone perfect for the mission."

 **SCENE**

Jack tugged at the collar of his dress shirt, unused to being clad in business formal attire outside of a funeral or wedding. He shot a worried look over to Nolan beside him in the elevator, who appeared completely blasé despite preparing to break into the archives of a top rated law firm. "Tell me again how I end up in these situations with you?" he exhaled anxiously.

"Well, let's see," Nolan put on a thoughtful grin to appease him. "Your wife is pretending to be the daughter of a wrongfully convicted man, she switched identities with his _actual_ daughter who is trying to avenge him, _she_ happens to be married to the son of the people _responsible_ for said framing, and _they_ are getting dangerously close to foiling the entire thing – which is where _I_ come in to help." He paused to take a breath before remembering one other thing to add. "Oh yeah, and the woman you just found out was your _mother_ told us to start right here on the…" he trailed off, vigorously checking his phone."36th Floor," he finally finished.

Jack grimaced through Nolan's smug breakdown and pushed the button, knowing he had asked for it. "Thanks," he replied dryly. Meanwhile some of his choice phrasing stood out to him. "You know what you said about Victoria getting dangerously close worries me a lot. Not even just finding out about the girls but… I mean, let's not forget, Amanda almost _killed_ Conrad last year."

"Seems to be a lot of 'almost killing' going around," Nolan reverberated, reflecting distractedly on the previous week. He finally looked up from his phone long enough to realize Jack was genuinely concerned. "Look, that's why we're doing this, right? To make sure the Graysons end up downtown with cuffs on before they get the chance to go after anyone."

"Right," Jack tried feebly to reassure himself and stay focused.

 _"How are we doing down there?"_ Emily's voice echoed into his ear next, and Jack quickly adjusted his earpiece at her command.

"All set," he confirmed, imagining she was overseeing things from the comforts of her kitchen table. "We're on our way up and the security door is already rigged to open—" he stopped short to check with his companion. "Right, Nolan?"

"Hmm, it will be," Nolan calmly murmured back, unintentionally testing Jack's stress level.

"Nolan, you only have one shot to do this," Emily supplemented on the same tie-in in Nolan's ear. "Once Jack's in, he has to locate the June 1997 drive—"

"Grab it and get out of there," Jack finished for her. "I know, I got it."

Emily relaxed with confidence that they were both fully versed on the plan and watched them on the monitor of her laptop screen, overseeing every move. The elevator chime finally sounded and as promised they were granted access, allowing Nolan to exit left to his cover meeting and Jack to exit right for his mission. Upon losing a visual, Emily was forced to rely only on their audio connection and a few seconds later confirmation came through.

"I'm inside," Jack informed her in a low tone. "There's a case name, but no dates on the drives!"

Prepared to troubleshoot, Emily quickly did a search of the firms coding from a website Nolan had already granted her access to. "They use a rolling-code crypto, I'm pulling it up based on the case number Stevie gave me," she explained to calm him. Almost a minute later she had what he needed. "Ok, you need to pull L39935 and L39936."

Jack followed her instructions and breathed a sigh of relief upon locating them. "Got it," he confirmed.

"Good, you're set – now get out of there," she urged him.

But something caught Jack's eye, impelling him to hang back. Despite the absence of dates there were still clear indications of case names, one of which stood out amongst the others. _New York Gubernatorial Campaign_ was clearly inscribed on the side of one of the other drives, giving him an idea. "Hey, Emily," he posed. "You said Stevie told you the firm confiscated everything she was working on for your father's case right?"

"Yeah?"Emily confirmed hesitantly.

"Do you think Conrad was behind it?" Jack pursued, wandering back deeper into the archive. "I mean, if he was on to her he could have just paid the firm off to prevent them from ever reopening it?"

"Most likely but Jack, what's your point," Emily was losing patience. "You've got two minutes before that door locks, you need to get out of there now!"

"What I'm asking for will only take a second," he insisted, using the tapes in his hand as a guide. "If this firm is working for Conrad, Stevie's case wouldn't be only one they closed for him. Think about it – they have to have all the evidence from last year's state governor campaign! _Including_ any footage from when the shooting happened!"

Recognizing where he was headed, Emily pressed back irritably. "Jack, this isn't a good idea—"

"Emily, I'm not leaving without it," Jack continued without letup. "If Victoria is onto Amanda like you say she is, this is the one thing that could incriminate her. No one would have been looking for Amanda at the time, but if she pulls that footage and sees her anywhere on the premises she'll know it was her. If I get to it first, she's got nothing."

 _"Fine,"_ Emily huffed, despite strongly feeling it was a bad idea. But out of concern for his safety she searched for the case number by description to at least help him find it faster. "The drive you're looking for is L557864 – as soon as you find it, go!"

It barely took Jack five seconds to locate the drive and with it firmly fixed in hand he dashed out of the room, just before time ran out and the door auto-locked behind him. Relieved at the near miss, Emily sighed once she confirmed Jack was back on the elevator, catching his final nod towards her on the monitor. With appreciation he exhaled, "Thank you."

 **SCENE**

Margaux's brow furrowed with intrigue as she read the last words on the page spread open on her desk. She raised her eyes to focus on the two men sitting across from her and closed the proposal, staring with derision at them both. Her father, the head of LeMarchal Media and patriarch of her disjointed family, and her business partner, Conrad Grayson, made a fearsome pair.

"So you were telling the truth," she concluded, resting her gaze solely on Conrad. "Power _is_ what you seek? This two year plan for the company cleverly details a career path that only leads one way for you – senior management at LeMarchal Media Headquarters." She glanced over to her father with a hint of warning. "Possibly even the President's chair," she hinted, hoping it would solicit his concern. Upon returning her attention to Conrad she leaned back in her chair. "Daniel was right – you want to create Grayson Global all over again."

"On the contrary, global investment is quite different from global media," Conrad reasoned, overlooking both references to his presumptive ambition.

"But nonetheless, your plan is to use _Voulez_ as a footstool," she reminded him, continuing to glance at her father. But for the moment, he remained silent.

"The plan is to make _Voulez_ all the more lucrative in the process," Conrad argued, with a hint of contempt as the word _Voulez_ rolled off of his tongue.

At that, Pascal finally chimed in. "And just what do you propose will be your claim to fame? Putting the Grayson name on any of our products will only make us less marketable," he pointed out casually, much to Margaux's relief. "And I doubt publishing your memoirs will generate enough interest."

"Oh, I thought your daughter had already informed you that I've long abandoned that project," Conrad advised, sneering at Margaux. "My focus remains on a much coveted topic of interest in the press these days – the long overdue Amanda Clarke expose."

Incensed, Margaux leaned forward to protest. "No," she emphasized. "No, I told you I _forbid_ that topic to go into print in my magazine—"

"Margaux, can you give us a moment?" Pascal suddenly interjected, and her head jerked over in alarm. To interrupt her insistence on not allowing the story to print reeked dangerously of betrayal and Margaux was reluctant to leave, fearing he would override her decision. But one abrasive look from Pascal put her in place, and she restrained herself long enough to get up from her seat, eyeing Conrad angrily as she left them in private.

"I dare say she may be upset with you when she returns," Conrad joked smarmily.

But Pascal remained serious, attuning his interest without giving in just yet. "I haven't agreed to anything," he affirmed. "I only wished to speak on confidential matters between us two gentlemen. Conrad, you realize the danger in going down this road again?" he articulated anxiously. "Our history with David Clarke could easily come back to haunt us if we pursue his daughter's story?"

"Not if we portray her as the fanatical conspiracy theorist the public has already pre-judged her to be, and this time around we make sure the loose ends are tied," Conrad countered. His disposition quickly shifted to intensely fierce, much to Pascal's notice.

"You mean like you tried to do a year ago?" he referenced, cocking an eyebrow. "Oh yes, I thought of you when I heard David's little girl drowned at sea the night of your wedding – not long after Victoria claimed to publicly welcome her into the family."

"A move my presumptuous wife should have never made and has dearly paid for," Conrad followed up, standing to loosen his tie. He shifted to lean against Margaux's empty desk, facing Pascal to bring him fully up to speed. "All Victoria did was grant that girl access to torment our family – she threatened us with evidence that could have destroyed all of us, including _you,_ " he alluded to impress his point. "Hence the reason drastic measures were taken."

"Which she seems to have foiled," Pascal argued in turn. "If she was clever enough to dodge your attempts at silencing her, who's to say she won't jump at the chance to take you down for good?"

Conrad digested the thought, having considered it ever since beginning his tactical plan to circumvent Amanda's return. Unbeknownst to Pascal, his first thought had always been to regain control of the media in the hopes he could steer exactly the story he needed before finishing what he started the summer before. Hence why he had taken advantage of Daniel's faux pas to seize his position. But to complete his plan, he would need Pascal's backing and it was clear that in order to win him over, he needed more.

"My suggestion is to stay one step ahead of her," Conrad proposed. "We run the story, we expose her past sins, and we let the _media_ eat her alive so that even if she _wanted_ to speak up, no one would ever believe a word she has to say."

Pascal pondered the concept, fully aware of what it entailed. "But to do this, first you need my daughter's consent," he concluded, eliciting a nod of agreement from Conrad. His ultimate objective was quickly becoming clear. "I'm not sure about this," he admitted honestly. "In my past experience sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie…"

"Trust me," Conrad was again ready with an answer. "After _my_ experience, some twenty-plus years of being married to Victoria, there's no such thing as a sleeping dog."

Pascal couldn't help letting out a chuckle. "She may be a ruthless bitch to you Conrad," he asserted with a raw edge. A molten haze came over his face as he thought at length about her, and there was clear hinting as he followed up with another reply. "But she's another man's treasure."

Sensing his implication, Conrad quickly prepared to bargain with whatever it would take for Pascal to grant consent. "Well, if that's your only condition, I do believe I can arrange to sweeten the deal…"

 **SCENE**

"Amanda!"

Jack called out to his wife with urgency as he returned to the _Stowaway,_ ducking his head once he realized it was drawing attention to him in his more conservative attire. Amanda looked up from behind the bar and came around to meet him, while Louise turned to watch a few feet away, jiggling Carl in her arms.

"Well, don't you look spiffy?" Louise observed with a smile.

Though it slightly annoyed Amanda that the sitter beat her to saying it, she could not disagree. "Yeah, what's the occasion?" she echoed upon reaching Jack. "You left so fast this morning I didn't get a chance to say goodbye."

"I'll explain later, right now I want to show you something," Jack replied, taking her by the hand to go upstairs. "We'll just be a second," he told Louise with a curt look, and as she watched them depart her gaze fell down to the small bag in his hands, eyeing it with interest.

Once upstairs, Jack closed the door behind them and brought Amanda over to the bed. "Is this you being spontaneous? Because if it is, I like it," she quipped with a sly grin. But instead Jack sat down and emptied the drives out that were in his bag, picking up one in particular. "What's that?" Amanda asked curiously.

"The only thing left that could destroy our family," Jack answered eerily, and reached over to remove her laptop from the nightstand, preparing to queue up the drive onscreen. But before it could play he owed her an explanation. "Last week at Charlotte's party, Emily went rogue and tried to take down Victoria," he enlightened her for the first time.

"What?" Amanda gaped, slowly absorbing it. "You know, I _thought_ she'd been acting more controlling than normal-" she cut herself short, shaking her head. "Is _that_ why you wanted to make sure we went?"

"Yes, but that's not the half of it," Jack continued. "Nolan was able to stop her from going too far, but when she confronted Victoria she found out that she's been digging into your past. Ever since you came back she's been onto you, and after losing Patrick at the wedding she's convinced that you've been behind everything. She's coming after you with everything she's got."

Amanda retracted slightly, and a guilty expression crossed her face. "Yeah, um, I know," she admitted quietly, drawing him to look at her in surprise. "I didn't want to worry you but – Victoria came to see me not that long ago, asking questions. I had a feeling she was up to something but I couldn't be sure. I thought if I left her alone, she'd do the same."

"Yeah well, apparently not," Jack confirmed. It seemed they had both been keeping things vague out of fear of what to expect. "But it doesn't matter, because after today – you should be safe." He finally returned his attention back to the drive to explain. "Stevie gave Emily a tip about some evidence from when she worked on her father's case. Well it turns out the firm she worked for is the same one Conrad used to handle his shooting last year – and this is the tape from when it happened."

Amanda's heart sank with realization and regret, wishing she had not been so reckless at the time. She could have never expected Jack to forgive her after everything, much less return to the Hamptons and to the public. But now it all seemed like a glaring stain that left her open to condemnation. "Oh my God," she sighed.

"There's nothing clear during the shooting or the police would have identified it," Jack assured her. "But no one would have been looking for you to be on the footage of people going in and out of the building. And if there's any chance it caught you, the Graysons could have you arrested in a heartbeat. They already knew you had motive at the time." Before Amanda could fret any further, he held up a hand. "Which is why we're going to watch it first to make sure."

But before he could proceed with viewing the playback, Amanda stopped him. "There's no point in doing that," she asserted bravely, despite being consumed with guilt. "Jack – you and I both know I did this," she stated openly for the first time since their reunion. "What difference does it make what that tape shows? If the Graysons are onto me, they won't stop there."

Jack pondered it momentarily and then suddenly removed the drive, placing it in her hand. "Then at least destroy the only proof they could use against you," he urged her. "Come on, Amanda we can't stop fighting. Regardless of whatever they have on you, or Emily, or anyone else – it's _not_ enough to destroy _us_!"

Again Amanda's heart sank and it pained her to feel Jack's hand grasped around her own, with full confidence in her integrity. She lowered her head slightly in thought and Jack noticed, assuming her concerns were otherwise placed. "Jack, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," she mustered enough strength to begin. "I finally went to visit Charlotte…"

"And?" he followed with interest, hoping her news would be positive.

Amanda raised her eyes to meet his expectant gaze, but quickly lost the strength she had been barely able to gather. Telling him that Charlotte saw her in yet another entanglement with Aiden would only break his heart and she could not bear hurting him after the lengths he had just went to for her. "She, ah," Amanda fumbled instead. "She… invited us to the opera tonight."

"Well, that's great!" Jack sighed, relieved that they appeared to be back to normal again. A thought suddenly dawned on him. "Except I don't think I can go – Louise said she had plans and can't watch Carl?"

"Oh, well I could tell her no—" Amanda began, but Jack thought better of it.

"No, you two need this time together," Jack insisted, thinking quickly. "Tell you what – why don't you ask Stevie to go?"

"Are you sure about that?" Amanda probed curiously. "If she's working with Emily like you say she is, she'll probably want to ask me questions…"

Jack brushed it off with a wave. "She was going to ask them eventually – but at least in this forum you'll have Emily there with you if you need her. _And_ you can trust Stevie. She only wants to protect you. Besides it's time Victoria sees what she's up against… maybe she'll think twice about coming after us?"

Despite sensing it could be a bad idea, Amanda consented, if only to please her sincere husband. "Alright," she gave in, taking the drive with her before going downstairs. "I'll call her now – and then I'll take care of _this._ "

Jack nodded his approval, and watched her go out, hoping with all of his might that things would finally start to simmer down. But as he turned to gather the rest of the drives, what he failed to realize was that he had switched the one he was meant to locate for Stevie with the one he had given to Amanda. Rather than verify, he moved to stash the other evidence away under the bed and went to go change… just as Louise peeked out from where she had been standing out of sight in the hallway.

 **SCENE**

Conrad walked through the grand doors of his former home with an odd look, surprised to find Marta waiting for him at the steps to the foyer. "You're requested in the study, Mr. Grayson," she alerted him.

He raised a brow with interest at the unusual prediction of his appearance but followed through, finding Victoria waiting for him behind the desk he occupied so frequently in the years before. "Ah, Conrad," she greeted him coolly. "Right on time."

Conrad sauntered in cautiously, heading straight for the mini bar. "Does this mean you were expecting me?"

Victoria snickered. "Well of course. After discovering you were meeting Pascal for luncheon yesterday, I knew you would show up soon enough. The only time you've requested his presence is when you were pitifully desperate," she recalled, garnishing power with every word she spoke. "I assume you've returned to bargain?"

A phony grin spread onto Conrad's face, but when he took his less-than-ideal seat across from Victoria, his expression turned back to serious. "The truth is, Victoria, it seems your dear old Pascal just couldn't stay away. As soon as you left it was all too obvious how much he wishes to rekindle an old flame?"

Victoria ignored his overt attempt at matchmaking. "Not interested," she replied bluntly. "Is that all?"

Never too quick to admit defeat, Conrad chuckled at her response and instead preyed on a secondary reason for his visit. "Well, I also couldn't help but recall the morsel you doled out in taunting yesterday, regarding… priceless information?"

The edge of her lip curled in expectation. "On the contrary – that information does indeed come with a price," she reminded him, opening the leather bind that rested in front of her. She once again removed the property deed that Stevie had given over and placed it before him. "Grayson Manor returns to me, or I tell you nothing."

Anticipating that the house would be her bargaining chip, Conrad sighed in complicity and raised his glass. "I will make it a priority," he yielded irritably, enduring the look of triumph Victoria proudly sported in reply. "Now, will you please?"

Victoria stood from her seat to dramatize the next moment and came around to lean against the front of the desk. "In my efforts to uncover the truth behind Patrick's untimely death, my investigation led me back to someone who's been after our family from the beginning – Amanda Clarke."

Conrad narrowed his gaze in intrigue as it was just the name he was looking to hear. "As much as I agree that Amanda is at the center of the troubles that continue to plague us, I'm not certain tying her to your son's death will yield any result," he disputed. "You do recall she was noticeably absent from the yacht that evening?"

"I do," Victoria confirmed, folding her arms. "But I'm referring to an incident much closer to home for _you_ ," she divulged, and at that moment she signaled towards the hallway and a young woman walked in that he did not recognize. "Louise," Victoria addressed her. "Would you be so kind as to show Mr. Grayson the drive you obtained from the Porter residence?"

Louise complied with a nod, strutting over in a decidedly more elegant outfit than she had on while babysitting and quickly setting up the laptop for Conrad to view. In the meantime, Victoria continued elaborating. "You see, Conrad, while the world believed Amanda Clarke was dead, not only was she alive but she obviously faked her amnesia story as a cover for where she _really_ was."

At once, Conrad's eyes darted over to the video playback and he winced with pain as it brought back memories of the injury he had only just begun to recover from months before. As he watched, overhead cameras showed the entry of attendees just before his announcement. Louise reached over to freeze the frame and he stared close, recognizing the girl it had captured despite her attempt at disguise – it was Amanda.

"Thank you, Miss… Louise, was it?" Conrad quickly dismissed Victoria's assistant. "Could you give us a moment, please?" Louise glanced at Victoria, who nodded in agreement and removed the drive before letting her go. Once she was safely out of the room, he continued. "Are you telling me the attempted murderer the night of my gubernatorial announcement was _Amanda Clarke?_ " he verified.

"Precisely," Victoria confirmed. "Which is why the police could never find your assailant, nor did they suspect her. And I imagine why she staged her return conveniently months later – you have to admit it all adds up?" While Conrad's expression grew dim with acceptance, Victoria continued to deliberate aloud. "But what doesn't add up to me, is her relationship to Emily. Apparently those girls shared a cell in juvie together. Yet as you'll recall they seem to purport the fact that they met in the Hamptons?"

Ignoring her question, Conrad stood and began refastening his jacket buttons. "Perhaps Emily did so in an attempt to preserve her image, which I certainly wouldn't blame her for," he suggested.

"Or she's in fact harboring loyalty to an enemy of this family!" Victoria offered emphatically, but Conrad's attention was already diverted.

"If so, then why would she marry our son?" Conrad argued, focusing instead on the more valuable information she had just shared. It was in essence, a godsend – exactly what he needed to sway Pascal to move forward with his plans. "Let's be sensible, Victoria," Conrad posed. "The person of interest here is, and has always been _Amanda Clarke_. Her downfall was imminent, and now we can finally prove it," he presumed, extending his hand for her to give over the drive.

" _We_?" Victoria repeated, lifting it ever so slightly out of reach.

Conrad digressed with a roll of his eyes. "My dear, despite our decision to part ways I thought it went without stating that certain events of the past will always unify us," he reminded her, softening his plea with a touch of flattery. "And I hope you know I would do anything to protect you from public humiliation – which is why you need to give me that drive so I can use it to silence Ms. Clarke for good."

"Oh well as flattering as that is Conrad, I'm loathe to trust you quite to that degree," Victoria bantered back, taunting him with her treasure. She turned towards the desk and lifted the property deed, handing it over as a parting gift instead. "Consider that footage a preview of what you'll receive once you deliver on your promise," she reinforced, nodding for him to go. "And in the meantime, I'll do with it as I see fit."

 **SCENE**

"So, remind me again. Is Pagliacci is a comedy or a _tragedy_?"

Emily gave Daniel a sidelong glance at his remark, linking her arm tightly in his as they traversed the grand staircase of the Metropolitan Opera House together. "Every opera is a drama," she answered his question, sensing it was a rhetorical means of feeling out expectations for the evening. "But let's hope the theatrical spectacles are reserved for the stage tonight, hm?"

Daniel snickered at her witty reply, admiring her physique in the magnificent ball gown she was donning. It complimented his tuxedo with precision, a hidden motif of all the things they shared in common, including exquisite taste. "I guess that all depends on how things went this morning," he hinted, finally getting the chance to ask her. "So what's the verdict – was Stevie telling the truth about the evidence?"

"Jack was able to get the drives," Emily relayed, pausing on the first dais so they could have a look from a higher vantage point. "But he hasn't contacted me yet to tell me what was on them. I was hoping to find out when he gets here."

"Well that may be difficult," Daniel sighed after a minute of looking around. He gestured towards the entrance where Amanda was walking in, clearly accompanied by Stevie instead of her husband. "But it looks like he trusts Stevie enough to watch over his wife?"

Emily observed it, stewing with mixed feelings. "Let's hope that means he's home _watching_ the footage," she coined the same phrase, continuing to scan the crowd. Charlotte had just left Victoria's side to greet Amanda, which admittedly warmed Emily to see. But a moment later Victoria's gaze followed Charlotte over to Amanda and Stevie, and Emily knew a standoff was about to unfold.

"Looks like the show is about to begin," Daniel hinted smartly, and upon looking to Emily for verification he suddenly stopped to stare. "Babe – you feeling alright?" he asked, noticing her cheeks were reddened.

"Hm—what?" Emily stammered, and for a moment it reminded Daniel of her tendency for momentary breaks the week before. But this time her countenance was alert, yet there was just more puffiness in her face than normal. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, you just look a little flushed," Daniel replied, aiming to calm her. His instincts kicked in; making him more conscious of her condition and the flight they were halfway up. "Maybe the steps were a bit too much – you want to sit on the lower level?"

"Ah, no, no it's alright," Emily assured him at once, keeping her sights on where Stevie, Amanda and Victoria were gathered. "I think I'll just get some water," she volunteered, softly separating her arm to go back down the stairs. "I'll be right up."

Daniel allowed it against his preference, assuming that Emily was partially taking advantage of going back downstairs to overhear the conversation underway. Correct in his suspicions, Emily rounded the last step and swiftly arrived just beyond the other women, catching the end of their banter while staying out of sight.

"I hope you've put the information I delivered to you yesterday to good use?" Stevie challenged Victoria with a wry look.

Emily raised an eyebrow at her choice of wording but kept quiet so she could hear Victoria's reply. "Indeed I have," Victoria met her fearlessly, glancing over towards Amanda with hidden meaning. There was more truth to her statement than she realized. "As unexpected as your return to the Hamptons has been," she hinted to Stevie. "It's certainly about to make things more interesting… something I'm sure Ms. Clarke can relate to?"

Stevie quickly came to Amanda's rescue. "It's Porter, Victoria," she corrected. " _Mrs._ Porter? You would think that after all this time you'd know my daughter-in-law's full name."

Victoria's eyes widened in surprise. "Daughter-in-law?" she gaped, quickly making the connection. "Jack Porter is your son?" When Stevie nodded proudly, Victoria relished the opportunity for insult. "Well congratulations – here all these years Conrad held you on a pedestal and you were nursing secrets just like the rest of us," she denounced her, once again glaring at Amanda with implication before looking back to Stevie again. "Along with your bottle of choice, no doubt?"

Finally Amanda became fed up. "We don't have to listen to this," she declared her exit, plowing between the two women to start upstairs while Charlotte followed her up.

"Nice, Mom," Charlotte snapped sardonically over her shoulder, and Stevie was just a minute behind them, turning her nose down at Victoria's biting remarks.

Emily began walking away again after observing the neat disbursal of the crowd, and was almost out of sight when she noted one last opera guest crossing Victoria's path. She hung back a moment longer and squinted with interest, certain that there was something familiar about the woman Victoria was speaking to, even from afar.

"Hey," Louise crept up slowly in a whisper. "Sorry, I just wanted to say thank you _so much_ for inviting me – you have no idea the people I've met already—"

"I thought I told you to be discreet?" Victoria quickly scolded her in a hush, glancing around to ensure no one was watching. "Get inside this minute – if you're recognized it will ruin everything!"

Meanwhile Emily used the wall of the stairwell to hide out, glancing back just once more to watch Victoria storm off in the opposite direction, while the other woman hung back for a beat before quickly disappearing herself.

"Emily!" a voice startled her and Emily pulled out of her peeping stance to turn about. It was Margaux. "Emily, are you alright?" she continued, observing her odd posture.

"Margaux," Emily sighed, standing up straight and adjusting her dress nervously. "Just ah, catching my breath, those steps are fairly steep and I'm still sensitive from my injuries," she alibied, to which Margaux offered a sympathetic look. "Well, it's certainly been a while…" Emily stammered, searching for a relevant topic to bring up. "Considering the last time we saw each other you were still Daniel's employer…?"

"Loyal to your husband to the end, of course," Margaux acknowledged the icy dig, bowing without retort. "I would expect nothing less. However as I've told Daniel, I assure you we parted on good terms and I would love to have him back someday."

Emily stiffened. "Well, I don't see you getting Daniel _back_ anytime soon," she replied somewhat protectively. "But I'm sure he appreciates the extension." Her eyes trailed to the older gentleman beside her. "Is this his replacement?"

"No," Margaux turned with a chuckle, sliding over to let him step forward. "This is my father, Pascal," she introduced. "And the _only_ man who has my attention, I might add," she tacked on subtly in response to the territorial edge she detected in Emily's tone.

"Only while I'm in town," Pascal added with a grin, reaching over to shake her hand.

"Mr. LeMarchal," Emily fawned immediately, switching her next few salutations to fluent French. "It's truly an honor to meet you _._ I do hope you enjoy your stay here in the Hamptons," she wished him, feeling a little bashful of her earlier remark.

 _"Merci beau-coup._ I'm considering staying a few more days," he replied, much to Margaux's surprise beside him. "But first, I look forward to Pagliacci… which it appears is about to begin. Shall we?"

 **SCENE**

The first act was well underway when Daniel finally nudged Emily to get her attention amidst the throbbing vocals that echoed into the theater. She turned subtly to catch his glance, careful not to draw too much attention as Victoria was only inches away from them in their box. "Everything alright?" he verified. "Took you a while to get to the seat earlier."

Emily leaned in to respond in a low whisper. "I ran into Margaux and Pascal," she explained, gesturing with a discreet nod that they were just two rows behind them.

Daniel subtly craned his neck to look and indeed they were. While Charlotte sat at his mother's right, Margaux sat to her left, with Pascal on her other side. In the row beneath them were Stevie and Amanda, occupying the seats Charlotte had reserved. "Wonder what he's doing in town," Daniel muttered under his breath, drawing on his experience from _Voulez._ "He doesn't make appearances for nothing."

"According to him, he's extending his visit," Emily alerted him, reading the suspicion in her husband's brow. "What do you make of that?" Yet despite their attempts to quietly whisper, they were about to get abruptly interrupted.

Before Daniel could respond, a loud gasp from Margaux could be heard behind him. "Father!" she could not contain her emotion. "What have you _done?!_ " she exclaimed.

Emily's keen hearing picked up on it and she turned at once, catching Victoria leaning over to look into Margaux's lap where an alert was displayed on her phone. Without hesitation, Victoria snatched it into her hands to look at it and then leaned forward, and Emily felt her heart drop into her stomach as she appeared to be staring directly at her—

And then suddenly pulled at Amanda's shoulder. " _How could you?!_ " Victoria exhaled in a raspy breath, clutching Amanda by the hand.

"Excuse me?" Amanda fended her, swatting her away.

" _Parading in here after what you've done!"_ Victoria finished, raising her voice.

"Mom, what's going on—" Charlotte tried to interject, but this time Victoria held up the source of her outburst. It was a breaking news story entitled _Suspect at Large for Shooting of Former NY Governor – Amanda Clarke._ As all in the surrounding box watched, footage from the campaign was running on a constant loop, showing a side glimpse of Amanda clearly entering the grounds and heading towards the door to the convention balcony.

Amanda jumped to her feet in shame, fear striking through her heart as the scene began to unfold. "Wh—where did you get that?" she stammered, and in a weak moment she glanced frightfully towards Emily.

"What does it matter, the truth is out!" Victoria was now shouting. "You are nothing but a liar and a cold-blooded killer!" She turned dramatically towards the guards by the upper level exits. " _Arrest this woman at once!"_

Before she could get the chance, Amanda took off, running for the door closest to the balcony before the security guards could respond. Everyone in the box was now standing, including Stevie who charged Victoria with a hateful glare, while Margaux did the same to Pascal. Meanwhile, Emily barely had to even look at Daniel before he knew she would go after her.

With a sinister aside at Victoria, Emily grabbed near the hem of her gown and rushed out of the box after Amanda, calling out to her as she reached the hallway. " _Amanda!_ " she yelled. "Amanda – _wait!"_ A glance across the platform of the upper level told her Amanda had likely already made it to the grand staircase and she followed, stopping short only at the sound of loud voices behind her.

"Let her go!" Victoria marched out first. "That girl faked her death in an attempt to assassinate my husband – she deserves to be taken by the authorities!" Pascal was quickly at Victoria's side, trying to keep her calm, while the others soon caught up, including Daniel who firmly held her at bay.

"You're unbelievable," Emily spat in her direction before continuing back, having lost enough time already. "Amanda!" she called out again.

With that, Emily fled down the grand staircase of the Metropolitan Opera House with precision, taking each step with care despite the mounting anxiety in her heart that impelled her to move faster. Her brow wrinkled with urgency as she sought to reach the bottom, yet rather than endanger her condition at the risk of falling, she was forced to take caution as she ran. Somehow it made her descent feel as if it were happening in slow motion, while the pitched shrill of a soprano voice belted from inside the theater. She raised a hand to shield herself just before finally reaching the doors, where the blinding light of camera flashes only served to magnify her intense fear. For despite her desperate efforts to conceal a most inopportune truth, it had all been dashed to pieces in a matter of seconds.

Just outside the grand entrance, the police had already been waiting for Amanda to attempt an exit and had her in handcuffs before Emily could even reach the perimeter. " _Amanda!"_ she called out regardless, watching as her friend was led to the rear door of a squad car and a detective began reading her rights.

"Amanda Porter, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Conrad Grayson," he began. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say may be held against you…"

The words trailed into the distance as an officer came up to restrain Emily from going any further, confining her to the entrance where paparazzi continued to swarm and flashbacks from her father's arrest came flooding to mind. It was all happening just alike, a predetermined fate imposed upon someone she loved while she stood back forced to watch, helpless to stop it. Realizing she was too late, Emily finally gave in and stopped struggling, mouthing her last words to Amanda before she was taken away.

"I'll get you out of this, Amanda – I promise."

 **SCENE**

Daniel treaded slowly back into the dejected scene of the emptied _Stowaway,_ leave for Charlotte and Emily, who were still in their formal gowns from the opera, Nolan, who had come by as soon as he got the call, and at last, Jack, who in spite of his despair focused only on trying to get his son back to sleep. The sound of Carl's wails was the only noise that filled the room, and Jack eventually walked out of the main area, hoping to calm him by rocking him in the nursery.

"That was Stevie," Daniel sighed to the others, pocketing his phone. He tugged at the sleeves of his dress shirt uneasily as he delivered the bad news. "She said she's doing everything she can to get Amanda released but the precinct got their hands on some pretty solid evidence. Looks like the surveillance that leaked online was real," he informed, to which Emily glared irritably, shuddering as she pulled Daniel's jacket tighter around her shoulders. Of the group, she was the only one that sat away to herself at one of the tables, while the others mostly encircled the bar area.

"I just don't understand," Charlotte volunteered next, approaching her brother. "Why would Amanda lie to us – and why would she try to kill Dad?" Silence followed, as Daniel's gaze dropped down to the floor. "Is it because she knew what he did?" Charlotte's expression creased in realization, remembering the truth Daniel told her about what really happened to Declan. Up until recently she never suspected anyone else knew.

"Char," Daniel began with uncertainty. "There's ah, there's a lot of things about Dad that we're finding out," he alluded. "Amanda just…" he searched for a way to put it, and drew on realities unbeknownst to her. "She knew about it a lot longer than we did."

"Yeah, well I guess keeping secrets is just what she's best at!" Charlotte suddenly cried out, storming towards the door. Despite sympathizing with her sister's anger towards her father, it still translated into pain and disappointment that there appeared to be so much deceit between them. "I have to get home to the baby," she relented, seeking escape. "Can you just tell Jack I'm here for him if he needs me?"

"We'll tell him Charlotte," Emily answered, and nodded to Daniel expectantly before returning to a quiet haze.

"Char, wait," Daniel caught up to her, catching Emily's suggestion. "Let me take you home," he insisted.

With them gone, Nolan joined Emily at the table. "At the risk of sounding cliché," he lamented upon sitting down. " _How_ did we not see this coming?"

"I did," Emily finally whispered, staring off into space. "I had a feeling Victoria was getting too close for comfort. I thought by testing our theory about Stevie, we'd figure out if she was the source with enough time to do something about it." She shook her head guiltily, cursing herself for not trusting her instincts. "I just wish I hadn't been right this time."

Nolan leaned forward with interest. "So, do we know for sure this is all because of her?"

"You said it yourself," Emily directed him. "The timelines add up, not to mention how conveniently Stevie cozied right up to Jack. Coming to the opera with Amanda? Pretending to do 'everything she can' to help get her out of jail?" She shook her head with determination. "It's all just a front – I overheard Stevie _ask_ Victoria if she got the information she gave to her. What else could that be? Stevie's the one who told us that the evidence was in her firm's archives. She was _using_ us to get to it!"

"But Ems, Jack made the snap decision to pull the campaign drives, how could she have known he would do that?" Nolan reminded her.

Emily pondered it, admitting it was a bit odd. "She's had a week to spend with him," she reasoned. "My guess is that was enough time for her to anticipate what he would do to protect his wife, and as soon as he did she jumped at the opportunity…" she trailed off; more convinced than ever that they had been beguiled. "If it wasn't her that set this in motion, then who else?"

"Me," Jack's voice interrupted them from the direction of the nursery, and he walked over slowly with anguish in his eyes. He had finally gotten Carl to sleep and in the process had time to think through everything that had happened in the past 24 hours and who was truly to blame for Amanda's arrest. And again and again he had arrived at the same answer. "This is my fault," he repeated to them. "I did this to her."

 _"Jack,"_ Nolan sympathized at once, getting up to comfort him. "You can't blame yourself for this—"

"Nolan, it's the truth," Jack insisted regardless. "If I hadn't been so desperate to get that drive and hide the fact that she _was_ guilty, none of this would have happened."

"Jack, you were just doing what you could to protect her," Emily tried to assure him; despite wishing he had listened when she encouraged him not to pursue it. "Besides, it's clear now that Stevie is the one who betrayed us – she must have found a way to get her hands on that drive."

"But that's just it," Jack defended her emphatically. "I made sure Amanda destroyed that drive as soon as I got back – there's no way Stevie could have gotten to it, or _anyone_ for that matter!" He looked away in confusion just as a thought struck him. "Unless…" he considered and suddenly disappeared upstairs into the bedroom, returning moments later with a bag in his hands and a look of fear. "I can't believe this—somehow the drives must have gotten switched, Amanda destroyed the wrong one! _This,_ " he gestured, holding up another. "Is the one from Conrad's campaign!"

"And it's still there?" Emily was on her feet immediately, finding it peculiar.

"We never looked at it," Jack admitted, again condemning himself with guilt. "I started to but we decided getting rid of it was all that mattered. She must have destroyed one of the other drives with the evidence from your father's case instead."

"Wait a minute," Nolan observed, following in step with Emily. "If that's the drive with the footage of Amanda, then whoever got their hands on it must have made a copy…"

"…Because they didn't want you to realize it was missing," Emily finished, starting to put it all together. "Jack, who else had access to the upstairs after you came in?" she asked with heavy concentration.

"No one," he answered in a rush, thinking first of his mother. "Stevie didn't come here; she met Amanda at the opera house. After Louise dropped Carl off, it was just me and him!"

" _Louise?_ " Emily repeated, and the mention of the sitter's name suddenly sparked realization. "Wait a minute," she gasped aloud, turning to Nolan at once. "I knew I recognized her from somewhere. _That's_ who I saw talking to Victoria – she was there tonight!"

"At the opera?" Jack frowned in surprise. "This is Carl's _babysitter_ we're talking about – you sure you've got the right person?"

"I'm positive," Emily affirmed, recollecting her graphic memory from the night, whilst reevaluating her theories all at the same time. "She was there, and she _would_ have had access which means if she's been working for Victoria all this time…"

Jack completed her sentence as the color drained from his face. "She's the one who set us up," he comprehended latently, quaking with fear at how close he had unknowingly allowed the enemy to get. "My God," he gasped, and his paternal instincts sent him back to check on Carl again, while his mind ran at a furious pace trying to decide what to do next to keep him safe.

"Yikes," Nolan echoed as he ran off, and quickly showed Emily what he had been searching for on his phone. "Ems, check it out you're _right._ Louise Peyton Ellis," he read from the screen, which displayed a photo of a much more charmed and fancied Southern belle than the woman they only knew as a local nanny. "God, I _knew_ she looked familiar," Nolan went on, cursing himself for not remembering. "There was a feature in Forbes about her brother a few months back – another rich heir running for office, and lo and behold, who's right there next to him in the family photo?"

Emily verified it with a disturbed glance, quickly looking away to sigh with exasperation. "If she's just another lobbying socialite Victoria picked up to do her dirty work then we were wrong about Stevie," she admitted. "It wasn't her."

"Thank goodness," Nolan exhaled with comfort, continuing when she looked at him oddly. "Come on, that's good news for Jack – he deserves a break after all he's been through. Alone again to deal with his wife's arrest, whom we all _know_ is guilty," Nolan tried not to abandon hope but it was evident in his tone. "The least he deserves is to get a real relationship with his mother again."

Though Emily agreed, her focus had already shifted onto how to deal with the matter at hand. "Stevie may be an ally for now," she acknowledged, staring ahead with determination. "But Louise just helped Victoria put my best friend in the one place I swore I'd never let her go back to…" she turned back to face Nolan, finishing with an eerie sense of promise.

"Which makes her my next target."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Welcome back revengers! I tried to complete this update a little sooner than my last since so many of you have been asking so kindly. I do hope you are enjoying the ride as the plot continues to thicken, alliances are revealed, secrets are uncovered, and more plans for revenge begin to take root! And as always, I have to include some Demily feels for all the fellow shippers – hoping the scenes I was able to work into this chapter left you warm and fuzzy :) So in the meantime, let me know your thoughts! Were you happy to see Pascal? How did you feel about the altered "disgrace" at the end? Were you relieved it befell Amanda instead of Emily? And what does she have up her sleeve now that the gig is up on Louise? – That you'll have to stay tuned for! In the meantime please leave me a review and let me know your feedback! As always it is greatly appreciated and I continue to let it influence each update I post :) Thanks again, and a special BIG thank you to more than 50,000 views this story reached since last time around – you have no idea how much your support means to me! You guys are the best! Much Love & Revenge ~ MothToANewFlame**


	36. Chapter 36: Addiction

**A/N: Welcome back, loyal readers :) My deepest apologies for the long delay since posting a chapter, it's been a whirlwind summer and unfortunately the more recent weeks have resulted in some sad news for a few of my dear friends and family :/ We lost a few of those close to us and as you can imagine it's been hard to write, let alone concentrate. But in the past few days I've found this story to actually be a helpful diversion and I'm hoping I was able to give it enough time and attention to satisfy your interests with yet another chapter. So please let me know how you liked it, I will save this preface as the only note rather than leaving one at the end. PS. I tried to weave multiple elements of 'Addiction' throughout this chapter to tie in with the theme. Let me know if you catch them all :) Thanks as always for your patience and enjoy!**

 **Chapter 36: Addiction**

 _Addiction – an impulse that, once indulged, is impossible to pacify. Even when starved, the hunger survives…_

Emily tiptoed down the steps of her beach house, sighing with irritation as she sought to quench yet another hunger pang with a midnight snack. Disoriented by the changes her pregnancy was bringing on, she could not help but think of both her sister and Amanda while beginning a conquest of the refrigerator, souring as she realized she was the last one to experience motherhood. More so, she could only commiserate the side effects with Charlotte now, as Amanda's incarceration for just over a week lingered painfully like the nagging in her stomach.

A sliver of moonlight lit the room just enough for her to move through the darkness towards the table in solace, but she stopped short when she found Daniel asleep there instead. His head rested in the crease of his elbow amidst an array of legal documents, explaining why he had not come up to bed hours sooner. Sympathizing, Emily nursed a mug of ice cream with her right hand and used her left to stroke Daniel's brow as she slipped into the seat beside him.

"Another long night working on the case?" her voice met his ears once he stirred awake.

He raised his head groggily, and half a page was nearly stuck to his cheek. "For all this, I should've gone pre-law at Harvard instead of majoring in business," he mumbled, pulling it away while stretching the muscles in his face and running a hand through his hair. He shuddered to think what time it was by the dark shadows of the downstairs.

"That would've come in handy on more than one occasion," Emily replied. She scooped a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth and shared the next with Daniel apologetically. "Sorry I turned in early; it's not like me to get tired so fast..." she trailed off regretfully, realizing it to be yet another side effect of her condition. She angled to look at the papers spread on the table. "Looks like you and Stevie made progress after I went up?"

"Stevie knows her stuff," Daniel affirmed, switching on a light to straighten up. "You were right, she seemed pretty certain that a judge could easily rule the evidence as circumstantial. And since my father never documented the previous threats she made against him, it's his word against hers." When he glanced at Emily she had an assured look.

"Well, let's not forget _you_ had a similar conversation with your father that night and you were on the video too," she reasoned in support, and he ducked his chin in fair acknowledgment. "With the amount of people walking around with motive to go after Conrad, Amanda should at least have the option to be out on bail."

Daniel shrugged at that point. "But rumor has it the judge is leaning towards denying it and that's Stevie's concern. She's worried he'll view her as a flight risk… and then of course, there's always the chance my father's already paid him off..." He shook his head in disgust, sharing the next bit of information as he went to get a glass of water. "But there is good news. She said they're going to allow Amanda visitors starting tomorrow."

Emily eyed him from the dining area. "So why don't you look relieved?" she probed.

He took a long swallow, staring off into space. "This whole thing, the arrest, the murder charges…it's just bringing back a lot of memories…" he paused to recollect, and immediately Emily knew what he was referring to. A minute later he verified it when he sat back down, posing a question in deep concentration. "Em, I remember you telling me that the night of our engagement party Tyler was telling the truth – he really had started figuring out all your takedowns," he began. "But you never told me what it was that tipped him off?"

"Besides breaking in and finding my infinity box?" she answered smugly, glancing over at her old hiding spot. Daniel grunted beside her and she felt inwardly relieved that they could speak about it freely; knowing just how sensitive a topic it once was. "Tyler had already stumbled onto the sins of your family and was about to expose them by the time I got in his way," she simplified for him. "But his fixation with _you_ made me an obstacle he couldn't avoid, and that was what drew his interest." After a pause she raised her brow to the question. "Why?"

"It's just feeding a theory I have about my mother," he responded, divulging in part where his thoughts had been circulating. "Except _her_ fixation is with Patrick. Think about it, Em ever since he died, she's been trying to put together what really happened out there." With clarity Daniel stared into his wife's unassuming eyes. "I think she's investigating you."

Emily gave it only minimal credit. "I think it's pretty clear she's investigating 'Amanda Clarke', not Emily Thorne," she argued instead, wording it to overstep the irony.

"I disagree," Daniel retorted with determination. "Even by exposing Amanda's murder attempt, she was going after _you_ ," he emphasized. "You told me yourself that she discovered your connection from juvie, which means she knows how inseparable your bond is. Orchestrating her downfall was her way of trying to bait you."

"Into what?" Emily rebuffed, starting towards the sink.

Daniel turned to follow her with his eyes. "Losing your cool, maybe," he reasoned. "Em, all anyone had to do was look at your reaction – you were beside yourself."

"I was _angry_ at the injustice," Emily corrected him, clunking her mug into the sink. Her irritation was rising but this time she sensed it was because Daniel had a solid point. As warranted as her actions were, even she had to admit they called unnecessary attention to them during the arrest.

"And you had every right to be," he concurred, coming over to stand in her proximity. "But let's take this for what it is. My mother may not have figured out your identity, but she's clearly staging your undoing. Face it Em, she now wants the same thing you came here for – revenge."

Emily absorbed his admonition with intensity, knowing his warning came from a place of concern. Despite all that happened, there was a greater purpose behind it and as much as she wanted to focus on her friend, she still had a mission to complete. One that clearly was about to meet resistance from Victoria's own.

"Well she's not going to get it," Emily breathed in prophecy, centering her gaze. "I've always been able to stay a step ahead of her, and I'm certainly not slowing down when Amanda is on the line – this is her family and the rest of her life we're talking about, this isn't a game!" Regardless of directing her enthusiasm at Daniel, he knew her determination was reserved for the responsible party. "The difference is, I went after people who deserved what they got for the crimes they committed," she clarified. "Not the innocent."

It was Daniel's turn to illuminate her with the ugly truth. "Babe, you and I both know Amanda is far from innocent," he reminded, taking her hand and dropping his gaze humbly to the floor. "Look, I don't want to see her suffer either but... this isn't going to be easy. We need to be prepared for whatever comes from it."

Thinking his words would be the last, Daniel edged towards the stairs in suggestion while still grasping Emily's hand. But she was still locked in her thoughts, and not quite ready to return to sleep. "You're right..." she trailed, prompting him to look back once he was a few paces closer to the steps. When he did, her expression had lit up as if stumbling onto an idea. "I once told you the only way to overcome your mother was to beat her at her own game," she resolved, facing him. "Well that hasn't changed."

Daniel waited in expectation for what his better half had on tap. "You've got a plan," he presumed aptly. "What do you suggest we do?"

She cocked an eyebrow with mystery, before cleverly answering.

"Raise the stakes."

 **SCENE**

"So, tell me again what exactly the plan is for your next target?"

Nolan kept up with Emily's pace as she strode across the tarmac, hoping to get an answer prior to them boarding his private jet. As usual, Emily had not given much detail other than asking for the transportation as a favor and then providing him with a time to meet her there. She was similarly reserved throughout their brisk walk, responding to his question only by handing him an invitation.

" _Monte Carlo Night_?" Nolan read from it aloud, realizing it was to an event she was hosting. He looked over with intrigue. "We're flying eight-hundred miles to invite Louise to a _charity_ affair; couldn't you have just put it in the mail?"

"Hand delivery is so much more personal," Emily uttered over her shoulder as they ascended the stairwell. She loosened her scarf and removed her sunglasses once they were inside the plane, relaxing out of her old Hollywood look to explain while they got seated. "Louise is clearly looking for social acceptance, or else she wouldn't have been so easily tempted by Victoria. Based upon my research she's been spending the past year grazing the circles of the elite—in between visits in and out of rehab, that is. "

Nolan twisted his jaw in curiosity as he sat across from her. "Searching for?" he wondered.

"Contentment, maybe? Sanctuary… easy access to her vices?" Emily supposed, still yet to settle on a definite reason.

"Well, she clearly hasn't found it if she's already trotting back over the Mason Dixon line..." Nolan supplied.

"She left the day after Amanda's arrest," Emily informed, handing Nolan photos from airport surveillance as proof before gazing out of her window in thought. "That's not a coincidence. She either fled because she thought someone was onto her, or Victoria terminated their relationship once she had what she wanted. I'm betting on the latter… which means she'll be desperate for another mark and she'll see _this,_ " Emily glanced down at the invitation again. "As an opportunity to get back in the mix."

"Nice lure," Nolan remarked with a devilish smirk. "I'm guessing once you have her on the hook, you're going to pump her for everything she knows?" A stern look from Emily told him that was just the tip of the iceberg for what she had planned. "Well, racketeering must be the flavor of the day," he continued, studying alerts on his phone. "The word on the _Voulez_ gossip pageis that ah, Pascal LeMarchal has been doing the same. Since he came back in town, he's been sending several _highly_ renowned art pieces over to Grayson Manor."

Emily turned her nose up irritably. "He's trying to woo _Victoria_?"

"Don't think it's his first time either," Nolan guessed, this time accessing an email on his phone. "Even though Amanda accidentally _burned_ the drive we actuallyneeded from Stevie's law firm, I was able to send off the remains to my buddies in tech reconstruction. As of this morning, they salvaged this—" he stopped to hand it over and Emily took it from him anxiously.

"A note?" she deciphered the visual onscreen.

"But more importantly, a note with borders slightly smaller than normal – meaning it was written on European stock." He gazed at her knowingly. "Like the kind they only make in France…?"

Emily sat back, reading the note over and over again until it was committed to memory. It was clearly a fragment from the cover-up to frame her father, but the acronyms used only told part of the story. "So Pascal is involved?" she resolved at last.

Nolan nodded slowly. "Sure seems like it. Only problem is," he pointed out, gesturing to the bottom. "Pascal's initials are PL and this note makes reference to a TWM to help frame David… any ideas?"

Emily focused with all her might, but despite her extensive immersion in her father's trial and the people that had betrayed him, that particular set of letters did not trigger a connection. "None come to mind," she finally sighed, handing it back to him. "Forward it to Daniel—he's meeting with Stevie today maybe she'll recognize it."

"Already did, and I'm also hacking LeMarchal Media's mainframe to run it through," Nolan advised, lacking his usual optimism. "I've got my best people on it, but it could still take forever to find a match..."

"Well, we don't have time to waste," Emily continued with determination. "I'll make sure Pascal attends the charity event and hopefully we can find out something there if nothing else turns up," she decided. She reached over to retrieve her phone to make the call and no sooner had she leaned forward when a distinct popping noise could be heard, followed by a button that came tumbling from her direction right over to Nolan's shoe.

"Whoops," Nolan observed with a quirky look, picking it up while Emily realized it had come from the waistline of her dress. "Hmm," he mumbled awkwardly, handing it over. "Suddenly I'm bad mojo to all your favorite outfits," he joked.

"That's the second one I popped this week," Emily sighed, more to herself than to Nolan and he realized for the first time just how snugly her shape was beginning to fill out. She rolled her eyes and shoved the button into her purse irritably, pulling down her scarf to conceal where the opening now was.

"Face it Ems… or should I say, _Moms,_ " Nolan remarked like a proud older brother. Emily glared at his wormy grin, and waited for the obligatory pep talk to follow. "Your life's about to change in the next few months, and with it – your wardrobe," he concluded. But one look at her taut expression told him it was not the most tactful way to allude to her subtle weight gain, and he opted instead for a more caring approach to her pregnancy. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

Emily stared back without hesitation, even as the plane engines could be heard revving up for takeoff. "Amanda is sitting in a prison cell, Nolan," she reminded him indignantly. "I have to be."

 **SCENE**

Amanda took deliberate steps as she approached the glass that separated visitors from the prisoners, slowly sinking into her chair as if she were carrying lead weights in the soles of her shoes. Though she sincerely loved the man waiting to speak to her on the other side, it pained her to once again be the cause of his torment and embarrassed her to be so defined by her surroundings. She had sworn she could never again be behind bars, and yet here she was; only able to speak with her husband under supervised visitation through a phone and a glass divide.

It was Jack's anxious look of plea that moved her to finally pick up the receiver, and she did so with angst, silently hoping the torture would not last long. They stared at each other wordlessly for the longest time, and when Jack put his hand against the glass she felt the tears welling up immediately. "How's Carl?" she finally whispered.

"He misses you," Jack replied, and immediately it warmed her to hear the familiar tenor of his voice. "We both do," he added with sincerity. "But, we're gonna get you out of here."

Amanda blurted in a rush to choke back her tears. "Not this time."

As usual, Jack was insistent. "Look, I know it seems… I know it seems bleak," he admitted, acknowledging all that had happened surrounding her arrest without really saying much at all. "But Daniel's been working with Stevie all week to have the evidence dismissed—" he went on.

"It doesn't matter," Amanda stopped him abruptly, staring far into his eyes. "I've decided to plead guilty at the arraignment," she confessed, watching as his heart sank before hers but determined to continue. "I know what I did, and I'm not hiding it. I'm sick of hiding things," she admitted self-consciously, glancing downward. "From everyone."

"Amanda," Jack pled, nearing closer to the glass as if it would help change her mind. "No matter what you've done the world deserves to know the _truth,_ " he emphasized without saying more than was necessary. "Everything that happened, what they tried to do to you—"

"And how it made me just like them when I took things into my own hands," Amanda inserted, shaking her head softly. She condemned herself with every resolute expression, and almost wore a touch of pity in reply to his insistence. "I lost my way a long time ago, Jack," she admitted. "I've been trying to push through, carrying on like it's nothing but, it's affected me in ways I'll never fix."

Amanda paused to catch her breath, realizing her epiphany was a result of all the wrongs she had done suddenly flashing before her. "I've let you down so many times," she went on to admit, struggling to bear the greatest burden of them all. "Even recently… there's things you don't know about."

"Amanda, whatever it is we'll get through it—" Jack tried to insist but she was determined.

"I can't live on your forgiveness anymore, Jack!" Amanda uttered through a sob, shaking her head hopelessly. "I haven't earned it," she sighed, and finally took the breath she needed to pull herself from his presence. "I have to say goodbye now," she forced from her lips, turning so she did not have to watch his face flood with disappointment.

"Amanda wait—" he begged again, but the glass that separated them kept him restrained.

"Goodbye Jack," she whispered, rising in her seat to abruptly end the visit. "Tell our son I love him."

 **SCENE**

"Alright, first things first…"

Daniel gathered his thoughts across from Stevie in the corner of the _Stowaway_ that had essentially become their new meeting office for all intents and purposes. Though the beach house was ideal for keeping Emily in the loop, the bar was more convenient to provide regular updates to Jack, especially on the first day he had been granted a visit to Amanda. Conscious of it, Daniel kept an eye on the door for him while presenting Stevie with his hypothesis on what they could expect.

"If I know my father, he's going to run the expo he planned on Amanda in the next issue of _Voulez_ ," Daniel guessed, grimacing at the thought. "Meaning he's going to manipulate the storyto paint himself as the victim. To counter it, we fire back at his credibility – everything we've got from his affiliation with Grayson Global, the SEC investigation, his public entanglement with a mistress during the political run, and concluding with his strategic framing of David Clarke for his own terrorist actions." He took a deep breath as he envisioned the outworking of their strategy. "Once we shed light on what really happened, it will only fuel the theory that Amanda's arrest is just another one of his attempts to destroy the Clarke family."

Stevie absorbed pensively, having begun to digest with Daniel's help just what a monster her ex-husband truly was. "It's an airtight approach," she assessed confidently. "But only if we can produce the evidence to tell the story. Otherwise it's just another conspiracy theory."

"That's where your own expertise paid off; Nolan forwarded this over this morning," Daniel informed with a grin, scrolling on his mobile device and handing it over for her to see. "He was able to salvage a note from the drive you told us about. Recognize any of the initials?" To his disappointment, Stevie could not make a connection but he continued regardless. "Well, the dimensions of the stock used nearly confirm it came from Pascal LeMarchal. Revealing his alliance with my father on this plot may just be enough to stop the public from believing a word of whatever story he prints."

"It's a good tactic," Stevie admitted, despite still having reserves. "But the prosecution will dissect this if we go to trial, and they'll want something more concrete than a cryptic note."

"Well if I know my _wife_ ," Daniel responded with certainty. "She's already got Nolan working on figuring out who 'TWM' is and possibly getting him to come forward in the event we need his testimony."

Stevie gave a respectful nod in return, seeing how thoroughly prepared he was. "Well, safe to say that's a solid bet that works in Amanda's favor," she remarked, intensifying her gaze at Daniel. "You ever consider a career in the legal field?"

He chuckled with a measure of surprise and went back to making a few notes in his file. "Nah, justice is Emily's field, not mine," he downplayed. "I'm just standing in for her."

Stevie leaned forward with interest. "But you're proficient at it," she pressed, recalling his vigor from the previous eve. "And clearly you're committed – it's not every day you see someone take on their own father just to defend a close friend of their spouse's," she observed. "That kind of objectivity goes a long way in the courtroom."

Daniel remained modest despite her accolades, knowing there was more to his dedication than her perception. "Well, it's not really all that difficult to stay objective when it comes to my father," he deflected instead. "I've watched him do some pretty vicious things growing up," he recalled, pausing to study her curiously. "I still can't believe you were married to him."

Stevie grinned in spite of herself. "Conrad wasn't always so terrible," she offered candidly and as she expounded on her memories, Daniel looked up from his writing. "He was so relaxed and charming the first time we met, we ended up having such a great time… We dated for barely a summer before wanting to get married right away. The night of our engagement we left for the airport and took the first flight to anywhere," she recalled softly as nostalgia set in.

"Really?" Daniel replied, gazing off with intrigue. "That sounds a little like me and Emily…" he realized somewhat worriedly after drawing the comparison. "So what do you think changed by the time he met my mother?"

Stevie took a moment to think, sensing she was giving him insight to things he had only come to know for the first time. "Well I suppose one reason was how young we were and how quick we rushed into things," she reflected, growing serious. "But in truth, Conrad wasn't solely to blame… much of what tore us apart was the addiction I wasn't yet ready to admit I had."

Again Daniel drifted off to ponder her words, respectfully not pursuing any further. "That must have been difficult," was all he responded.

"Yes, but that's the beauty of divorce," Stevie added with optimism and a hint of pride towards her field of expertise. "Something your father appreciated then and I'm sure your mother is grateful for now."

Daniel nodded without expression, retreating to his own thoughts. Though her encapsulation was brief and clearly referred to her alcohol habits, he could not help running a parallel to him and Emily, and her seeming addiction to revenge. He tried not to dwell on it as he continued working, but deep down the similarities were too striking to ignore and were all that weighed on his mind as the day went on…

 **SCENE**

"To Victoria – back in our midst and back on the market!"

Victoria beamed at the center of a small assembly of gal pals on her patio, raising her glass to the toast while attempting a show at modesty. "Oh, I don't know about that," she feigned with a laugh, only too happy to celebrate that her divorce had at last been finalized, the last among a week's worth of victories.

"What about Pascal LeMarchal?" one of the friends in her elite circle hinted with a smirk. "He was rather dashing at the opera. Didn't you two date before Conrad?"

"It's a regrettable mistake of my youth," Victoria quickly batted it away, sipping at her glass. "One that I'm loathe to repeat or discuss."

"Ah, just like your mystery friend that night," another chimed in with an exacting look. Victoria inquired with a sidelong glance. "You know, the dishy little thing that came over just before it was time to go in—we never did get an introduction?"

Victoria recollected with a sneer. "Oh yes, dear Louise," she recalled. "I fancied her a protégé but alas, she had to return home to handle some private matters. I don't expect you'll be seeing any more of her anytime soon." She took another sip to deflect, masking her ongoing concern.

" _Or_ Amanda Clarke, for that matter," another quickly piped in. "I still cannot believe that girl went after Conrad when not a year ago you publicly welcomed her into the family!" Several others echoed agreement with gasps and nods, while Victoria basked in the foremost triumph.

"Yes, well with Charlotte back home with the baby I'm simply relieved that a miscreant like Amanda is no longer free," Victoria swore, quickly switching gears from concerned mother to empowered ex-wife. "As for what she tried to do to Conrad—well I can only fault her for not succeeding," she quipped, prompting the others to erupt in laughter again.

The irony only heightened when not a few moments later Victoria spied Conrad walking about the inner halls of her home. "Case in point," she added with a gesture, before irritably setting down her glass and excusing herself to go inside. "Get out of my house," she jabbed upon meeting him midway through the foyer.

" _Your_ house?" he retorted just as spryly, raising a document in his hand. "This placard I intercepted at the front door argues otherwise," he inferred, handing it over.

"Well, then you should keep it for when you go groveling back to Stevie," Victoria shot back angrily, crumpling it up to toss back in his direction. "Because the only paper I want from you is the property deed you _promised_ for holding up to our agreement." It suddenly dawned on her that his demeanor lacked the enthusiasm Amanda's arrest warranted. "You should be beside yourself – I got you what you wanted, now get me what I asked for."

Conrad rolled his eyes, leveling a hand in her face before advancing towards the study. "With all due respect Victoria, as much as I appreciated the assist, your release of that footage was a bit premature." He strode past her with finesse, heading straight for his old liquor stash. "My plan was to destroy Amanda _first_ in the media before seeking her arrest," he complained dryly. "With the case pending to reopen, I can't just go to Stevie without the proper counsel."

Victoria sauntered forward with interest. "And you don't find anything peculiar about your ex-wife's decision to actually _represent_ Amanda Clarke?"

"Oh… when did you decide to do that?" Conrad jibbed sarcastically at her choice wording.

Victoria huffed at his dark sense of humor. "You know what I'm talking about, _Stevie_ is a part of whatever combat Amanda and countless others are waging against this family," she clarified with intensity, struggling to get him to see the danger. "Her sudden arrival all but confirms it!"

"Be that as it may," Conrad glossed as usual, draining his glass. "I'm afraid I'll be limited in my discussions with Stevie… wouldn't want any legal ramifications for visiting her without my lawyer present," he hinted, walking back towards the foyer.

Victoria followed on his heels, ensuring he headed straight for the door. "Well, you could simply tell her you're there to discuss her _other_ revelation?" she suggested, shifting tone.

Conrad paused on the top step and turned back as Victoria opened the door to let him out. "I'm sorry, what revelation?" he inquired genuinely.

"Oh, Conrad," Victoria sighed with pleasure, releasing the door to close on her response. "All the morning newspapers you flip through, and you always skip _Page Six._ "

 **SCENE**

"Papa, this is outrageous!"

Pascal took his eyes off of the intricate charity invitation he had received just that morning to address his daughter's random and enthusiastic intrusion into his office. "Margaux," he grumbled irritably. "What is it now?"

"When were you going to tell me about your collusion with Conrad to greenlight his expose on Amanda Clarke?" Margaux demanded, storming in with a fury. She held an article in her hand as reference. "I have to read about your plans in one of your affiliates, _Page Six,_ right under the column you printed about Stevie Grayson. And I quote, 'Amanda Porter's attorney, who is by no coincidence the mother of her husband, Jack Porter, will be lead defender to the _spawn of terror_ who has clearly inherited her father's legacy'!"

With that Margaux thrust the article onto his desk, bearing an angry glare while Pascal not once flinched in response. "Is that all you've come to discuss?" he rebuffed her.

Margaux shook her head incredulously. "Releasing the tip that got Amanda arrested was one thing, but forcing this expose into _Voulez_ goes far beyond!" She stood back in shock of the man she once respected that now appeared weakened and corrupted. "If there's anything you've taught me about journalism, it's to show integrity in anything that bears our name. This… this is _clearly_ nothing but Conrad's attempt at manipulating the media into his favor!"

"Stevie Grayson hasn't denied a word from that column," Pascal retorted, finally standing to eye level. "It's clear she's not ashamed of her relation to the Porter family… and as for the expose on Amanda," he paused, betraying a hint of regret but not enough to stop him from proceeding. "It's out of my hands."

"And straight into mine?!" Margaux protested irritably.

Pascal replied to her in a fatherly tone. "You will lead this article and see that it gets published in this month's issue and it will be a spectacular success," he prophesied, intimating that she did not have a choice in the matter. "Conrad has held up to our end of the partnership, and he's earned his way. Don't worry; he'll be out of yours soon."

At that he walked around her to leave, but not before she spun around in dispute. "Not soon enough," she objected, heaving a great breath. "Papa, you may consider this my notice."

Pascal stopped short, his attention finally captured as he turned back. "You're serious?" he questioned angrily.

"The competition has made an offer and I am seriously considering. Every ounce of integrity will be wiped clear from _Voulez_ when this goes to print, and I want no part of it." Margaux held her head proudly, at last taking the stand she realized would have behooved her to take long ago. "You know exactly what Conrad did and yet you would continue to let the world believe he was the victim? I don't understand why you would do something like this…" she trailed off with a shake of her head, until a reason suddenly dawned upon her. "Unless… there was something in it for you?"

Pascal remained silent at her allegation, only stared her down in anticipation of her disgruntled exit. It followed without disappointment when Margaux turned for the doorway a moment later.

Before leaving she hung back to utter one last condemnation, implying she already knew what her father had gotten out of the deal. "Well I certainly hope she's worth it."

 **SCENE**

"Hey, where are you?"

Emily answered her phone without breaking concentration on her line of sight; just several feet shy of where Louise was browsing an upscale clothing store. Nolan lurked not far from her side, providing a form of cover so that Louise did not realize she had a tail. Meanwhile, Emily spoke softly to Daniel on the other line.

"Just got back from a long day of legal research with Stevie," he replied, setting his keys on the table with a sigh as he returned home. "We were making progress up until late this afternoon when Jack came in. He told us in so many words that we could forget the case – Amanda wants to change her plea to guilty."

 _"What?"_ Emily reacted in shock, and a glance over at Nolan reminded her to watch her volume. "That doesn't even sound like her, she must still be in shock."

"Either that or an attack of conscience," Daniel considered. "Jack said she mentioned being tired of hiding things … I'm thinking this might have to do with what Charlotte stumbled onto a few weeks back," he remarked, shaking his head. Emily's silence on the other line told him she was already considering it as a factor. "Anyway we can talk about this more when you get in – what time are you coming home?"

Conscious of her election not to tell him her exact whereabouts, Emily tensed in response. "Ah, probably later than usual, I'm um, shopping for maternity clothes," she answered, browsing through a rack of dresses.

Nolan looked over with a smug confirmation, noting she was technically not lying. But it didn't stop him from finishing her brief answer in a whisper. _"In Downtown Charlotte,"_ he mouthed, while she ignored him with a glare.

"Oh," Daniel cracked a smile as he traversed the stairs. "Well, that's actually kind of cute," he remarked sweetly. "Hey, they still make negligée for maternity right?"

"I guess you'll find out when I get home," Emily hinted back. "Don't wait up," she urged him with added incentive. "I'll wake you in my own special way." She hung up to Daniel's added pleasure, not only enjoying her playfulness but also relieved to hear she was engaged in something other than the usual plotting.

Unbeknownst however, it was quite the opposite. " _Bad girl,_ " Nolan immediately followed up in observation, edging in close. "And I don't just mean that racy little comment to Danny at the end. You didn't tell him you were flying out of town?" he accosted.

Emily's eyes stayed fixed onto Louise as she approached the checkout line before acknowledging her meddling friend. "He didn't ask," she supplied with a cavalier tone, scolding him with a sidelong glance. "And I don't remember asking you, either. Now do you have the device ready or not?"

Nolan held up a small remote control and Emily nodded at it as her cue. She walked over confidently to Louise and pretended to accidentally brush by, causing her to drop both her phone and the bags she was toting in hand. "Oh my gosh, I'm so _sorry_ ," Emily made a big spectacle of her apology, crouching down to help her pick the items up.

"That's alright, clumsy me—" Louise began, making eye contact as she sought to pick up her things. "Oh, _hey there_ …" she gasped somewhat anxiously upon recognition.

Emily volunteered an easy out first. "I've seen you before haven't I?" she pretended to place her. "Were you at the MET opening of Pagliacci last week?"

Thankful she had not recognized her from her stint in the Porter household, Louise grinned emphatically. "Ah, yes that's right," she nodded, flipping her hair over her shoulders. "What um—what brings you down to these parts?"

"Well, besides the Dolce," Emily fawned at the affluent store. She handed Louise her purse, noting that there were several rather prominent pharmacy bags falling out. "My ah, therapist recently relocated and you know how it is when you're attached to someone," she offered her prepared response seamlessly. "I just had to schedule a visit after the long week I've had."

Louise perked up in interest. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Funny, I came home for the same reason," she divulged, quickly realizing her prescriptions were all but giving her away. She tucked them back into her purse, hoping the other had not noticed. "I've had quite the trying week myself…" she defended.

Emily squinted, sensing she might be easily coerced into talking given the right circumstances. "Well then, maybe this will cheer you," she offered, producing the invitation she came to deliver. "I'm hosting a charity Monte Carlo night in a few days, and I'd love it if you could come. I find giving back to others to be the best way to cope with stress – wouldn't you agree?"

"Um, sure," Louise replied hesitantly, studying the invite. "It's just I hadn't planned on returning back up North for a little while. Things are just a little too fast-paced up there for me…" she alluded, starting to beg off.

"Tell me about it," Emily jumped in quickly. "One minute my in-laws are defending each other and the next they're divorcing," she divulged intentionally, watching Louise's eyes widen. "I'm sure during your stay in the Hamptons you had to have crossed paths with them – Victoria and Conrad Grayson?"

Louise tried not to sputter. "Ah, you know, I think I might have once or twice," she fibbed. "Though I didn't hear of their divorce, is that confirmed?"

Emily smiled curtly. "As of this morning," she reeled her in slowly. "It's just a shame what those two will do to go after each other. One minute Victoria is dragging him through the mud for infidelity and the next she's on a witch hunt for his shooter from last year… but after her son took his life I really can't blame her. She never did accept Patrick's condition, and it's drove her nearly mad ever since."

As Emily let her final baiting comment hang in the air, she watched Louise stare off into the distance, guessing at that moment she was reconsidering just how genuine her alliance with Victoria had been. Confident that it was enough to make her question if she were just a pawn in a divorce battle, Emily seized a glance over at Nolan and with his nod she leaned down to pick up one more item.

"Whoops! Almost forgot – you dropped your phone," Emily offered kindly, handing it over.

Louise broke her trance to respond. "Oh thank you," she replied, snapping out of it. She attempted turning it on but there was a malfunction. "Looks like I dropped it once too many," she sighed at the blank screen.

"Ugh, now I feel responsible," Emily feigned sincerity. "Alright, that's it. I absolutely insist you come to the affair so I can make good on it– my treat, please," she offered irresistibly.

Again Louise glanced down at the invitation, and up to Emily. Her words had the intended effect, not only causing her question Victoria's motives all along but further deepening her guilt for possibly helping to orchestrate an innocent woman's demise. "Well, I suppose I can make an appearance," she finally gave in, letting her conscience get the better of her.

"Wonderful," Emily apprised. "I look forward to seeing you there." She waited for Louise to leave before allowing Nolan to rejoin her side. "Nice work," she commended him.

"Oh, I just set her phone back to factory settings," he explained. "She won't be able to turn it on, so she'll just have to turn _up_."

Emily exhaled her agreement. "And when she does, I'm going to see to it that every dirty deed she did for Victoria comes back on her. Starting with revealing all her little secrets," she led in, holding up a prescription bag she had been able to deftly swipe from Louise's bag.

"Whoa," Nolan perceived, peeking as Emily emptied the contents. "Those are some _heavy_ meds, Ems… you think Lady Ellis has a drug addiction?"

"It would explain all the visits to rehab," Emily concluded, deducing the same.

Nolan suddenly softened with a touch of sympathy. "Well if that's the case… shouldn't you just let her self-destruct on her own?" He insisted with a serious look. "I mean come on, Ems what if she really had no idea what she was doing? It wouldn't be the first time Victoria used someone with a weakness."

But Emily stayed resilient, not budging from her stance. "And it won't be the last time we use her to our advantage."

 **SCENE**

"Is it true?"

As unexpected as Conrad's presence was at her door, it did not take Stevie long to decipher the reason. He stood before her with distress smeared onto his face, shakily holding onto the frame in a manner that made her question his sobriety. "Conrad—are you drunk? You shouldn't be here," Stevie scolded him in spite of it, her legal instincts kicking in. "I don't have to explain to you the inappropriate nature of why."

"Let's just put all this prosecution and defense formality aside for one evening, shall we?" he ventured, walking in without invitation. "Is it _true,_ " he repeated as he reached her couch and spun around. "Is Jack Porter really your son?"

Stevie closed her eyes submissively, finally letting the door to her hotel room swing shut. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way," she admitted, walking over. "But considering the battle we're about to embark on, Jack didn't want anything out there you could use against him."

Conrad let out a half chuckle, not even considering the connection to the case at hand. Truthfully it had been the last thing on his mind, despite how favorable it was already leaning. "It hits harder than I expected," he divulged in explanation, sitting down. "I never suspected _The Stowaway_ was anything but a refuge for your addiction, but to hear that you had a child with another while we were _married_?" he emphasized bitterly.

Stung by the truth, Stevie had no choice but to own it. "Conrad, I know how it must feel to have this kept from you for so long, especially after we once planned to have children of our own," she prefaced. "But in truth, by the time we went our separate ways there was no coming back. Victoria had already stolen your attentions and I was barely hanging on by a thread… I knew it was already over."

He agreed solemnly. "Well I suppose I was destined to be branded a fool either way," he reflected, his thoughts trailing next to Victoria's similar record of secrets. But for a moment he grew very still, and there was an honest glint in his eye when he looked up at Stevie. "And yet somehow, it hurts more coming from _you_ ," he resolved. "The one I should have never let get away."

Stevie sighed audibly to a rare admission from him, and old feelings awoke in her heart that she had long tried to suppress. Still she did not let them through, only felt compelled to let him hear her honest side. "Conrad, once I gave Jack up I _did_ want to make it work with you," she confessed cautiously. "But after losing you to Victoria… and my son … I had nothing. I fell apart again."

"I hated you for leaving," Conrad breathed in response. "But now I realize I drove you away. I loved you Steph," he added, and the honesty in his voice weakened her resolve. "We had our demons – maybe I still have mine – but we had some very good years before they took over."

Forcing herself not to return the declaration, Stevie merely nodded and braved through. "Well now, it seems we've found ourselves on opposing sides again," she attempted to regroup, standing slowly. "That being said, I think its best that you leave. I have no intention of softening my stance. I'm not going to rest until I see justice for that girl – and for the Clarke family as a whole."

Conrad rose groggily, meeting her eye level with an inkling of his own. "Of course I have to respect your dedication… it's the one thing I do admire about all the women who have entered my life. They stand by what they believe in."

She cocked an eyebrow at his lopsided smirk. "I guess that's your idea of a compliment?" she charged. "Well if you're feeling so full of respect and admiration, then why not speak to the prosecution about dropping the charges against Amanda, hm?"

There was a long pause and Conrad regained focus and started again for the door. "Perhaps you were right. I can see now why it's not recommended to have these conversations while a trial is pending—"

"Conrad, wait," Stevie stood in his way to stop him, and stared him dead in the eyes. "Off the record," she prefaced. "Why are you doing this to her? After everything she has been through, why put her through any further pain?"

" _Her_ pain?" Conrad accosted irritably. "May I remind you the prosecution is charging her for my attempted _murder—_ "

"An event brought on by retaliation to countless other attempts on her own life," Stevie defended without missing a beat. She glanced around aimlessly until her eyes finally fell on a document a few paces off and she stepped away to retrieve it. "Here," she offered, extending the deed to Grayson Manor into his hand. "I usually wouldn't make this offer, but I know you have it in your power to make things happen. So here it is – I'll cease fire on reclaiming Grayson Manor if you find a way to drop the charges and grant that girl penance, just this once."

Conrad let out a muffled laugh. "And let her walk free? So she can finish the job?" he shook his head disdainfully. "No deal. And ah – you're forgetting _this_ is Victoria's trump card – not mine," he began to hand it back.

"And you're forgetting that I've been made well aware of the truth regarding your conspiracy to frame David Clarke," Stevie alleged proudly, watching as Conrad's countenance sunk in response. "Or did you think my client wouldn't give me full disclosure? You know as well as I do, that this is only your last ditch attempt to silence her from exposing you, something that you can gamble with by letting this go to trial…" she dangled, pressing the deed into his grasp again. "Or put to rest for good by accepting my agreement."

Her ending stipulation finally hit home and though Conrad had quite a measure of faith in Amanda receiving full comeuppance, he also did not realize the extent to which Stevie was willing to go to war. "You're beginning to sound like the _other_ former Mrs. Grayson," he grumbled bitterly, taking the deed back to signal his tentative compliance.

"Considering that nothing prevents Victoria from testifying against you now," Stevie further reasoned. "If I were you, I'd take that as a warning." With that she took a final breath, proud of herself for firmly holding her ground, and swung the door shut upon his exit.

 **SCENE**

There was a touch of coolness in the air when Charlotte came to visit Jack the following day, and she was surprised to find the _Stowaway_ emptied of its usual bustle. "Hey," she greeted upon walking in, setting Declan's carrier on an empty table. "How's it going?"

"Not too good Charlotte…" Jack replied upon looking up from behind the bar. He came around to sit with her, his physical appearance speaking volumes to his low spirits. "I closed down for the next few days – said it was for inventory but really I just don't have the energy to get back into the same old routine. I'm going away for a little while with Carl."

"Jack, I'm so sorry," Charlotte digressed, understanding. "Daniel told me Amanda decided to change her plea – this must be so hard for you, on so many levels."

Jack merely absorbed it with a sigh. "Looks like we've both had practice dealing with stress regarding Amanda," he replied and his look intensified. "She told me about what you saw… Is that why you left?"

Charlotte lowered her gaze in admittance. "Jack, I was so disappointed in her, and I couldn't believe she would hurt you like that?" she confessed. "By the time I finally got the whole truth on what happened, it was too late… but I know why she went after my father – I know about what he did. I just wish there was something we could do to help her."

Jack nodded, rather appreciating that for once Daniel had brought his sister up to speed. Regardless of the other secret that remained outstanding, it still made it easier to discuss things with her openly. "Your father is a powerful man," Jack lamented in a tone all too familiar. "And unfortunately, so is your mother."

Charlotte nodded regrettably. "I know." She glanced over at her son, palming the fringe of his blanket while he rested oblivious to the goings on around him. "I don't want to go back to living with her… but at the same time I don't feel like I belong here either. Do you ever just want to move on and start over?"

"That's kind of what I'm doing," Jack replied slowly, and suddenly his plans started to make sense. "Look, I haven't told anyone this yet but if Amanda goes through with pleading guilty, I'm moving away from here. I don't want Carl growing up in a town where his mother is a pariah, having to deal with constant lies and smearing of her name." He paused heavily, reflecting. "I've already seen someone else go through that and I know what it can do them. This visit to Carl's grandmother's is to hopefully find somewhere up there to live."

"Oh my God, Jack…" Charlotte exhaled in realization, though she had to respect his choice. She suddenly brightened up with an idea of her own. "Please – let me come with you?"

He furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure about that—"

"Jack, I promise I won't get in the way," Charlotte assured him. "But everything you're saying is exactly what I'm looking for too! Besides I've wanted to take Declan to meet his extended family for a while now. Please?"

Jack couldn't help but concede to her desperate urgings, sympathizing with how similar their plights were. "All right, you can come along for the _visit_ ," he relented. "But after that you're coming back here to your _other_ family," he hinted, knowing Emily would not be pleased to lose her sister's company. He expected she might even have some words for his own choice, but that was up to him. Whereas putting permanent space between her and Charlotte was not something he was willing to take responsibility for.

But for the moment, Charlotte's relief at the getaway was clearly visible. "Thanks, Jack – I really needed this."

 **SCENE**

"So is this the show-stopping number you were out until _11_ last night looking for?"

Daniel ran his eyes over Emily's crimson floor-length gown as he escorted her into Monte Carlo Night, receiving a fair look and smile in return. They made a terrific entrance into their first jointly-hosted affair as husband and wife, and the invited press captured it with several candid photos before letting them pass through into the game hall.

"This is the one," Emily responded softly, turning to let him admire. "Comfortable and elegant," she described, draping a hand over where its form cleverly hid her midsection. "And not too revealing."

"That's debatable," Daniel retorted, glancing at where the shoulder sash dipped into her growing bustline. "Though I shouldn't be surprised seeing as you got it from Charlotte…?"

Emily had to turn back from where she was already half a pace ahead. "My sister? No, Daniel I bought this myself—" she aimed to correct, but to her surprise he held up a receipt in his hand.

"As in Charlotte, _North Carolina_ – where you went yesterday, I'm guessing?" he clarified, exposing she was caught. Her face dropped as she took the evidence from him, but he was surprisingly calm as he drew close. "And if you're wondering why I'm not getting on your case, it's because it's not like you to be so careless leaving something like that around. I presume you wanted me to find out?"

In spite of his optimistic assumption, Emily's concerned look revealed it had been an honest oversight. "I um, was planning to tell you later," she confessed, facing him penitently. "I needed to follow a lead on Louise, so I asked Nolan to take me. I know – I should have said something, but you've been working so hard on the case with Stevie I just wanted to handle this myself."

"Mm," Daniel mulled it over, still reflecting on his earlier conversation with Stevie about addiction. It came as no surprise that Emily was still busy with her own plans, but admittedly he had been hoping to be wrong. "So what came of it?" he asked, trying to discard his anxieties.

"Looks like _she_ did," Emily answered triumphantly, at that moment gesturing back towards the door where Louise had just arrived. "And once the other guests arrive that I've been planning for, it should make for an interesting night," she hinted.

Daniel followed her line of sight and then turned back. "Well, as usual the house wins," he conceded, nodding to her in reference. "I'll let you slide this time, but just remember the higher the stakes are, the greater chance you might lose it all to whatever game you're playing," he warned, softening to lean in for a kiss and a whisper to her ear. "Starting with that dress later on."

Emily smirked, stroking the lapel of his jacket before they parted ways. "Well then, make sure you bet on red," she bid him, sauntering off with a coy look to go find Nolan.

He caught up with her seconds later, linking by the arm. "Nice job on the House of Cards, Ems," he quipped, scanning the room to observe every detail of the affair, including its guests. "And I see Louise left the Valley of the Dolls long enough to accept your invitation—you planning on giving her a warm welcome?"

"Not yet," Emily answered patiently. "I want to let her make her rounds first. Once she runs out of people to schmooze with she'll be desperate by the time Victoria arrives – opening her up to create the perfect distraction."

"For you to focus on Victoria's date," Nolan supplemented proudly. "I take it Pascal responded in the affirmative?"

"Exactly," Emily verified, angling towards where Daniel was over playing crapes at a nearby table. "By the way I ended up telling Daniel about our impromptu field trip," she admitted. "Thanks again for coming with me."

Nolan grinned, with a hint of nostalgia. "Who knows, it might have been our last," he glanced downward suggestively, moderating his tone. "With your new family on the horizon, and things finally lining up, the time is rapidly approaching to hang up the red sharpie...Are you ready for that?"

In spite of the reminder, Emily restrained her sentiment and focused on the door where Pascal was just walking through with Victoria on his arm. With determination she answered before leaving his side. "It's not over yet."

 **SCENE**

A small crowd had begun to form around Daniel when Margaux finally made her way over to his side, and she watched for a few minutes as he won relentlessly at crapes, the crowd yelping in his favor after each dice roll. When a break finally opened between his next turn, she leaned forward to interject.

"I'm taking a position as CEO at a competitor in Rome," she announced, just as he released the die in his hand. To his dismay, it was a losing roll and after a discontented sigh from the crowd, he responded without facing her.

"Well look at that," he observed irritably. "My streak of good luck seems to change whenever you get around." Daniel shook his head and continued, hoping it would hint for her to walk away.

But Margaux took the insult in stride, keeping resilient in her stance. "I came to say goodbye, and to apologize," she pressed. "I know now how grand the mistake of allowing Conrad to take over _Voulez_ was – and I'm truly sorry for what's happened with Amanda."

At that Daniel finally broke away to face her. "But you don't plan to do anything about it?" he questioned, presuming her response.

"It's why I'm severing ties with him—" she began, sensing he did not think it was enough. "My father made a deal that I can't get him to break," she went on to insist. "Conrad's exclusive on her makes him see dollar signs—" she tried to explain.

"It's a _story_ , Margaux," he cut her short. "You're a journalist, you know there's a hundred stories he could print, why this one? I'll tell you why," he rushed to answer his own question, gesturing for her to look over where Pascal was in company with Victoria. "Because just like my father he's trying to cover himself; they're in this together – just like they were years ago when they framed David. And once again they want to finish the job."

Margaux allowed her gaze to hang on her father in thought before turning to address his allegations. "You really believe Pascal had something to do with this?"

Conscious of how vital persuading her to see the truth was, Daniel gave an enthusiastic response. "I _know_ he did," he emphasized. "You don't believe me – dig a little deeper. You'll see for yourself that the real story lies with the people we're unfortunately bound to for the rest of our lives."

A moment passed while Margaux retracted to ponder the possibility, allowing Emily the opportunity to come over to Daniel's other side. "I hope I'm not interrupting," she offered knowingly, catching the tail end of the conversation. "Glad you could make it, Margaux," she greeted, glancing over to where Pascal was with Victoria. "Well, if our families are any indicators, we'll be sharing each other's company more often, hm?"

Catching her reference, Margaux endured with a scowl. "Charming," she feigned interest. "But as it happens I just accepted an offer overseas."

"Margaux's leaving _Voulez_ for a CEO position in Rome," Daniel supplemented.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," Emily forced dismay, despite nurturing a feeling of satisfaction. Ever her observer, Daniel picked off on it but kept it to himself while she continued. "Well, if tonight ends up being your final sendoff, I certainly hope you enjoyed yourself. Perhaps you'll even win a parting gift before last call?" she added sweetly, before turning back to Daniel. "Darling, they're waiting for us at the high stakes table."

"I'll be right over," Daniel nodded as Emily left. "Best of luck in Rome, Margaux," he wished the other in farewell, placing something in her hand once she had looked up. "Just remember not everything is left up to chance – some battles we have to win on our own."

With that he walked away, leaving Margaux in deep thought as she stared down at the dice he set in her hand, wondering if she had made the right decision.

 **SCENE**

"Well now, you don't wait long to snag a new beau at all, do you?"

Victoria froze mid swallow and lowered the drink in her hand, turning slowly to address the familiar Southern voice behind her and immediately regretting accompanying Pascal to Monte Carlo Night. At the time it seemed like a perfect opportunity to spy on Emily and see what alliances she was likely forming with Stevie Grayson. But with the night half over and Stevie nowhere to be found it was a fruitless expedition, and had just quickly escalated into a realm of discomfort.

"Louise," Victoria stammered, shifting to walk with her away from Pascal. "I was under the impression that you had returned home?"

Louise relaxed in her private company, immediately airing her frustrations. "Well, after helping you put that poor girl behind bars, I could barely look at my own _reflection,_ let alone be seen around town," she confessed, twisting her fingers into her palm. "Victoria, I haven't been able to sleep since everything that happened – what we did was _wrong_! I can't help feeling guilty about it."

"What that girl did to _Conrad_ was wrong," Victoria rationalized with a scathing look. "I thought you'd realized that?"

"And since when do you give a hoot about your husband—" Louise argued, correcting herself. "I'm sorry, _ex-_ husband? You certainly didn't waste any time scouting your fancy French playboy – _Pascal LeMarchal,_ no less!" she echoed in a whisper, implying she was familiar with him. "Not to mention you never followed through with your promise to help me, and none of any of this has a thing to do with your son?" Louise stopped her rant to catch her breath, staring at Victoria with complete disillusion. "If you ask me, I think you're the one who's been hiding things all along."

Victoria finally conceded with trepidation, at least partially recognizing her misstep. "For my failure to see to your social strata I sincerely apologize," she offered, appeasing her. "The night of Amanda's arrest at the opera I was under a great deal of stress. But I certainly have not been attempting to mislead you this entire time – and I'd be much obliged if you'd let on as to where you've been getting your information from?"

Though Louise was tempted to reveal her source, a friendly gaze from Emily across the room impelled her to stay mum. "That's not important, is it now dear?" she fired back instead, bending her mouth into a sassy line. "You hired me essentially to destroy that family – and you nearly drove me back to the same vices I've been trying to get away from," she alluded, piquing Victoria's curiosity. "So now you're gonna do something for me – starting with better accommodations than the South Fork Inn."

Victoria squinted in interest, and put on her best semblance of agreement. "Alright – what is it you want?"

 **SCENE**

"Jack, I'm so sorry I'm late I had some legal things to take care of—" Stevie stopped short upon entry into Jack's upstairs apartment in the _Stowaway_ upon noticing that he appeared to be packing his bags. "What's all this?" she asked.

"Taking some time to get away," Jack answered without facing her. "And don't worry about Carl; I closed down the bar so I could look after him. Charlotte and I are getting ready to take the boys to see their great-grandmother. It'll be her first time meeting Declan Jr, so… should be nice."

Stevie observed the curtness in his voice as he attempted to keep lighthearted and treaded carefully in spite of it. "Well, as lovely as that sounds I certainly hope your decision to leave town isn't because of Amanda…is it?" she trailed off, posing her guess while his back was turned.

He looked up in thought, conveying just by his body language that she was on the right path. "Look, Stevie," he began upon turning around. "I haven't known you a very long time. But from what I can tell you're a good person, and you've honestly done more than anyone else would to help Amanda, and I appreciate all of it. But at this point, I don't know if there's much more you can do for her."

Stevie took a seat nearby and watched as he sighed heavily, admitting a truth he had been trying to avoid. "Because at the end of the day, she is guilty as charged; I know it, she knows it – and she's tired of hiding it. And to be quite honest, trying to convince her to lie about it just so the Graysons can get their comeuppance won't be worth it in the end – you know what those people are capable of."

Once Jack was finished he returned to gathering his things, giving Stevie a moment to consider how to tell him the latest information. "Yes I do," she replied in agreement. He glanced over at her confirmation but there was still hope in her eyes. "And yet, some of the power they have can still be to our advantage," she offered, standing again. "I spent today inking the final details but the deal I made is as good as final. At Amanda's arraignment next week, the prosecution is going to drop the charges and close any further investigation."

Jack nearly dropped the articles in his hand. "What?! Stevie, tell me you didn't make a deal with Conrad?"

She held up her hands in apology. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't let her suffer any further after all she's been through. And if took a little prized property to get him to change his mind," she acknowledged with little attachment. "So what? It's the least I can do for the son I should have been there for years ago."

With her admission, Jack was nearly moved to tears and could not help but embrace her, ever thankful for the risks she had taken – risks he was certain involved more than simply offering over the deed to Grayson Manor. He feared what else the deal encompassed but for the moment he could only concentrate on his gratitude and the hope his mother had just restored.

 **SCENE**

"Pascal LeMarchal," Daniel greeted Emily's opponent just as she was about to take her seat at the poker table. It was the last round for the evening and a small crowd was gathering to watch, just as he extended a firm handshake. "You must be a man of much confidence if you're taking on my wife for the final deal?" he hinted, eliciting a knowing glance from Emily. If all went to plan this would be the move to find out just how involved Pascal was on the conspiracy to frame David.

But to their surprise, Pascal humbly shook his head no. "I'm afraid I would fold too easily, and your guests would not receive much entertainment," he begged off. As they watched, rather than pull out the chair opposite Emily for him, he gestured for another to take his place. "Instead I had a different opponent in mind?"

Following his proposal, Victoria took the open seat and glowered across to Emily. Pascal stood behind her proudly, just as Daniel did the same at his wife's side. With only the poker table to divide them, it was as if each side were now in perfect symmetry. "Well I hope the offer still stands?" Victoria charged Emily when she did not immediately respond.

Despite the snag in her plan, Emily took the challenge in stride and nodded to the dealer to begin. She felt Daniel tensing beside her but kept her poker face, concentrating instead on her hand, with the occasional glance in Victoria's direction. And since it was clear the other's prickliness was a result of her run-in with Louise, she maintained a superior air as the game began to unfold…

"Queen of spades," the dealer announced as the final hand approached. The stakes were high but it was clear neither opponent was backing down. "The bet is to my left," he addressed Victoria.

Her eyes rested on Emily across from her and for the first time in the duration of the game, she broke form to talk across the table. "Well it seems the winner of this hand takes all," Victoria observed. "Though as a Grayson I'm sure you can appreciate the necessity of remaining loyal to _family_ —" she added with intrigue, placing her bet. "$120,000."

The crowd gave out a low hush at the steep amount, while Emily did not even bat an eye. "Interesting choice," she responded, restraining irritation. "I heard the defense was requesting that figure for Amanda Porter's bail?" One look at Victoria told her she already knew and had done it out of spite. But rather than give her the satisfaction of defeat, she simply met the amount and raised her fifty-thousand. "But as always my loyalties will lie with your son, if that's what you mean?"

Victoria watched her pernicious daughter-in-law lean back in illustration, while Daniel placed a proud hand at her shoulder behind her. Their display of their unity only solidified the growing doubt in Victoria's mind. "I think you're bluffing," Victoria accused her without recourse, calling the bet. "In fact, I think you've been bluffing ever since the day you came to the Hamptons. What's to stop you now?"

"Well maybe I like to throw you off your game?" Emily fired right back.

The dealer finally interjected their sparring. "Cards please," he requested, directing a glance at Emily. She complied slowly, turning over two 8's, and three queens. "Full house," he announced to the admiration of the crowd.

Victoria studied the hand and twitched ever so slightly, enough for Emily to notice. "For once, she wins legitimately," she finally conceded, replying more to Daniel than the other's triumphant expression. The crowd broke into applause and Pascal attempted to peer over Victoria's shoulder but she quickly turned in her hand face down.

But before Victoria could leave, Emily motioned for her to wait. "Victoria, before you go there's something you should know," she called out, still with the attention of the surrounding audience, including both Nolan and Louise. "You're right – I have been bluffing," she admitted, sending tremors through Daniel as she took his hand warmly. "I've been keeping a secret – one I'd very much like to share with you now."

Her announcement garnished Victoria's rapt attention and she turned back with interest, watching as Emily stood from her seat and glanced down at the hand spread on the table. "Our house _is_ really about to get fuller," she continued, looking up proudly with a dramatic cradle of her belly. "Because Daniel and I are expecting."

 **SCENE**

Excited gasps could still be heard from the dissipating crowd as Nolan finally made his way over to his Emily's side, where Louise was giving massive congratulations. "Well, isn't that just wonderful!" she gaped, and Nolan couldn't help rolling his eyes at her gaudy excitement.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to chat more this evening," Emily was apologizing, while still basking in the glow of her announcement. "With my condition I tend to get a little uncomfortable at these affairs… just last week I made quite the scene at the opera," she added for the benefit of Margaux and Pascal's ears nearby.

"Of course," Louise understood easily and a glance at the growing line to congratulate Emily gave her good sense to take her leave. "Well I plan to be in town for a while now so let's get together soon to do lunch, hm?"

"Of course," Emily nodded her agreement, adding. "And I haven't forgotten about your phone. If you give me the address where you're staying I'll be sure to have it delivered."

Louise left with a smile, allowing Margaux to fill her place before Nolan could get through. "Well, that was quite the pleasant surprise," Margaux wished her. "And quite the finish to a thrilling evening. Congratulations… this is one announcement I wish I could cover."

Sensing her change of heart, Emily smoothed it over with prowess. "Well you still can," she offered. "Daniel and I have always given _Voulez_ exclusive rights to the biggest moments of our lives, and despite his severance I know he wouldn't want any other publication at the helm," she paused dramatically, driving home the point in a low whisper. "Especially if it were to take priority over other competing stories…?"

Catching her drift, Margaux raised her chin and leveled a glance at her father. "Perhaps I could arrange that before my departure," she extended, suddenly realizing that the timing had not been coincidental. With a squeeze of Emily's hand in promise she turned, escorting Pascal by the arm to speak with him.

At last Nolan had Emily to himself to speak in confidence. "Well played, maestro," he commended her at once. "Dropping Baby Grayson on Grandma G and using it as a diversion to stop the tell-all on Amanda in _Voulez?_ " He tapped his palms together in light applause. "Not to mention the perfect cover those prego 'mones give for why you ran out of the opera last week in a tear," he acknowledged, clearly impressed. "I'd say that's a revenge grand-slam."

"Not exactly," Emily sighed in spite of his celebration. She turned discreetly, drawing him to follow her gaze to where Victoria was talking to Daniel privately. "It wasn't my original plan but when Pascal subbed Victoria I realized she wasn't going to let me get any closer to him. I think Daniel's right – I think she's onto me."

Nolan wrinkled his brow in alarm. "You think she knows everything?"

"Not everything," Emily conceded. "But she's getting close. Look, I don't have proof but I've been studying Victoria's face for years… she folded the winning hand. I'm sure of it." She stopped to take a breath and posed for a few cameras with her hand at her belly before reconvening in a low tone. "Hence, why I needed the distraction to gain the upper hand again."

"Well in this case, at least it's the _truth,_ " Nolan considered optimistically. "Let's just hope it throws her off for a while."

"Yeah," Emily agreed, glancing towards the exit with another thought churning. "In the meantime I need you to stay on Louise; I saw her chatting with Victoria and she said she's staying in town. Since Pascal is clearly off the table, she may be the only lead we've got left."

"On it," Nolan complied happily, and as he departed Emily hung back to overhear what she could from Daniel and Victoria's conversation.

"…how far is she along?" Victoria was trying to corroborate.

"Does it matter?" Daniel retorted. "Shouldn't the more important question be are you happy for us? Or are you too busy going after Amanda to focus on anything else?"

Victoria sucked in a sharp breath at his intolerance. "Daniel, I merely read from the report – I had nothing to do with that," she defended, while he glared at her in disbelief. Her expression only darkened with intensity. "And even so, doesn't her relationship with that girl strike you as odd? After all she's done to our family—"

"No, it doesn't," Daniel nearly bellowed back. "And have you forgotten who you're talking to? I specifically remember you and dad trying to _eliminate_ her. Now I'm warning you, stop this torment of my wife or I guarantee you will never see your grandchild as long as you live!"

With that he stormed away, almost directly into Emily's path where she was waiting a few paces off. He gestured for her to come along without speaking and she followed suit, leaving one last glance at Victoria behind them. Her triumph that evening had been twofold and both women knew it, and yet their war was still raging on with neither prepared to surrender.

 _ **Audio recommendation: Gold Dust Woman – Fleetwood Mac**_

 **MONTAGE**

Stevie saw Jack to the door of his bar, promising to lock up while he departed with Carl, as Charlotte and Declan waited for him at the car. She waved a pleasant goodbye, all the while enduring a sinking feeling at her heart. The promise she had made to Jack had been a result of a dangerous deal with Conrad, one she was now fully depending on to ensure Amanda's freedom. With the increased burden and a recurring sense of loneliness, her gaze drifted to the bar as she started through the door and she froze in step, dared by the faint scent of bourbon lingering in the air. She was nearly about to give into the temptation when her sight fell upon a mounted photo of Amanda and Jack on the wall, reminding her of the cause she was fighting for. Gaining motivation, at long last she resisted and finally walked out the door.

 **SCENE**

Pascal glanced down at the third unanswered text he had received from Victoria since leaving Monte Carlo Night. In spite of her seeming willingness to have company, while she was with her son he had accompanied Margaux back to _Voulez,_ where she had requested one final audience with him before her departure. He waited in her office until she had completed a last minute rearrangement of the issue slated to go out the next day, and brought it for him to see. Margaux spread it out on her desk proudly, allowing him a look at the revised cover – instead of an expose of Amanda Clarke it had been changed to a photo of Daniel beside Emily, posing proudly to display their baby announcement. Pascal stared at it for some time before finally looking up at his daughter's expectant eyes and slowly nodding in agreement. She beamed with pride as he left, and once he was yet down the hall he tapped out a response to Victoria's messages. _On my way over._

 **SCENE**

Victoria let down her hair and padded through the halls of her home with a glass of wine in hand, hoping Pascal's visit would bring some measure of comfort to a less than thrilling evening. Once again her home was empty, and a brief peek into Charlotte's room confirmed it would only continue that way in future days. On her bed was a note explaining she had taken Declan to visit his family with no specific date of return. Victoria discarded it irritably and began to sigh in exasperation, wondering what her efforts to decipher the schemes of her enemies would truly leave her with in the end. Just as she was pondering on retracting her course, the doorbell rang – giving her added incentive to put her concerns on hold. She opened it eagerly, expecting Pascal to be on the other side, but instead was face to face with Conrad. Before she could chastise him he extended the one thing that could make her forgive his unexpected presence – the property deed to Grayson Manor.

 **END MONTAGE**

"So… the secret is out."

Emily tensed when Daniel finally spoke, breaking the notable silence that had permeated the ride home and the walk into the house. She removed her earrings and set them on the mantle before turning to where he stood at the edge of the living room. "I know what you're going to say," she anticipated, readying for his criticism. "And you're right; I should have discussed it with you first."

But for the second time that night, his reaction surprised her. "Actually… I'm glad you did it," he admitted with a smile, watching her eyebrow raise curiously. He removed his tuxedo jacket and flung it across the couch, taking a seat to finish. "See, now that the world knows you're carrying my child, it means you'll have to be a lot more careful what you do… and where you fly," he implied triumphantly.

Emily let out a half chuckle in relief and came over to nestle into the space next to him. "Yes, I imagine the public will ensure that I take things easy," she relented, thinking it a fair price to pay for her diversions the day before. "Not to mention my caring husband," she added, brushing her lips onto his. He returned the kiss to cement that she had been forgiven and drew his arm around her, resting his hand on her belly for a few quiet moments.

A few moments passed while she enjoyed the affectionate gesture and she finally looked up at him in interest. "Daniel, you do know why I did it?" she exhaled.

"It wasn't hard to figure out," he reflected, concentrating again on her brown irises. "After my mother replaced Pascal I knew you figured he would be a dead end as far as getting information. And it was only a matter of time before I expected you to concoct some kind of diversion to stop that story on Amanda from breaking…all in all, it made sense."

"When I overheard you and Margaux talking, I took a gamble," Emily confirmed, shrugging the irony. "Let's hope we can count on her to do the right thing."

"I think she will," Daniel guessed optimistically, and quickly balanced his slight leaning in her favor, adding. "I'm trying to have faith in the people who I know are working at breaking their habits."

His choice of words caught Emily's interest. "For instance?" she probed.

Rather than go into detail, Daniel summarized the point. "Well, let's just say Stevie gave me a newfound understanding of what it is to have an addiction," he hinted, and Emily nodded into his chest in understanding, without realizing she was at the top of Daniel's list of concerns. "At any rate," he changed the subject. "I'll reach out for an update from her in the morning. She was out of the office all day – maybe that means she has something."

"Hopefully it's an answer to this riddle," Emily supplemented, leaning forward to examine the note still displayed on her laptop in the center of the coffee table. "Nolan put his best resources into checking Pascal's mainframe and said he couldn't find anything in his search for 'TWM'…"

"Well with my mother bewitching Pascal I think it's safe to say we won't get any answers from him," Daniel affirmed, shaking his head. "I don't know, babe – I'm fresh out of ideas…"

Just as they both were about to give up, a voice could be heard from the back door. "I've got one," it announced and Emily stood, recognizing the person coming through the sheers.

Daniel was on his feet next. "Aiden?" he identified in surprise.

Their long suffering friend stood before them, wearing the exasperation of a man returning from a journey worse for the wear. His exhaustion was highlighted by a forlorn expression upon his face as he held up a printed copy of the note they had just been looking at, and claimed ownership with deep guilt.

"TWM is Trevor Warren Mathis," he announced, inciting shock into both of them. "Pascal was talking about my father."

 **END OF CHAPTER**


	37. Chapter 37: Blood

**A/N: Readers beware, thought I should put a disclaimer on this chapter as it takes some turns that might catch you unsuspecting. But in hopes of keeping fresh storylines that hold your attention, I dare you to trust me with this next installment that most truly lives up to its namesake… Enjoy**

 **Chapter 37: Blood**

 _As children, we flinch at the sight of blood, not yet realizing it means family, loyalty, and is the essence of life…_

Emily awoke groggily, parched by the dryness in her throat as her senses slowly fluttered back to her. She reached out to the glass of water on her nightstand, freezing with fear as she noticed the bright red smears at her fingertips. They were covered in blood, impelling her to instantly look back to their last place of origin beneath the covers.

 _But for all its virtue, there is the unavoidable reality that blood is often the child of pain…_

She delicately pulled the sheets back and held her breath, revealing an even more frightening pool of red seeping through her gown to the mattress. Immediately the indication filled her with worry, and her breath escaped her in panicked gasps. "Daniel!" she wailed slowly at first, raising her voice as the fear intensified. _"Daniel!"_ she reached out to him.

… _And a violent reminder that anything can be taken away in the blink of an eye—_

When suddenly the trance shattered and Emily shuddered upright in bed, awoke from her nightmare alone and covered in sweat. Her hand went to her chest in self-consolation as her grasp on reality returned and once again she pulled back the bedcovers, relieved to find them as clean and unblemished as they had been the night before. Her next sigh came with gratitude as she rested her hand at her lower abdomen, confident her child was safe and sound.

Anxiously she got up and went through the motions of getting ready; relaxing more with each step of her routine. Finally, she made her entrance down the stairwell where Daniel and Aiden were already dressed, talking quietly across the countertop.

"Ah, there she is," Daniel greeted her first, sitting up straight. "Awake at last."

Emily returned a kind look, coming over to lean against him. Her gaze fell over the rumpled sheets on the living room couch. "I take it you slept comfortably?" she asked to Aiden.

"As well as can be expected," he muttered. "Thanks again, both of you, for letting me crash," he added more gratefully.

Meanwhile Daniel placed an arm around Emily's waist. "I figured you had a long night too, so I let you sleep in." Emily gave him an appreciative smile, longing to discard the memory of her nightmare without mention.

"Oh yes that's right, expecting women need their beauty rest," Aiden slipped in with an impressed look while sipping at his coffee. "So you've went public then?"

"We needed a distraction from Amanda's case," Emily gave explanation, watching as Aiden flinched visibly at the mention of her name. "Last night's charity was our only opportunity to stop Conrad from smearing her name in the media before the arraignment."

"And thanks to Margaux, it worked," Daniel piped in, holding up his phone for Emily to see the cover of _Voulez_ that had just hit shelves. "Look, she must have done her magic to make a last minute edit," he resolved. "Well, at least someone in that family is still redeemable…" His review of the article was soon interrupted by an incoming call from Stevie. "Hang on; this has to be an update—"

While he stepped away to answer, Emily focused on Aiden who was staring off in a daze. "Aiden, if Pascal was the one that got your father mixed up in this, rest assured we're going to make him pay," she offered, sensing his discontent. She paused to deliberate. "He had to have overseen the edit Margaux made to _Voulez's_ cover story – maybe he did it out of guilt?"

"Mm yes, a sudden attack of conscience after destroying countless lives," Aiden resonated, glaring away irritably. "You said he's been seeing Victoria?" he recalled from the debriefing the night before. Emily tipped her chin in acknowledgment and Aiden glanced in the direction of Grayson Manor. "I'd love to just march next door and ask that bastard what he did to my father."

"I know," Emily sighed. "I want answers too," she echoed in common. Her glance shifted towards Daniel, who appeared chipper as he paced the living room. She signaled him and he stopped briefly to cover the receiver.

"The prosecution may be dropping the charges—I'm getting the details," he shared in part, returning to the call a moment later.

While they both expressed relief, Aiden quickly shifted back into discomfort. "Well, I'm certain Mr. Porter will be glad to hear the good news," he murmured, bringing his empty mug over to the sink. "Of course this could all have been avoided if not for his incessant _meddling_ ," he added spitefully.

"Oh, right… you talked to Nolan," Emily deduced, recalling he was the source that led Aiden to return. "I didn't realize he filled you in on _all_ the details surrounding Amanda's arrest," she added, rather wishing he hadn't.

Aiden came back over. "Well aside from deciphering Pascal's note, I expected you'd be in need of my assistance with that," he alluded, glancing over at Daniel. "Though it would appear things are under control."

"That's right, they are," Emily flipped back somewhat defensively. "So you should be able to return back home to _Niko_ in no time… by the way, how _is_ Niko?" she asked, as if reminding him of her existence. "Does she even know you're gone?"

His glare spoke volumes, knowing their own history gave Emily insight towards how he tended to handle relationships. "As a matter of fact she does," he clarified, albeit sheepishly. "She just thinks I'm gone to London to visit my mother."

"Nice," Emily chastised him. "I'm sure that bend of the truth was for her benefit and not just yours?" she added sardonically.

"Look who's talking," he couldn't help shooting back.

Daniel returned before they could continue bantering. "Well it almost sounds too good to be true, but Stevie said the prosecutors submitted paperwork to drop all charges," Daniel relayed. "With any luck Amanda should be out once it's all been processed." He took Emily's hand affectionately. "I assumed you'd want to be there to pick her up, so I asked Stevie to contact you first."

"Thank you," Emily expressed appreciatively. "I know Amanda thanks you too," she assured him.

"Considering how staunch she was about changing her plea to _guilty,_ I'm not so sure of that," Daniel countered. "It's just a miracle that everything went as planned – I'm really not even sure how Stevie managed to pull it off," he trailed in thought, but quickly returned to business at hand. "But at any rate, it frees me up to help with the next order of business – accompanying Aiden back to London."

Emily lurched over at Aiden. "So you _were_ telling the truth after all?"

"We were discussing it just before you came down," Aiden explained, ignoring her sarcasm. "It's the only other option I have. I need to find out if my mother knows something or has been keeping anything all these years that could help us."

"And, since _you're_ still grounded from your last expedition," Daniel leaned over to Emily, standing to say goodbye. " _I_ volunteered to go. Don't worry – I'll be back in time for the next doctor's appointment," he assured with an endearing albeit superior kiss to her forehead. "In the meantime you sit tight – get some rest."

Emily could not help a sour glance. "Well, I guess that's that," she forced a reply, feeling somewhat put in her place.

"My how things have changed around here," Aiden couldn't help adding as he started for the door.

While Daniel followed with a chuckle, Emily called out. "Just ah, one more thing before you go—did Nolan happen to stop by earlier?" she begged in expectation of a favor she had asked.

"Oh right, I meant to tell you," Daniel recalled, retrieving a small box from the counter. "Here, he asked me to give you this…" He hung back to watch her open it with a grin. "What is it, a gift for our big announcement?"

Emily postponed opening and tucked it at her side instead. "No, just a little something for my _own_ mission whilst you two are away," she added, still maintaining an aura of mystery. Never to be outdone, she started for the stairs with a triumphant grin. "You boys have fun."

 **SCENE**

"If I had known a little game of competition was the secret to wearing you down, I would have never gone to the trouble of sending the Georges de La Tour…"

Victoria smiled at the bristly sound of Pascal's voice just behind her earlobe and closed her eyes while he planted kisses along her neckline. She enjoyed waking up together, especially since it had been ages since she had a companion to nestle with. Regretfully the last person to fill the emptiness was someone she abhorred. But in spite of her cat and mouse game, Pascal was a welcome replacement, although his perception of her interest still needed clarifying.

"As thrilling as that last hand of poker was, it wasn't exactly the reason," Victoria resounded after a laugh, twisting to face him. "Neither was 'The Fortune Teller'," she added in regard to the painting. "Which I fully expect you to return to the MET..."

"Naturally," he replied, intertwining his fingers with hers. "But when I mentioned a game of competition I wasn't talking about cards," he corrected, prompting her interest. "I was referring to the ongoing feud you clearly have with your daughter-in-law, Emily." Victoria's eyes snapped open and Pascal met them with intensity in his brow. "Why didn't you just tell me you needed someone at your side to stand up to her and your son?"

His allegation provoked her to sit up in bed, thinly grasping the bed sheet to her chest. "That's not what that was, Pascal," Victoria insisted, but his expression held disbelief. "I accepted your invitation to give you a second chance, and to see if you truly had changed," she begged with a raise of her chin. "When you stood by me it only confirmed that I could trust you."

"So you were testing me then?" Pascal rephrased, holding up a finger. "Please, save your strength my dear," he calmed her. "I'm not put off by your need to establish loyalty – I rather admire it. Only, I wonder at how you manage to be so at odds with your own blood?"

Victoria relaxed into thought. "It's not Daniel I'm at odds with," she admitted. "It's clear his actions are only led by blind faith in that woman… _Emily_ has transformed him into a different person, and her alliance with Amanda continues to plague me with each day that passes."

"Amanda Clarke?" Pascal followed along. He knew she was a household name with Conrad, yet had not expected Victoria to also be so inclined with interest. "I thought she was incarcerated for Conrad's attempted murder?"

"Yes, and I'm of the impression she had something to do with the death of my eldest son, Patrick, as well," Victoria suggested. "The police ruled it a suicide, but Amanda has been targeting our family long before that. I think she used Emily's wedding night to go after him – and I'm almost sure Emily knows more about it than she's let on."

Pascal creased his brow, weighing the information from his own media outlet. "Your theory is interesting," he acknowledged. "But I thought Amanda never boarded the yacht the night of the incident?"

"She wasn't _seen_ on the yacht," Victoria alleged cleverly. "Just like she wasn't seen during Conrad's electoral speech – and yet information surfaced later that placed her on site."

Pascal nodded at her fair assessment. "You could be on to something," he acknowledged, then quickly shifted to divert, stroking her back. "But with all due respect, you should let this alone. Amanda is already posed to pay dearly for her crime against Conrad – I know for certain he will see to that," he recommended with a hint of sensitivity. "If you truly loved Patrick, seek a way to honor him instead. He was, after all, your firstborn son, no?"

Instantly Victoria was softened by his more noble approach, finding his forgiving nature refreshing. "Why Pascal, I never knew you to have such a compassionate side," she admired, dropping her gaze. "I'm ashamed to say I hadn't even thought of a way to honor my son—avenging his death has been all that's mattered to me since."

"It's only natural to want closure," Pascal agreed, getting up. "But retribution is a dangerous path – it only opens up old wounds," he professed, parting with a kiss to her lips. "And often inflicts new ones."

Victoria watched longingly as he slipped on his robe, already relishing that he was nothing like Conrad. "Thank you, Pascal," she felt compelled to admit behind glassy eyes. "It's been a long time since I've had someone care enough to help me see it a different way."

"I should thank _you_ then," he supplied, grinning from the doorway. "For giving me a second chance."

While Victoria smiled and looked away fondly, Pascal descended the stairs of Grayson Manor, crossing the foyer just as a knock sounded at the door. He nodded for the maid to open it and hung back, his expression mellowing considerably as the visitor walked through.

"Ah, I sense the stench of romance in the air," Conrad concluded with a glance at Pascal in his robe.

Pascal stiffened, scowling in reply. "I won't talk about her Conrad. And have you forgotten you don't live here anymore?"

Conrad was tickled at the other's immediate assumption, but quickly resumed his own grim exterior. "And why should I honor that stipulation when you _clearly_ refuse to acknowledge mine?" he argued, thrusting a copy of _Voulez_ into Pascal's abdomen before walking past him. "This was not what we discussed," he added over his shoulder, barging into the study.

Pascal trailed behind, already aware of the article's contents. He followed in to watch Conrad welcome himself to a drink without asking and then slump into the guest chair. Rather than draw attention to his rudeness, Pascal merely took the opposing seat behind the desk and lit a cigar. "I thought you would appreciate the substitution," he smirked, tossing the magazine back. "It's not every day you find out your only biological child is making you a grandfather?"

"Charming," Conrad humored him, but his patience had no room to dwell on Daniel's announcement. "However this was _supposed_ to highlight Amanda Clarke's history of threats and conspiracy against my family," he maintained. "As I recall, we went to great lengths to negotiate this agreement, so you can imagine my surprise when I picked this up this morning only to see not a single word of it had been printed!"

Pascal remained calm, leaning back in his chair. "What do you want me to say?" he posed. " _Voulez_ had a firsthand exclusive, being the only press invited when the announcement was made. Amanda's story will have to wait until after the arraignment."

With that Conrad leaned forward angrily. "Oh you see that's just it, Pascal, there isn't going to _be_ an arraignment!" he emphasized. He watched the other twitch in curiosity before elaborating. "I inked a deal to have the prosecution drop the charges _contingent_ on that very issue accomplishing everything a trial wouldn't!"

Pascal raised his eyebrows, but afforded him little enthusiasm in his response. "Well, perhaps that was a rash decision, Conrad," he mocked, studying his cigar. "But unfortunately for you, I chose to stand by my daughter on this. I wanted to mend fences before she left," explained, taking another long drag.

"Well, isn't that just swell!" Conrad mimicked, daring him with contempt in his darkened pupils. "Victoria gets the house, you get Victoria, _and_ you get your daughter's support to boot," he enumerated with a jealous snarl. "Meanwhile, I have none of the above, not to mention I get to bear the brunt of the sins that we committed years ago!" he finally exploded.

Provoked at last, Pascal lunged forward to meet his stare. "What did you think would happen?!" he shouted back. "You're the one who paraded yourself into public scandal – you should be grateful you escaped years in prison for what we did," he scolded, drawing on his knowledge of media as a measuring scale. He came around to face him at eye level. "And what is this obsession you and Victoria have with it anyway?" he continued, glancing from the doorway of the study towards the upstairs. "If you're both so stuck in the past, it's a wonder why you can't escape it!"

"The only thing I share in common with Victoria is a desire to _never_ see our sins resurge again –" Conrad clarified, shoving a warning finger into his face. "Something defaming Amanda Clarke would have guaranteed!"

"Considering the eventual downfall of everyone else that was involved," Pascal retorted cleverly with a nod. "I'd say you made out well." With that he retracted, denoting his withdrawal from any further discussion of the subject. "Take the advice I gave to her, hm?" he suggested before leaving. "Let it go."

Conrad remained firmly rigid while Pascal clapped him once and exited the room, and stared ahead at the walls he once called his own, desperate for what his next play would be now that it was clear they were at odds.

Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs loomed Victoria, having quietly overheard the entire exchange. She leaned against the wall once their quarrel was over, heaving with a newfound sense of distrust in Pascal, but even further wondering at the statement he had made. It was something she had never considered before but had to admit he could be right about – nearly every single person involved in David's cover-up had met some sort of demise. She pursed her lips in realization, and decided it was something that merited more research in the least.

 **SCENE**

"You are such a darlin' to get this for me– you really didn't have to!"

Emily smiled back sweetly across the table while Louise fawned at her new phone. They sat cornered on the balcony of a posh beach club that she had suggested. "Nonsense, I wanted to," Emily insisted, eyeing Nolan's box that now sat open on Louise's lap. "I would have sent it, but you never did let me know where you were staying…?" she hinted.

"Ah, yes well," Louise stammered, setting the phone down to try her cocktail. "I didn't want to make it public, but I'm just down the beach… you're um, mother-in-law invited me to stay on for a bit." She tried to cover her sheepish expression by draining her glass.

"Victoria? How kind," Emily identified innocently.

Louise leaned in nervously, as if reluctant to ask something. "Do you mind actually, if I pick your brain a bit about her?" she sighed in wonder. "It's just something isn't setting right and well, being as you're family and all, I thought I might get your take on it?"

Emily obliged with a shrug, savoring that the plan to draw her in was working. "Well, if you think it would help—" she posed softly, but before she could finish an unexpected distraction caught her eye. "Ah, you know what let me answer that after I run to the little girls' room," she quickly begged off, tapping just under her belly. "It's more often than not these days," she joked.

"Oh, sure thing dear!" Louise nodded emphatically.

Emily rose from her seat, leaving her phone on the table as she excused herself. After twenty paces back inside the club, she arrived at the side of two familiar faces seated to lunch. "Margaux," she greeted the first, and more emphatically the other. "And _Ashley_ – to what do we owe this grand return?"

Her response occurred with dramatic pause as Ashley peered from up from a stack of photos she was reviewing, and locked eyes with the girl she once called her best friend. "Emily," she replied with a forced smirk. "Or should I say, Mrs. _Grayson_ , now?"

Margaux interjected while Emily absorbed the correction. "Ah, that's right, you've been gone quite a while," she supplied. "Ashley was kind enough to join me for a farewell luncheon of sorts before my last day at _Voulez_ ," she explained, setting down what Emily soon realized were additional photos from the Monte Carlo Night. "We would have met me in Rome, but as it turns out, she was already on her way here."

"Is that so?" Emily continued to stew carefully at Ashley before dismissing her intrigue. "Well, I certainly wish you the best in all your endeavors, Margaux," she added sweetly, picking up a group photo of her and Daniel with Margaux and Pascal to examine. "And thank you again for putting such a lovely feature of our announcement into _Voulez_ – as always you're too kind."

"Yes, I hear even _more_ congratulations are in order?" Ashley piped in, still glaring at Emily. "Soon to be mother _and_ newly–wedded wife since I left? And of course gunshot survivor, thank God." She padded her list with a pretense of concern. "You've been through quite a lot, haven't you?"

Margaux finally detected the icy air between them. "I don't think it happened _quite_ in that order, Ashley," she inserted with a scolding look.

Emily shrugged without offense. "Oh that's alright, Margaux," she wore a forced smile. "I'm sure Ashley's new life in Paris _far_ overshadows her interest in the Hamptons… I imagine you're in a hurry to get back, aren't you Ash?"

Ashley met her challenge with a dry look. "Actually no, I was hoping to stay on for a bit," she asserted. "Catch up on what's _new_."

At last Emily had to give in. "Well, I'm dying to fill you in," she entertained, gesturing towards the powder room. "You don't mind, do you Margaux? I promise I won't keep her long."

"Not at all," Margaux conceded, sensing there was unfinished business between the two. "I still have to make a few calls to my new board of directors," she nodded, noting Emily was about to return the photo back to the stack. "Please – keep it. I have all the originals at the office."

"Thank you," Emily obliged her kindly, gesturing for Ashley to stand. With forced complicity, Ashley walked ahead of her to the ladies room, stopping short right as they rounded a barrier that gave them privacy. Emily dropped the charade as soon as they were alone. "Alright, enough— what are you doing here?"

Ashley tucked her arms into an unamused fold. "Oh, you mean you're not honestly glad to see me?" she glowered. "Or were you just worried I might blow your cover?"

"As much as I wouldn't put it past you," Emily snapped back, sucking in a proud breath. "I know you wouldn't do something like that to Amanda."

"Bloody right, after all she's been through," Ashley confirmed with a snort, revealing the source of her discontent. "I can't believe you just stood back and let her get arrested, are you barking mad? Or is it really worth letting your best friend go to jail just to keep your precious identity?"

"This isn't about plausible deniability, Ashley, we both know who pulled that trigger," Emily retorted with insight. "What's more important now is dismantling the prosecution's case, you know that. After Daniel's trial you'd think you would remember how the system works?"

"Fine, spare me the details," Ashley gave in with her palms up in exasperation. "I'm sure it's either in your control or just a ruse you've concocted to get to the Graysons—either way, I don't care. I didn't come here to decipher your master plan—"

"Then why _are_ you here?" Emily interrupted, patience thinning. "And don't say for Margaux, you weren't exactly on good terms with her when you left," she forewarned, prompting Ashley to absorb it without argument. "Though from what I hear you seem to have profited quite a bit in the aftermath," she added, recalling her net worth had tripled since taking the promotion.

"Money isn't _everything_ to some people, Emily," Ashley stressed, but her enthusiasm was deflating.

"Then what is it?" Emily sighed, stopping to ponder in the silence. It gave her a moment to regroup, revealing the more sensitive feelings that lurked underneath. "Look, I respected your decision to leave and I still don't fault you for it. Honestly, Daniel and I never meant to bring you into this…"

Her words softened Ashley's demeanor. "I know," she admitted slowly. "The truth is… after having time to think it over, I've begun to understand what you did – and why." She finally met eyes with Emily's anxious expression and continued. "And while I may not agree with your methods – I know how it feels now to care so deeply for someone who, for all intents and purposes… is attached to the enemy."

Emily's brow wrinkled with interest. "Ashley, what are you saying?" she pressed.

Ashley bowed her head. "As I'm sure you know already, I have a tendency to fall for the people I'm working for," she continued. "And, well, Paris is no exception to the rule," she added bashfully.

Her words impelled Emily into deeper thought until it all made sense. "Pascal?" she verified eerily, to which Ashley nodded in return. "You're in love with him?"

"Margaux doesn't know yet – no one does," Ashley followed up at once, looking back to make sure she was still preoccupied at the table. "We've been keeping it a secret. But considering the alliances I hear he's building with Conrad I scarcely believe our age difference will be the biggest problem. That's why I came back – to persuade him to sever ties before he returns. The last thing _Voulez_ needs is another long fight with a Grayson."

Suddenly realizing she had no idea about Victoria, Emily chewed the inside of her lip and her eyes trailed down to the photo that remained in her hand. "Convincing him won't be your only obstacle," she informed delicately. Her thoughts were churning when she finally looked back up, wondering if it was the perfect opportunity for leverage. "Ashley, there's something else you should know about Pascal."

Ashley exhaled irritably. "Let me guess – he's already partnered with Conrad?"

"More importantly," Emily breathed with sympathy in her eyes. "With Victoria."

 **SCENE**

"What the hell is this?"

Amanda turned up her face in contempt as she sat down in the visitation room. "They told me my lawyer was here to see me, not _you!_ " she spat angrily, glaring back at a calm and collected Victoria Grayson.

"I apologize for the misdirection," Victoria replied in an unnerving tone. "But I thought a skilled manipulator like your self would appreciate the technique. You've been using it for years now, haven't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Amanda dismissed the accusation. "And I don't have to listen to this!" She was about to go back to her cell when Victoria preempted her.

"Perhaps this photo will jog your memory?" Victoria called out, prompting her to turn around. In her hand was a picture from the annual Grayson Global retreat, one Amanda recalled Emily had a replica of in her infinity box. Only hers contained red outlines over the people who she had taken down while Victoria's had black slashes over the faces instead.

"I couldn't help but notice the amount of people that have crumbled both before and surrounding your return," Victoria inferred, drawing Amanda's interest. "Something tells me that's not a coincidence?"

Amanda's eyes flickered up anxiously, awaiting an accusation. "Well, what can I say," she finally replied. "What goes around comes around."

"Still, all of these people share something in common," Victoria further implied, studying her expression. "Something you once claimed to have knowledge about when you made your first threat against Conrad. You've had access to that information all along."

Amanda snorted. "You have a wild imagination, lady."

"Is it that farfetched?" Victoria argued. "After all, you sit before me due to a conquest to ruin Conrad – an attempt I'm now certain was one of many against this family."

"Typical Grayson," Amanda retorted smartly, without denying that she took full accountability for the former act. "Everything has to be about _you_."

A cautionary smile spread onto Victoria's face. "Have you forgotten that someone very close to you is now a Grayson also?" She leaned forward with intrigue, sliding the picture aside. "And the way I see it, you needed her to orchestrate this in-depth assault – there's no way you pulled it off all on your own. You had help – and I think it was Emily."

Amanda grew stone-faced, sourly realizing she was at a precipice that Victoria wanted to hurdle her over, taking Emily along with her. But Amanda would rather sacrifice herself than give merit to her theory. "You want to know what I think?" she challenged with a resilient stare. "I think you're delusional. You, Emily, Daniel – you're all so full of yourselves you've been missing what's been sitting in front of you all this time."

Victoria sat back in partial satisfaction. "Then you do admit to conspiring against us…" she tried to affirm. "Including what happened to my firstborn son?"

With nothing to lose, Amanda allowed her the misconception. "Patrick got what was coming to him," she admitted. "Just like everyone else who thought they could get away with ruining lives, including your husband. And that's exactly what I plan on telling the judge when I give them my plea," she owned bravely, standing to her feet and slamming the phone down in conclusion.

She walked away proudly, glancing back as the guard guided her to her cell, all the while desperately hoping that her near confession would dissuade Victoria of any further investigation. For her part, Victoria remained a moment longer, angrily fighting back tears as she digested what had essentially been a conversation with her son's killer. And while it pained her to accept it as the truth, she found a measure of relief knowing that Amanda was about to spend the rest of her life imprisoned as a result.

Yet the respite became fleeting as Victoria gathered herself to exit and a paralegal from the prosecution stopped her in her tracks. "I'm so sorry," the bumbling young man begged her attention. "Are you representation for Amanda Porter, Stevie Grayson?"

Her curiosity piqued, Victoria responded seamlessly. "I'm _Mrs. Grayson_ , yes," she professed under the same guise that had allowed her to visit.

"Sorry, I was supposed to deliver notification to you hours ago," the assistant gasped apologetically. "The paperwork for Amanda's release has been submitted, and there's no need to wait until the arraignment. With one final approval from the judge, the charges should be processed by end of day tomorrow."

Victoria restrained the alarm from showing upon her face, while inwardly she was on the brink of outrage. "The prosecution is dropping _all_ charges?" she repeated dangerously.

"Yes, just as requested," the assistant continued without notice. "And again I apologize for the delay; shall I have the legal team contact you with confirmation once everything is complete?"

She stewed pensively, rapidly deducing why Amanda had owned up to everything– she knew it meant nothing if she was soon to get her freedom back. Victoria had to act decisively if she were to have any chance at stopping her. "That won't be necessary," she replied smoothly. "I trust your legal team to handle everything as discussed. Thank you for your diligence."

While he nodded graciously and continued in, Victoria was on the phone immediately once she stepped outside. "Conrad," she snapped impatiently upon receiving his voicemail. "Wherever you are, drop what you're doing and meet me at the South Fork in one hour!"

 **SCENE**

"Whatever you've done, prepare to undo it immediately!"

Conrad could not help but chuckle at Victoria's entrance to his suite at the South Fork, and watched as she stormed right past him into the center of his living area, about-facing on her heels. "I'm sorry, shouldn't you be barking your orders at your current _boy-toy_?" he mired, mocking her. "Or is this lunacy a ruse just to enter my suite? What's the matter – French grass not greener?"

Victoria's hands went to her hips in disapproval. "Were we not bound by our sins, I would be nowhere near you. Especially when I know you made a deal to get the charges dropped against Amanda!" she accused him with certainty. "There's only one person with enough power to persuade that judge, only what I can't seem to understand is _why_ you would do it?"

"Oh it's quite simple, my dear, because Stevie Grayson threatened to expose every single thing we've done if this ever went to trial," he replied, instantly conforming to the solemn air between them. He edged in close to deliver the most crucial detail. "Including the entire conspiracy to frame _David Clarke,_ " he paused to embellish. "Or as you lovingly put it – the 'sins to which we are bound'."

Victoria balked at him in doubt. "I don't believe it," she insisted firmly.

"Well, it's not a matter of opinion," he chortled back, observing their stances. "In fact I was standing in about the same spot just a few doors down when Stevie made her intentions clear. After all, Amanda _is_ her client," he reminded her, stepping away. "You really don't think she disclosed everything she knew?"

"I can't imagine your ex-wife would entertain it without a trace of evidence," Victoria retorted.

"Think, Victoria," Conrad reinforced. "This is Amanda we're talking about, the same girl who faked her death while possessing a laptop _full_ of evidence last summer, one that was never recovered?" he hinted.

Victoria withdrew at last, but continued connecting the dots. "Is _that_ how you were able to get the deed back to the Manor? Stevie offered it to cushion your agreement, didn't she?"

Conrad looked aside sheepishly. "It was a regrettable _drunken_ mistake," he admitted, brightening with satire. "One I have you to thank for, as I recall, after you insisted I inquire about her son, _Jack,_ " he added bitterly. "But alas, while the prosecution's decision is too late to reverse, as always I am prepared to take, let's just say… _practical measures_ to keep our secret safe."

Immediately grasping his meaning, Victoria merely shook her head. "Well, isn't this a visit down memory lane," she spat in disgust. "How convenient for you – ever willing to get blood on your hands in a pitiful attempt to clean up your messes!"

He turned up his brow in genuine surprise. "If memory serves, you had no objections to the _first_ of said attempts?"

"And apparently, it's become all the more reason for you to keep trying!" she condemned him with a glare. Though Amanda's confession tempted her to feel the same, she still preferred the prospect of her suffering behind prison bars over an easy out. Contemplating, she started for the door and stopped by Conrad's liquor stand on the way out.

"Well, while you are content to sit back and watch the body count rise, I'm going to unearth the true source of where all of this has come from," Victoria declared, seizing one of the bottles before throwing the door open to leave. "And I daresay it will also include a 'drunken mistake.'"

 **SCENE**

"So sorry about that, Louise – I ran into an old friend in the little girls' room," Emily apologized upon her return to the table, noting with trained perception that her phone had been moved from where she left it.

"Oh not at all," Louise excused her in a hurry, already lifting her napkin onto the table. "But you know, I _just_ remembered I have an appointment that slipped my mind," she pretended to fumble absently. "If my head weren't attached, right?" she joked. "Can we pick this up another time?"

Emily obliged politely. "Certainly, though I don't think I ever did answer your question?"

"That's alright," Louise replied, her expression implying her thoughts were elsewhere. "Suddenly I feel like I have all the answers I need," she hinted mysteriously, bidding her farewell with a warm embrace. "Take care now and thanks again _so_ much for this," she emphasized, holding up her phone.

When she was far enough not to hear, Emily nodded slowly in reply. "No, Louise," she muttered, dipping into her purse where her actual phone had been with her the whole time. She compared it to the decoy that had been intentionally left on the table. "Thank _you._ "

Using it, she scoured the contact list for Nolan's name and held it to her ear while it rang. "Nolan Ross, at your service," he answered. "I take it the Game of _Clones_ was successful?"

"She took the bait," Emily confirmed. "If my guess is right, she went through every text message you pre-loaded onto the memory card and now has a much different picture of Victoria than when she first arrived in the Hamptons."

"Bravo—your plan worked," Nolan applauded while surveying a program on his home computer. "And from the looks of things, so did the tracker on hermobile device. Thanks to your endless generosity not only can we anticipate her whereabouts but also listen in to her every conversation."

"Which we can use when she confronts Victoria," Emily supplemented, her wheels in full churn. "I think she's on her way to do that now. As soon as Victoria admits to setting Amanda up I'm taking it to Stevie. Hopefully it'll be enough to start the counterattack on the Graysons after her release."

"See, I told you Louise was worth sparing the dreaded 'red X'," Nolan reasoned, relieved that Emily repurposed her plan for her. "Another pawn just waiting for redemption," he envisioned.

"Yeah well, let's see how it goes," Emily allowed with less confidence.

"Besides, her intel combined with whatever Danny and Aiden get on Pascal should be all we need," Nolan quickly added, having been brought up to speed since their departure. "Speaking of, have you heard from the Hardy boys yet?"

"No, it's too soon for an update," Emily replied, switching to ponder on something else. "But I think we may have another way to Pascal in case they come up empty— Ashley's back in town."

"Croydon's on the coast?" Nolan repeated in surprise. "I thought she gave you the cold shoulder last time around… Why would she want to help?"

"Because she has quite possibly the _best_ connection to Pascal yet," Emily resounded with hope, on the verge of a brilliant idea. "And she won't need a push from us to use it."

 **SCENE**

" _Aiden?"_

Aiden's mother gasped at the face of her son waiting on the outside stoop, and delayed letting him in at first out of sheer surprise. "Hello, mother," he greeted back glumly, flipping up his collar to protect from a downpour typical of a London evening.

Suddenly conscious that he was getting soaked, she quickly ushered him inside and Daniel followed cautiously behind, observing the surroundings of her quaint old-fashioned home.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting," she bumbled, straightening up to offer them a seat. Her eyes fell unrecognizing onto Daniel before she concentrated again on her son. "It's been almost eight years… where have you been?"

Aiden sent Daniel a reserved glance before answering. "I've spent some time overseas," he stated in brief. She continued to gaze with disappointment and he elaborated. "I apologize for not writing or calling but … well the truth is I haven't been dealing well with everything that happened."

While she bowed her head in understanding, Daniel piped in. "That's actually why we're here," he inserted, extending his hand. "Pardon me, Mrs. Mathis, I'm Daniel. I… encouraged Aiden to come home."

"You're a friend of his?" she replied suspiciously, shaking his hand.

"You could say that," Daniel nodded, looking to Aiden in confirmation. Though after the summer they had been through, it felt like an understatement. "Aiden was Best Man at my wedding," he added selectively, emphasizing. "But frankly, he's been more loyal than any friend I've ever had."

While Aiden digested Daniel's unexpected declaration, the fear in his mother's eyes dissipated, proud to hear such a positive description of her son. "Well, that's my Aiden," she reflected fondly. "Loyal to the end… just like his father." Aiden looked up at the mention and could see she had become emotional. "Excuse me, I'm terribly sorry—" she quickly apologized and excused herself from the room.

"I knew this wasn't a good idea," Aiden sighed to Daniel once she had left. "I thought perhaps with time things would be different, but it's obvious she's still in a lot of pain from the past—"

"Hey, don't give up yet," Daniel insisted, pacifying him with a gesture. "If we can find what the connection was between Pascal and your father maybe we can take some of that pain away. Besides she wasn't expecting us, maybe she just needs some time." Looking off, he retrieved his phone from his jacket and stepped away for privacy. "I'm gonna see what's going on back home."

"There's a room just down the hall," Aiden directed him from memory, and stayed on the couch to wait for his mother to return.

Meanwhile, Daniel listened through each ring until Emily picked up. "Hey," he relaxed considerably at the sound of her voice. "So far not so good… it may take some time for Aiden's mother to open up… So, you gonna tell me what you had planned today or should I wait for it to print in a magazine?"

"Funny," Emily smirked, trudging up to the back door with her shoes in tow. "The plan was to gain Louise's trust," she finally divulged. "One of the items Nolan dropped off was a clone of my phone, which I just happened to leave out on the table while we were at lunch today."

"You knew she would go snooping through it?" Daniel assumed with intrigue.

"Nolan kept an eye on her after the final hand last night, said she spent most of the evening eavesdropping," she further explained. "It was good bet she'd go through it and now her suspicions are confirmed. Thanks to the text log Nolan uploaded and the tracking device installed onto _her_ phone, not only will we know when she calls Victoria out, we'll have it on tape." Emily paused to check the latest update from the tracker and then glanced back down the beach. "And by the looks of things we won't have to wait too long, she's at Grayson Manor as we speak."

"Well played as usual," Daniel could not help complimenting her. Though devious, he was proud to say for once the plan seemed to focus only on what was necessary. "Looks like that trip down south wasn't a waste after all," he conceded, suddenly pessimistic of his own. "I just hope ours isn't either."

Emily drew the sheers closed and got her Infinity Box, resting in the easy chair to peruse it on her lap. "In the event that it is," she sighed. "We have a plan B—Ashley's back in town."

"Ashley?" Daniel turned up his nose with uncertainty. "Tell me she's not gonna blow your cover?"

"She's not," Emily confirmed. She retrieved the photo Margaux had given her at lunch from her purse and placed it onto the open hinge, staring at one face in particular. "But if she gets what she came here for – we may finally be able to finish this."

Though it irked him when Emily spoke in cryptic code, it was reassuring to hear finality in her assessment. "Well, that's all I care about," Daniel exhaled in relief, and a warmth stirred in him after a few seconds. "Other than that – how are things, ah, down below?"

"As in, Australia?" she joked, furrowing her brow. His attempts at delicately referencing her condition were endearing, but too easy to tease him about.

"You know what I mean," he clarified, and she could hear in his voice he was grinning. "How's our little one?"

Emily parted her lips into a smile. "Still little," she replied affectionately. "Though not for long," she observed at her growing bump. "We can probably find out the sex soon," she realized, recalling the stream of time that had passed. She was embarrassed to rarely spend time dwelling on her pregnancy but it did warm her when she chose to. "That's if you want to know?"

"Are you kidding me, I'm _dying_ to know," Daniel chuckled, folding his arms anxiously as he took a gaze around the room. For the first time he noticed pictures on the walls, one of which appeared to be a childhood photo of Aiden. "I can't wait to see which one of us it looks like – which one it acts more like. Sometimes I can't believe you and me are gonna be parents."

A rush filled Emily as she pondered the concept for the first time, realizing that their child was going to have a combination of both Clarke _and_ Grayson traits in its bloodline. The thought was somewhat harrowing, but she soon dismissed it, just as swiftly as she had the nightmare from earlier that morning. "Mm," was all she mumbled, interrupted thankfully by the call-waiting. "Daniel, I have to call you back," she begged off, seeing it was an unknown number. "I'll see you when you get in."

"Alright, babe," Daniel let her go, missing her already. "Hopefully sooner than later," he added.

"Hello?" Emily answered once he had hung up.

"Emily?" Amanda's voice was distinctly audible. "It's me."

Emily was on her feet in seconds. " _No contact, Amanda_ ," she vehemently reminded of their agreement. "You know we can't afford to have our conversations traced, Victoria already knows too much—"

"It may be too late for that," Amanda rushed anxiously, conscious of the time allotment she had. She kept an eye over her shoulder to assure no other inmates were nearby as she breathed into the payphone. "She was here this morning – she figured out that everyone who got taken down is related."

"What?" Emily sighed, incredulous. "How could she put all of that together?"

"I don't know, but I owned up to it," she confessed. "I'm sorry, but she was asking questions about you and I didn't want her digging any deeper – besides it's just as well since they already busted me for Conrad."

"Amanda, the prosecution is going to drop the charges," Emily informed her in an urgent tone. The silence on the other line told her she had not found out yet. "Do you understand? They're going to you go – Stevie told Daniel this morning. This is all about to be over!"

As appealing as it sounded, Amanda restrained herself from getting too excited. "Emily, are you sure about that? I haven't heard from Stevie," she shot another cautionary glance around the phone area, eyeing the guards. "And things have been a little strange in here since Victoria left."

"What—what are you talking about?" Emily squinted in confusion.

"Just whispers," Amanda answered, careful not to say too much. "Like something's getting ready to go down… Look, I can't be on here long—"

"Alright, just keep your eyes open," Emily felt compelled to remind her, calling back their days together in juvie to mind. "I know you know how to protect yourself – you just have to hold out a little longer. I'll contact Stevie and find out what the hold-up is."

"Okay," Amanda agreed nimbly, but the worry was audible in her tone. "Hey Em – in case… in case something happens, please just tell Jack—"

But Emily would have none of it. " _Nothing_ is going to happen _,_ " she insisted firmly, hissing through her teeth. "Jack and Carl are going to be there to pick you up when you get out, do you understand me?" With that she hung up forcefully, as if willing her words to be final along with being the last.

She was back on the phone instantly, dialing the next number while trying not to panic. She tapped anxiously at the dial tone, whispering to herself as it rang. "Stevie, where the hell are you?"

 **SCENE**

"Somebody looks comfortable?"

Charlotte beamed at Jack as he made his way out on the back porch to where she was sitting with the two boys. They were happily occupied while she took in the countryside, enjoying it just as much. "Can you blame me?" she snickered back. "This place is so peaceful… and your grandmother is the sweetest thing, she spent all morning spoiling us. She wouldn't let me lift a finger to help."

"Yeah, she's pretty much a saint," Jack agreed with a chuckle towards where she was busy in the kitchen. "Probably the only reason me and Declan turned out half-decent after spending so much time up here … that and her famous apple pie," he joked.

"Mm, I can smell it from here," Charlotte absorbed, closing her eyes. "It must be nice having somewhere to go when you need a break," she reflected admiringly. "It's only been a day and already the Hamptons feel so far behind… in a good way, you know?"

Jack came over to sit down with a pensive expression. "Yep, I know what you mean," he agreed, easing into what he had to tell her. "Which is actually why I've been out all morning – I contacted a realtor up here to show me a few houses."

Charlotte immediately perked up in interest. "And?" she probed.

"And…" Jack eased in carefully. "I ended up putting an offer on the first cottage I looked at," he revealed, watching for her reaction.

Her eyes widened with excitement. "Jack, that's _awesome!_ " she applauded.

He relaxed to explain his reasons. "The way I see it, Amanda's not going to want to go back to the _Stowaway_ once she gets released _,_ " he digressed, trying to stay optimistic. "After everything, I don't even know if she expects to still have a future together. But the only way we stand a chance is to have a fresh start as a family – and I think this is the place to do it."

Jack paused in between sharing, inwardly considering just how much promise their family had after what felt like a lifetime of tragedy and deception. But one glance at Carl brought hope to his heart, encouraged even more by the sight of him interacting with Declan Jr. Perhaps all Amanda needed was reassurance that her place in the Porter family was the real escape from the identity she had been carrying for years. He could only hope she was still willing to try.

"And by _family_ , I mean you too," Jack further extended, when he noticed Charlotte had grown quiet listening. He nodded to her seriously. "That's an open invitation, if you ever need a place to come visit? I made sure the cottage had a spare bedroom." Sincere thanks spread onto her face, and he continued with another thought. "I'm gonna let Stevie know she's welcome too," he added, taking his phone out. "In fact, I should probably check in with her—see if she has an update."

At that he stood up to make the call, realizing he had missed one in the brief time he sat down. "Hey, Emily," he said once it connected. "You called?"

"Jack, hi," Emily answered with a worried sigh. "Listen, I've been trying to get a hold of Stevie—you haven't seen her today have you?"

"Ah, no, not since I left," Jack replied. "Me and Charlotte took the boys to my grandmother's for a few days. I was actually just about to call her – the last thing she said was that the charges were being dropped and Amanda was going to walk at the arraignment. I figured lay low up here until then, you know just to stay away from the press and all that…"

"Right, of course," Emily conceded, recognizing he was likely better off at a distance. She suddenly felt further compelled not to disturb his sabbatical. "Actually, it's probably for the best, I should, um—I should let you get back to your visit—"

"Wait, Emily is everything alright?" Jack persisted, knowing better.

"Fine," Emily assured him, trying to beg off. "Stevie's probably just busying finalizing all the paperwork; I'll try her at the office later on."

"Are you sure?" Jack pressed nonetheless. "Because I know she had to involve Conrad in the deal they cut with the prosecution. She mentioned something about the property deed to Grayson Manor," he informed with concern. "I just hope he didn't go back on his word."

Emily thought carefully. "Even if he wanted to, it's not something he could reverse," she added, hoping to dissuade him from investigating it. "We've been making headway on the case against him – one of our inside contacts should prove their worth very soon," she confessed, careful not to mention the details around Louise's connection. "I'll let you know when I hear back from Stevie but I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. I'll take care of it."

Though she could not see, Jack had begun nodding confidence. "Yeah, I know you will," he returned gratefully, relaxing again. "Thanks Em—for always looking out for us. Even when you have your own family to think about now," he added in thought, realizing he had not properly congratulated her. Their friendship had been reduced to planning counter-offensives in recent times and it dawned on him that she was likely seeking a break from the stress as well.

Ever focused, if Emily did feel that way she made certain not to convey it. "Please, I should be thanking you for looking after my sister," she assured him quickly. "I know Charlotte needed the getaway. Listen I should go, but I'll be in touch," she hurried off again, conscious there was still digging to be done.

"Alright—I'll tell Charlotte you said hi," Jack said goodbye.

Nolan walked into Emily's beach house just as she hung up. "I got your message and came right over," he met her at the kitchen counter, bridled with alarm. "What happened?"

"The Graysons are onto Amanda," Emily quickly summarized. "She thinks they might be going after her from inside the prison. That was Jack," she added, returning her home phone to the base. "He's out of town visiting family but he hasn't heard from Stevie either."

"Oh my God, Ems," Nolan gasped in a panic. "You don't think they did something to her—?"

One look at the hatred in Emily's eyes answered his question. "I wouldn't put anything past Conrad. Jack just told me Stevie made the deal with _him_ to get Amanda released…" She restrained her criticism and focused on grabbing her keys instead, heading for the door. "But there's only one way to find out what he got out of it."

"I tracked Stevie's phone like you asked," Nolan followed right behind. "When she contacted Daniel this morning she was on her way back to the South Fork."

"Then so are we."

 **SCENE**

"Victoria?"

Hearing no response, Pascal concluded his scour of downstairs at Grayson Manor and decided at last to check the poolside for his intended. Instead, he observed a scantily clad redhead taking laps under the backdrop of a brilliant sunset, and recalled that Victoria told him a young lady would be staying there temporarily.

"Ms. Ellis, I presume?" Pascal came over, interrupting her stroke. She looked up and waded over to the edge of the pool. "Pascal LeMarchal," he introduced. "Rather late for a swim," he added, noting the evenings were getting nippy heading into fall.

"I'm not much for goin' by the rules, Mr. LeMarchal," Louise addressed him with a touch of sass. She smoothed her hair back and rested along the ledge. "No point waiting on the sun, I'm too fair to tan," she explained gazing upwards. "And I got bored waiting around for Victoria to come home. You happen to see her on your way in?"

"No, I was just looking for her myself," he replied, eyeing her carefully. "But I can send her down when she comes in if it's important?"

"Mm, nothing too pressing," Louise attempted to be discreet. Her eyes narrowed, turning somewhat inviting as she gazed back. "Well it's nice to formally meet you," she added. "You're welcome to join me while you wait?"

"Very kind of you," he admired, resisting the temptation. "But I don't think the lady of the house would approve."

"Oh, I don't know," Louise chuckled, using the ledge to hoist out of the pool. Pascal stole a glance at her dripping wet physique before handing her the towel on a nearby chair. "Thank you," she returned kindly, wrapping it around before finishing. "You'd be surprised the things Victoria approves of..."

With that she wrung the excess water from her hair and sauntered off towards the pool house, leaving Pascal puzzled by her departing comment. He returned inside to retire to the master bedroom at last, and was removing his jacket when he finally spied his paramour on the balcony.

"Ah, there you are," he sighed with a grin, coming up to stroke her raven hair from behind. "I was wondering what took you so long—" he began and suddenly froze when she turned abruptly, revealing that despite the likeness, it was not Victoria.

"Then I suppose you should be sure to ask her when she gets in," Ashley snapped with quick wit. She stared him down in consternation while Pascal took a full leap backwards.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered in alarm, glancing around nervously. "How did you get in?"

"I used to work here," Ashley boasted in reply, folding her arms proudly. "I know the ropes quite well... As do you, apparently," she led with accusation, gazing at his jacket on the bed. "You lied to me, Pascal," she confronted him, the moisture in her eyes conveying the depth of his betrayal. "I trusted you—and you lied to me. How long have you been seeing her?"

Pascal thought before answering, still mindful that they were in Victoria's bedroom. "Only since my return," he responded, and despite Ashley's scowl of disbelief, it was the truth. "And you're wrong—I never lied to you," he clarified. "When I left, you made it clear you were having reserves."

"Reserves about your _business_ decisions," she corrected him angrily, stepping into his space. "Not our relationship?!"

"You said you could never be with a man who became an ally of Conrad's," Pascal retold, raising a finger in warning.

"And I suppose you took that as a challenge to pin his wife instead?" she dared back, condemning him with her brow. "Whether or not you chose to engage the Graysons in their schemes, you know things between us weren't over—I mean my God, did those months mean anything? Or was it just your way of passing the time?"

Pascal rubbed his forehead anxiously, gazing at the bed again. "How can you say that," he countered emphatically. "I never once lied to you – you were the most electrifying woman I had ever met—you still are," he offered passionately, reaching out to cradle her face. At first she resisted, but his grip was insistent. "You're beautiful, smart, young, accomplished…"

Ashley sighed through resolved tears, guessing what was next. "But not for you?"

"We will always have Paris together… but this is different," he admitted, showing vulnerability for the first time. "Victoria and I have history. Thought it doesn't mean I don't still care for you—"

"Ugh, save it," Ashley interrupted him, tugging his hands away. "I'm through being thrown over for the next obsession," she insisted fervently, years of repressed anger bubbling to the surface. "And I imagine Victoria will be done also, when she hears of this," she threatened, walking past him.

"What can I do to ensure your discretion?" Pascal pled, following her slowly through the room.

"Absolutely nothing," Ashley replied over her shoulder, heading straight for the door to storm out. But nearly there she had a thought and against her better judgment she turned back with a look of superiority. "You see what you don't realize is, while Victoria may have been one of your best kept secrets – there are others. And from what I understand you share quite a few of them in common with the Graysons." She watched and enjoyed as Pascal's face pinched with concern.

"Who have you been talking to?" he probed in a grim tone.

"Does it matter?" she shrugged. "It's clear that your collusion with Conrad stems from something bigger, and as a former employee of his, I know all about the conspiracy to frame and murder one _David Clarke_." When Pascal flinched at his name, she knew she had struck gold. "Up until now I would have never expected your complicity in it, but it's obvious you played a part. So," she began to get comfortable again and turned briefly to close the door she was just about to walk out of. "Care to share exactly what part that was?"

But Pascal used the brief moments she had turned away to reach into the jacket he was repeatedly looking at. As Ashley once again met his gaze she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun, fitted with a silencer.

"No," he replied flatly before firing just one shot above her unsuspecting eyes. "I don't."

 **SCENE**

When Daniel finally arrived home it was the wee hours of the morning, before the sun had begun to rise. He made a point to enter quietly so as not to wake Emily, but quickly realized it was futile when he found both her and Nolan sitting at the dining table with long faces.

"This can't be good," he deduced immediately, receiving further confirmation when they looked in his direction. "I came back as fast as I could, what's going on—what happened?"

After a quick exchange of looks Emily delivered the first bit of news. "Nolan and I went to Stevie's suite at the South Fork after she went missing yesterday," she informed, choosing her words delicately.

"And," Daniel rushed, anxiety spreading into his brow. "Is she alright?"

Emily took a short breath. "She fell off the wagon," she surmised, giving Daniel a moment to digest. "Your mother led her to believe that by making a deal with Conrad to procure Amanda's release, she had inadvertently helped set Amanda up for an inside hit… much like what happened to my father."

"What?" Daniel breathed in alarm, unaware that Stevie had even consulted his father for aid. More surprising though was the concept of his mother apparently working in tandem to pull off the stunt. "Was my mother still there when you got to her?"

"No," Nolan piped in, lifting up an empty bottle from the chair beside him. "But—this was," he explained, handing it over to Danny. "Along with several others… Stevie was barely conscious when we got to her—we had to check her into a facility," he finished, nodding back to Emily.

"Oh my God," Daniel sighed in horror.

"The worst part is," Emily continued where Nolan had left off. "I think Victoria was telling her the truth. After we spoke yesterday, Amanda called and all but confirmed that something wasn't right on her cell block. She's done time before Daniel; she knows what to look for… they're going to kill her."

"They can't get away with this," Daniel insisted behind a troubled expression, surprised that they were both sitting still rather than jumping to action. "I mean, there has to be something we can do—some way to get her out of there?" Nolan's blank expression left him staring back over to Emily. "Em, I know you have to already be thinking _something_ …?" he hoped.

She raised her chin to meet his gaze slowly. "I am," she acknowledged. "But it's risky. And it's going to take more time than we have— and more help. Did Aiden come back with you?

"Yeah, but I doubt he's staying," Daniel digressed, finally giving the feedback on their own trip. "His mother didn't know anything about Pascal, so he decided just to tell her the truth about Colleen instead. Before we left she asked him to pay her respects at the burial site, I think he was going there from the airport," he guessed. "He mentioned Japan after that."

"Niko's waiting on him," Emily supplemented, recalling from their brief conversation. "Well, she's going to have to wait a little longer. Here—" she handed Daniel a file. "Everything needed to potentially pull this off is inside; including credentials I swiped from Stevie's room that should give you access to visit Amanda."

Daniel shrunk back at the indication that he was to run the operative. "Me?"

"With Stevie out of commission, you're her leading defender now," Emily relented with a nod. "And as a part of her legal team, you're entitled to visit her client. Once you're in, the rest is up to us – including Aiden if you can get him to come back. We'll need him for the second part."

Eager to get things in motion, Daniel took the file without hesitation and stepped away. "Then let me try to get a hold of him now," he said, getting on the phone.

Meanwhile, Nolan wandered from his seat to come around closer to Emily. "So… where does that leave the rest of the Impossible Missions squad?" he posed.

"I need you onsite in case there's any wrinkles in the plan," Emily instructed as her concentration began to fall elsewhere.

Nolan pursed his lips. "Such as?"

"As much as we need him, this is still Aiden we're talking about," she reminded gently with a knowing look. "I don't have to refresh your memory of what happened the last time he saved Amanda's life," she stood slowly from her seat. "And based on how Daniel described their trip he's still hungry for answers—I need you to make sure he stays on course."

"Agreed," Nolan considered fairly. "Guess it's a good thing Croydon made her little appearance – looks like we're going to need her to crack the abominable Pascal LeMarchal after all?"

Emily studied her phone with interest, a nervous tingle going up her spine. "That remains to be seen," she recalled pensively. "I didn't hear back from Ashley after our chat yesterday… it's got me concerned."

Nolan brushed it off with little worry. "She's probably still stewing over Pascal's _in_ famous _in_ fidelity," he coined. "Which has to come easy when Victoria was clearly occupied all day: first to the prison to intimidate Amanda, then over to Stevie's to push her nearly off the ledge…" he enumerated contemptibly, holding up his handheld tracker in disappointment. "No wonder Louise hasn't had any face-time with the Queen, she's too busy hitting her quota for all-time _lows._ "

"Victoria's out for revenge," Emily stated darkly, knowing the feeling well. "She thinks she has Amanda figured out and she's going after her with everything she's got."

"Hmph," Nolan conceded with a hint of defeat. "She's done a pretty good job so far."

Emily glared at him ferociously, and he knew her conviction was intended for the former. "Oh she's going to do more than that," she hinted towards their plan. "I'm counting on it."

 **SCENE**

Victoria stirred awake, blinking rapidly as morning came into view and with it, the awareness that her bed was empty. She turned on her side to scan the room, at last spotting Pascal coming from the closet area quietly buttoning his shirt. "Morning," she whispered delicately. "I didn't hear you get in last night?"

Pascal concentrated on dressing, averting her searching eyes. "I had some things to take care of in the evening," he said in an eerily placid tone, redirecting. "I assume you were likewise occupied throughout the day?"

"Just tying up a few loose ends," she answered just as peculiarly, turning her back. She sensed the air between them had changed and it pained her to think their carefree entanglement could so swiftly have soured. Before she could address it, his next comment sent a chill up her spine.

"Like Amanda Clarke, for example?" he guessed pointedly, and when Victoria jerked around to face him, he had already taken the retreat photo from her purse and tossed it onto the bed. He prompted her to look and resumed adjusting his cufflinks. "I take it you brought this with you when you went to see her yesterday. A visit I presume was followed by another to _Conrad,"_ he outright accused her.

"Pascal, I know you said to let it alone—" she began, but his temper fumed regardless.

"So why didn't you?!" he charged her, dropping the façade. "Do you even have a clue what you're doing? Or are you content to keep sleuthing around while letting everyone else clean up your messes?"

Alarmed, Victoria rose defensively. "I have done no different than any mother would in my situation," she insisted. "That girl _admitted_ to killing my son, and for all intents and purposes would be walking free as we speak if I hadn't done something about it—"

"You mean if _Conrad_ hadn't done something," Pascal inserted more wisely. "You foolish woman," he chastised her, grabbing her wrist. "You divorce him only to follow the trail of breadcrumbs that he leaves wherever he goes! If that's what you wanted then why have me, eh?" he accosted.

Victoria began a reply but he released her abruptly. "Forget it," he shook her off irritably, storming out. "For a moment I forgot who I was dealing with," he spat and slammed the door behind, leaving Victoria stricken and pained by his departure.

Her thoughts churned as she tried to work out the source of his bitterness, and something told her there was more to his brazen reaction than her reluctance to listen. She stared absently at the space where he had just been standing, and suddenly something barely visible caught her eye.

Perhaps it was a sixth sense she had acquired, but to her it stood out and she padded over slowly to inspect it, bending down to run a finger along the carpet. Her instincts served her well as she brought her finger close to examine, confirming it was what she thought—a very small but very clear speckle of blood.

 **SCENE**

"I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Amanda joined Daniel on the other side of the table in the counsel room, realizing that the only way he could have managed an unrecorded conversation was to present himself as her legal counsel. "Where's Stevie?" she asked upon deduction.

"She's ah, temporarily out of commission," Daniel alluded, an apologetic expression immediately coming over his face. "It's a long story but as usual my mother is up to her old tricks. I'm here to check on you," he paused, eyeing what looked like a bruise on her collarbone. "How are you holding up?"

She rolled her eyes in return, not buying it. "Did Emily put you up to this?" she ignored him, leaning forward in protest. "You should be home taking care of her, not down here worrying about what happens to me."

Daniel leaned in halfway to mirror her. "Well, you know how stubborn Emily can be," he insisted discreetly. "In addition to a devoted friend," he added, sliding over a paper for her to read. "She transferred some funds into your account for 'sundries'… which by the looks of things you should probably use right away?"

At his mention Amanda examined herself, recognizing her time in prison had already made her worse for the wear. But nonetheless, it was an odd thing for him to come down there for. "Yeah, well none of that's going to matter after tonight," she alerted him cautiously. "I'm pretty sure whatever your father's planning is happening today. Both of the regular guards on duty are gone." Without reading the paper, she swiftly turned it over and extended a hand for a pen. "Look, I need you to get a message to Jack before it's too late—"

Daniel raised a palm. "Amanda, I promise that won't be necessary."

"Daniel, just give up," she insisted, the exasperation showing in her voice. "Once was enough, do you really think they're going to let me get away with this twice?" She shook her head. "There's no way out of this—unless you're here with my release form, I'm not walking out of this prison and you know it." She stared at him expectantly, reading his silence. "Am I wrong?"

He gazed pensively, knowing her compliance was uncertain depending on his next words. "No," he finally confirmed, and he sensed surprise when he answered in agreement. "You're right—you're not walking out of here." With that he stood, abruptly ending their visit. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you, Amanda—really I am."

She shifted to watch him leave, and despite dangling the prospect it was somewhat unnerving to watch him concede so easily. At long last the guard returned, and she followed him back, returning to the confines of her cell to await the fate chosen for her. Based on what she knew about Emily's father, the likelihood was it would happen in the midst of a commotion—though it would be a few long hours before her next recess was allowed. She began writing a letter to Jack in her notebook to pass the time, but was soon interrupted by a delivery at her cell door.

"Unit 28?" the guard banged twice, handing a paper bag through the bars. "The sundries you requested."

She rose cautiously and took them from him, and suddenly Daniel's words echoed in her mind. _Emily transferred some funds into your account for sundries… which by the looks of things you should probably use right away…_ Wondering what she had up her sleeve, Amanda twisted the cap off of a small jar of product, and dabbed a small amount on her finger. She brought it to her nose to smell, vaguely recognizing it. The fumes were strong and she was certain she had smelled it before, though her memory was quickly failing her of where. Just when the memory came to mind her vision suddenly blurred and she felt the room spinning as she sunk to the floor.

"Help…" she barely panted, choking on the foam that was quickly rising into her throat. It took all of her strength to catch herself on the bars, and finally the guard came over—only this time she realized he too had a familiar face.

"Don't say a word," he whispered, and though Amanda was beginning to lose consciousness she could vaguely make out the accent. It was Aiden.

Turning for assistance, he lifted the radio at his shoulder. "Emergency, I need someone to open Unit 28 immediately!" he yelled. "That's unit 28," he repeated, catching Amanda through the bars as she neatly collapsed onto the ground. "Open up!"

 **SCENE**

When Amanda came to, she had doubts that she was even still alive until she felt a leathery fabric rubbing against her face along with the motion of a moving vehicle. Immediately her eyes snapped open into darkness and she began struggling for oxygen in what felt like an enclosed bag. "Help!" she screamed. "Get me out of here!"

The vehicle stopped moments later and suddenly the light was breaking through into her eyes. "Aiden!" a voice was calling out over her. "She's awake!"

Recognizing it, she lurched upwards to see Nolan's face looming over her, while simultaneously realizing she was in the back of a van. "Oh my God, Nolan!" she exhaled in shock, throwing her arms around him gratefully.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," he wished her with a grin, handing over a Ziploc bag containing the items confiscated from her possession at the time of her arrest. "I believe these are yours?"

"What—what happened," she stammered, barely able to look at the bag. The side door to the van slid open next and the other peered through.

"You're alive, that's what," Aiden answered, before Nolan had the chance. "Thanks to Emily's face cream which contained an herb that makes the body mimic death for 12 hours," he further explained, and though her face was still reddened from the reaction, seeing her was a sight for sore eyes.

Amanda trembled and nervously looked over to Nolan to gain composure. "It's the truth," Nolan supplemented. "Emily's potion finally put to good use," he added with a laugh, recalling the last attempt that he and Jack foiled her from using on Victoria. "She gave you her word—you didn't think she was going to go back on it, did you?"

At last Amanda found her voice, and the edge of her mouth tugged in reprieve. "Of course not," she sighed, nearly smiling until the reality hit her. "So, everyone thinks I'm dead… again?" she presumed, glancing back at Aiden.

"Gets repetitive, doesn't it?" he couldn't help an ironic look. "Safe to say; it's better than the other alternative." Again there was silence and Aiden felt the emotion building in his chest, desperate to break through. "God, I've missed you," he finally admitted wholeheartedly.

It was enough to quickly turn things uncomfortable and Nolan recalled insightfully why it had been so important to Emily that he came along. "Aiden, we should get going, we still have to call Daniel from the checkpoint or he's going to think something went wrong—"

"This will only take a moment," Aiden insisted without acknowledging him, and he extended a hand for Amanda to climb out of the van with him. "Please—I just want to talk," he promised.

She glanced at Nolan uneasily, but with the prospect of freedom ahead it felt pointless to refuse him. "Contact Daniel," she instructed him confidently. "Let him know we're on our way."

Nolan reluctantly complied and returned to the driver's seat while Amanda stepped out of the van and followed Aiden a few paces off. "Say what you have to," she instructed him coolly. "You've cost me enough as it is."

The excitement drained as reality returned, and Aiden knew regardless of what he did it would always be an impasse between them, made even more complicated by his mistakes. He often wondered if it was really love that drove his actions, when time over again it had the potential to ruin her happiness. Perhaps it was his own selfishness but even if it was mere infatuation, he would never be rid of it.

When he finally spoke there was warning in his tone. "The first time I helped stage your death, I didn't give you much choice where you wanted to go," he stated. "I forced you into Takeda's protégé, and I nearly lost you because of it… though in a way, I gained everything in the time we had together—"

"Aiden, if this is about Jack," Amanda anticipated, but he lifted a hand in protest.

"It isn't," he contended and from where he stood he could sense Nolan getting impatient in the car. "Look you chose someone else, and so did I," he continued, admitting for the first time to his relationship with Niko. "These are our lives and we're going to live them. But Amanda, I'm asking you—if you value everything you've come to gain to this point, don't disappear."

Amanda furrowed her brow, not following. "What are you saying?"

"Emily's plan is no different than the one I had for you," he went on, whispering so that Nolan could not hear. "Faking your death, pretending to be someone else, living on the run – it's all well and good but in the end, the Graysons win again. They destroy your chances of ever having a life worth living, regardless of who it's with… you deserve better than that."

She folded her arms, shocked that he was suggesting she go rogue. "If I don't go along with it, I could risk outing Emily, is that what you want?" her head shook reprehensibly. "Have you lost your _mind?_ "

"I'm not suggesting anything other than what I plan to do myself," he impressed further, and this time he could visibly see Nolan looking back to see what the hold-up was. He began edging away. "I'm going back to tell Niko the truth about who her father's killer was. And once that's done—I'm confronting Victoria to tell her who was truly responsible for her son's death."

Amanda soon realized he had no intention of joining them at whatever rendezvous had been arranged with Daniel. He was confessing his decision to pursue his own mission, whether it conflicted with Emily's or not. "Aiden, wait—" she found herself begging him. "I don't understand, why do this—why give up now?"

"I'm not giving up, I'm coming clean," he admitted, sobering. "Using this leverage may be the only way I find out from Victoria what happened to my father. I'm prepared to live with the consequences that follow." Certain she was struggling with the concept; he merely tried to get her to at least understand his reasons. "Emily may never be ready to face the truth, but I'm tired of living a lie… whether or not you want to do the same is up to you, but I just wanted you to know."

With doubt stirred in her heart, Amanda chose that moment to look away in thought, her eyes falling on the plastic bag still in her hands. His motivation was not foreign, she had personally been determined to admit to her crimes before the rescue, and yet now as he was testing her willingness, she felt a conflict. "Goodbye, Amanda," Aiden was wishing her when she looked up. "And good luck."

Before he could disappear forever, she was compelled to call him back. "Aiden!" she shouted, and when he turned the necklace he had given to her was taken out of the bag with her belongings, and outstretched in her hand. Knowing she had only seconds before Nolan demanded she get back in the van, she chose her next words with clarity…

 **SCENE**

"Hey, Nolan," Daniel picked his phone up from the bedside, tugging back the covers that were swept over both him and Emily. "About time—did you make it there safe?"

Emily watched his expression while he listened to Nolan's reply, likewise concerned that the operation had taken slightly longer than they were anticipating. When Daniel continued silent for a short while, she prodded him in concern. "What is it?" she whispered.

"No, I get it," Daniel finally replied to Nolan. "Yeah, I'll tell her," he added with a nod. "Alright—talk later." He ended the call and turned to face Emily, anxiety slowly spreading into his face. "Amanda's safe, they got her out in time. But just as you predicted, there was a hiccup with Aiden."

Inwardly Emily cursed herself, wishing her condition had not prevented her from overseeing the plan herself. "What did he do?" she questioned, shifting in bed.

"Apparently he took off before they made it to the rendezvous point," Daniel went on, shrugging. "Nolan said he stepped out to talk to Amanda and when she came back she was by herself."

Emily stopped to ponder. "Considering they're on their way to meet Jack that might have been for the best," she considered. "The hardest part is over; he probably just wanted to get back to Niko."

"That was Nolan's guess," Daniel agreed, but his reserves remained. "But I'm not so sure… Em, from the moment we got to London he wanted answers, he's not in this for one play and then back to sitting out again." He shook his head, mulling it over.

Realizing it was a subject they had barely discussed, Emily probed further. "Did he do anything unusual while you were there?"

"He spent a lot of time in the shed where he used to work with his father…" Daniel recalled. "I thought he just wanted to be alone, but maybe he found something out that he's keeping to himself?"

"Maybe," Emily considered, still convinced there had to be some tie-in back to Amanda. "Or maybe he shared it with at least one other person?" she guessed, gazing thoughtfully.

"Either way, it's too late to ask questions," Daniel replied, catching her meaning. "You said yourself we should avoid contact with Amanda and Jack for at least a month to avoid suspicion."

"And Charlotte, I couldn't leave her out of the loop this time—I told Nolan to make sure she knew Amanda was alive. No, it's better this way," Emily confirmed with a breath, settling back onto her pillow. "Maybe with everyone gone it will help us focus on getting a confession from your mother and intel on Pascal… I just hope Aiden isn't planning to interfere."

Daniel sighed and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Well, not all interference is bad—we still have Ashley as a fallback, remember?" he offered, reminding Emily she still had yet to hear back from her. Meanwhile, Daniel was staggering over to the door in just his undergarments. "Need anything from downstairs?" he asked before leaving.

"Just some water," Emily replied absentmindedly, too busy brainstorming what Aiden could be up to. She was in such a trance that shortly thereafter she realized her glass from earlier was still full on her nightstand. "Daniel, nevermind—" she called out, and then froze solid as she pulled her hand from the covers to reach.

Just as it had been in her nightmare, her fingertips were stained with red smears of blood, sending chills down Emily's spine. She stared in shock, unable to fathom that it was truly real, and gingerly pulled back the covers to see how much she had already lost. "Daniel!" she yelled upon sight, raising her voice with urgency. " _Daniel!"_

He came running in seconds later, kneeling at her side in terror. "Em-! Oh my god," he heaved at seeing the blood. "Emily, don't move, I'll call for help!" he reacted quickly, dialing before she could respond. Instead he just sat beside her, clutching her hand while she panted in slow, nervous breaths. "Hello, emergency? Yeah, I need an ambulance right away—my wife is pregnant and, and she just started bleeding—we need help!"

The dispatcher began taking their information from Daniel at once, but it was all a blur to Emily as she felt a strain in her vision and weakness in the muscles she was using to hold herself up. The room grew dark and she nimbly braced herself on his shoulder, barely getting a word out before the faintness closed in.

"Emily?" Daniel caught her in his arms, desperately. "Emily, hold on!" he begged, but his words were a million miles away. Her eyes sunk closed as her struggle finally gave out, leaving the world around her to dissolve into pitch black…

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

 **A/N: Hello again my faithful readers! So first off, apologies for ending with such a rattling cliffhanger, but as I planned this chapter out I realized it was already long enough as it is… the conclusion had to get saved for "Allegiance", coming soon! Fear not however, I think you WILL be pleased when it picks up… all is not lost… but in the meantime I realize there was more than just the above scare in this 'Blood'-laced chapter and I do hope the shock has not been too much for you! Eerie as it may seem I worked very hard to determine where the story should go from here, what characters were needed and how others would soon meet their undoing and this is what I ended up with. I eagerly await your feedback and hope that despite the interwoven tragedy it is still fulfilling your desire for a suspense-filled and action-packed story, as well as the ongoing motif that revenge will always be in the cards for a certain heroine and her adversary. With that I leave you to review with your thoughts, I can't wait to hear them! I'll be going away soon and likely taking a writing hiatus (though I'll be thinking of more storylines to come) but I WILL let you know I have some big ideas for Season 4… and more surprises! Until then~ Love and Revenge ~ MothToANewFlame**


	38. Chapter 38: Allegiance

**Chapter 38: Allegiance**

"Is she going to be alright?!"

Daniel was frantic, rapidly directing his questions at the nurse while the paramedics wheeled Emily into emergency at Suffolk Memorial.

"She's stable," the nurse informed him. "The blood flow has stopped, but we have to get her into examination immediately."

"Why isn't she awake?" Daniel pressed with anxiety, continuing to stare at Emily's motionless expression. He was denied a response as they reached the corridor and the nurse stopped him from going in.

"I'm sorry, but you can't come any further—" she insisted, despite his pleas to continue. "Sir, your wife is going to get the best care possible." With a resolute gesture, she motioned for him to remain in place. "In the meantime, we need you to wait out here."

Daniel fought the urge to protest, fervently running his hand along his brow in frustration. But he was forced to wait in the emptied hallway, watching the sight of Emily grow smaller as they rushed her further into the distance. When it seemed like a lifetime had passed, the doctor finally emerged, and he was on his feet instantaneously. "How is she?!" he demanded. "Is she gonna be okay?"

The doctor raised a hand to calm him. "We are continuing to monitor her very closely, but her body had an adverse reaction," he began cautiously. "We've seen this is in other cases with pregnant women, generally when they have been exposed to some type of trauma. Tell me," he shifted, beginning the question set that the nurse advised would be forthcoming. "Has your wife been under a great deal of stress lately?"

Daniel bit his lower lip, knowing the question seemingly encompassed the entire past year. "You could say that," he acknowledged. "She nearly died the night of our wedding… But, knowing she's going to be a mother is the one thing that keeps Emily hanging on," he alluded, looking for some hint of reassurance. "Please—tell me that's still the case?"

The doctor continued to make several notes before returning his gaze with a sternness that pitched fear into Daniel's heart. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat and edged in close, anxious to hear his reply…

 **THREE WEEKS LATER**

 _Victory can never be achieved alone…_

At the sound of a single gunshot, the drove of horses took off into the pathways, galloping furiously while the crowd looked on and cheered with excitement. Amidst the chorus of standing onlookers, a woman in a large brim hat strode gingerly down the stairwell, using the event as a distraction to render herself invisible …

 _Allegiances must be forged to overcome superior forces…_

Nearby, a couple walked arm in arm to the precipice of the stadium, and while the man continued on to find their seats, the woman hung back to examine a discarded newspaper. She took it into her hands, sighing with satisfaction as she read the subscript of a minor headline in the bottom right corner: _No Foul Play Suspected in Inmate Amanda Porter's Death Hours Prior to Release._

 _Some, born from a shared goal, others out of desperate need_ …

Yards away, a man strolled casually along the grounds, veiled somewhat by the clouds of dirt and dust that kicked up as the steeds rounded the stadium. He meticulously brushed off his collar and raised his binoculars to survey the stands, waiting for a signal from his partner. Narrowing the lenses to focus, he watched as another man came up to his affiliate instead, slowly approaching him from behind…

 _But for a union to succeed, one must determine if an ally is truly a friend or merely an enemy in disguise…_

"I was beginning to think you forgot about me after Monte Carlo Night."

There was an audible silence after Daniel spoke aloud, and he turned to ensure the man approaching him had heard. With a fair nod, Pascal LeMarchal acknowledged him and realized Daniel had sensed him long before making his presence known.

"My apologies," Pascal offered, attempting to sound sincere. "I should have reached out sooner to congratulate you and Emily."

Daniel tensed at the mention of his wife's name, but resisted showing any hint of vulnerability. Instead he remained collected behind dark shades, staring ahead at the race. "Save the pleasantries. You didn't come over here to chit-chat," he stated flatly, leaning forward in his tapered blazer. "Especially not when it's public knowledge that my _father_ is aiming to become your successor at LeMarchal Media," he added, confirming it with an unsavory glare.

Pascal shrugged and scooted into the empty seat next to him. "He's landed some impressive blows to obtain his current position," he admitted, matching Daniel in his sense of calm. "But it may be time to clip his wings—" When the other raised his brow, he elaborated. "—a task I thought you might be eager to assist me with, given the past you two shared?"

"It's an attractive offer," Daniel agreed, almost breaking into a grin. "But for me, it's an old hat," he countered, studying Pascal intently. "Plus, I know you already have access to someone who was married to him for over 20 years. Which means you're either playing _her,_ " Daniel's expression twisted. "Or you're playing _me?_ "

The implication forced Pascal to look away, and Daniel seized that opportunity to scan the stands. "Tell my mother I said, nice try," he rebuffed, catching sight of her only a few feet away. With a condescending clap on Pascal's back, Daniel rose from his seat, refastening his blazer as he treaded back up the stairs and ignored Victoria in passing.

She watched him go, returning her gaze to Pascal who followed up a moment later. "What did he say?" she inquired, clutching a newspaper in her hand.

"What I expected," Pascal spat in annoyance, never once breaking stride. "Nothing. Now will you let this go?"

Victoria absorbed it smugly, having grown accustomed to his short remarks. Their passion had cooled since Amanda's death, fueled by residual distrust – him for assuming she allied with Conrad to manufacture it, and her for wondering at his own involvement in the conspiracy to frame David. Not to mention the suspicious stain she found the morning of their last altercation. Despite her attempts to coerce the truth, Pascal was quickly becoming disconnected, a fact proven by how swiftly he was marching towards the betting stalls. Though her instincts were poised to follow, Victoria knew not to test his patience and instead went for the exit.

All the while, Daniel hung back in waiting, only stepping forward once his mother was gone. He shifted his attention back to Pascal, and raised a finger to the bud that was secured in his ear. "You still there?" he whispered.

"Copy, boss," Nolan hailed discreetly from where he lurked on the grounds. He raised his binoculars again, catching Pascal in his lenses as he reentered the stands. "Looks like Mr. LeMarchal did your mother's bidding and then ditched her for his _other_ date."

Daniel kept pace and observed from the rear. This time Pascal returned to a more elite seating area, scooping a familiar redhead on his arm—Louise Ellis. "You called it—I've got eyes on them," he affirmed, following from a distance.

"And I've got _ears_ ," Nolan answered, fiddling with another device. "Leave it to Pascal LeMarchal to bring his current flame _and_ his next mistress to the horse show," he smirked, rolling his eyes. "But, thanks to the technology I implanted in Louise's cell phone, I'll be able to hear every word."

"Yeah, well don't expect much," Daniel cautioned him, keeping alert. "My mother's not stupid… if she sent Pascal to feel me out; chances are she's probably employing Louise to spy on him too."

"Wouldn't be the first time she played that card," Nolan recalled. "But considering Louise suddenly had a change of heart about confronting your mother a month ago, I'd have to disagree," he added, taking another scan with his binoculars. "Something tells me Pascal ran interference with her that night… that or his reputation for being a playboy just really lives up to the hype?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Whatever it is, let's just find out what they're discussing and get this over with," he sighed, the mention of that night triggering a yearning at his gut. "I want to go home and see how Emily's doing."

Another peek through the lenses suddenly brought Nolan to an abrupt stop. "Hm, or you can just ask her now," he mumbled uneasily. "Ten o'clock."

Daniel jerked his gaze to the left and immediately caught Nolan's bearing. "Great," he remarked drably, removing his ear bud with a groan. A woman was sauntering up the stairwell, guiding herself along the railing while a large brimmed hat neatly masked her face. Just as she neared the final step, Daniel arrived on the other side, placing his hand over hers.

"Looking good, babe," he caught her attention. She flinched and turned, and instantly Daniel was reaching over to remove her sunglasses. "You really thought I wouldn't recognize you under this?" he scolded, watching her squint in the sunlight. "Emily, what are you doing here?"

Conscious of their surroundings, Emily met his gaze with embarrassment and stepped into a more private section of the corridor. "What are _you_ doing here," she whispered, just as stunned. "You said you were working?"

"I _am_ ," Daniel affirmed edgily. "Which obviously you took as a signal to slip out unnoticed," he shook his head with disappointment. "Emily, the only reason the doctor let you off bed-rest was 'cause you agreed to take things _easy,_ " he emphasized, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Amanda's safe, Charlotte's far away, and Stevie's coming out of rehab soon. Everything is being handled; you need to trustme to take care of it."

In spite of his sincere admonition, there was restlessness in Emily's eyes. "Passing time is not exactly my strong suit," she reminded him. "While I was in the hospital, the window passed for everything I was planning. Not to mention that Ashley disappeared without a trace, along with any chance of getting evidence from Pascal—" she added, but Daniel was exasperated.

"I'm _working_ on that," he cut her short. "But Em, you can't risk any further stress in your condition."

"Daniel, I've got it under control _—_ " Emily began to argue, but deflated at the warning in his eyes. She lowered her head dutifully, which brought her gaze to where his hand cupped her midsection, hidden carefully beneath her dress. It was a reminder that in spite of the horror she had experienced nearly three weeks prior, like her, their child was a survivor. Reluctantly she placed a hand over his, and without words her submission was made clear.

"Fine," she eventually conceded, reaching into the lining of her purse where her bet receipt was stashed. "Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to watch the races with you?" she rationalized, lifting it for him to see.

"Nice try," he humored her, but it softened him nonetheless. "Look, I know you're getting cabin fever stuck in the house, and I'll make plans to take you out soon… but _only_ if you promise to be good now," he taunted slyly, tapping her chin. "You know what that means?"

"It means… I'm going home," Emily shrugged, giving in. She leaned back with an apologetic sigh and began her exit, but Daniel contained her hand before she could turn away.

"Hey," he added, nudging her. "I love you." He leaned in beneath her hat to reaffirm it with a kiss, and Emily returned it tenderly. She closed her eyes to linger and suddenly the crowd broke out in cheers as the race ended, causing them both to separate and look up.

"Hey, what do you know," Emily realized, holding up the receipt to her bet innocently. "I won," she showed him.

Daniel furrowed his brow, realizing she had just bought herself a few more minutes to claim her winnings. "Go straight home after," he ordered, and though she tapped her hat in seeming compliance, something told him she would not go that easy.

 **SCENE**

Emily made light work of retrieving her winning bet, saving time to catch up to where she last saw Victoria disappear in the corridor. Her aim was to have a confrontation, but a much better alternative quickly became available when she spied Victoria meeting another man. The tone of their exchange caught her attention, and Emily hung back just far enough to overhear.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Victoria bellowed, catching him by surprise. "You agreed to stay away!"

"Relax," he assuaged her with palms rose, using one to smooth his hair back. "This isn't about you. I'm in town to receive the Green American Award for my innovation in green technology. I'm surprised you didn't know," he taunted her with a cocked eyebrow. "You used to be so plugged in?"

"Look at you, trying to prove you're not the same pathetic lapdog who followed Conrad around the office," Victoria spat in return, continuing to garnish Emily's intrigue. "What do you think these people would think if they knew how the great Luke Gilliam acquired his wealth?"

Provoked, Luke leaned in close. "Is that a threat?" he challenged. "Pull yourself together, Victoria. You were just as responsible for what happened. Don't pretend otherwise."

Victoria eyed him with disdain. "It was supposed to be _you,_ not David!" she nearly shouted, and this time Emily flinched at the mention of her father's name.

"Well, unlike him, I didn't let Conrad stab me in the back," Luke replied mockingly. "He tried to frame me the second he got in over his head, but I was happy he did it because at that moment, I learned the greatest lesson of all - screw the other guy."

He began to swagger off, to which Emily shrunk back in the shadows unnoticed. But another follow up from Victoria kept him in place. "Careful, Luke," she warned. "Or your return to the Hamptons just might be your downfall."

Luke doubled a step back, taking it in stride. "I'd hate to meet that threat, with the _evidence_ I've been holding onto all these years," he leered.

"Use it!" Victoria tempted him proudly. "Nothing would make me happier than to see you and Conrad take each other down!"

Emily was nearly beside herself, but forced to remain silent as her mind churned away with questions. She reserved them for once the coast was clear, tuning into Luke's final reply instead. "You need to learn to let the past go," he countered Victoria's taunting. "After all, we got away with it, scot-free."

 **SCENE**

Amanda paused at the top of the stairwell, shifting Carl onto her other hip so she could observe Jack for a moment without him seeing. In the past few weeks he had poured himself into renovations to their new home, which conveniently served as a safe house since her escape. And while the sequestered location gave her feelings of déjà vu, admittedly the atmosphere was changed. Rather than having the warmth of a haven for them to reconnect, instead it felt like a burden, the only unifying factor being their love for Carl. Amanda gazed at her son, wondering if perhaps he had been the only reason they lasted together all along.

A vibration sounded from her pocket and she removed the secure phone Nolan gave her the night of the breakout. It was supposed to be only for emergencies, but she was growing desperate. She tried to tap a quick reply, but Carl saw it and made a noise, immediately alerting Jack of their presence.

"Hey," he looked up from bench he was repairing.

"Looks great," Amanda replied, slipping the phone away. She trailed down the steps and set Carl down to play on the floor.

"Thought you said we were going to be honest with each other," Jack chuckled, and for a moment Amanda thought she was caught until she realized he was assessing his half-hearted job. " _This_ is a disaster. Do-it-yourself renovation is not as easy as it sounds," he added, ruffling Carl's hair.

Amanda looked on wistfully, and Jack took notice but chose not to pursue it, instead returned to mending the bench. "Jack, do you ever wonder if it's worth pretending to be something that you're not?" she finally posed, sitting restlessly on her hands.

He refrained from facing her completely. "You mean a successful homeowner?" he guessed, but a second look told him she meant something different. "Oh. This again," he said with a note of exasperation. "Are you talking about you or Emily this time?"

"I was talking about _us,_ " Amanda clarified, going over to the window where the shades were drawn. "Though I'm sure Emily has had the same feeling," she relented. By now her closest friend had to be in her second trimester, and it pained her that she couldn't be there to support.

"If you mean, do I wonder if it's worth pretending to be a widow _again_ to keep you protected," Jack supposed. "I don't give it a second thought," he answered, and as usual his sentiment melted her heart, while accusing her at the same time. "It's more important my son have a mother than getting the satisfaction of being out in the open. After all, what's another lie, right?"

Amanda turned, realizing he was intentionally being sarcastic. "You know I can't stand living a lie," she insisted.

It only fueled his underlying point. "So, then why are you here?" he asked, finally discarding the tool in his hand. His countenance was resolute; having accepted for some time that Amanda's heart was elsewhere. "Why'd you come home to us, if you wanted to be somewhere else? I mean, you had the opportunity. You could have disappeared…" he drifted in thought, allowing his intuition to manifest aloud. "You could have even let me believe the Graysons _had_ murdered you—just like the first time. Why did you come back, Amanda?"

She concentrated her attention onto Carl to avoid his questioning, but even her silence answered him. "I wanted to," she finally stated, but his expression challenged her sincerity.

"Yeah," he began his exit of the room, tapping her shoulder as he brushed by. "That's what I keep telling myself."

Amanda's heart sank in self-condemnation and she pinched her eyes shut, wishing there was some other way to convince him. But her feelings of defeat had become customary, just like his habit of disbelief. Perhaps they were both in denial or they just did not know how to overcome the space between them, but it resonated more and more with each day.

He emerged from their room a moment later to free her of the discomfort. "I'm driving down to Montauk," he announced. "I need to show my face at the _Stowaway_ and I want to check on Stevie. You two gonna be alright?" He watched to see if it would stir her in any way but she merely nodded, stepping forward to give a placid kiss goodbye.

"We'll be here when you get back," she promised, turning swiftly to join Carl on the floor.

Jack lingered for a moment, the sight of her with their son eliciting a warm feeling even if unrest remained. Patient to a fault, he kept the mental picture as motivation, and Amanda did the same after watching him walk out the door. But just as quickly, she retrieved her phone and decided to finally pursue the one thing she had been avoiding since the moment she returned.

 **SCENE**

"Tell me I didn't miss something astronomical between Pascal & Louise?"

Nolan grinned shrewdly at Daniel's impertinent tone, answering his return call as he walked the grounds of the emptying stadium. "Besides fireworks and undeniable chemistry?" he replied nonchalantly, slipping a hand into his pocket. "Not really— Pascal just asked Louise to lunch tomorrow, which we'll be plugged into yet again, thanks to that nifty device she's carrying around."

Daniel breathed relief onto the line, slowing his brisk walk across the parking lot. "Good, maybe then we'll finally get somewhere. Listen, I'm gonna make sure Em gets home alright—can you handle the rest without me?"

"Uh, obvs," Nolan mocked, as if it were a ridiculous question. He already had sight of their next contact. "Don't worry, I got this. Tell Ems I'll be by to visit once she's off time-out," he quipped.

"I should have known you were listening in to our conversation," Daniel realized.

"Yeah I know, kinky," Nolan scrunched his nose. "But, unfortunately—wouldn't be the first time. Later," he concluded, ending the conversation just as he approached Margaux LeMarchal from the rear. " _Love_ the vintage," he remarked, palming the applique on her head accessory. "Only a Paris native could make 'understated' the new 'eye-catching'at the Hamptons Classic."

Margaux turned. "Nolan," she replied warmly, thanking him. "I didn't realize the Grand Prix was your scene?"

"Any opportunity to make a bold fashion statement, really," he informed. "Though I have to say, I'm just as surprised to see you. Did you already leave the competition or," he shifted in the soft grass. "You just miss US soil?"

"Neither, I'm afraid," she laughed. "I never accepted. The day after I left my father offered me chair over _Voulez en France,_ and I've been there ever seems Ashley's resignation left him high and dry… again," she added with an eye roll.

Nolan acknowledged it with an aura of intrigue. "Right—that's too bad. Ash leaving town without a trace really mystified us all," he hinted, seeing if it struck a chord. "Think maybe there was more to it?" he pressed, offering his arm.

Margaux accepted it and began to walk in step. "According to the concierge, she never checked into her hotel the day I left for Rome," she answered to the best of her knowledge. "All my calls to her went unanswered."

"And you don't find that a little _strange_?" Nolan implied cautiously.

"Not really," Margaux answered in honest reflection. "Ashley has a reputation for picking up and leaving without a trace—she did it to me only months ago. It's what my father gets for not listening and why I enjoyed watching him grovel for me to come back," she added proudly. "He's learned the hard way that my advice was right all along."

"You sure you can trust him?" Nolan remained skeptical.

"When it comes to my father, it's more important that you gain _his_ trust," Margaux tried to explain, happily concluding. "But I believe I have it. He's asked me to lead the pitch for LeMarchal Media's expansion into social media—which is what brought me back stateside."

"Funny you should mention that," Nolan inserted, capitalizing on the opportunity. "See I've spent the past month plotting what my next venture will be, and while I considered finally giving _Voulez_ that interview you begged me for – I think I might be onto something even _more_ cutting edge." He paused to tease her a little. "Not that you'd be interested with all you have on your plate nowadays…"

Margaux's eyes widened with interest. "Try me," she dared.

"Here, see for yourself," Nolan queued up a program on his phone and then handed it over. Seeing her face in the photo, Margaux stared back in confusion. "It's an aggregate of your digital footprint," he began to explain. "An application that analyzes all your online habits, so it can direct anyone to your likes, dislikes, needs… desires?"

"What?" Margaux challenged with a baffled look.

"Seriously," Nolan basked in the opportunity to show off his skills. "Test it—ask yourself something."

Reluctantly, she went along. "Okay, _Margaux,_ what shoes do I want this season?" she asked with little expectation. The application took a moment to process and then her avatar quickly responded, oddly in her own voice. "Jeremy Rousseau gold animal peep toe pumps," it replied, and a picture of the shoes appeared in the upper right hand corner.

"Oh, my God," Margaux gasped. "She's right!"

"Of course she is," Nolan agreed, snickering. "She's _you._ " While Margaux remained still in amazement, he manipulated the phone in her hands, bringing the application back to its home screen. "It started off as a way to keep tabs on ah, a friend of mine," he hinted, careful not to reveal its revenge-related origin. "But I refined it to something a little more public-friendly… I call it, MyClone." With that, Nolan returned it to his pocket and began walking away, drawing out her interest to follow.

"MyClone," Margaux repeated, quickly envisioning the opportunities it could bring. "Nolan, you're a _genius!_ "

He continued to stroll off in triumph, confident the seed had been planted for the next phase. "Yeah," he concurred proudly. "I know."

 **SCENE**

"His name is Luke Gilliam," Emily brought Nolan up to speed at her kitchen counter the following morning. She stayed mindful of her tone, presuming that Daniel would be downstairs soon, and kept both her Infinity Box and her laptop closely guarded under her grasp.

"Tell me again, why I'm even _listening_ to you tell me about a new target?" Nolan complained, cautioning her with an unpleasant look. "You're supposed to be on time-out, not pursuing new leads on your way past the stables…"

"I _didn't_ go looking for this," Emily defended. "But after I overheard Victoria talking to him I had to research his background – turns out he was Grayson Global's biggest earner," she added with enthusiasm. "Rumor was he illegally manipulated energy markets, which Conrad used to inflate profits. That made him the logical choice to take the fall for laundering terrorist money."

"Definitely would have been an easier sell than _your father_ ," Nolan corroborated irritably. "So what happened?"

"Their plan failed, Gilliam quit before the company was tied to the bombing," Emily replied, studying a brochure for the Green Awards that had Luke's picture in the inner fold. "The Graysons had no choice to pin it on my father instead."

Nolan shook his head. "I don't understand why you missed him before?"

Emily reached into her box. "Because my father never wrote about him in his journals," she explained, holding one up. Her next dig was for her red marker, tapping it thoughtfully against the photo. "He used his cut to start a natural gas company – that's why he's in town to receive an award for his 'environmentally safe' techniques," she phrased with heavy doubt. "But he told Victoria that he still has evidence about Flight 197. If I can take him down, maybe I can get my hands on it—"

At that, Nolan cut her short. "Uh, whoa girl! _Take? Down?"_ he scolded, snatching the marker to her surprise. "Those four letter words were specifically banned from your vocabulary," he reminded. She nudged him to keep his volume down. "Look, I said I wouldn't say anything to Daniel but don't think you can sweet talk your way into a red X with _me!_ " he insisted.

"Fine!" Emily hissed back, grabbing the marker from him. "I'll have Daniel look into it when he comes down," she agreed and turned her laptop back around to concentrate.

Nolan ignored her smug look, pushing further with concern. "Shouldn't you be doing something _else_ like, I don't know, browsing nursery furniture… or picking out baby names?" he offered optimistically. "You know, I've always been a big proponent of the name _Nolan_ being gender-ambiguous—"

"Thanks," Emily cut him off. "But I think I've got enough ambiguity in my circle."

Nolan moaned, wishing for once she would just slow her pace. "Ems—" he pled.

"Take Ashley, for example," she ignored him, redirecting sternly. "Never heard from again since that night when she stood there and _swore_ to me that she was in love with Pascal. And I'm supposed to believe she just took off without so much as a word after finding out he was with Victoria?"

"Back to this again," Nolan sighed, seeing there was no distracting her. He placated her with a gesture. "Yes, hers is a mystery still unsolved—even I'll admit it has me worried—"

"Or how about Louise," Emily continued, on a roll. "She was intent on confronting Victoria and then out of the blue she just decides to pack up and head back to the South Fork?" she interrogated. "I mean, what is going on—I'm out of commission for a few weeks and everything has gone to pieces!"

"Ok, ok, agreed," Nolan conceded, sensing she was about to lose composure. "Things may have gotten a _little_ off track, but I promise you—me and Danny are _on_ it." He took out a tracking device that resembled a walkie-talkie. "Louise may have been AWOL from Grayson Manor since the night of Amanda's rescue but we've still got ears on her. Strangely enough her encounter with Pascal at the races yesterday was the most activity she's had in weeks."

"She was _there_ with Pascal?" Emily repeated.

"She barely said three words to him," Nolan explained, sliding the device over. "But, here's the tracker if you want to tune in, since you're _officially_ housebound," he reminded reluctantly. "Guess a little light eavesdropping isn't breaking the rules too bad…"

Emily started to respond but cleared her expression as Daniel's footsteps could be heard coming down the stairwell. "Everything alright down here?" he verified, zoning in on his wife.

"Fine," she assured him sweetly, clicking back to the home screen on her laptop. Her eyes shifted guiltily to her Infinity Box and plead with Nolan for rescue.

"Uh yeah, I was just telling Emily I'd be _happy_ to get her box stained and refinished for her," Nolan presumed, sweeping it up under his left arm. "No problemo," he emphasized.

"Oh good," Daniel was relieved, tapping Emily affectionately. "It's not like you'll be using it anytime soon, right babe?" he added, getting a drink from the fridge.

"Not at all," Emily forced, throwing daggers at Nolan while Daniel's head was turned.

"I should get going," Nolan checked a text with his free hand. "I'm pitching my latest venture to a potential investor. It kind of just, came to me, inspired by the clone phone trick," he hinted, suddenly realizing the red Sharpie was still on the table. "Oh—I'll take _this_ ," he added, snatching the marker before she could stop him.

"Take care, Nolan," Daniel came back over at that moment to wave him off.

"Heh, later," he chuckled, exiting with a wiry glare.

Once he was gone, Daniel returned his attention to Emily. "So, I'm off to see Stevie. But I was thinking after your doctor's appointment, I take you out to one of our old spots for lunch—somewhere romantic, maybe in midtown?"

"That's nice, Daniel," Emily acknowledged in dry pretense. "While you're off strategizing and Nolan's pitching a new company, I can sit here and daydream about whether I want soup or salad," she jabbed with sarcasm. "Or maybe think about which pair of shoes to wear?" She got up abruptly, closing her laptop to storm into the living room.

"Hey, come on." Daniel pled, following her in. "I just want to follow doctor's orders… I'll only be gone a couple hours," he promised, hoping to warm her up to the idea of resting. "And Nolan's not pitching a new company; it's an application."

"Wow, you even know more about my best friend than I do," Emily huffed, burying half her face into a pillow as she laid flat on the couch. "I don't know how much more of this I can take…"

Daniel persisted, lifting her legs across his lap as he sat down. "I do – about five months," he stayed firm, massaging her feet. "Just keep thinking about the long-term reward here, alright? At the end of that time there's going to be a perfect little bundle of joy, with your eyes and maybe my smile," he doted sweetly. "Focus on that."

She finally cracked a grin and it comforted Daniel enough to stand up again. "Hey, how 'bout you get started on the nursery while I'm gone?" he suggested. "There's one thing you can plan until your heart's content," he added, lifting the recording device beside her laptop. "What's this, a baby monitor?"

Emily sat up awkwardly. "Something like that," she answered.

"Alright, well get as much other baby stuff as we need," he encouraged. "Anything you can think of, nothing but the best for our little one—sky's the limit." He grinned sincerely and finally edged out, hoping he could trust her to be content. "I'll see you in a bit."

Once he was gone, Emily walked back over to where he had left the device. A stray thought entering her mind, she deliberated before slowly connecting it to her laptop, using her software to tune into playback. Any lingering doubts quickly dissipated as the sound of voices streamed through, commanding her attention and awakening the urge to pursue – one that simply would not go away.

 **SCENE**

"Louise—you're early?"

Pascal entered his _Voulez_ office, only to find his companion waiting anxiously in a sleek dress, tightly clutching her handbag. Her eyes hid behind a curtain of loosely curled auburn tresses, and struggled to meet his. "Mr. LeMarchal, I'm afraid I have to cancel," she blurted nervously. "I just wanted to do the honors in person."

He hovered in the space between her and his desk. "I hope it's nothing I've said," he presumed hopefully. "Yesterday you were more than willing?"

Louise acknowledged it with a guilty nod. "Well, where I'm from its considered rude to turn down an invitation and when I got your note asking me to the races…" she drifted off. "I guess at the time I hadn't—I didn't realize you were still with Victoria?"

With the mention of her name, Pascal relaxed noticeably into his seat. "Ah, I see," he recognized. "You're worried about coming between us. Interesting that should bother you now when it didn't seem to concern you that night by the pool? You made your advances… very clear, as I recall."

Her eyes flickered over to his nervously and she sank slowly back into her chair to mirror him. "Yes, well," she debated, inwardly counting her breaths. The memories of that night played in her head over and again, until she was forced to address them. "You know, later that night… a little while after I went in? I actually came back out to get something I'd left behind."

Pascal affixed his eyes onto her but remained silent, observing how her lips trembled as she continued to recall the evening.

"Were you—" she started, pausing to rephrase. "Did you happen to be outside by any chance?" she finally asked, heaving with fear. His expression barely twitched and she followed up with a dramatic gesture, placing a hand to her heart. "Perhaps my silly imagination is playin' tricks on me, but I could've _sworn_ I saw someone over in the brush that night … were you, ah, lookin' for something you left behind too?"

Again, Pascal locked his eyes onto hers, as if to read what lie beyond them in the walls of her mind. He remembered that night vividly; every action taken to conceal yet another of his many sins, this one urgently before Victoria returned home. He had assumed no one else was around and now realized he had taken Louise for granted, thinking her too absentminded to notice.

"I believe you're right," Pascal responded at last in his gravely accent. He leaned forward across the desk and she tensed waiting for his reply. "Your imagination _is_ playing tricks on you," he obliged, painting on an alluring sneer. "I went to bed after our encounter that evening, to wait on Victoria."

Louise let out a heavy breath, endeavoring to be lighthearted. "Of course," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Like I said, silly me," she added, batting her lashes. "Well, at any rate—"

"At any rate, I would very much like to see you again," Pascal interjected before she could beg off, reaching over to take her hand. "And let me assure you—if it's Victoria you're worried about, we're not as exclusive as you might think."

"Heh," Louise squirmed uncomfortably, forcing a laugh. "Is that right?"

Pascal ducked his chin convincingly. "Unlike her ex-husband Conrad, I don't let the women in my life control me," he affirmed, peering close to see her reaction. "I hope that fact won't preclude us from getting to know each other better – I was truly looking forward to it?"

While Louise stalled to answer, his desk phone rang. She flinched at the noise and then quickly retracted into a girlish smile, taking advantage of the distraction to consider what to say next...

Meanwhile, the brief respite allowed Emily a moment to digest as she had been listening to every word from her beach house, thanks to Nolan's tracking device. She was dialing his cell at that very moment, desperately hoping he picked up right away.

"I'm not bringing the box back, so don't even try begging—" he answered snippily.

"This isn't about that," she rushed frantically. "Louise just showed up to _Voulez_ to break her date with Pascal and it sounds like she knows something. She said she saw him snooping around outside Grayson Manor the last night she was there—"

"Doing what exactly?" Nolan asked.

"I don't know, she danced around it but I think she's onto something," Emily predicted, her intuition sharp as ever. "What's more, Pascal just made a point to say he doesn't let the women in his life _control_ him. Nolan—that was the night Ashley found out about him and Victoria, the same night she disappeared!"

Following, Nolan guessed nervously. "You think she went there to confront him and Louise saw it?"

"I think she saw what happened _after_ Ashley confronted him _,_ " Emily concluded pointedly, tuning back in to listen. "She just mentioned leaving town, we can't let her—if she knows something about Pascal we have to get her to talk!"

"Alright, alright, I'm on it," Nolan assured her.

"How?" Emily was on her feet in the kitchen, feeling helpless. "You'll never make it in time—"

" _Yes,_ I will," Nolan insisted, speeding up to catch the swinging door to the entrance of a building. "You said she showed up to _Voulez_ right? Well, I'm there now."

Emily's brow creased in confusion. "I thought you said you were meeting with a new investor?"

"Oh, didn't I mention?" he fended awkwardly. "It's Margaux." While Emily dazed into silence on the line, Nolan slowed to a halt just as Louise came prancing down the steps. "Gotta run," he whispered, taking the phone from his ear to stand squarely in her path.

"Louise Ellis," he called ahead, facing off for the first time since their encounter at the _Stowaway._ She froze in surprise as he gave her the once over. "You sure clean up nice... got a hot date or you here looking to make a career change?"

Louise paled in recognition, and immediately he knew she was caught.

"What do you say you and me go have a little chat?"

 **SCENE**

"Your hydrangeas are dead."

Victoria looked up at Conrad's voice beckoning her from where she arranged a bouquet of fall flowers in the Manor courtyard. As much as her instincts were to loathe his relentless presence, today she had the patience to withstand it. "How perceptive," she replied, turning to reenter the house. "Considering you've never shown any interest in botany?"

He grinned devilishly as she strode past and watched her place the centerpiece on the dining room table. "Nor likewise have you shown any interest in seeing me since the divorce," he countered with intrigue. "So to what do I owe this pleasure— or did you ask me here merely to offer thanks for removing the last fly from the ointment?"

Victoria overlooked his reference to Amanda and finished adjusting her stems before continuing through towards the study. "Oh Conrad, always assuming full credit," she hinted, recalling her own role in the plot. "Just a facet of your colossal arrogance… Ironically, I happened to cross paths with another massive ego today—Luke Gilliam."

Conrad turned his nose up and trailed in after her. "Now there's a name from the past," he declared, slightly unnerved. "One I hope you've chosen not to dredge up? I paid Luke handsomely for his silence and I'd hate for you to derail that armistice with your irrational behavior."

"Luke was quite content not to revisit the past; he's in town to accept an award," Victoria assured him, taking a seat. "But his attitude towards previous sins closely resembled Pascal's response to you—when you confronted him in this very room."

Despite how steadily her words came out, the air filled with tension. "I wasn't aware you had heard that exchange," Conrad acknowledged, turning it into an opening to taunt her. "But then, I suppose you've faced the truth since—that Pascal played a part in dooming your beloved David?" The edge of Conrad's mouth curled into a vindictive sneer. "And yet you've chosen to stay by his side?"

Victoria reserved her spite. "The same could be said of you _,_ " she argued cleverly. "You went to great measures to obtain a partnership with him," she accused, eyeing him suspiciously. "What are you two colluding on… and more importantly, what's in it for you?"

"I fail to see the profit in satisfying your curiosity," Conrad dodged surreptitiously. "When I imagine your endgame is for me to sever ties regardless?"

She ignored his mocking and drew her expression taut. "If I am anxious to see your alliance shattered it's because I have suffered long enough at the hands of you and your enemies, and I refuse to lose anything else to your self-serving ambitions!"

"Relax, Victoria," he answered through a broken laugh. "There's no need to vex yourself into a frenzy when what I want is very simple – all of LeMarchal Media." Victoria grimaced but he continued sternly, standing to his feet. "You see I'm working to build back an empire, and once I have it I will be more than content to leave both you and Mr. LeMarchal to your _delusions_ of romance. So you can tell Pascal I'll be waiting for his call, hm?"

With that he began a casual stride towards the door, trusting that his counteroffer had terminated any future discussion. Ever resentful, Victoria returned to sorting the mail and her eyes trailed to a peculiar letter with no return address. She removed it from among the others to open, and a shockwave rippled through her chest as she read the six words scrawled across the page: _I know who killed your son._

 **SCENE**

At the sound of someone at the back door, Emily swiftly padded over to answer, slowing when she realized it was not the friend she was expecting. "Jack," she greeted with surprise, wedging the door open. "Hey, you're back?"

"Just making my rounds, showing my face around town," he explained, reminding her that he had much practice when it came to Amanda's absence. "Is this a bad time?" he verified, still hanging back.

"No, not all," Emily obliged, leading him over to where she had been waiting by her phone in the kitchen. She relaxed and left her laptop open, knowing he was less likely to judge her for bending the rules than everyone else. "I'm ah, sorry you have to do this all over again," she offered uneasily.

Jack took it in stride. "It's alright, at least this time I'm in on the gag," he brushed over it, taking a seat. "I ran into Daniel while I was visiting Stevie. He told me the prosecution published their intent to drop all charges against Amanda before her 'death'," he mimicked quotations in the air. She nodded and his expression then twisted with concern. "He also told me you had a scare the night of her rescue… Emily, I'm so sorry, I had no idea—"

"Jack, please, you had enough going on," she downplayed it immediately, tapping her abdomen. "And besides, I'm doing fine. I have an appointment this afternoon actually. I'm more concerned about Amanda," she inquired genuinely. "How is she?"

"She's… Amanda," Jack sighed with a telling look. His exasperation showed despite him trying to be delicate. "The Graysons really did a number on her," he concluded at last. "Even that brief stint behind bars—she hasn't been the same since." He lowered his brow in partial defeat.

"Just as long as she doesn't get any ideas…" Emily replied with caution. For her to have any chance at survival, it was imperative that she stayed completely off the grid this time. Instinctively, she checked her phone but there was no word yet from Nolan.

"Anyway," Jack redirected. "I can't thank you enough for what you did for her – for all of us. I feel like I'm always saying this but… we owe you everything."

Emily humbly nodded in acknowledgment, and as Jack appreciatively gazed into her eyes he suddenly fell silent. Much time had passed since their last honest moment alone, and somehow it always gave him a warm feeling inside. It reminded him of the first summer she came, the summer he had met Amanda, the summer his child was conceived, and the turning point when it seemed his life had changed forever. The irony was that hers was about to do the same, and while their lives had split into different paths long ago, a part of him always wondered what it would have been like had they not parted ways.

Suddenly worrying that his silence had made things uncomfortable, Jack guiltily snapped back to attention. "So, ah, is that your new target?" he asked, distracting himself with her computer screen. "Guess you really are feeling better," he joked lightly.

Emily hesitated, but decided it was safe. "Luke Gilliam," she explained, examining her research. "He runs a clean gas company but it's a sham – the chemicals he uses are toxic. But of course since the people he's scamming don't have the means to fight back, he's been untouchable...until now," she prefaced.

"Let me guess, he has some ties to the Graysons?" Jack inferred.

"According to him, he retained evidence of Conrad's role in the bombing. He's in town this afternoon prepping for his award," she added, shifting in her seat. "But, _Daniel_ doesn't want me getting involved with any more takedowns, so I can't meet him. I can barely leave the house," she sighed.

Jack furrowed his brow and finally understood. "Oh I see, so by _your_ standards you're fine, but in reality you're still recovering," he chuckled, expecting as much. "Well, far be it from me to interfere with doctor's orders," he stood. "I should let you get your rest... but let me know if there's anything I can do to help?"

But Emily's gaze remained, concentrating on a fresh idea. "Actually… there is."

 **SCENE**

"Let me save you some time, sweet Southern Sally," Nolan leaned across the table to command Louise, watching her squirm like a deer in headlights. "I know Victoria hired you to spy on my dear friend Jack, _and_ I know you skipped town after his wife got arrested, hoping to dodge the fallout. But what I can't seem to piece together is what happened after that—so why not start with your friendly visit to Pascal LeMarchal?"

Louise was more exposed by his impossible insight than had an album leaked of her most scandalous photos. "I suspect you came to know all this due to your technical genius, Mr. Ross?" she prodded first.

He shrugged proudly. "Guess you should have seen that coming since the day we met at the Stowaway—I know you recognized me," he presumed. "Just like I knew I'd seen your family before in Vanity Fair. So, now that we've got friendly introductions out of the way, how about answering my question?"

She tensed, glancing around the private corner of the beach club they were sitting in. "Alright," she sighed heavily. "The truth is, I'm not seeing Pascal – I only went to visit him because I had to know if it was him that I saw that night."

"What night?" Nolan grilled anxiously.

"The night I left Victoria's home," she elaborated, starting from the beginning. "When we met we had agreed that I would help her find her son's killer if she helped me get back on my feet after the rough year I had. But as time went on I realized she was after something else – that poor girl that died in jail?"

"Amanda Clarke," Nolan supplied, urging her to go on.

"Right," Louise confirmed, dropping her gaze. "Well, back when I realized I had a part in why they locked her up, I felt awful. I left town for a few days and when I came back Victoria had forgotten all about our arrangement. Then I came to learn that she had been using me all along," she lamented, emotion seeping into her voice.

Nolan recognized it as the result of Emily's meeting with her. "And then what happened?" he pressed. "Did you call her on it?"

"I was going to," Louise defended weakly. "I had been stayin' with her so I waited for her to come home. I must have been there for hours until finally, I decided to go for a swim to clear my head … that's when I met Pascal." Her eyes danced around nervously at the mention. "At first he seemed harmless, but now I'm sure he's a snake in the grass."

"How do you mean?" Nolan drilled with intrigue.

"Let's just say he knows how to cover his trail," she hinted, clutching her necklace. "I came back to the pool later on because I had left something. When I came out, I could have sworn I saw him moving in the bushes," she recalled, trying to remember more details at Nolan's persistent looks. "He was either dragging something or someone—it was too dark to tell. But, I know he was up to something sinister. Just now when I asked him, he flat out denied even being there."

Nolan rested back slowly, already concluding what it could mean. "Does Victoria know?"

"I'm not sure," Louise replied honestly. "She came in late that evening, but the next day they must have been at odds because she asked me to leave. I've been at the South Fork since, trying to decide what to do. So when I got Pascal's note, asking me to meet, I thought it was my chance—but now I think he just knows I'm onto him."

Realizing there was now enough evidence to substantiate action, Nolan reached for his phone. "That's it, we have to do something," he decided.

"What are you doing?" Louise exclaimed at once, reaching over to stop him. "No, you can't call the police! They'll know it was me, you don't know what they're capable of!"

"Oh, _believe me,_ I do," Nolan assured, pulling it away from her grasp. "But I'm not calling the police; I'm calling a friend, someone who can help you—"

"I don't _need_ any more help!" Louise bellowed, and this time she was fast enough to snatch his phone away. "I'm sorry but I never asked for any of this, I came here to find myself and all I keep running into is the same thing I left behind—" she bolted from the table, still clutching his phone and took off. "I'm out of this town!"

"Louise, wait!" Nolan ran after and caught up quickly, sidestepping her curious remark to follow her onto the balcony. "Someone I care about is missing or possibly even _dead_ and you may very well be the only person who can do something about it!" His outburst slowed her as she turned to shush him.

"Keep your voice down!" she insisted. "I told you, I've already done enough; I can't get involved in this anymore—"

"Yes, you _have_ done enough," Nolan reminded her, holding her by the arm. "You helped start all of this, now make it right!" Certain she was still unwilling; he softened his tone. "Look, I don't know you that well but you seem like someone with a good heart who just got mixed up with the wrong people. And if that's the case, then Louise, this is a second chance for you to make the _right_ choice."

"I am," she uttered determinedly, and with a glance at his phone she reached back and threw it over the side of the balcony. "Now, for the last time, leave me alone or I promise you'll regret it," she swore.

Shocked at her drastic response, Nolan could only watch her storm away before finally trudging down to search for his phone on the beach below. To his fortune, it was already ringing when he found it in the sand, and he dusted it off gingerly to answer.

"Margaux," he picked up apologetically. "Sorry I missed our appointment, my whole day got thrown off," he glanced back up towards the balcony where he had just been standing a moment ago. "Literally," he added.

Her answer was a blur of rapid details, and he halted upon hearing one that stood out in particular. "Come again – your father did what?"

 **SCENE**

"Well, there you have it." Emily reserved her triumphant declaration for the moment they emerged from her doctor's building, turning to face Daniel on the city sidewalk. "A clean bill of health," she echoed for his benefit. "Are you happy now?"

Daniel dodged it breathily, averting his eyes towards the street while they began walking. "I'm just relieved you're doing better. I think right now that matters more than giving you consent to go back to plotting 24/7," he snapped shortly.

Emily slowed at his response. "You really don't think I know my limitations, do you?" she questioned, prompting him to stop with a tug at his arm. "Daniel, why do you think I've been working so hard to finish this?" her temper suddenly flared. "All I care about is our family—I'm _doing_ this for us!"

"Oh, really?" he contested. "Because it seems like you're having trouble knowing when to draw the line," he scolded, gesturing with deeper insight. "This morning at the races you promised you would let me handle this. You said you wouldn't interfere—"

"And I haven't!" Emily insisted.

Daniel challenged her with a look. "You sure about that… who's Luke Gilliam?" he asked, watching as her eyes narrowed in response. "What, you thought I wasn't going to check up on you? I know you Emily," he reminded her with a familiar scowl. "So why's his name in the search history on your laptop?"

Emily edged a step closer, raising her brow in alarm. "You went through my computer?"

"Don't even try to make this about privacy," he warned her. "We both know you're a master at keeping secrets. I went on there to help you pick out things for the nursery, but it quickly became obvious that wasn't your priority today?"

"For your information," Emily disputed, seething as she shifted stance. "I did everything in my power to listen to you today and stay out of it, even when I discovered that Luke had evidence on your father!" She bobbed at Daniel's grunt in surprise. "Yeah, I let someone else handle it, just like I let Nolan follow the other lead I got from Louise, and I've let you steer the entire case with Stevie singlehandedly. But maybe that's my problem—maybe I've been too trusting of everyone else?"

She started to brush past but he tugged her back. "Em, wait—"

"How long have you known the sex of the baby, Daniel?" she finally blurted. He took a step backwards, scrunching his face incredulously and she adjusted the purse strap on her shoulder before continuing. "This morning you told me to get everything we needed—did you forget we said we'd _wait_ until we knew to pick it out together?" Emily reminded him assertively. "Then just now I thought maybe you forgot to ask the technician while we were upstairs until I realized… you already know."

Ashamed to admit it, Daniel bowed his head. "They told me while you were in the hospital," he confessed, realizing she was right. "I wanted to keep it a surprise for you; I'm actually amazed I didn't let it slip this whole time," he further added, hoping to lighten the mood.

But her frustration was set, making it easy to slip into familiar habits. "Or maybe, you just did it out of spite," she suggested, shaking her head. "Now who's the one keeping secrets?"

Before he could explain Emily continued walking ahead, and rather than make a weak attempt at amends, Daniel just let her go. It gave him time to contemplate just how heavily he could criticize her tendencies when he still had his own to figure out.

 **SCENE**

Victoria navigated the trendy corridors of _Voulez,_ and at last she found Margaux, nearly camouflaged behind boxes and stacks of paper in her father's office. She hovered in the open doorway observing for several moments before she finally knocked.

Margaux looked up and soured in recognition. "If you're looking for my father, you just missed him," she advised, returning back to work

"I received his message to meet for dinner late," Victoria explained, trailing in despite her uninviting tone. "I was detained by another one," she continued, handing over her letter from earlier.

Margaux finally stopped to peer at it. "Is this for real?" she doubted initially, turning it over.

"It was delivered anonymously this afternoon. I have no reason to believe it isn't," Victoria affirmed. "Margaux, at one time you were the only person I could call on for support. I came to you with hope that you might assist me once again?"

"The last time we spoke you were furious that _Voulez_ confirmed Patrick as Emily's shooter," Margaux reminded her sternly, handing the letter back over. "And you were convinced Amanda Clarke had a part in your son's death… Well now, _she_ is dead," she added solemnly. "What else is left to prove?"

"The fact is that Patrick's death was ruled a suicide, and yet here this message remains," Victoria countered with determination, folding it back into her palm. "Seeing as it wasn't sent from the afterlife, then from who?" she questioned.

"That's not up to me to decide," Margaux's tone hinted towards resolution. "If you want to reopen an investigation, I suggest you go to the police. If you want me to print a retraction," she boldly declined, folding her arms. "I'm afraid that's not possible. First, because I _can't – w_ ithout evidence, I would never think of releasing speculation. And second, I _won't,_ " she gestured broadly to the cluttered desk. "Because I have a company to run."

"So he's done it then," Victoria soon realized, adjusting her stance. "Pascal's chosen to name you as his successor?"

"He announced it unexpectedly today," Margaux acknowledged with a sidelong glance. "I'm surprised he didn't tell you?"

Victoria absorbed it bitterly; deducing she was less than keen on their relationship. "Your father and I have been at an impasse for some time," she admitted. "But I'm pleased to hear he's entrusted the company to you, as opposed to… others," she hinted with lingering thoughts of her conversation with Conrad. She began approaching Margaux slowly, using the topic to springboard back onto her concerns. "I imagine it's the perfect opportunity for you to establish your _own_ brand," she tempted cleverly. "Why not begin by bringing the truth to light?"

Unstirred, Margaux firmly held her stance. "And whose truth would that be—yours or Amanda's," she countered with insight. "Daniel told me what you and Conrad did to David Clarke years ago, Victoria. Did you think I wouldn't recognize your family's signature?"

While Victoria's eyes flashed with rage, Margaux reached for an older copy containing the headline announcing Amanda's death in prison. "Over the past few months I've witnessed Conrad's ruthlessness firsthand, and I am aware what lengths both of you will go to," she concluded, thrusting the paper into Victoria's hands. "I've already accepted the truth about what sort of people I'm dealing with – perhaps now it's your turn?"

Without allowing Victoria even a moment to make a defense, Margaux seized one of the boxes and stormed out, her departure making it clear she had no intention of granting any help. Yet unbeknownst to her, Margaux had singlehandedly given Victoria more than she could have imagined. By removing one of the boxes, the one beneath was now revealed and its contents lay face up. On the very top was the same picture that had set Victoria down the path of redemption from the start – Emily's bridal photo beneath the headline: _Amanda Clarke Lives._

Victoria lifted it into view and this time her insights drew a connection between it and the letter she had received, their meaning coming together in a way she had never considered. Treasuring it, she folded the photo into the crease of her letter, tucking them away as she left with a sudden notion of discovery.

 **SCENE**

"If memory serves, Armagnac is your elixir of choice?"

Pascal pulled out his seat across from Conrad, acknowledging his welcome by gracefully elevating his glass. "Thank you for meeting me on such short notice," he returned at once, glancing around the dark restaurant to ensure they were afforded a fair level of privacy.

Conrad obliged with a nod, also taking in the dim atmosphere of Pascal's choice for their appointment. "I must say, I was not entirely surprised to receive your call," he admitted smugly. "Rumors were circulating that you were poised to name your successor to LeMarchal Media before the end of the fiscal," he continued in expectation. "I had a feeling you'd be in a hurry to get it out of the way so you can return to blissful merriment with _Victoria._ "

The crisp manner in which he pronounced his former wife's name elicited a devious grin from Pascal. "On the contrary," he replied, steeling his countenance. "I called this summit to tell you I've decided to turn the company over to Margaux."

Alarmed, Conrad began to shake his head with contempt, but Pascal preceded his response by removing a small recorder from his inner breast pocket. He watched as the color drained from Conrad's face, listening to the familiar voice of a woman they both knew intimately.

 _"It's clear that your collusion with Conrad stems from something bigger,"_ Ashley was saying. " _And as a former employee of his, I know all about the conspiracy to frame and murder one David Clarke—"_

On that word, Pascal stopped the playback and centered his glare. "I may have the reputation for women, Conrad. But it seems _your_ weakness for them is destined to become your undoing," he advised. "She spoke with eloquent persuasion about our past misdeeds—I imagine with her firsthand account in your service; she would have had no trouble convincing a grand jury."

Conrad shifted with discomfort. " _Had_?" he reiterated, arriving at morbid conclusion. "Is this your way of confirming her sudden disappearance?"

Pascal leaned back, maintaining obscurity. "Consider it a parting gift, old friend," he affirmed. "I took the precaution of protecting you from the results of your carelessness – something I've done repeatedly over the years. If not for me, the story about David would have broken years ago and you would be finished – likewise, had I allowed that foolish girl to destroy you when she came to me."

"That _foolish girl,_ " Conrad rephrased, drawing upon old sentiment. "Was once a close acquaintance of mine _._ "

"Yet another conquest we shared," Pascal hinted foully. "Unfortunate that it had to end this way but, you should consider yourself thankful that I had the decency to eliminate the loose end… And of course, to record the conversation," he warned. "Perhaps that will bring you comfort while you accept the amendment I made to our deal?"

Realizing that he was being blackmailed into submission, Conrad struggled to respond, giving his companion ample time to finish off his drink and begin leaving the table. "You're forgetting you're on that tape too," Conrad finally called out before he was gone. "By accusing you of 'collusion', Ashley implicated you just as much as me!"

Pascal edged back over with confidence. "But you forget that _I_ control what the world hears!" he hissed back in assertion. "Which means I control _you_! And if I sense in you any desire to test me in that regard, I will see to it that her death comes back on _your_ hands," he paused, gaining reassurance. "Which as it turns out, you sentenced her to long ago by telling her everything."

 **SCENE**

"So what happened with Louise?"

Nolan did a quick scan of the small assembly at the Green Awards before edging in close to answer. With the backdrop of a tented celebration at a Hampton's hotspot it felt much like old times, even more so with Emily next to him, back in moderate heels and a curve-hugging dress.

"Unfortunately she ah, _overthrew_ my advances," he replied, coining another pun to digress. "Which I'm guessing you did the same to hubby Grayson just to attend this soiree?"

"Daniel's parking the car," Emily informed with a wry expression. "We had a fight earlier; he found Luke's name in my search history so I had to fill him in," she paused to shake hands with a few passersby, dropping her pretentious smile once they were gone. "As soon as I did, he insisted on coming along," she resumed.

"He let you off easy, if you ask me. Still," Nolan tried to contain his awe. "You gotta give it to him, Ems—he's stepped up his detective game."

"Well, I'm glad you find it amusing," Emily endured his chiding, slightly irked that he was right. "Considering we just lost the only lead we had with Louise?"

Nolan returned to business. "Not exactly," he assured. "Before she skipped town, she told me what had her rattled. She seems pretty confident she saw Pascal dragging _someone_ through the bushes," his expression dropped solemnly. "Ems, I think it's our missing person."

Emily rocked back to swallow a deep breath, seething at the confirmation. "I knew it," she exhaled ruefully. "So much for being in love with her; if Pascal killed Ashley that means he'll sink to any low necessary to cover his trail," she digested, shaking her head. "He just joined ranks with Conrad and Victoria."

"Speaking of," Nolan alerted her that the queen was en route with a nudge.

"Emily," Victoria made a breathy introduction. "And as usual, Mr. Ross, right by your side… How lovely to see you both," she acclaimed, beaming more than usual.

"Victoria," Emily attempted to read her. "I wasn't expecting to see you here?"

"Well, I can only hope it comes as a terrible disappointment," Victoria promised behind another big smile. She eyed her daughter-in-law's midsection with curiosity. "You've been elusive ever since your announcement… I can't imagine you've been busy all this time?"

Emily narrowed her eyes, certain there was hidden meaning in her comments. But she was relieved Daniel had elected to keep her health scares private, and with impeccable timing he arrived next at her side. "That's right, she's had her hands full," he answered on her behalf. "But in case you were offering, we don't need any help – we're doing just fine, thanks," he dismissed her.

Victoria pitied him with her sigh in return. "Ah, that's right. You have Stevie now—I hear she's become like a second mother to you," she alleged.

Emily braced for Daniel's response, placing a hand over his wrist. His mother was taunting her cruel dismantling of Stevie without even a hint of remorse. But he remained composed. "One's enough, thanks," he merely snipped in reply, and broke away to end their standoff, addressing Emily. "I'm going to find our seats."

She nodded as he went and turned back to his mother. "What do you want, Victoria? You obviously came here for a reason."

"I only want the same thing my son just went to find," Victoria snarled airily, facing the podium before she too stormed off. "A front row seat to the show."

Nolan exchanged a concerned glance with Emily. "I'm starting to think Louise's instincts to leave town were right," he commented, watching Victoria go. "Something is _seriously_ brewing with that one; are you sure it's a good idea to go through with whatever it is you're planning?"

"It's not my call this time," she corrected him, glancing towards the back of the tent. "I had to move fast on this one so I called in reinforcements—after what the Graysons did to Amanda, Jack wanted in." Nolan caught on, gradually recognizing him as a technical worker dressed incognito. "He staged Luke's undoing on his own," she finished, and upon noticing the large presentation screen, Nolan knew exactly what to expect.

"Well, then," he conceded, realizing there was no stopping it now. "The show must go on."

 **SCENE**

Emily trailed a few steps behind Daniel as they returned home that night, watching him quietly move about the house without a word. He was not cool towards her, but nor was he excessively warm. He merely went through the motions of his wind down routine, climbing the stairs to their bedroom in continued silence. At last her curiosity got the better of her and she followed him in, commanding his attention from the doorway.

"Just so you know, Luke Gilliam had the money transfers from the terrorists," she announced. "It proves that Conrad was the original contact."

He continued unbuttoning his shirt. "Is that all the evidence you need?" he responded softly, averting his glance.

"Well, it doesn't clear my father's name, but I'm getting close," Emily affirmed, growing impatient. She could not resist goading him for a bigger reaction, clanking her laptop onto the dresser. "Anyway, just thought I'd leave this here—in case you wanted to go through it later, or something?"

Finally he turned, and the emotion churning underneath reached the surface. "Nah, I'm alright," he declined. "When Luke _collapsed_ today after drinking his own chemicals, I took that as confirmation he was as ruthless as you amped him up to be."

Emily took a bold step forward. "Then why are you giving me the silent treatment?" she finally challenged. "I told you everything, I did what you said – I even had Jack take the lead on this takedown!" she defended ardently. "Because of it, we stopped a man from hurting other people and we did it without any permanent damage. What else do you want?"

"Emily, this isn't about the takedown—" Daniel begged off, revamping to stay collected. "Look, you know I want this finished as bad as you, but what you have is an _addiction_ ," he warned, watching her shrink back at his use of the word. "No, that's what it is," he reinforced. "Just like Stevie's only unlike her, you're not willing to admit it!"

Emily shook her head piously. "That's _crazy_ ; I can stop whenever I'm ready—"

"Spoken like a true addict," he fired back, immediately regretting it. He rested his head in his hand apologetically. "I'm sorry, it's just… how do you _know_ where this ends? What, when every one of your enemies is dead?!"

Unable to fathom his lack of sureness, Emily could only deflect it. "You must have me confused with your _family,_ Daniel. Because unlike them, I'm not killing anyone—"

"Emily, you _are_ my family!" he finally burst, and when he seized her by the arms she realized there were tears forming in his eyes. "You, and our baby, _that_ is my family now! That's all I care about," he pled, reddening from emotion. "You can't blame me for feeling this way; I mean my God, what kind of life will our daughter have if things continue like this?"

Though Emily burned with intense feeling, yearning to prove that she was in control, the notion swiftly escaped her as she processed his last words. "Daughter?" she repeated aloud, realizing what he had said. "Did you just say… _daughter_?"

Daniel retracted sheepishly, but toughened to face her again. Though telling her had been an accident, it brought him relief to finally let the truth out while simultaneously bringing back the memory from the fearful moment that preceded it…

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

"Yes, Mr. Grayson," the doctor finally responded. "Your wife is still going to be a mother."

Daniel exhaled with so much inertia the doctor nearly had to catch him from losing his balance. "Oh, thank God," he praised, refocusing to hear the rest of what he had to say.

"It appears she had some hemorrhaging around her uterus due to scar tissue from her injury this year," he explained. "Although her bullet wounds have healed, the tissue that's formed underneath will create some pressure against the uterus as it expands, causing the spontaneous bleeding. This is not uncommon for women who have previously had uterine surgery or even, caesarean sections. Fortunately, we got to it in time."

"Is that why she passed out?" Daniel added with concern.

The doctor shrugged. "I'm afraid that's just another side effect of pregnancy and exhaustion," he alerted. "Emily needs to take it easy. She was coming to when I last examined her; but she has to learn not to overdo it. We've treated the wound but the area will continue to be sensitive, so I recommend several weeks of bed-rest so she can heal."

"Thank you, Doctor," Daniel could only outpour his appreciation by vigorously shaking his hand. "You have no idea how much this means…"

"Of course, any degree of stress is to be kept to a minimum," the doctor added, drawing him to listen more sternly. "Just to ensure her pregnancy is healthy here on out."

Daniel clenched his jaw, knowing it would be his responsibility. "Absolutely," he promised without hesitation. "Whatever it takes, that's what we'll do."

The doctor nodded confidently, satisfied that he would. "Very good, you can see your wife now," he shook his hand again. "And rest assured we'll honor your wishes to keep this visit private. In the meantime, I wish her _and_ your baby girl all the best."

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

Daniel blinked away the fading memory, and through the haze over his eyes he could see Emily was now crying too.

"We're having a girl," he answered, studying the lines of her face as a template to imagine what she might look like. The thought brought a smile to his lips, forcing him to reduce his intensity. " _She_ is going to be our daughter," he repeated in a soft tenor, giving life to the concept. "And we're going to be her parents. Emily, the reason I've been trying to get you to slow down is not just to make sure both you and her are safe… it's to make sure _we_ are the parents she needs." He paused, reflecting further. "The ones we never had."

Emily put aside her lingering emotion to meditate on his words, knowing despite how much she treasured her father's memory, Daniel was right – she never received the full benefit of David's love, nor her mother's. Her time with them had been cut short by powerful people, people who in turn had also failed Daniel in his own upbringing. No wonder it was so clear to him that things had to change—if there was any hope in raising their child happily, they had to not only be there for her, but be _an example_ for her as well.

Emily sniffled. "I want the same," she replied determinedly, nodding as she stared back into her husband's eyes. "For her to have everything we didn't… including a life without fear or damage… or the shadow of her parents' sins," she admitted guiltily. "You're right—I've spent years addicted to revenge. I committed myself to it… but it's time to remember my commitment to the people I love."

Daniel accepted it with gratification, pulling her into a warm embrace. As sincerely as he believed her intent to change, he knew that just as it was in Stevie's case, curing an addiction did not happen overnight. It would be a lifelong struggle to resist the urge, but he didn't care. All that mattered was she was going to try, and the life pressed between them had been the motivating factor. And for now, it was enough.

 **SCENE**

 _Alliances can reunite old friends in the most unexpected of ways..._

Amanda pulled up to the dark alleyway unnoticed; using her trained senses to make sure she had not been followed. Once comforted to that regard she flickered her lights twice, finding her confidant already there waiting for her, just as arranged.

 _By testing the bonds that are the strongest of all..._

"Thank you for meeting me," she whispered as they got into the passenger side. She pulled off and few minutes into driving, signaled it was safe to remove their disguise. "I know it wasn't easy."

The hood of their sweatshirt swept back and a long cascade of hair shook forward. "I made sure Declan's great-grandmother didn't see me leave," Charlotte assured her, triggering another thought. "Where's Carl?"

Amanda drove on, glancing in her rear-view mirror to answer. Charlotte turned and realized he was asleep in the car seat. "What is going on?" she couldn't help demanding. "Is it safe for you to bring him here like this – I thought you were supposed to be staying incognito?"

"I couldn't leave him behind, and I needed to talk to you in person," Amanda finally answered, pulling into an empty clearing. She parked the car and turned to face Charlotte. "Look, I know how you must feel about everything that happened... and Charlotte, I'm so sorry—"

Charlotte cut her apology short by taking her hand. "No, Amanda, _I'm_ sorry," she insisted, hanging her head. "At first I was angry; I couldn't understand why you would do that to Jack, to my family, but then I realized I can hardly blame you. My parents are bad people!" she exhaled, nearly sobbing. "They ruined your life, and they tried to have you killed, _twice_!" she emphasized.

"It doesn't matter," Amanda cut back in, squeezing her hand in return. "It's been a long time coming," she suddenly admitted and watched as Charlotte's face pinched in confusion. She took a deep breath before beginning the real explanation of why she had asked to meet. "Charlotte, someone helped me to see that living a lie only hurts the people we love. And that the only way to stop hurting them—is to tell them the truth."

Charlotte shrunk back in bewilderment. "Okay," she whispered nervously. "Are you talking about Jack?"

"I've already told him everything," she admitted bravely. "But it's time that I tell _you_ —it's something that you won't understand, but you have to try to. Alright?" Protectively, she glanced back at her sleeping son, and then braced for the worst as Charlotte nodded in reply.

 _But while an alliance can lead to the greatest of victories, it can also lead to your ultimate defeat..._

Amanda swallowed the lump in her throat and finally just forced it out. "I'm not Amanda Clarke."

 **SCENE**

"She's not Amanda Clarke."

Victoria said it aloud merely for her benefit, arriving at the conclusion in the empty confines of her parlor with no audience to hear. She placed a cutout photo from the newspaper announcing Amanda's death flat on her desk, arranging it next to all the other pieces of the puzzle she was finally putting together.

"This has all been revenge for David," she whispered to herself, studying the retreat photo marked with the demise of nearly everyone pictured in black ink. Recognizing the most recent was a result of the day's events, it only confirmed Amanda could not have orchestrated Luke Gilliam's fall. Victoria's gaze rested again on the headline. "So either she's still alive…"

She let her guess hang in midair, hearing Pascal beckoning from the upstairs. It distracted her momentarily, recalling with relief that dinner had gone surprisingly well. After applauding his efforts to depose of Conrad, it was reassuring to know her vile ex-husband no longer held any weight over her relationship. But she decided to linger downstairs just a few moments longer to confirm her theory, the outcome being a realization that now seemed painstakingly obvious.

Her focus shifted to the cover page she took from _Voulez,_ allowing her to study Emily's imperial expression beneath the words _Amanda Clarke Lives._ "Or," she finished, picking up the photo and finally understanding. "She was never Amanda to begin with."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: First off, my dearest apologies for taking so long to update! I know I mentioned going on hiatus but I actually hadn't planned for it to run this long – your patience is sincerely appreciated! I do hope you've enjoyed this most recent installment and were able to follow all the twists and turns :) It's finally all coming together as you've just read and I promise the direction will only get clearer as the story moves forward towards the S3 finale! In the meantime, how did you like this test of "Allegiance"? Did it relieve you from the cliffhanger left in "Blood"? I wanted to convey just how serious the effects of Emily's dedication to revenge can be, while yet sparing her child a second chance! (Or third, I guess if you count the shooting lol) It may seem miraculous, but as you know – much is possible in the Revengeverse! What is more, I wanted to tackle the conflict that was building from Daniel since "Addiction", highlighting that our hero/heroine couple must face changes ahead! But of course, not before a few necessary takedowns get slipped into the mix… more action is coming and I dearly hope you are still along for the ride! Let me know by leaving your review, and I eagerly look forward to updating again—hopefully sooner this time! Xoxo ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	39. Special Note to Readers

My apologies if there was chapter confusion this past update, I was making an effort to correct the order and it caused some issues. Hopefully it is now corrected! If you were attempting to comment on Allegiance and were unable because of a previous post, you should be able post here instead. Sorry again for the mixup!


	40. Chapter 39: Revolution

**Chapter 39: Revolution**

 _A revolution begins when the desires of many are addressed by the actions of one. It's a ripple of change that starts when the first stone is cast at those in power and only ends when one side lies defeated… or if two sides become one._

"Thank you again for coming back with me."

Aiden gave a sweeping look around the darkened garage and walked around the driver's side of his vehicle to meet Niko halfway at the trunk. She approached him warily, folding her arms to convey an uneasiness that had appeared the moment he confessed the truth of what really happened in her father's last moments. And though Aiden suspected she still hated him for it, he was pleased she chose to stand by him regardless.

"You need my help for this," Niko responded with a stillness that came from years of training her emotions. She too made a scan of their surroundings, facing him with added curiosity. "Though I'm still not sure what you expect to gain by doing it?"

Aiden nodded towards a commercial space within walking distance. "This is the only way I'll ever find out what happened to my father. During my visit in London I found another clue that confirmed he was murdered," he divulged, drawing her intrigue. "I'm certain Pascal had something to do with it."

"And you think _this_ will make him talk?" Niko gestured skeptically.

"You'd be surprised what people will do to save their own skin," Aiden advised confidently. "Not to mention the ones they care for. Pascal is with _Victoria_ after all," he reminded her, lifting the trunk to begin securing some items. "And let's not forget the leverage I have over her. She'd sell out anyone to discover what happened to her son."

"Mm," Niko mumbled, reserving her thoughts. She helped him assemble his equipment in silence before chiming in again. "And you haven't told Emily about any of this?"

Aiden shook his head. "Getting Emily involved at this stage would only complicate things and I want Pascal to myself first. Once I have what I need, he's all hers. Besides," he added, recalling the last interaction he witnessed between her and Daniel. "From what I understand, her priorities have shifted these days."

"But _your_ master plan is still revenge?" Niko verified, addressing him with a superior glare. "Even after I forgave you for what happened between you and my father?"

Aiden finally grasped the ethical slant to her series of questions. He released his bag, setting it down to give her more full attention. "That was different," he insisted, resting his hands on her shoulders. "As I've told you, my only intention that night was to decipher the truth – _he_ challenged me. It was either I suffer death at his hands, or defend my life."

"And _Amanda's,_ " she corrected, including the additional detail. He had been completely honest regarding the circumstances that night and as she peered into his eyes, she waited for the flicker of discomfiture that always followed when she brought it up. It was no different this time, except for his accompanying plea.

"Amanda is my past," he reassured, planting a kiss atop her forehead. "You're my future, Niko. And as soon as I finish this, we can finally have one… together. I promise."

Niko accepted it, softening her look to meet his. She ached to believe him, but it was times like these where she wondered if he was truly motivated by revenge or a thirst for something else. "Well, then," she determined, casting the thoughts aside. "There's no time to waste."

 **SCENE**

"There's a storm coming…"

Victoria barely moved at the sound of Pascal skulking up to where she stood gazing over the balcony, and acknowledged his observation with a brief glance at the clouds. Indeed, there were several darkened ones approaching, but her mind only centered on one thing. It was an epiphany that had turned into an obsession over the past few days and would not soon depart from her thoughts.

"… but it doesn't compare to the tempest in your eyes," Pascal finished when she did not reply, placing his arms around her.

Victoria received it affectionately but kept her focus ahead. "I'm beginning to understand more about certain events that will forever haunt me," she answered vaguely.

"So that explains where your mind has been this past week," Pascal deduced with a nod. "I was starting to think there was someone else?" His comment prompted Victoria to turn at last.

"You're one to talk. Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out about your private meeting with Louise?" Though her accusation came with a smile, it was followed by a steely glower, creating an air of tension between them. "Pascal, I was a fool in my last relationship," she went on to admit. "It's a role I don't wish to repeat."

"Then let me put your concerns to rest," he breathed, rather appreciating the chance to discuss it openly. "I met Louise to gather information, not for pleasure."

"What information?" Victoria pressed with intrigue.

Pascal released his grasp to stand beside her, mirroring her gaze over the railing. "Like you, I also have unfortunate events from the past that continue to haunt me… Things that I have since ensured will not infringe on the bonds I wish to buildwith _you_ ," he broke the pensive stance to turn his back to the ocean, facing her. "Beginning with something I should have asked you long ago."

As Victoria watched in surprise, Pascal reached into his pocket, coming up with a suggestive velvet box. She gasped as he opened it, taking her eyes off the extravagant diamond inside just long enough to take in the accompanying request.

"Victoria, will you marry me?"

 **SCENE**

Nolan chose the rear entrance to make his morning visit to Emily, turning up his nose in wonder when he found her seated on the couch quietly reviewing some papers in her bathrobe rather than glued to her laptop in the kitchen.

"Still takes some getting used to," he observed with a grin, relaxing into the seat across from her.

"What," Emily muttered without looking up, and turned a page.

"You," Nolan chided. "Taking it _easy_... going all 'by-the-book' instead of plotting away." He glanced over, taking advantage of her distraction to whip out his phone for a quick snapshot. "Looking so _Mommy_ -like," he chuckled.

Emily ignored it with an eye-roll. "The legal system may have failed both Amanda and my father, but right now it's the safest venue I can take without elevating my stress level," she replied, explaining the file that was at her side. She added the document she was reading to the top and then brought the entire stack back into the dining room to sort it. "Organizing the evidence Luke provided into something Stevie can build a case with has actually been… therapeutic."

Nolan leapt up to follow her in. "Plus, Big Daddy said it was okay," he jested, referring to Daniel.

"What do you want, Nolan?" she finally plugged, confirming he was most likely right.

"Like you, I too have been trying to earn a clean living these days," he coined with a smile. "And thanks to my technological genius, Margaux added a demo of MyClone to the lineup at the LeMarchal Re-Launch Party tonight." His eyes danced with celebration while he pulled the application up proudly on his phone. "You and Danny are still attending, right? Now that Margaux's on the books as the next owner, it's really comforting to know _my_ baby will be in her good hands."

"Well, unlike her father, hers don't have any blood on them," Emily quipped, looking up. "So yes, we'll be there."

"Speaking of assassins…" Nolan zoned out for a moment, checking an alert. He started to report it and then caught himself. "Wait; you're supposed to be avoiding any stress-inducing news, right?"

Emily gave it thought as she straightened up the table and went into the kitchen. "Yes," she confirmed, eyeing him cleverly. "But I can't prevent you from telling me, now can I?"

Nolan grinned and took a seat on the other side of the counter where Emily was now leaning. "So _unofficially,_ Aiden may or may not be back on the grid after a month of radio silence," he divulged, scrolling down a map on his screen. "And may or may not be currently at an empty commercial space across town."

She peered over subtly. "You're tracking him?"

His hands went up in defense. "Hey, all credit to Amanda for that. She gave her necklace back to Aiden the night of her escape and then asked me to keep tabs on it when he disappeared. The only reason I didn't say anything is because I assumed he'd know better than to carry it on him," he sighed sheepishly. "Seeing how he _created_ it to do essentially the same thing to her the first time around. It's been in Japan ever since but last night it touched down in NY."

"Aiden probably kept it as a fallback for her to get in touch with him," Emily guessed, knowing his weaknesses well. "He just didn't figure on her turning it over to you."

Nolan absorbed it, concluding it only made his return all the more interesting. "Well, turns out your namesake was working in tandem this time instead of going rogue like she normally does," he affirmed proudly. "That being said, Amanda obviously guessed he would be up to something and wanted us to have the heads up so… you, ah, feel like calling him on it?" he gestured towards the door, tempting her with the location address.

Emily reluctantly pulled her attention away. "No," she resisted, returning to the court documents. "I need to finish this; Daniel needs it by this afternoon."

"Good girl," Nolan rewarded with a smile, revealing he was testing her. "Where _is_ the warden by the way?"

"Victoria asked him to come by earlier," Emily replied, silencing him with an annoyed look. "But I'm sure whatever it is, he'll make an executive decision on whether it's safe for me to know or not," she added resentfully. "So feel free to leave my cell _unguarded._ "

Nolan met her expression with a helpless one, and despite being bitter, she realized it wasn't his fault she needed to be more cautious. He was nearly out the door when she finally retracted. "Nolan?" she called out, waiting for him to trail backward a pace. "If you were to investigate what Aiden was up to on your own…" she offered in peace, smirking at the end. "I couldn't stop you."

 **SCENE**

Daniel fought the array of memories that came flashing back as he strolled through Grayson Manor towards the terrace, where Victoria sat taking a late breakfast. Being in his former home still gave him an unsettled feeling, coupled by the realization that Ashley had likely died on the grounds. "So what's the news, Mother?" he asked upon arrival, anxious to get it over with.

"Thank you for coming, Daniel," Victoria glimmered with appreciation at the sight of her estranged son. She gently set down her cup of tea to display her hand. "I wanted to tell you in person – Pascal proposed."

Daniel did the quaint honor of examining her hand, following up with an unimpressed slouch into the seat beside her. "Interesting timing, considering he gave Dad the sack yesterday… so where is he?" He glanced around with a wry look. "Off basking in his success?"

Victoria withdrew, underwhelmed by his lack of interest. "He had business to attend to in the city," she explained.

"Yeah, well so do I," Daniel nodded, getting up to leave. "Congratulations, Mom. Hopefully this marriage works out better than the last one—"

Victoria reached out to catch his arm before he could depart. "Daniel, sit down," she commanded, keeping a sharp eye on him until he complied. "There's something else I need to talk to you about. It's about Emily."

"Mom, we're happy – accept it," Daniel insisted, expecting what was coming next.

But her answer only drew his concern. "How can I when I have reason to believe she's been manipulating you since the day she set foot in the Hamptons!" Victoria spat, and this time Daniel remained affixed in his seat and drew his mouth inwards in concentration. "I don't have proof," Victoria went on cautioning. "But if my theory is correct, she has been researching and targeting our family for years and she is _very_ dangerous."

Daniel remained silent, and a chill went down his spine. "Why are you telling me this," he whispered fearsomely, wondering just how much she knew.

Victoria held her chin at an angle of surprise. "Because I care about you," she responded, incredulous. "Don't you want to know who you're married to?"

"Don't _you_?" he fired back easily. "Emily is going to be the mother of my child; we know everything about each other. That's a hell of a lot more than I can say for you and Pascal!"

"You're just saying that out of spite—" Victoria assumed dismissively.

"Actually, I'm not," Daniel persisted, leaning in close. "You've heard things about Emily, well I've heard things about Pascal," he countered cleverly. "Starting with his reputation."

Victoria shared an acknowledging look. "He has assured me he wishes to leave that legacy in the past," she defended.

"Did he now?" Daniel contested, growing more impudent by the minute. "Well, you should ask him how his former lover, and your former assistant, _Ashley_ fared in that legacy," he revealed intentionally, watching his mother boil in response. "Right after he tells you what measures he took to end their relationship once she found out about _you—_ permanently."

Victoria fused her eyes to his, and Daniel partly enjoyed watching her disillusion. Not only was it what she deserved for being so arrogantly certain, but it took center stage over the other reveal that still worried him.

" _Pascal_ is the one who's dangerous, Mom," he added conclusively, pointing a finger as he rose from the table. "So maybe you should think twice about inviting him into your life, and in the meantime, stay out of _mine._ "

With that he exited, neatly rebuffing her attempt and leaving her churning with suspicion for her beloved fiancé instead. Victoria examined her engagement ring thoughtfully, remembering the unsavory remnant she found in her bedroom a month ago. As much as she ached to pursue other things, perhaps Daniel was right – there was more at stake in her own midst.

 **SCENE**

"I don't understand, how did she figure this out?" Emily braced herself against the rail on the rear-facing side of her porch, trying to appear calm for Daniel's sake.

"I _told_ you," he reminded her briskly. "Ever since she found out you and Amanda were in juvie together, she's been onto you." He joined her at the railing, resting a hand in the small of her back to infer support in spite of her ignorance to his warning.

But Emily could not accept it was that simple. "She has to have more than just her instincts," she argued, staring off as if to pinpoint what it was.

"What difference does it make; if she exposes you, this is done," Daniel countered. He noticed Emily was listening, but remained focused in the distance. "You're taking it a lot better than I thought you would," he observed.

Emily turned to face him. "If your mother wanted to ruin me, she could've done it the moment she put it together, but instead she called you. Why?" she suggested rhetorically.

Daniel shrugged. "The same reason she always does, to try to 'warn' me?"

Emily shook her head. "She's tried that in the past. No, this time I think she was trying to bait you…" she asserted, locking in on a theory. Concentrating, she followed it to the next logical direction. "If you insisted she was wrong, she'd know you were covering for me. But if you were truly in the dark, the least you would do is to investigate."

Daniel considered the possibility, reflecting on how he reacted. "I didn't exactly do either one – I distracted her with a seed of doubt on Pascal."

Straightening, Emily met it with approval. "Then her next move will be to confirm it. Just like she's expecting _you_ to do with me…" she trailed off, clearly seeing Victoria's angle. "Don't you see, Daniel? She needs your help to corroborate her theory. _Proof_ is the one thing she doesn't have."

He digested it, acknowledging it made sense. "Alright, so what do we do? I'm not giving her proof of your identity just to gain her trust," he stated firmly. "Even if we wanted to, you sealed up all your loose ends a long time ago. And I'm guessing if I come back empty-handed, she'll only suspect I know something."

Emily remained certain there was another solution. But before she could drift too deep into thought her phone sounded with an alert from Nolan. _Bend the rules to come meet me?_ She read from him. _It's urgent. I won't tell if you won't._

"I have to take this," Emily diverted, shielding it so Daniel couldn't see. "But I'll think of something," she promised, garnishing a concerned look in return. She met it with a stubborn glare. "Daniel, I'm fine; my _mind_ isn't impaired. And besides, this is my identity we're talking about – I have every right to protect it _and_ our daughter's," she pointed out. "It's keeping her safe too."

Daniel agreed with a nod. "You're right," he stood back, conscious of the time. He took his briefcase in hand to start back down the porch. "Look, I have to get this evidence on my father to the DA before I miss the deadline," he paused to consider. "Or before my mother gets to him next…"

Emily kissed him goodbye with a note of assurance. "Don't worry, Conrad is the last person your mother cares about warning," she reasoned. "If she really has figured out my angle, she'll be happy to watch him go down. And if I know Victoria, she's looking to hear it from someone she trusts – not him."

He accepted her argument, but with caution. "Then let's just hope there's no one else out there who can prove she's right."

 **SCENE**

Charlotte daydreamed as she folded Declan Jr's clothing neatly into her suitcase, her attention to reality only returning as she reached the bottom of an empty drawer. At last she gazed around the room Jack's grandmother had graciously allowed them to stay in for the past month, zeroing in on a fixture on the nightstand. She walked over to stare closely at the framed photo of Jack and Amanda on their wedding day, and with little effort it triggered a memory that had forever changed her view of the girl she knew as her sister…

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

"Wh—What?" Charlotte stammered, unable to believe her ears. "What are you talking about?"

Amanda held a concentrated stare, and every line in her face attested she was serious. "I've been pretending to be Amanda Clarke since I was 18," she confessed remorsefully. "But the truth is I'm not her… David Clarke wasn't my father. I'm not your sister, Charlotte."

Charlotte shook her head rapidly. "No," she whispered, in a mix of shock and denial. "No … I don't understand? Why – _why_ would you do that?"

"To protect your _real_ sister," Amanda admitted with a sigh. "By now you must know your family wants her out of the picture, permanently. I made a promise that I would die before I let that happen. By taking on her identity as my own – I've been able to keep her safe."

"So, my sister is… still out there?" Charlotte digested, trying to make sense of it all. "And you _knew_ her? Who is she?!" she begged, suddenly desperate.

Amanda exhaled grimly. "I can't tell you that—I'm _sorry,_ " she added when Charlotte protested in response. "Someday she'll reach out to you herself, but right now I just needed you to know this much—"

Charlotte shuddered in disbelief. "I don't believe this, you don't _trust_ me?" She pulled away, incensed with anger. "All I've ever done is been there for you; I _protected_ you when you came back and you can't even be completely honest with me?! All this time, I thought you were the sister I never had, but you were just a liar—like everyone else in my twisted family. You know what, you're right – I have no idea who the hell you are!"

"Charlotte—" Amanda reached out, but it was clear the damage had been done. Charlotte attempted to exit the car in a rage, but Amanda was able to pull her back. "Wait, please—I know this is a lot for you to bear, but you have to promise not to say anything!"

"Oh, don't worry, that won't be a problem," Charlotte assured her flippantly. "Because I never want to see you again, Amanda—" she paused irritably to correct herself. "Or whatever your _real_ name is? And since you're supposed to be dead right now, it should be easy enough!."

With that she finally broke away, regrettably becoming aware of her temperament when she heard Carl wailing. She doubled back, responding through the cracked window. "I'm sorry," she apologized, and it suddenly dawned on her that the toddler in the back seat had never been her nephew as she once thought. "But there's only so much I can take…" she trailed, and forced herself to walk away.

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

Charlotte sighed in remembrance and set the photo back down on the nightstand, confirming the decision she had made that night. While it pained her to separate the infant cousins, she had to break away from a legacy of lies, a legacy only made final by Amanda's declaration. Even if it meant omitting the rest of Declan's extended family from her life, she needed the respite, if only to heal in solace. But the more her gaze lingered on the photo; she realized how innocent Jack had been in the equation, and how desperately she needed closure from him before leaving forever.

With a sudden change of heart, she glanced back at the packed bags and over at her sweet son, sleeping in his crib. "Oh, Declan," she whispered behind a motherly smile and bent over to plant a kiss softly onto his brow without disturbing him. When she stood back, her mind was made up.

"You both headed out, then?" a gentle voice called from the hallway, and Charlotte turned to see Jack's grandmother waiting in expectation.

"Actually," Charlotte replied, taking advantage of her presence. "I was wondering if you might be able to look after Declan for a few days?" she asked. "There's something I need to take care of in the Hamptons."

 **SCENE**

Emily had made a quick transformation into business casual attire and smart shades when she arrived at the location Nolan texted, careful not to draw any attention as she followed his directions on where to meet.

"What's going on?" she started in at once, joining him a few feet from an enclosed commercial space. "Is Aiden in there?" she gestured with a nod.

"It's who I saw him _dragging in_ half an hour ago that concerns me," Nolan answered in a hush, handing her his phone gallery. There was a shot of a large van pulling up and two hooded figures exiting, one of which was in Aiden's grasp. "He kidnapped Pascal," Nolan explained with alarm. "And it looks like he had help."

Heaving an embittered sigh, Emily returned his phone and marched over to the entrance. She tried it once, found it locked, and then barely hesitated before standing back and thrusting a kick forward to open it. Nolan followed behind; his protests silenced as they turned the corner and found Niko guarding another door.

"Emily – Nolan; how did you get in here?!" she barked in surprise.

"I've got a better question," Emily supplemented, rapidly storming into her space. "What the hell are you and Aiden doing?!" she demanded, suddenly realizing there was a one-way observation window just beyond where Niko stood. She brushed past her to stare through, whipping her head back when she saw Aiden roughing Pascal up. " _Torture_?" she assumed. "That's Aiden's brilliant plan?!"

Niko took grip of Emily's arm to calm her, using a familiar technique from her recuperative therapy over the summer. "Relax—Aiden's not torturing him," she assured, keeping a keen eye on Nolan beside her to address them both. "He's posing as an agent with Homeland Security. It was the only avenue he could use to extract what happened to his father."

"Oh my God," Nolan sighed, raising a hand to his chin while Emily mirrored him in exasperation.

"I can't believe this," she scolded, shaking her head as she continued to watch the display between both men in the interrogation room. "This is a huge risk, why would Aiden run this kind of operative without telling me—" she cut herself short to glare at Niko. "And what were you thinking helping him?"

"You of all people know how desperate a person can become when avenging one's father," Niko reasoned, eliciting a knowing glare in return. She edged off to give her space and folded her arms properly. "At any rate, I _advised_ Aiden to tell you, he just wouldn't listen," she assured, stealing a glimpse into the room also. "He's stubborn. Just like you."

Emily rolled her eyes, growing tired of the same runaround. "Yeah, well his stubbornness might have just cost us everything; we need Pascal more now than ever!" She sighed, taking a step back to deliver the news. "Victoria's on to my identity."

"Wait, _what?!_ " Nolan chimed in first. "When did this newsflash happen?"

"Daniel spoke to her this morning," Emily continued. "She told him her theory, right after she announced her _engagement_ to Pascal—" she gave a quick gesture towards him. "Which means he is currently the only leverage we may have to keep her silent, or at least distracted," she trailed off, watching through the glass as Aiden appeared to be getting more hostile. "We cannot afford for him to be compromised!"

Meanwhile, a guilty look befell Niko. "This changes everything," she suddenly deduced, following Emily's glance. "I'll get Aiden out of there – he needs to know this." She signaled for them to stay out of sight while she entered the room, giving Emily and Nolan a spare moment alone.

"Ems, can this be?" Nolan was still bewildered, but worried more for his best friend. "No wonder you went all ninja on the door just now—how are you handling this?"

"I have a plan," Emily steadied him, unfazed by the heightened tension. "I just need Pascal for it to work. All Victoria has right now are theories, she doesn't have proof—" her whisper was cut short as the others emerged and she dashed over.

"Em-!" Nolan called out, reading the glint in her eye but he was a second too late.

Just as Aiden turned in realization, Emily punched him square across the jaw, and Nolan arrived in time to restrain her from going any further. "Are you insane?!" she belted in a pant. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"I got him to talk!" Aiden insisted, regaining his footing to protest. One look at her countenance told him she would not quickly forgive his rogue play. Niko held him back just the same, in imitation of the other two at odds. "Emily, it's under control—he thinks I'm with the feds! He's agreed to cooperate—!"

"You risked everything!" Emily shouted in response, and slowly felt her breath escaping her. She forced herself to calm down, and Nolan was at her aid, urging her to do the same.

"Em, please – you have to _relax,_ " he insisted, and she calmed enough that he could let her go.

Aiden slowly approached with sensitivity. "Hey, listen – I know this isn't what you've had planned, but you have to trust me," he promised penitently. "Pascal has agreed to give us Conrad at the launch party this evening."

"Uh, _my_ launch party?" Nolan was suddenly provoked.

"Forget it, Aiden," Emily was in his face, shaking her head. "We've already got Conrad; Daniel is taking the evidence to the DA now—you need to let Pascal go!"

"Emily, it's more—" Aiden begged, pressing forward. "This is the confession we need to take them _both_ down! Please, this is our chance; the man just admitted what he did to my father—"

"Your father's not the only one he's taken out, _Aiden!_ He killed Ashley, too!" she announced to his surprise. "And who knows who else he'll go after once he's backed against the wall, _"_ Emily inserted nonetheless, but his countenance continued begging.

"All the more reason to finish him off," he insisted with renewed determination. "Emily, I assure you, we have him exactly where we want him. Pascal thinks he has no other choice but to follow our instructions, or risk federal prosecution. I'm asking you just this once more—we do this my way and we take both him and Conrad down together… We can end this here, tonight. Please, trust me?"

His pleas were like grating at her ears and Emily could barely stomach it in her state of exasperation. But regardless, her compassion was slowly churning in understanding, knowing that Aiden's actions had stemmed from the same place of retribution that stirred her own. As she turned her glance from him in deliberation, Niko and Nolan both observed, wondering if it would result in only more angered opposition, or if perhaps there would be a truce.

Finally, Emily spoke and though it was nondescript, her close companion knew her well enough to feel it leaned heavily towards the latter. "I need some air," she declared and stormed off.

 **SCENE**

"Amanda told me the truth."

Jack froze halfway down the stairwell of the _Stowaway,_ not expecting to be suddenly greeted from the doorway, nor with such a loaded statement. "Charlotte?" he gaped in surprise, edging down. "What's going on—I thought you were still upstate?"

Charlotte ignored it in favor of staring him down with firm conviction. "She told me she's not really Amanda Clarke," she pursued icily. "And that my _real_ sister is still out there somewhere… Is it true?"

Her words continued to frighten him, and he finally stopped pace a few feet off. "Charlotte, she was supposed to stay in hiding—when did she tell you all of this?!" he demanded.

She was first to consent an answer. "A week ago," she replied, lowering her head absorbingly. Her hands rested in her pockets as she recalled the memory, almost wishing now she had never agreed to meet. "No one saw us," she assured his troubled expression, quickly gazing off. "But since then I didn't know what to do… it's been all I can think about. This morning I finally decided to leave town again—but I had to talk to you first."

Digressing, Jack ran a hand through his hair, his first instincts to apologize. "Yes, Charlotte it's true," he verified halfheartedly. "I just can't believe she chose _now_ to tell you. I've been trying to put the bar up for a short sale here so I could get back to her and Carl… I never expected her to do this while I was gone."

Charlotte nodded, honestly understanding how alarmed he had to be. "How long have you known?" she persisted softly, edging closer.

He stared back. "Only since the end of last year," he admitted in truth cautiously. "By the time I found out who she really was… I was just so happy she was still alive; I couldn't hold it against her."

"So you _were_ with her all that time?" Charlotte confirmed, piecing together the timeline. "When she made her public return, you—you _did_ know already?" He nodded bashfully, and she sighed, having sensed it all along. "I don't understand, Jack she pretended to be your childhood sweetheart. How do you not hate her for that?"

Jack dodged it uneasily, knowing there was more to it than she was prepared for. "It's complicated," he summarized instead. "But in spite of that, we still cared about each other— _care_ about each other," he corrected the tense, trying to redirect. "And I know right now you probably resent her for lying but believe me, she cares about you too. She's always looked at you as a sister—"

"Even though that's _not_ who she is to me," Charlotte declared firmly, reminding him her anger had not yet subsided. She raised her chin with intrigue. "She told me she knows who my real sister is. Jack, I want to find her—"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Jack immediately shut it down, sealing it by walking over to the doorway. "If anything, you should get back to your son – I'm about to do the same with mine."

"Oh, don't worry," she assured in an eerie one. "Amanda's secret is safe with me. As much as I hate it, I realize now that maybe running is the only answer in this twisted web of lies," she added with derision. She strolled casually to precede him out, glaring as she brushed by. "But before I go, I _want_ answers. And if you won't help me find them – I'll just have to find someone who will."

He grimaced as she left, realizing that her level of insight had just made her somewhat dangerous. Anxious to circumvent the consequences, he locked up the _Stowaway_ and followed down the walk in a hurry, making a phone call to the one person he needed to warn.

 **SCENE**

It was late afternoon when Victoria finally heard footsteps in the foyer signaling Pascal's return, and his tardiness only added to her mounting concern from the conversation with Daniel that morning. She approached him cautiously, masking her uneasiness with a bright welcome as she located him in the enclosed parlor.

"How was your meeting in the city?" she posed, finding him nursing a drink by the fireplace.

"Eh, waste of time," he scoffed vaguely. He reached out to pull her into an embrace, quickly changing the subject. "I've had it with this country – and I'm needed back in Paris. How would you like to start our honeymoon early?" he proposed, taking a swig. "We leave tonight after the event."

"So soon?" Victoria could not help observing, and the nagging in the back of her mind persisted. "Pascal… speaking of Paris, did they ever determine what happened to Ashley?"

He froze mid-drink, and then slowly lowered the glass from his face with a stern expression. "I told you, she disappeared. It's a habit of hers from what I understand," he added.

"You knew her well, then," Victoria deduced, unable to let it rest. "Intimately?" she pressed, surprising him with her boldness.

Pascal drew back, infuriated. "What kind of a question is that?" he dared her, and Victoria studied the fire in his eyes. But rather than reprimand her brashness, he chose to avert it instead. "And anyway, what does it matter," he continued, pacifying her with a kiss to her cheekbone. "She's gone," he concluded, tapping her chin with his forefinger. "You are the only woman in my life."

A chill ran down Victoria's spine as he spoke the words, meddled by the fear collecting in her heart. He departed then, mumbling something about taking a shower while leaving her to assess the character of the man she had just committed to marry. Her eyes fell upon his jacket that remained on the sofa, and her first instincts were to inspect it for a clue. But midway through her search, she was interrupted by another arrival.

"Mother?" a familiar voice heralded and Victoria turned to find her youngest poised between the open doors.

"Charlotte!" she exclaimed happily, and immediately brightened to greet her. "Oh darling, you _came_!" she sighed, wrapping arms around her tightly. Abruptly she pulled back with realization. "Wherever is my grandson?"

"Still at his great-grandmother's," Charlotte answered numbly, shifting out of her grasp. "I just came to get the rest of his things," she advised, and started towards the room Victoria had converted into a nursery.

"You're moving out?" Victoria assumed with dismay.

Charlotte answered without breaking stride. "I thought maybe some time away would help, but it turns out… coming back was just as difficult. I need something more permanent," she summarized, and caught herself before betraying a sob brimming under the surface.

Victoria followed slowly to watch her gather her belongings, drawing her own conclusion. "Oh, Charlotte, I'm so sorry about your sister," she presumed, doing her best to feign sincerity while unaware of the irony. "When I heard the news about Amanda's unfortunate fate in prison, I knew you would be in pain. I had hoped that time away would be a healing to help you return?"

While it stung to hear Amanda's name so fresh off her enlightenment, Charlotte braved though. "Yeah, well," she replied hesitantly. "Maybe I didn't know her as well as I thought I did…" She turned before Victoria could pursue. "Anyway, was there something you wanted to tell me?"

Victoria approached, bearing her engagement ring. "Pascal has… asked me to marry him," she announced, though it lacked the enthusiasm she had since telling Daniel. Instead, her statement hung in the air awkwardly without confirmation of acceptance.

"Wow," Charlotte responded in brief. "Shows how long I've been gone, I didn't even realize you two were serious," she remarked and then resumed packing. Conscious that her mother would note her indifference, she made a quick excuse. "Sorry if I'm not myself I'm just tired from the trip."

"You should rest a while," Victoria tried to insist, but Charlotte was already brushing past with a packed bag.

"I can't," she begged off, intent for the door. "I'm stopping over to see Daniel and Emily and then I want to get back on the road—"

"Charlotte, I would strongly advise against that!" Victoria could no longer hold back, and reached out to block her path with urgency. Her daughter flinched slightly and she lowered her voice to convey the seriousness. "I've come across information that I would be loath not to shield you from. Please, I'm asking you to stay away, specifically from Emily."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" she questioned at once. "What information?"

Victoria closed her eyes in deliberation, but with Pascal's presence just above them she feared sharing too much. "All I can tell you is that Emily Thorne is not who she claims to be," she shared in part. "Now, I know you are fond of her but I'm begging you to take caution—she's not to be trusted."

Charlotte shook her head in derision. "What is it with you?" she sighed aghast, suddenly feeling a measure of sympathy for the women her mother claimed as adversaries. "You despise her nearly as much as you did Amanda. Are you going to eliminate _her_ too?" she accused, realizing immediately it was more than she intended to say.

"Charlotte, what are you saying?" Victoria accosted.

"Nevermind," Charlotte broke away, forcing herself forward. "It just never fails to surprise me how many faces you have. Oh, and in case you've forgotten, her name is Emily _Grayson;_ she's family now. You'd think you would remember that." She pushed through, but her mother reached out for one final threat.

"I know this is difficult for you to hear," Victoria advised with intensity. "But I am warning you Charlotte, if you go down this road – you won't like what you find. And as far as your allegations about Amanda, I would caution you in pursuing them. She and Emily are more alike than you think."

Content to let her ponder the outcome for herself, Victoria reluctantly let Charlotte go and rested her back against the door as it closed shut. Knowing her daughter well, she could only hope that by adamantly insisting against it, she could count on her defiance in pursuit. And if so, she might just bring back the one piece of evidence she needed to destroy Emily for good.

 **SCENE**

"It's really coming down out there."

Daniel shook his umbrella out as he exited the elevator to meet Emily where she was waiting ahead of him on the launch party floor. He stopped to brush a few water droplets from his sleek blazer and Emily quietly turned to help, drawing Daniel's interest as he studied her withdrawn countenance. "Hey, you alright?" he asked.

She met his concerned look and briefly showed him a text she had just received from Aiden. _In position,_ it read. _Pascal is wired, transmitting and en route. Contact Niko if he strays._ He looked up and she nodded to confirm it was in reference to the plan she had brought him up to speed about on the way over. For added emphasis, she adjusted the earpiece disguised beneath her golden tresses.

"Copy, it's Emily—Daniel and I are heading in," she checked in with Niko and then disconnected so she could talk to him openly. "I just hope nothing goes wrong tonight," she confessed honestly, peering over his shoulder to survey the crowd filtering in. "Trusting Aiden always makes me nervous."

"Ordinarily I would feel the same," Daniel admitted. "But based on what you told me, this might actually work. I mean, the guy has all the appearance of a Homeland Security agent, why would Pascal have any reason to disbelieve him?"

Emily linked her arm through his, sensing his abnormal comfort with the plan stemmed from Aiden being at the helm instead of her. "That doesn't mean he can be relied upon to cooperate," she countered as they reached guest registry.

"Yeah, well the DA is reviewing the evidence as we speak," Daniel whispered in further support. "They could indict my father at any given moment. So even if Pascal backs out and skips town it'll only make him look guilty. On the other hand, a confession will only help the case."

They both grew quiet while the hostess checked them off the list and entered cautiously, scanning for all the players. While Daniel made eye contact with Niko in place on the stairwell, Emily caught eyes with Victoria and Pascal on the lower level. "Let's hope so," she finally responded, nudging him to look over.

Daniel studied them carefully. "Looks like the seed of doubt I planted worked," he acknowledged. "That's a cool, tense air between them."

"It's about to get even colder," Emily hinted, tightening her grasp in suggestion. "What do you say we break the ice?"

Daniel instinctively stayed close as they made their way over, only separating at Emily's cue. "Pascal," he greeted. "My mother tells me congratulations are in order," he added blandly, eyeballing her.

"Yes, Victoria," Emily chimed in smoothly. "Daniel just told me you two just got engaged this morning—how thrilling!"

Victoria batted her eyes in pretense. "Coming from a woman who's led a life _full_ of thrills, I'm sure," she retorted daringly.

"Mother, you look like you could use a drink," Daniel quickly intercepted, offering his arm. "Why don't you join me to celebrate?" Though Victoria had a reserve of coy remarks she accepted nonetheless, relishing the rare opportunity to steal him away.

Emily absorbed her glare as they departed, leaving her alone in company with Pascal. "You know, Victoria and I have always had our differences," she commented, edging towards him. "But I just hope she knows how happy I am that she's finally getting what she deserves," she implied. "And yourself, of course."

"Merci," Pascal thanked her distractedly. "But I'm afraid you are wasting the welcome."

"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet already?" Emily seized an easy jab.

He brushed it off with a chuckle. "Nothing like that," he expounded. "I'm just anxious to get back home to Paris—we'll be leaving tonight. So I'm afraid the festivities will be hosted overseas."

Emily absorbed his diversion to the plan with a nod, expecting as much. She gave a quick look over to Niko, confirming she had overheard everything. As Emily watched her retrace her steps presumably to warn Aiden, she handled the rest on her own.

"Funny, Daniel and I were going to have our wedding in Paris before we decided to hold it in the Hamptons," she replied cleverly. "In fact, up until you hired her, your CEO of _Voulez France_ was in our bridal party. You remember Ashley Grobet?"

Again, Pascal rebuffed her. "It seems I'm being forced to with every day that passes," he digressed aside. "I try not to make a habit of dwelling on employees who leave suddenly without notice."

Seething with anger, Emily drew close in threatening. "Then maybe you should think twice before _eliminating_ them," she underhandedly accused him. He jerked over in alarm while she continued in a steady, chilling tone. "Ashley was one of my first friends in the Hamptons, and I can assure you her presence is dearly missed… I know she would never up and leave without reason. In fact, I think it's time her disappearance was reported to the authorities—perhaps you'd like to aid me in that regard, as her former employer?"

Pascal shrunk back in partial fear, sensing there was more to Emily's convictions than a hunch. "Like I said, I'm leaving town. So I'm afraid I won't be much assistance in your search." He started to break away but Emily blocked his path.

"Oh, but what I'm hoping to accomplish will only take a few minutes," Emily stood aside, motioning towards the stairwell. "Meet me downstairs after the presentation begins," she insisted, nodding back towards where Victoria was still in conversation with Daniel. "I'm sure your fiancé can spare you."

Pascal obliged her with a look of interest and Emily left his side triumphantly, passing Daniel and Victoria on her way into the auditorium. Once out of sight she touched her earpiece securely, speaking to Niko. "He should be back on track," she confirmed. "Don't take your eyes off him."

 **SCENE**

"So, did you take my advice?" Daniel steered his mother to the bar, noting she was still sporting her engagement ring. "Or did you decide to go through with wedding another murderer?"

Victoria shifted, but her unsettled demeanor conveyed a sense of trust. "I followed your admonition and I'm afraid you may be right," she admitted honestly. "Not only does Pascal want to leave the country by nightfall but I found a suspicious card on his person earlier – I think he's been working with federal agents."

Daniel nodded in expectation. "And I assume he hasn't told you about any of this?"

"No," Victoria affirmed, glancing in Pascal's direction, just in time to see Emily leave his side. "I shudder to think what other alliances he may be keeping secret…" she inferred, but Daniel redirected her.

"Never mind that," he cut her short, and a hint of genuine concern shown through. "Just tell me you're not thinking of skipping town with this guy?"

Victoria glowered in satisfaction. "So you finally understand what it feels like? Knowing someone close to you could be in danger … but being powerless to stop it … forced to be an observer from the sidelines..." She watched his eyes roll in exasperation, but could not help but capitalize on the role reversal. "No, Daniel," she answered at last. "I'm not going to accompany him. I just haven't told him yet."

"Good," Daniel sighed, ignoring the rest of her prattle. "You should stall as long as you can. If the authorities are onto him, the sooner they get him into custody, the safer you'll be."

Again Victoria glimmered with hope. "You're really concerned about me, aren't you?"

"Yes, Mom," Daniel exhaled uneasily, starting to wonder if he really meant it or was just becoming more proficient at selling a cover. "I don't want to see you hurt," he added more truthfully. "All I want is distance." With that he took it, starting back towards the lower level. He bid her farewell, hoping it would be enough to keep her out of the way as the next phase began.

 **SCENE**

"Ready to go on, big star?"

Nolan slipped through the doorway of Margaux's dressing room backstage, prompting her to look up from rereading her speech. Her eyes lit up and she strode over confidently. "Only thanks to your _genius_ ," she applauded him with an excited embrace. "I'm so glad you'll be out there by my side."

"Yeah, well hopefully your young audience still thinks Nolan Ross is relevant these days," he quipped back. "I was stopped by millennials at the door who couldn't find my name on the guest list… that is, until I showed them it was on the _hardware,_ " he recalled, tapping the back of her tablet.

Margaux snickered, shaking her head. "An honest oversight, I'm sure. I count myself incredibly lucky to have you on the team. My father deeds me the company and I get to premiere with a game-changer by Forbes 'Man of the Year'," she reflected. "What did I do to deserve such success?"

"Oh, I can think of a few things," a voice interrupted their pleasant banter, and both turned to see Conrad Grayson making his presence known with an airy grin.

"Excusez-moi," Margaux begged Nolan, and he drifted away slowly, faintly trying to listen while she chastised the other. "You know Conrad, just because your name is still on the list, doesn't give you free rein to barge anywhere you like," she started in protectively. "I hope you're not here to sour about the recent changes to management?"

"Sour?" Conrad spread a look of surprise. "No, I'm not sour. Confused—perhaps," he substituted. "Seeing how your father went to great lengths to rearrange a deal that was firmly inked in your presence." He shook his head in scolding. "The collusion between you and him is a remarkable show of how far you're willing to go to prove blood is thicker than water," he sneered.

"Or to affirm how short our tolerance is for corruption?" she asserted without backing down. "Perhaps you are reading too deep into it, Conrad—when it could simply be that you're having a bad turn of luck in the industry."

Just then the lights flickered, and while Margaux assumed it was a signal to go onstage, Conrad played into it for the sake of his argument. "Well, look at that," he commented, glancing up at the light fixtures. "An omen no doubt... that perhaps my luck is about to change."

 **SCENE**

Emily fidgeted beside Daniel during the presentation, only finding partial solace in watching Nolan perform in an area of his forte—entertaining. Even Daniel managed a soft chuckle at one of his well-timed jokes to co-host Margaux and leaned over to comment. "Is it me, or do they actually have really good chemistry up there?" he prodded her.

Distracted, Emily remained alert to her surroundings and observed as Pascal stood and took several steps towards the rear of the room. "Are you sure you squared things with your mother?" she verified.

"Yeah, she's not going anywhere," Daniel assured, following her gaze. "Why?"

"Because Pascal's headed in the wrong direction," Emily began and delayed responding further as she watched his exit, averting her glance to the stairwell. "Niko," she summoned into her earpiece. "Something's wrong, he's diverting!"

"I'm on it," Niko signaled back, slipping into position to follow.

"Wait, my mother's on his tail," Daniel interjected next, catching sight of Victoria following behind next. "Em, tell her to stay out of sight until I can catch up, if my mother sees her it'll blow her cover!" he directed, quickly breaking away.

"Go ahead, I'll keep an eye on Pascal," Emily agreed and they slipped out of the crowd separately.

Nolan spied the minor disturbance from the stage, causing him to delay slightly in the next segment. "Sorry about that folks—" he began, when suddenly the lights flickered again. Both he and Margaux glanced around in response while a few murmurs sounded in the crowd.

"Ah, it seems the storm is causing a few technical difficulties," Margaux explained, nudging her companion. "Mr. Ross, why don't you begin the demonstration before we lose connection, no?"

"Not to worry," Nolan assured nervously, returning to form. He held his device in the air. "This puppy works purely off the Wi-Fi," he promised and the crowd let out a short round of applause.

Meanwhile, Daniel took advantage of the distraction to advance on Victoria. "Mom—hold on!" he stopped her just short of the stairwell.

"Something's going on, Pascal just went upstairs—" she begged off, but Daniel guided her by the arm.

"Wait, we'll get to him faster this way," he urged, pulling her into the elevator.

No sooner than the doors closed, Emily reached the dais and nearly ran into Niko. "Which floor did he go to?" she demanded anxiously.

"The penthouse," Niko breathed with an uncertain once-over. "Wait—let _me_ go after him!" she insisted.

Emily merely shook her head and slipped off her heels to infer she was up to the task. "No, stay here in case he doubles back," she instructed. "Get Aiden to track his location and contact me when you have it!" With that she raced up the stairs with barely a difference in speed despite being four months pregnant.

Niko reluctantly stayed behind, contacting Aiden as requested. "Emily—he's on the roof!" she barked into her earpiece upon getting it.

Just as Emily changed course from the penthouse the lights flickered again, and this time went out completely. She made it to the roof entrance just in time before the door auto-locked—meanwhile the elevator Daniel and Victoria were in shuddered to a halt, striking fear and worry into both of them.

"Niko… Niko?" Emily whispered into her earpiece, and realized the outage must have somehow disrupted the signal from wherever Aiden was connected on the ground. She ripped it out irritably and instead climbed halfway up the steps to the roof, staying low enough to watch Pascal from afar. She breathed easier upon realization that he was meeting Conrad, and hoped it meant he was still sticking to the plan to obtain a confession.

"What's so pressing?" Conrad accosted him, emerging from a chopper that appeared ready to take-off any minute. "You invite me here to gloat while your daughter makes her debut in the role I was promised?"

"It's nothing to do with that," Pascal yelled over the helicopter blades, mustering the boldness needed to finish. "I'm haunted by things we did in our past—Trevor Mathis, David Clarke…" he began.

"No, those are your ghosts, Pascal, not mine!" Conrad argued fervently. "You killed Ashley for stumbling onto them, and now you're suddenly having an attack of conscience?!" Emily's eyes widened in surprise at the fact that Conrad knew about the latter, but she continued listening intently.

"I want to move on!" Pascal persisted, stepping closer to him. "Don't you understand?"

"No, I understand you want to bring me down!" Conrad asserted, pointing a finger. "But you must have forgotten who you're dealing with." He shifted stance so that Pascal now lined up just in front of the helicopter's cockpit. "So allow me to remind you—" he beckoned him to lean closer. "Pascal… WATCH OUT!"

His sudden shout was climaxed by a vengeful thrust as he pushed Pascal right into the blades that spun furiously behind him. Shocked and disturbed, Emily quickly turned away with a gasp, looking back only in time to see the bloody remains splatter onto Conrad's suit. Unable to fathom the depth of cold-blooded murder she had just witnessed, she forced herself to retreat and anxiously fled back down the steps, away from a plan gone terribly awry.

 **SCENE**

"Him! _HIM! Why aren't you arresting him?!"_

Victoria's terrifying shrieks were all that resounded in the corridor on the atrium floor, and the police attempted to console her while guests continued to be escorted out of the launch party. The ones that remained looked over in the direction she was pointing, across from the elevators to where detectives were taking her ex-husband's statement by the stairwell.

"For what, my dear?" Conrad assuaged calmly. "As I was telling the detective, Pascal wanted to talk and I offered him a ride to the Hamptons. He stepped back and it was too late—I mean, I tried to warn him," he insisted.

Victoria stepped up to bridge the space between them. "You can't believe a word he says!" she cried angrily, restrained from getting closer by a nearby officer.

"Ma'am, the pilot corroborates his story," he tried soothing her, but she only huffed and returned back to her corner.

A few feet away, Daniel observed the display and then returned his attention back to Emily, rubbing her arms while they huddled close at the foot of the landing. "He just pushed him, Daniel," she whispered shakily, and he pulled her in towards him, hugging the blanket that was draped over her shoulders. "I've never seen anything like it."

Daniel could only shake his head in reprehends, disgusted that his own father was capable of such evil. "He certainly chose a brazen moment to get his hands dirty… you think he was onto Pascal?"

"He was onto something," Emily guessed. "He's clearly willing to go to great lengths to protect himself."

"That's why we're going to take him down," Daniel assured, renewing his commitment. He clenched his jaw as he shot a hateful glare in his father's direction. It only incensed him more that Emily had been in such close proximity to certain danger. "You shouldn't have went up there alone," he muttered.

Emily did not fight him this time, instead glanced down at her ringing phone. "Aiden," she informed, knowing he would ask. She ignored it instinctively and realized she also had at least four other missed calls, one from Charlotte and several from Jack.

"No, you should call him back," Daniel urged in reference to Aiden. His eyes fell again on his mother, who was still pulling away from the officers in sobs. "If I don't go to her, she'll start to get suspicious," he reasoned. Emily nodded without complaint and he waited to leave her side until Nolan thankfully came to take his place.

"Margaux's devastated," Nolan informed, crouching down next to her. He grazed through his phone. "And on top of it, the only thing trending more than # _RIPPascal_ is # _LadyLeMarchal_ —as of his death, she's officially the new CEO."

"God, I hope she's staying off social media," Emily lamented, sympathizing. "Her father may have been truly evil but I can't imagine what losing him like this will do to her…" She glanced over solemnly at her friend. "Nolan, your app, the launch… it's ruined, isn't it?"

He tipped his head in partial agreement. "Not entirely. Safe to say it's not the best way to make a debut but, I'll survive. Pascal, on the other hand…" he paused with heavy implication. "I know this was a major diversion from the plan. How's Aiden taking it?"

"I don't know and I don't care," Emily breathed harshly. "Niko went to destroy any evidence that would tie back to the commercial site. I told her to make sure Aiden stays out of sight," she fumed with intensity, staring back at Nolan. "I knew this was a bad idea. Conrad saw it coming and wasn't about to be cornered."

Nolan shrugged in agreement, knowing better to allow her anger to resonate. "Well, at least we have the evidence with the DA," he offered, adding. " _And_ if we need to, your testimony. You saw him, Ems," he pressed, though he sensed she had no intention of going on record. He focused on her condition instead. "Are you alright?"

With that she stood, shaking the blanket off her shoulders. "I will be. I have a plan."

 **MONTAGE**

 _To succeed, a revolution requires absolute dedication against overwhelming odds…_

Daniel returned to Emily's side, planting a kiss on her forehead from a step above the landing. Emily confirmed she was ready to go with a nod and Nolan accompanied them out, leading their way with an outstretched arm to ward off the press. They exited last, following behind Victoria who continued to lob threats in Conrad's direction while he appeared to float from the premises carefree, assuming he had sealed his fate in success by neatly disposing of the obstacle Pascal posed.

 _At a moment's notice, the tide can turn…_

Margaux slumped behind the seat of her desk back at LeMarchal Headquarters, finding solace in the familiar comforts of her work environment – the one place that truly felt like home. But after the night's ghastly events it lacked the soothing effect and instead only intensified her grief. A recent photo of her and her father from the summer launch haunted her on her desk, forcing her to accept the reality of his loss. And despite feeling elated only hours before knowing she was to inherit his legacy, it now pained her like the edge of a knife. In a rare show of emotion angrily swept her arm across the desk, sending everything clattering to the floor as she broke down into tears.

 _And every casualty stokes the fire to win at any cost…_

Niko closed the door shut to the commercial space after completing the wipe-down, passing by Aiden obliviously as she turned the corner to dispose of the last remnants of their mission. He stared after; knowing her silence likely echoed the feelings of everyone else who had trusted in him, only to be disappointed by another plan gone wrong. Primarily, he knew he had let down Emily more than anyone else, and while he dared not try her patience, all that filled his mind was what he could do to redeem himself. Yet while he remained preoccupied in thought, he failed to take notice as Niko slipped out of sight just long enough to make a phone call in secret.

 _Igniting desperation in the first act of war…_

Jack sped down the highway in a fury, trying unsuccessfully for the last time to reach Emily's phone while barreling in the opposite direction. At last he tired of reaching her voicemail and tossed the device aside, concentrating instead on getting back to his son and Amanda. If what Charlotte told him was true, he had reason to believe her admission had come with sudden departure, and being that their circumstances precluded him from contacting her, he had no other choice but to verify it in the flesh. But it was all he could do to keep his calm, knowing that the truth had been leaked and more repercussions were likely to follow.

… _Because the only guarantee in a revolution – is that the innocent are the first to fall._

 **END MONTAGE**

The power was still out in the beach house when Daniel and Emily returned home; prompting them to split up in search of warmth and light. "I'll go look for some candles," Daniel offered, hanging back to see Emily into the living room.

"Go ahead, I'm fine," she assured him, removing his jacket from around her shoulders. She slung it onto the couch while hearing him pad gently up the stairs and busied herself with trying to light the fireplace. Still lacking visibility, she was using her phone as a guide when it suddenly shone onto an unexpected presence by the rear sliding doors.

Emily flinched and stopped short, identifying the familiar face. " _Charlotte_?" she breathed.

"I'm sorry for startling you," she whispered in response, slowly rising to stand. She met Emily halfway through the living room, her overcoat still fastened on as if she did not intend on staying. "I waited outside on the porch until it started raining. The back door was open so I just let myself in…"

"Charlotte, how long have you been here?" Emily probed in wonder, studying her uncertain expression. "What's going on—is something wrong?"

Charlotte exhaled sharply. "Everything," she summarized, bowing her head in disillusion. When she lifted it again, her explanation struck terror into Emily's heart. "Emily, I went to see Amanda. She told me that… that she's not my sister."

Emily went rigid, barely able to utter a word in reply. "What?"

Charlotte nodded in assertion. "It's true, I confirmed it with Jack. But he wouldn't tell me anything else. You and Daniel are the only ones I could go to for help." She fretted nervously, exposing how desperately she yearned for answers. "Emily, I know you and Amanda were close and something tells me she would have trusted you with anything. Please, if you know the truth just tell me… is my real sister still out there?"

It broke Emily's heart to watch her in such distress, while still full of implicit trust in her as a confidant. The combination was overwhelming and after a horrific night of events, she could feel the protective wall around her chamber of secrets slowly starting to crumble. The time had finally arrived.

"Yes, Charlotte," Emily finally admitted through a weary sigh. "She's still out there."

Even her partial admission lit Charlotte's eyes with relief. "Do you know who she is?" she asked in expectation. "I'll do anything to find her!"

Knowing it was a decision that could easily lead to regret, Emily braved through it and released her inhibitions with full acceptance of the consequences. "I'm your sister, Charlotte. I'm… _Amanda Clarke_."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Welcome back my dear loyal readers! Thanks for continuing to take this ride with me deeper into the Revengeverse and closer to the culmination of Season3! I truly hope you liked "Revolution" and found the outcome of events to be satisfying, albeit a bit more harrowing than the usual. But in keeping with the show, there were certain events I always felt were warranted and so I've kept them in this version, while altering some others for your reading pleasure. So please let me know your thoughts—how did you like all the fallout from the last chap? And were you surprised that the secret is at last out of the bag for Charlotte? I have a LOT more in the works to come from the foundation laid in this installment and I hope you're all still on board… as a little bonus preview, I can promise another character from S4 will be making an early debut in the next chapter and there will be another BIG takedown! And though Pascal's death may have been cause for rejoicing to some of you, I can also assure he's not quite the last casualty of this alternate season… so stay tuned! Please let me know what you thought, I can't wait to get your feedback and I'm so sincerely appreciative of all of your reviews and PM's – being at nearly 300 as of posting this chapter is truly overwhelming! But makes me smile with humble gratitude… thanks so much everyone! Love you all! ~Love & Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	41. Chapter 40: Impetus

**Chapter 39: Impetus**

 _Seized…confined…captive._

Emily paused to close her eyes as she finished bringing painful memories to mind, speaking in a hoarse whisper by the roaring fireplace. Charlotte sat nestled next to Daniel on the couch across from her, staring back in pure silence as the woman she knew up until the past few hours as Emily Thorne, awkwardly recounted her childhood experience as Amanda Clarke.

 _Six years of my youth were spent that way. In juvenile detention, many lost hope. For me, being locked away was an impetus for revenge and for the vow that once I got out, I would punish those who took my freedom…_

Emily continued, lifting her gaze from the flame. "But the cost has been high. In doing so, I've had to sacrifice all connections to my past, my identity and at times…" Her eyes rested nervously on Charlotte. "Even the ones I care about the most."

There was a still air in the house as she concluded and though the fire warmed them from the outside rain, a chill resonated from the gravity of her admission. Emily patiently awaited response, anticipating disappointment even after having told the full story. She briefly met eyes with Daniel and watched him rub Charlotte's shoulder in reassurance, much like he had done to her after the launch party.

"Char?" he attempted nervously. "You ok?"

Charlotte looked up to answer but the words escaped her upon peering into his eyes. It was unfathomable that he too had been fully versed in Emily's hidden truth, and somehow it made her loathe herself for being alone in foolish naïveté. "I…," she began, raising a hand to her brow as a coping mechanism. "I just… I can't believe it."

Emily ached in empathy. "Charlotte, I know this is hard for you," she acknowledged, drawing closer. "But please believe me, I never meant to hurt you. Neither of us did—we only wanted to protect you as long as we could."

Charlotte tried to avoid eye contact, but was forced to look up in disillusion. "You know, I've always wondered why I felt so close to you," she admitted somewhat irritably, and tears moistened at the corner of her eyes. "All along I thought having a sister-in-law this perfect was too good to be true. Turns out… I was right," she lamented.

Her words hit Emily like a ton of bricks and Daniel took it as his cue to supplement. "Char, I know what you're going through," he offered honestly. "It took me some time to understand it too until I realized who's truly at fault here. Mom and Dad are the ones responsible for what happened to Emily and her father— _your_ father," he enlightened. "They've been ruining lives as far back as we can remember; we just took longer to see it." He paused to allow her time to digest, and from the corner of his eye he could see Emily was grateful for his support.

Charlotte finally collected herself to ask questions. "So was that all this was," she posed fearfully to Emily. "Coming here, pretending to be someone else… just to get close to the people that ruined your life?"

"At first," Emily confessed openly, sitting on her other side. "But that all changed. I realized the feelings I had for the people I had become close to – they were real." She stopped to look at Daniel wistfully and back to her sister. "That includes you, Charlotte. Since then, I've been trying to put an end to all of this…" she trailed off with despair. "Things just keep getting in the way."

"Like Patrick," Charlotte put together next, cleverly. Remnants of mysteries that had always lingered in mind were slowly falling into place. "Did he know? Is that why he tried to kill you?"

"It's one reason," Emily hinted, careful not to share too much at once. Instead she leaned forward to redirect her focus. "Charlotte, you may not understand my choices, but if you only knew the kind of person our father was you would know _why_ I made them." She reached out gingerly to take her hand. "He was a good man and he didn't deserve what happened to him. From the moment I learned of his innocence I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do something about it."

Charlotte could no longer bear the discomfort and forced herself to look away, retracting her hand. "Yeah, I'm sure he would have been really proud of the way you let me find out," she argued, struggling to accept it. "Not to mention how you schemed and lied just to make things right… you let me believe Amanda was my _sister._ And she nearly died protecting _you!_ How much worse has the damage been since your return? And how much more are you willing to accept?"

Her fair accusations silenced Emily and she swallowed patiently, treading back towards the kitchen while Daniel stepped in. "Look, you're right to be concerned," he diffused on her behalf. "But I promise—every loss suffered has only come from what our parents did. We're finally in a place where we can see justice served; and it's only going to come from us telling the truth. Emily wants to do that now more than ever," he insisted and as he said it, the realization impelled him to gaze over.

He excused himself from Charlotte to allow her a few moments alone. It was nearly dawn and they could only expect so much after a long night of talking. Instead he followed Emily into the kitchen, meeting her by the counter to speak privately.

"What do you think?" she whispered, folding her arms.

Daniel gave an honest glance over his shoulder. "I think it's too early to say… she's fragile right now," he assessed. "I just can't believe Amanda started all of this. Any clue why she would choose _now_ to suddenly clear her conscience?"

"No," Emily digressed, checking her phone for alerts. "And I can't get a hold of Jack; he's probably on his way to find out the same thing. I just hope Aiden didn't have anything to do with it," she hinted venomously. "This is the second thing to go off track in the past 24 hours; and if I find out he was involved—"

"Hey," Daniel reached out to calm her. "Easy on the threats, we don't know that for sure. Besides we might need his help yet." He turned again to check on his sister and lowered his voice. "I hate to say this but uh… you don't think _Charlotte's_ the one who tipped my mother off about you? I mean, she said she's known for a week now. You have to admit, the timing _is_ a little coincidental."

Emily regrouped with a sigh. "It is… but I don't think Charlotte would have done that," she shook her head confidently. "She's got good instincts. And she's stronger than she realizes," she added, watching her sister stare with captivation at the burning embers. "I still think we can trust her, but I agree your mother is in a dangerous place. You should go over there, see where her head is at."

Daniel wrinkled his brow. "Her fiancé just died; I can't imagine she's thinking about anything else?"

"The distraction will only be temporary," Emily asserted wisely. "Victoria had just begun to question Pascal's integrity after you went to her; losing him suddenly is only going to make her wonder at it more. Who knows what she'll do now that she's left to deal with it on her own," her expression motioned for him to just go along and he conceded reluctantly.

"Alright, I'll go by just to check on her," he gave in, swiping his keys from the counter. "But are you two gonna be okay here alone?"

Emily shifted her gaze to where someone was coming up the porch. "We won't be alone," she replied, and went over to let them in. Nolan walked through cautiously, bearing the Infinity Box.

"Late night delivery," he quipped, also toting a duffel bag over his shoulder. "Ok if I return this, boss?" he pegged Daniel, lifting the box into view.

"Yeah, looks like it was on a short hiatus," he relented, shooting a look at Emily. But his compassion for Charlotte trumped any lingering concerns about her stress level. "Go easy on her," he advised, reaching for his coat.

Emily removed Charlotte's first from the coatrack, to hand him his beneath it. "I will," she promised and stepped aside to let him pass.

"Hey," he added, grazing her chin in admiration. "I'm proud of you," he admitted, and Emily knew he meant her choice to tell the truth. She pressed her lips into an appreciative line and then let him go at last, closing the door behind him.

Her eyes stayed on Charlotte as she trailed back into the kitchen. "Did you bring the other stuff I asked you to?" she asked Nolan.

Nolan pried his bag open to reveal some advanced technical hardware. "Still not sure what it's for," he said, gesturing towards Charlotte. "Shouldn't you be more preoccupied with family ties?"

"I have a plan," Emily answered below her breath, still clutching her sister's coat. She placed it on the table and rubbed her finger over one of the shiny buttons, lifting her gaze to finish. "And as of last night… my sister is a part of it."

 **SCENE**

Daniel arrived at Grayson Manor to find it empty, where his curiosity led him to a brief search of his mother's bedroom. Their conversation from the previous day still lingered fresh in mind and only impelled him further to find the source of her suspicions. Emily seemed convinced that she had additional help and if Charlotte had not been the one to tip her off, it had to have come from somewhere else.

Vague recollection of her favored hiding places led him to the vanity, pawing through her jewelry box to the inner lining. He lifted it out to reveal two documents tucked underneath, both of which caught his intrigue as he unfolded them. The first he remembered as the cover image of the _Voulez_ wedding issue, with Emily's bridal photo filling the page. Expecting it was only further evidence of his mother's obsession, he moved it aside to focus on the next more closely. A simple white page with the words, _I know who killed your son,_ plainly written in black. His eyes narrowed and he wisely snapped a picture of each on his phone before carefully returning them.

He studied the images on his device and walked slowly to the balcony to ponder their meaning. The implication seemed fairly clear—someone was purporting the idea that Emily was responsible for Patrick's death… but whom? And further, how had it led her to discover Emily's identity? The questions lingered as he gazed down towards the beach and at last spotted the only person who could answer them. Sighing, he tucked his phone away and made his way down.

Other than the relentless crash of the waves along the shore, Victoria's short breaths were the only sound that met Daniel as he approached her side. She turned at her son's presence and her voice cracked as she spoke. "I still can't get the horror of last night out of my head," she lamented, folding her arms tightly around herself.

The sight tapped into emotions that Daniel had long since buried. "I'm sorry for your loss, mother," he offered in comfort. "Shouldn't you be home getting rest?"

She let out a determined sigh. "Sleep can wait when I have vermin to stalk. I don't care what the police said; I know Pascal's death was no accident. Your father is going to pay for what he's done…" she trailed, and faced him threateningly. "As will those who conspired to assist him."

Daniel furrowed his brow and the momentary compassion he felt quickly subsided. "Wait a minute, you're not insinuating _I_ had something to do with this?" he clarified, pointing back towards his chest. "Don't forget I'm the one who warned you about Pascal in the first place!"

"Be that as it may you failed to heed _my_ warning _,"_ Victoria countered, shifting her stance. "I told you Emily was dangerous. She had words with Pascal last night, and minutes later he left without reason. And when I tried to follow, you conveniently stalled me in an elevator while God knows what happened next—!" Her voice broke anxiously, allowing Daniel to interject.

"The _power_ went out, what was I supposed to do?" Daniel defended irritably. "Besides, this is all Dad's doing and you know it, you can't just assume _everything_ has some connection to Emily!"

"It wouldn't be the first time she was at the helm of a murder!" Victoria argued in anger, and Daniel felt the moment of reckoning fast approaching.

"Is that what you think?" he seized it, aiming to pursue his discoveries. "Yesterday you were certain she's been plotting against our family, today its Pascal and now your dredging up Patrick… God, Mom where are you getting all these crazy ideas anyway? And what makes you so convinced it's her?"

"What makes you so convinced it's not—?!" she alleged, stopping herself suddenly with a deep look into his eyes. An odd sensation filled her as his recant echoed in mind, and she realized Daniel had mentioned Patrick without her specifically referencing him. Granted, there were few others she could have meant, but her intuition perceived there was more to his rigid defense. At last, it dawned on her.

"Never mind," she suddenly whispered, withdrawing. She pursed her lips edgily and rested her hands on his collar in apology. "You're right, I… I don't know what I'm saying. I've been through a terrible ordeal," she excused, turning away to face the sea again. It was all she could to restrain her emotions into calculated breaths. "Obviously I've been mistaken all along."

Relaxing slightly, Daniel could only hope it meant her retreat from investigation of Emily. Again, he forced himself to be comforting and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You just need rest, Mom," he replied, glancing light on the horizon. "The sun's almost up—you should go home; try to get some sleep."

Victoria trembled as she folded her lips inward and ducked her chin submissively, reaching up to squeeze his hand. "I will," she agreed, appeasing him. "I just need another moment alone."

She dismissed him with a tap and at last Daniel trudged away, leaving her to her thoughts. Amongst the many that circled was a foremost realization that made her shudder with betrayal. Though Victoria had long suspected his devotion to Emily to be unfounded, the reason was now clear—he too was aware that she was Amanda Clarke.

 **SCENE**

"Thank you for meeting with me, Officer Hunter."

Margaux closed the door to her office, securing the ability to speak in private as she strode back towards her desk. "My family and I are in shock and desperate for details. I understand you were first on the scene—I was hoping you could share your findings?"

"Terribly sorry for your loss, Ms. LeMarchal," Officer Hunter obliged, meeting her firm expression with a softer one. Despite his attempt at offering sympathy he could clearly see she was all business. "But if it's more information you need, you should speak to the detective. Not only would he have the full report, but he'll be the one leading the official investigation."

"There is no investigation," Margaux alerted him, bracing her arms forward onto the desk in disappointment. "I spoke to the detective, and after questioning two eyewitnesses last night, he has no intention of further pursuit."

Officer Hunter narrowed his eyes slightly, resting his hands along his beltline. "Then I'm afraid I can't be of much assistance—" he began.

"Oh, I believe you can," Margaux asserted. "You see, I'm not satisfied with the ease to which the conclusion was reached, and my instincts tell me there's more to this than I'm being told. Please," she implored, coming around to reduce the distance between them. "Off the record," she added tensely. "Is there anything else you noticed – anything suspicious at all?"

"Off the record?" he repeated, tightening his jawline. "I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to disclose anything that wasn't included in my report."

He watched as her expression sank in despair, and it gave him a still moment to study her face. He found her strikingly beautiful, and in spite of her mourning there was a strength that exuded from beneath the surface. It was a quality that drew him in and with a note of consideration, he found himself slightly bending his usual adherence to guideline.

"Alright, off the record?" he tried again, and she raised her eyes immediately. He glanced around protectively before divulging. "We did find an odd thing at the scene. It was pretty curious, actually. Did you know your father was wearing a wire?"

Margaux folded her arms with interest. "No?"

"Well, the word around the precinct is he might have been working with other law-enforcement agencies. Hence, the need for discretion until we get it confirmed," he advised. "But you didn't hear that from me."

She nodded appreciatively. "Understood. What can I do in the meantime?"

"My advice? When people feel compromised they usually seek out at least one confidant. Working with the feds is a pretty big secret—see if there's anyone close to him who might have known about it." He paused, wondering why he suddenly felt motivated to help her in any way he could. "And if you do find out anything suspicious, contact the detective," he redirected. "He'll take it from there."

Again Margaux nodded in affirmation. Her thoughts were already a brew, even wakening a twinge of guilt at not having reached out to a certain person sooner. "Thank you, Officer Hunter," she conveyed sincere gratitude, extending her hand. "I can't tell you how much your assistance means in this difficult time."

"Glad I could be of help," he accepted graciously, returning the gesture. He left cordially, hanging back to give her one last assurance. "By the way, please—call me Ben."

 **SCENE**

"How'd it go?"

Daniel trudged past Emily's welcome at the door, irritably removing his jacket. "Well you were right," he sighed heavily. "My mother's delusions have progressed into full-on accusations," he paused, observing Nolan at a makeshift tech hub spread out on the dining table. "Good, he's still here; I need him to look into something."

Emily followed over. "What happened?" she pressed, and Nolan quickly minimized his open windows before Daniel reached him.

"Nolan, is there any way you can hack into the surveillance footage from the party?" Daniel requested before answering. "Specifically right before Pascal died; see if you can get a clear shot of the stairwell leading to the roof."

He got a confused look in return. "Ah, aren't you forgetting something?" Nolan motioned to Emily. "Your dearly beloved will be on said footage, running up after him?"

"I know, but there's a reason— just pull it," Daniel asserted confidently, and turned to readdress Emily while Nolan complied. "Like I was saying, as usual my mother is pointing the finger at who to blame. And she thinks both me _and_ you had a hand in Pascal's death."

"Oh, lovely," Nolan's dry reaction echoed behind them.

Emily absorbed it with a shake of her head. "Typical Victoria," she couldn't help chiding. "Always looking in the wrong direction…"

"Or being pointed," Daniel inserted, and he answered Emily's curious look by handing over his phone, pulling up the recent gallery. "I found this in her bedroom before I followed her down to the beach. Just like you guessed, she's been getting help." He allowed Emily a moment to study both the cover page with her photo and the anonymous note that accompanied it. "Someone clearly wants her to think you were responsible for Patrick. And at this rate, they may be trying to implicate you for Pascal's death too," he gestured back over to Nolan. "This is why as soon as we have that footage I'm taking it downtown, just in case she tries anything."

Emily continued to stare in amazement, focusing on a detail in the photo he appeared to have overlooked. "Daniel, this is a misprint—it has the headline from a different issue," she itemized, showing it back to him. He peered close and sure enough it read, _Amanda Clarke Lives,_ right above his wife's face. "Whoever sent this to your mother didn't tear it from a magazine, they got it from _Voulez_ headquarters _—_ " she stopped short, reaching an early conclusion.

"Wait, you don't think this was Margaux?" Nolan guessed, overhearing. He stood and folded his arms in disbelief. "Em, she's been in our corner lately—firing Conrad, dumping Amanda's expo… Why would she suddenly want to implicate you?"

"Who else would have access?" Emily reasoned, gazing back to her husband for opine. "She's the only one with a final say on what goes to print; Pascal would have never gotten engaged at that level," she gestured, handing his phone back. "Even if he did, why send Victoria a mysterious note instead of just telling her?"

Daniel nodded hesitantly, still kicking around ideas. "Margaux may have had access but that doesn't mean she was the only one to get her hands on this," he recalled, nervously shifting stance. "Let's not forget when this issue was supposed to run, someone had just come out of hiding and was working in her office… someone who's been rather confessional lately?"

Nolan grew unsettled and sat back down, while Emily balked in reply. "No," she dismissed it adamantly. "No, that's insane. Amanda would never betray me—"

"You sure about that?" he insisted. "She came clean to Charlotte didn't she? Can any of us really say for sure what she's capable of?" He forced the uncertainty to resonate with the others, glancing around with sudden interest. "Where _is_ Charlotte, anyway?"

"Upstairs lying down," Emily breathed in a whisper, and broke away momentarily to marinate over everything they had just unearthed. Her instincts told her he was wrong, but she knew better than to let emotion cloud her thinking. Even if Amanda had not intended to implicate her, she could have just as easily used it as a ploy to lure Victoria into a trap. The stakes were quickly rising and it wouldn't be the first time she concocted her own methods for retaliation.

Nolan used the respite to provide an update. "I've got the footage," he announced in a low tone to Daniel. "Emily crosses the camera just before the time stamp of the accident; but it's not enough time for anyone to argue she was up there. Even if the police want to question what she saw, this will confirm she wasn't responsible."

"Good. Send it to me," he advised. He stepped away to join Emily where she stood gazing out of the back window, suddenly hoping he had not overestimated her ability to deal with the onslaught.

"Hey," he approached, resting his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I didn't mean to hurt you by suggesting Amanda… It's just I don't know who we can trust anymore. This is all coming to a head really fast."

Emily absorbed it, but her mind was elsewhere when she turned to face him. "How did you leave things with your mother?"

He shrugged. "She backed off; said she made a mistake. I told her to go home and get some rest." Emily nodded and he pursued with a gentle squeeze. "You think she's just buying time?"

"I'm not sure what she's up to," Emily admitted softly, but a brilliant fire burned in her eyes. "I just know we have to stay ahead of her."

"Agreed," Daniel responded, glancing back towards the door. "I should get going then, take that surveillance down to the precinct and check in with Stevie."

"She called while you were gone," Emily remembered wryly. "Apparently your father has been so cooperative with the investigation around Pascal; they're offering him protection for any insight he can spill on who he might have been working with."

Daniel's countenance dropped. "You're kidding? Don't tell me he's trying to pin everything onto Pascal to get immunity?" When Emily glared at the obvious answer, it only incensed him further. "I have to get down there," he sighed with urgency. "I'm not going to let this sidetrack all the hard work we've done—especially not when we're this close!"

Emily placed a hand along his neckline in assurance. "Don't worry," she insisted. "It won't." She retracted before he could question her certainty, redirecting his focus with a glance over her shoulder. "Go ahead—Nolan and I will stay here until Charlotte wakes up. I still want to show her our dad's Infinity Box when she's ready."

He obliged, suddenly wishing their brief interactions could last longer. With so much to accomplish it seemed like they were only seeing each other for seconds at a time. "Hey, at least one good thing has come out of this," he added before heading back out again. "It cleared Aiden from suspicion. I mean, obviously he would never risk diming himself out to my mother…?"

Emily studied his brow, struggling with her own certainty _._ It made sense, but it pained her that the only person then that remained was Amanda. She pieced together what they knew thus far. Nolan had confirmed she enlisted him to track Aiden's location since the rescue. And then just a week ago she had met with Charlotte to reveal partial truth about her identity. Perhaps it had all been intended as a distraction to keep them occupied while she perpetuated a plan of her own? But without proof she could not be sure.

"You're right," Emily conceded, electing not to openly rebut it. She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I should reach out to him. Let him know I'm not still upset about things going off track last night... and that we might need his help."

Daniel appeared content as he went back out the door, while Emily slithered into the seat beside Nolan. He met her eyes with an all-knowing look, recoiling in surprise. "Old habits die hard, eh maestro?" he chided.

Emily bit her tongue, often wishing her best friend didn't know her as well. "That wasn't a lie, Nolan," she asserted firmly. "I _do_ need Aiden's help."

"Right, you just conveniently left out the real reason why," he countered ominously, switching his screen back to the window that was cued up before Daniel's entry. On it was a live visual recording of Charlotte sleeping upstairs, manipulated so that her surroundings were cropped out of the shot. Without further explanation he continued. "Not to mention, I'm sure you're planning to interrogate him at length about Amanda. You really think shemight beVictoria's pen pal?"

"I won't know until I talk to Aiden," Emily ascertained, concentrating on the image of her sister. "But we need him to take care of this for us first. Did you track him down?"

Nolan reached over nonchalantly to hand her a prepaid mobile device. "Dialing now..."

Emily allowed a moment for him to answer. "Aiden?" she spoke when he finally did. "Listen, I think there's a way we can recover from what happened yesterday. Nolan's going to send you a file in the next few minutes," she began, confirming to the other with a nod. "This is what I need you to do."

 **SCENE**

"Did they ever discover what organization Mr. LeMarchal was working with?"

Conrad froze midway down the steps of the precinct, recognizing both the voice that was accosting him from behind and the subject matter. He turned slowly on his heel, preparing a blameless expression to accompany his reply. "Mr. Mathis," he greeted him dryly. "I beg your pardon?"

Aiden grinned as he reached the step above him. "My apologies," he pretended, taking his hands out of the pockets of his overcoat. He crossed them expectantly. "I just assumed you saw the _wire_ that Pascal was wearing after you shoved him into that blade," he accused with boldness. "Or did you have to close your eyes after... Like a coward?"

Conrad wore a mystified sneer in an attempt to buy himself time, but as the intent of Aiden's meeting became clear he quickly dispensed with the pleasantries. "What is it you want?" he asked, scanning their surroundings.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to expose you," Aiden assured, reading him. He gestured into the distance, implying he follow him for a short walk along the docks. Conrad followed without objection and minutes later they were alone and out of earshot to continue their conversation.

"So I take it this magnanimous return has a purpose," Conrad began anxiously, settling onto an empty bench. "But I'm afraid the incident you're referring to was an accident," he maintained. "Pascal merely stepped back before I could stop him."

Aiden remained standing like a sentinel on the other side. "Is that the story you're telling?" he said to Conrad's back, keeping alert. "Well, I can tell stories too. For example, how I helped you discover who was responsible for the accident that nearly claimed your life earlier this year?"

Conrad obliged with a nod. "Well, that's a _true_ story—one I believe I've already thanked you for," he recalled.

"Oh, but it gets better," Aiden described creatively. "Like how upon learning the truth, you _begged_ my assistance to destroy the guilty party… regardless of the fact it was your wife's son?"

A chuckle followed from Conrad. "Now you're dabbling into fiction, Mr. Mathis," he sighed with doubt. "You don't have the means to perpetuate that tale."

"Really?" Aiden dared, leaning down to whisper into his ear. "Who do you think put him into the Atlantic?" There was an eerie silence as the truth registered with the other and Aiden slowly pulled away to finish. "Ah… _now_ I have your attention."

"Now, you listen here," Conrad snarled angrily. "Whatever means you went to were of _your_ own accord, I certainly didn't authorize them!" he spat, jerking a thumb towards his chest.

"No, but like I was saying—you're no stranger to getting your hands dirty." Aiden glanced over his shoulder at the assertion, confirming he had Conrad right where he wanted him. "I've been investigating Mr. LeMarchal since my departure from Grayson Global," he went on. "And I was nearly about to get the information I needed until you did away with him. So, the way I see it, I can either discuss my suspicions with the government organization I work for or… you can do something for me instead."

Conrad shook his head at the irony. "Federal agent," he concluded to himself. "How did I not see it all along?" He paused to briefly recall memories of their interactions, piecing together how much sense it made. "State your terms, Mr. Mathis," he finally conceded.

Aiden took a deep breath. "A full confession to every deed you and Pascal conspired together," he delivered, word for word from Emily's ultimatum. "Specifically, the bombing of Flight 197 and the conspiracy to frame David Clarke as your patsy."

"How could you possibly know about any of that?" Conrad exhaled, dumbfounded.

Aiden adjusted his leather gloves, flexing the muscles in his hand. "Let's just say I have a _close_ connection," he intimated, reaching into his pocket. "Something you haven't had with your children in quite some time from what I understand?" Conrad flinched at the mention and Aiden turned to face him. "One additional stipulation I'd like to add—no police, no contact of any kind to anyone or there will be consequences. If you thought Americon Initiative was a formidable opponent, I can assure you they're no match for the organization I work for."

Conrad raised his brow suspiciously but Aiden plundered on without even the scarcest tremble in his countenance. "You will tender your confession in a press conference at 6pm tonight," he instructed him, pulling out a small handheld tablet. "Unless you want your ex-wife to bury another child," he posed, handing it over to Conrad's despair. "And this time… it'll be one you _do_ care about."

With that he departed, leaving Conrad to watch the playback that served as a warning. His mouth gaped open in horror, watching a hostage being brutally tortured—but cringing with even more shock as he realized it was Charlotte.

 **SCENE**

Emily peeked into the guest room softly, finding Charlotte in the same peaceful position since the last time she had checked the monitor. Only this time her eyes fluttered open, resting on her in return. "You're awake," she observed, edging forward.

Charlotte merely followed Emily with her eyes, and glanced down at the wooden box in her hands. At last she lifted her head from the pillow and sat up straight, making room for her. "What's that?" she probed with interest.

"Something I've wanted you to see for a while now," Emily admitted, settling next to her. She stared down at her lifelong keepsake and finally placed it into her sister's lap. "Charlotte, when I first came here this was all I had. And there was still so much I didn't know." Her eyes grazed up innocently, remembering. "I didn't even realize I had a sister… All I had was this box and the memories of a man I would never see again. A man I would never get the chance to tell that I was wrong – that I was sorry."

Charlotte studied Emily's forlorn expression and tried to force herself into understanding, despite how easy it was to feel resentment. "And now neither will I," she answered instinctively. She lifted the box, as if to return it. "Finding out the truth still doesn't change that he's gone?"

Emily persevered with tenacity. "But it may give you peace knowing the people that destroyed him didn't get away with it," she insisted, pushing it back into her grasp. "Please, Charlotte—read just _one_ of the journals he wrote while in prison. It'll help you to see why I was so determined to avenge him at any cost. And maybe… someday…" she hinted without pressure. "You can find it in your heart to forgive me for choosing to honor him before anyone else."

When she only received silence in return, Emily breathed easier that perhaps Charlotte was at last making a concession. She watched her sister trace the engraved symbol with her finger and faintly heard Nolan calling her from downstairs. Taking advantage of that moment to leave her side, Emily tapped Charlotte affectionately and slipped out of the room.

An audience was waiting for her when she reached the bottom of the stairs, and Nolan moved aside to reveal Aiden in the kitchen with an update. Emily eyed him perniciously, folding her arms. "So," she addressed him business-like. "Did Conrad take the bait?"

Aiden nodded, glancing over at Nolan's tech hub. "Thanks to your MyClone app, he believed those manipulated images of Charlotte were real." With fair interest, his eyes drifted towards the upstairs. "How is she really doing?"

Emily bobbed her head smarmily. "As well as can be expected after having her world turned completely upside down by _Amanda,"_ she edged close in accusation. "Care to explain how that happened?"

"Sorry, come again?" Aiden was genuinely surprised, looking to Nolan for assistance.

"Don't act so surprised," Emily continued forcefully. "It was after all, _your_ idea wasn't it? What did you say to her?" she pressed.

Aiden raised two palms into the air. "Emily, I swear—I only suggested she stop living a lie after all this was done. I still stand by that, Amanda doesn't deserve to be forced into seclusion the rest of her life, pretending she's _dead_ or pretending she's _you,_ " he reasoned sensibly.

"Fair enough, but she did more than take your advice," Emily snapped, arching her brow. "She may have contacted Victoria with a hint towards my identity," she admitted, grimacing as Aiden's face paled in authentic shock. "I didn't want to believe it either, but it also hinted at who killed her son. Who else besides Amanda would claim to know that? And more importantly, why use it now?"

A shiver went up Aiden's spine. "I… I told her that was the only leverage I had on Victoria," he confessed sheepishly, bracing before she could explode. "Emily, I was only going to use it if I couldn't get the truth out of Pascal—"

"Well she beat you to it!" Emily thundered, quickly placing her hand along her hairline to calm down. She could feel Nolan's eyes urging her not to lose her temper and it forced her to take a step away, protectively cradling her midsection.

Nolan stepped in on her behalf. "Look, whatever Amanda has planned for Victoria, she's willing to put everything at risk to lure her in. We all know what that means," he alluded, reminding them of her lethal tendencies. He concentrated on Aiden. "We have to stop her."

"Where is she now?" Aiden demanded hoarsely.

"If we knew that, would we be asking you?" Emily retorted sharply, whirling around. She calmed again to explain. "Jack went back to the safe house to find her; we haven't heard from him since. His phone just goes to voicemail."

Aiden was already brimming with a plan. "Send me the address," he instructed, already halfway to the door.

"Are you out of your mind?" Emily closely followed. "Jack will lose it if he sees you—"

"What difference does it make, Emily—we don't have a choice!" Aiden clapped back, and for once he was the victor of their bickering. His knowledge of the plan had finally equipped him with a sound argument. "Nolan has to stay to finish this out, who else does that leave, you?" He glared upwards in suggestion. "Are you going to just up and leave Charlotte behind?"

Even Emily could not deny he was right, and as usual she was forced to trust him out of necessity. With an abrupt turn she conveyed her approval and Aiden took off down the porch and out of their sight.

 **SCENE**

Jack was nearly out of breath as he fumbled with the lock to his sequestered safe house, and burst inside anxiously in a search of the downstairs. "Amanda!" he called ahead into the darkness, switching on lights as he stormed through each room. " _Amanda!_ " he repeated in a rising panic, until his final cry was interrupted.

"HEY!" her familiar voice silenced his in a heavy whisper, and he spun about to find her guarding the top of the stairs. She completed tying the belt to her dressing robe around the waist and padded halfway down. "What's going on—are you trying to wake your son?"

"Amanda," Jack merely sighed, placing hands around her face in amazement. "You, Carl— you're still here?"

Her face scrunched in confusion. "Jack—what are you talking about, I told you we'd be here when you got home," she reminded. She pulled his hands softly from her face, studying the urgency in his eyes. "What's the matter, why are you here so early?"

At last his adrenaline subsided and Jack relaxed to address her with indignation. "I was hoping _you_ could help me answer that," he contended with a glare. "Amanda, I know you met with Charlotte. You want to tell me what the hell you were thinking telling her you're not her sister?"

He expected a sheepish look to follow but to his surprise she wore her guilt shamelessly. "I told you before you left. I'm tired of living a lie," she admitted, folding her arms. "I don't care if she hates me, she deserved to _know_."

"She deserved to hear it from her real sister," Jack argued, scolding her with a disappointed look. "On _her_ terms, when she was ready to have the conversation," he paused to hold up his phone, which had died on the drive up. "Not after three messages from me, apologizing for you letting the cat out of the bag!"

Amanda took the phone from his hand and brushed past him to put it on the charging station in the living room. "You didn't need to apologize for anything—it was my choice," she snapped. "Besides, I didn't tell Charlotte it was Emily – I only told her it wasn't me. From the way it sounded, getting away was more important to her than finishing her family tree."

"That just shows how little you really know. How do you think I found out what you did?" he pointed out cleverly. "Charlotte showed up yesterday looking for answers! And she was pretty intent on not leaving town until she got them… I wonder who she'll go to next, hm?"

"Let her, then!" Amanda bypassed his sarcasm. "Emily can't hide the truth forever!"

Jack shook his head reprehensively. "I can't believe you're choosing _now_ to be this selfish. After everything Emily's done just to make sure you were safe?" His sudden break into reflection stung, but he continued before she could counter. "You know what I get it—you're tired of being tucked away here, forced into hiding with just me and Carl while she gets to live it up out in the open—"

"Jack, that's not it—" her eyes rolled.

"No, that's exactly what it is!" he insisted in dry recognition. "You said it yourself, you're tired of this life and so you figured you would do something about it!" He drew close into her personal space. "Only what you didn't realize is you're not the only one affected… Emily nearly lost the baby," he suddenly revealed.

Amanda jolted in response. "What?" she gasped, glancing back up at him.

"Yeah, Daniel told me she had a 'stress-related' episode about a month ago," he quoted derisively. "And I'm sure once Charlotte hightails over there to dig into her past; it's not exactly going to help the situation." He felt compelled to go further but the look on Amanda's face told him he had said enough. Slowly but surely his patience returned, lulling him into quiet.

While Amanda stared off guiltily he started back towards the stairs. "Look, just so you know – it doesn't matter to me who you are. It never did… Amanda Clarke, Emily Thorne… to me you are just the mother of my child and the woman I fell in love with. The woman I know only wants to help…"

She bore his words tirelessly, ever reminded of how much she didn't deserve his kindness. But as much as his tolerance for her was long suffering, it still came with an acknowledgement of reality.

"But the truth is; you're not helping, Amanda. If anything… you might have just made things worse."

 **SCENE**

"Daniel?"

Daniel looked up from the report he was filling out to see Margaux striding through the police station towards him. He stood to meet her; surprised that she seemed oddly collected in the waking hours of tragedy. "Margaux, you're here?" he asked when she reached him.

"I was hoping to speak with the detective," she informed, realizing it was the desk he had been sitting in front of. "It would appear you are too?"

He nodded cautiously. "Just trying to set a few things straight from last night," he alluded, closely guarding the stairwell footage in his pocket. He was uncertain of how much was wise to share and decided to test the waters. "It was pretty clear to me what happened until I spoke with my mother this morning. I think she's trying to float a different theory than what the police are ruling it," he hinted.

"Good," Margaux asserted, stepping forward. It made him uneasy at first until she turned to elaborate in a low whisper. "Because I don't believe what the police are saying either. I believe my father was murdered by Conrad," she said, and guilt deeply colored her confession. "You tried to warn me of his ruthless nature countless times; and you were right. I was too late… and I never expected it would go this far."

Hearing a tremble in her admission, Daniel immediately sympathized. "It's no secret my dad was gunning for him on the business side, but as soon as Pascal and my mother rekindled their relationship, tensions escalated. Their rivalry got the better of them," he tried to appease her.

But Margaux was wiser for the wear. "To the point where my father was wearing a wire the night he died?" she divulged, inciting his interest. "I met with the officer first on the scene, he gave me privileged information. Pascal must have wanted to capture something incriminating on Conrad to end their feud."

"Well my father ended it all right," Daniel surmised, not intending to be insensitive. But Margaux was strong and seemed prepared for the reality. And that something in her demeanor was enough for him to begin trusting her. "I know for a fact he did," he declared, following up with affirmation. "Emily saw him push him."

Margaux was a rush with emotion, her eyes widening in alarm. "Daniel, if that's true we have to tell the detective! Is that what you came here to do?"

"Not exactly," he continued, calming her with a gesture. "See my mother's got it in her head that Emily had something to do with it just because she was in the area when it happened."

Margaux furrowed her brow. "Why would she think something like that?"

"I was hoping maybe you could tell me," Daniel transitioned conveniently. He retrieved his phone to briefly show her the photos. "Whoever sent these has her thinking Emily is the culprit for a lot more than Pascal. Recognize this?"

Margaux was stunned into silence. "Yes," she finally spoke aloud and Daniel suddenly feared he had been too generous with his trust. "But Daniel, it's not what you think. First of all, they're too different things. Your mother brought this to me a week ago for answers I couldn't give her," she referenced the handwritten note, swiping back to the photo. "But _this_ belonged to Patrick."

Daniel had to do a double take at the fresh possibility. "Wait, what?" he gaped.

"He was carrying it on him the night he died," Margaux confirmed. "I know because I removed it from the jacket he gave to Charlotte when she went into labor. I went to Victoria about it, to keep you out of jail. I thought if I threatened to expose Patrick's motive it would force her hand." She gazed at him apologetically. "I'm afraid Victoria's been suspecting Emily ever since… but I don't know how she got this. She must have taken it from my office."

"Oh my God," Daniel exhaled shakily, piecing it together aloud. "That's how Patrick knew."

"Knew what? What are you talking about?" Margaux probed in confusion.

Just then the Detective returned to his desk, sparing Daniel from having to explain. "Don't let me interrupt—Mr. Grayson, Ms. LeMarchal," he greeted them, addressing Margaux in particular. "I heard you had some pertinent information to your father's murder case?"

"Yes, we did—" Margaux started, but Daniel interrupted.

"I'm sorry; did you just say murder case?" he repeated keenly.

"Afraid so," the Detective affirmed. "As of this morning, we decided to look into things a little further. We're reopening the investigation, even questioning some eyewitnesses." He suddenly focused his attention on Daniel. "As a matter of fact, Mr. Grayson I was wondering if we could get your wife's account; source says she spoke to Mr. LeMarchal just before he went up to the roof?"

Though Margaux was notably relieved to hear the change in ruling, she tensed as the Detective shifted focus onto Emily, watching for Daniel's reaction. He shot a glance back, indicating for her to follow suit.

"That's… actually why we came down here today," he elaborated, and drew on his recent experience in the legal field to choose his words carefully. "Ms. LeMarchal and I wanted to offer the surveillance from the _Voulez_ launch. While it places my wife near the scene, it confirms she couldn't have reached the rooftop when the incident occurred. However, she has authorized me to provide a statement of what she witnessed on her behalf."

Daniel then handed over the footage, which the Detective accepted thankfully. But in spite of its potential for clearance, he refused to budge. "Well we certainly appreciate your cooperation Mr. Grayson—but I'm afraid we're still going to need your wife to come down and tell us herself."

 **SCENE**

The ride upstate to the safe house was quiet, so much so that for the first hour Aiden had nearly forgotten Niko was even in the car. He had grown so accustomed to her stillness that he became lost in his own thoughts, so when she finally did speak it startled him.

"I gather Emily forgave last night's failed mission?" she supposed, peering over. Aiden grasped the steering wheel tighter and stayed focused on the road, acknowledging her with a lift of his chin. "Considering she's personally assigned _you_ to bring Amanda in," Niko continued at his lack of response. "That's a lot of trust for someone who nearly dislocated your jaw just a day ago?"

At the mention, Aiden stretched his jawline where the bruising from Emily's right hook was starting to form. "Agreed," he had to admit, craning his neck. "But she doesn't have much choice. Based on the information she shared there's a strong likelihood that Amanda's been plotting her own mission to take down Victoria— threatening her with leverage over who killed her son."

"Interesting; Amanda's plan… sounds a lot like _your_ plan?" Niko recalled, again to no response. She gazed back out of her window instead. "You must be regretting all that pillow talk," she added dryly.

Aiden finally glanced over. "That's not what happened," he clarified. "As I've told you before, I didn't return to rekindle things with Amanda. Aiding in her rescue was a last minute effort – when I told her my intentions for Victoria it was to make it clear that I had moved _on_. I suggested she do the same." He focused on the road while ruminating over the details. "I didn't anticipate this."

"Well obviously she's clever. More than you give her credit for—as is Emily," Niko supplemented. She folded her arms in thought.

"What are you talking about?" Aiden questioned.

Niko smirked in reply. "She could have sent anyone to get to Amanda. Especially given the outcome from last night—I would have been the easy choice to employ for the task," she pointed out, facing him with conviction. "But she chose _you._ She trusts your influence over her."

Aiden huffed at the subtlety. "Maybe it's the opposite," he argued in defense. "She knows I can't be compromised."

"Are you sure about that?" Niko tested him. "You may well be at ease with Amanda, but what about her husband? What do you propose to do when Jack answers the door to see his wife's ex-lover demanding for her to come along?" She paused then, letting her questions hang in the air as warning. "I'm not saying any of this out of jealousy, it's just the facts," she insisted.

"You're right," he muttered before she could argue further. Even in his haste he had considered the delicate nature of what he was about to do. "But that's why I''m not going to try to persuade Amanda," he decided at last, facing her again.

"You are."

 **SCENE**

Niko returned to the car sooner than Aiden expected and he snapped up from where he was slumped in his seat, intentionally staying out of line of sight. "What happened?" he demanded, immediately noticing she was alone.

"Well, it's a good thing you sent me," she started, resting in the gap of the open passenger side without fully entering the car. She kept an eye on their general surroundings. "Jack answered. It took him less than five minutes to realize Amanda was gone but he did confirm she had been there."

Aiden quickly understood why Niko remained poised in the doorjamb. He too surveyed the street for a figure that resembled Amanda. "How long since she disappeared?" he pressed, after seeing none.

"He couldn't be sure," Niko replied. "He's staying behind with their son just in case she returns. His phone was missing; she must have taken it with her."

"Well, even if she's headed for the Hamptons she can't have gotten far," Aiden guessed, scanning the perimeter again. At last he signaled Niko. "Get in—we'll use Jack's phone to track her location."

"I'm afraid you'll have to take the trip without me," she resisted, closing the door instead. When Aiden scowled in confusion she leaned into the window to explain. "I'm sure Nolan can help you handle the rest."

"What are you talking about—" Aiden barked, but she remained firm.

"I'm saying, I'll hitch a ride on my own… back to Japan," she asserted, watching his countenance drop. She scoffed in response. "Oh, come on you knew it would eventually come to this, Aiden. Why bother with words when it's obvious how you feel for her—and more importantly how she feels for _you._ "

Aiden absorbed it without acceptance. "Niko, how many times do I have to tell you it's over between us—" he continued pleading.

"Save it," she forced, waving a gloved hand. "You can't argue this; I saw it in Jack's eyes when he answered the door. I see the same thing every time I look in the mirror—the burden of knowing that no matter what you do, someone else will always come first." She reflected momentarily, tilting her head. "And even if you honestly believe you've moved past it, there would have always been something with you. If not her, then it would have been revenge."

As much as he ached to deny it, inwardly Aiden felt the sting of truth. It was all too familiar, feelings he had felt the previous year when it became apparent that Emily had chosen Daniel. And yet he had never expected he would move past it, nor arrive on the other side of the equation in so short a time.

Regardless, his progress still gave him an inkling of hope. "Niko, listen to me," he begged, hoping there was a way to convince her. "We can talk about this – we have an entire ride back to the Hamptons to discuss our feelings," he offered, but her expression deflated his argument.

"Which is why I'd much rather go home instead," she uttered, tapping the roof in finality. She faced him with a look of honor as she delivered her farewell. "Take care, Aiden. I'm certain you'll find Amanda. And if not…" she lingered in humble admission, in a soft tone that nearly broke his heart. "I'm sure she'll find you."

Aiden felt the pain in her eyes as she stepped back onto the curb, felt it accusing him at every turn down the winding road as he forced himself to drive away. But there was nothing more he could do. He had pushed even his most tolerant companion away with his misguided allegiance, and despite his intentions to be loyal she knew him better than he knew himself.

As he drove off in contemplation, Niko stood back and gazed thoughtfully towards Jack and Amanda's house. At long last, she took out her phone and spoke with conviction upon reaching her intended. "I diverted him just as you asked," she promised, concentrating on a silhouette that waited by the window. "He's all yours."

 **SCENE**

"Victoria!"

Though not unfamiliar, the loud bellow of her name in her ex-husband's voice was the last thing Victoria expected to hear upon coming down the stairs. She followed it to the living room where her bitter anger quickly erupted at the sight of Conrad strolling through.

 _"YOU!"_ she shrieked in a guttural tone, racing over to pummel him with her fists. " _Murderer!"_ she yelped as Conrad fended her attack and wrestled her to the floor. " _How dare you show your face here!_ " she continued screaming.

"You'd know why if you'd answer my _calls!_ " he retorted, nimbly seizing her to look him dead in the eye. "Charlotte's been abducted!" His announcement distracted her long enough for him to force a small tablet into view, activating a playback of their daughter seemingly being tortured.

"What is this—?" Victoria demanded, panting in fear.

"I was threatened by an associate today," he divulged, still debating how much was worthy of sharing. "They've been building a case against us for some time over the bombing of Flight 197 and are wrapped in with an organization more powerful than the Initiative!" At that, Victoria glanced up and Conrad eased away from her, standing to gather his breath. "They are undoubtedly the source of our contentious past few years and are now demanding that we tell the world what we've done."

"This can't be happening," Victoria sighed aghast, eerily concentrating on the image of her daughter. Her instincts pushed her to her feet. "I'm calling the authorities—"

"No, you can't," Conrad insisted sharply. "He's one of them… he's a federal agent."

At his singling down of their opponent, Victoria's curiosity was suddenly piqued. She froze mid-stride. "He?" she repeated. "Who is it, Conrad?"

Conrad glared in derision. "Victoria, please. He threatened Charlotte's life if I told anyone. Now we're going to do as he instructed—call a press conference, and come clean." He shook his head in exaggerated self-contempt. "Charlotte shouldn't perish for our sins."

" _Our_ sins? I will do whatever this abductor wants, Conrad," Victoria stressed. "But, be clear—what's happening is a result of your deplorable, greedy actions 20 years ago. If Charlotte dies, this will be _your_ fault," she stepped forward to thrust the tablet back into his hands. "The least you can do is to identify who finally forced your hand into acceptance. Now I'll ask again, _who_ threatened you?"

It took all of his strength not to squelch her self-righteous inhibitions. But in light of the grave matter at hand and how deeply he knew his actions from the night before had cut her, a measure of pity somehow resonated. It stemmed inevitably from an obsession with her that he perceived inwardly to be a twisted manifestation of love. And it compelled him to answer.

"Aiden Mathis," he breathed hoarsely. "It's been him all along."

 **SCENE**

"Well, three guesses as to why we haven't heard from Jack all day?"

Emily stepped back as she slipped on her overcoat by the door, turning to face Nolan in answer to his question. "Amanda wasn't there when he got back?"

"Close, but no cigar," he replied, setting his phone down to begin clacking away at his keyboard. "That was an update from Double Agent Mathis—he tracked down Jack and apparently Amanda _was_ there when he got in but promptly exited the premises sometime _after?_ " He glanced up with an exasperated glare. "She swiped Jack's phone before deucing out," he explained his sudden diversion into tracking mode. "Trying to see if I can ping it…"

Thinking quickly, Emily nudged him to stop. "Never mind that, it's going to have to wait," she insisted, glancing at the clock. "I need you in position."

"It should only take a minute?" Nolan guaranteed.

Emily persisted, slipping a scarf around her neck. "This comes first," she directed. "I may not make it back in time to help—Daniel just called, I have to go down to the police station to give my statement."

Intrigued, Nolan finally pulled away from his laptop. "So you're really going to admit yourself as an eyewitness? Even with, everything you have planned…?" He trailed off, glancing upstairs in reference.

"With everything I have planned it should never go to trial," Emily shrugged sternly. "But if it does I'd be willing to take the stand. Conrad was and still _is_ a monster and it's time the whole world knew the truth—including Charlotte," she added, following up with a nod for him to comply. "Get situated for the press conference. I'll take it from here."

Nolan obeyed without further objection, bearing a sense of pride as he packed up to move into the next phase. Her willingness to take the stand felt like a breakthrough and it was encouraging to see her taking a more upstanding approach. In the wake of his departure Charlotte soon trailed down the steps, toting the Infinity Box under her arm.

"Where's Daniel?" she asked at first glance, settling the box onto the table.

"Downtown," Emily replied honestly, and Charlotte noticed she was dressed to leave also. "I'm on my way to meet him." Knowing her sister likely had no clue about Pascal after nearly twelve hours of being sequestered, she avoided the subject. "Listen, I understand if after all of this you need some distance." Her eyes grazed over their father's last possession. "When Nolan first brought me those journals, it took months before I finally had the courage to read them. And even then, I still had so much to learn."

Charlotte maintained an unreadable expression, merely folding her arms to listen. "And once you did," she prodded her to continue. "What did you do?"

Emily lowered her head submissively. "I made a choice, one that had consequences," she paused in reflection. "Some brought retribution to those that deserved it; others unfortunately… came with a price." She focused intently, closing the gap between them. "But I want you to know that I will always choose _you_ over anything else. You and the rest of my family," she added, touching the bump at her midsection. "You're all that matters now."

Charlotte absorbed her declaration, and admittedly it resounded in her heart. But it was still compounded by lingering conflict, that unbeknownst to her, Emily was counting on. "Well, I have my own choices to make now," she countered, assuming a resilient stance. "And my own family to get back to," she tacked on, realizing how much she missed Declan Jr. "So you'll forgive me if I don't hang around for any more revelations."

Emily nodded with deep understanding and backed towards the door. "Of course," she conveyed sincere support and turned to go out.

"Emily?" Charlotte called her back, but when she turned the words suddenly escaped her. Instead she consigned to a long look around the foyer. "I, uh, I am going to miss this house," she finally stammered.

A faint trace of sorrow befell Emily's expression as she wished her goodbye. "Take as much time as you need."

 **SCENE**

"Oh, excuse me ma'am? I'm afraid you can't go through there."

At the officer's objection, Emily backpedaled from preparing to walk through the station and resumed where she had just checked in at the front desk. "I'm sorry," she verified curiously, eyeing the log-in sheet. "I was told I only needed to sign into registry?"

Officer Hunter gave her a partial grin. "Ordinarily, yes," he obliged, using his forefinger to reference her signature. "But I noticed you signed _Emily Grayson._ " His eyes flickered up inquisitively. "Mrs. Grayson, are you aware a summons was just issued for you to provide a statement on a murder investigation?"

"Clearly," Emily confirmed in an obvious tone, pointing in the other direction. "That's where I was headed."

"Actually, intake is _this_ way," Officer Hunter corrected her, and came around the desk to provide an escort. "We have a strict policy on how to process information from eyewitnesses, there's some paperwork involved and may include your right to invoke an attorney. But I'll be glad to debrief you on the details while I walk you over."

Sensing it could delay her, Emily resisted. "You know what, my husband is actually here already and he can serve as my legal representation for now," she countered, edging still in the opposite direction. "If you don't mind, he's already with the detective; I'd prefer to speak with him—"

Officer Hunter reached out gently to bar her from leaving again. "Actually from what I understand, the Detective already has his hands full processing evidence," he replied, watching Emily grimace in exasperation. "But in the meantime we can get some of that pesky paperwork out of the way," he paused, assessing her demeanor. "Especially since it seems like you're in a hurry?"

Growing irritable, Emily refrained from retorting so as not to rouse suspicion. Instead she complied, allowing the officer to urge her several steps down the hallway before finally playing her last card. "Oooh!" she suddenly grasped her midsection.

Officer Hunter immediately halted. "Mrs. Grayson, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Ah," she sighed, hamming up her reaction for effect. She rested her hand at her brow dramatically. "It's just ever since my pregnancy I tend to get dizzy spells here and there," she moaned convincingly. "Suddenly I'm feeling a little lightheaded."

Finally noticing her condition, it quickly changed Officer Hunter's tone to one of fear and inexperience. "Oh, boy," he fawned, looking around for a seat. "Uh, here—just rest here for a second, I'll uh, I'll get some help."

Emily sank so fast that it forced him to steady her in his arms. "Ah!" she gasped again, selling her performance.

"Careful, ma'am," Officer Hunter supplemented, growing more panicked. He made sure she was safely sitting before returning to the front desk and beckoning a female officer for assistance.

In the few seconds it afforded her, Emily was swift enough to dial Daniel on her phone, allowing it to ring and connect without any disclaimer other than allowing him to hear the background. She continued panting heavily once the attending officer came to her aid, and the audio was enough to prompt Daniel to come running to the front of the station in a matter of minutes.

"Em!" he exclaimed upon seeing her, motioning for the others to step aside. He was kneeling beside her immediately, taking her hand. "I'm her husband—Em, what's going on?"

"Daniel," she sighed gratefully. "I'm just ah, feeling a little dizzy…" There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye and she gestured for him to come closer. Once they were cheek to cheek and the officers had stood back, she whispered into his ear. _"Get me out of here—I'll explain later."_

Daniel pulled back slowly, having grown proficient in the art of diversion over their time together. "Listen, ah, officers—my wife clearly isn't in any condition to provide a statement this evening," he explained on her behalf, addressing Officer Hunter first. "Is there any way we can do this in the morning? I think its best I take her home."

Officer Hunter hesitated, glancing at the other for support. "Well, the protocol for when a witness comes forward is—" he began, but was soon interrupted by a fifth to join them.

"Ben!" Margaux called out to his attention. She arrived from the same direction as Daniel, garnishing interest as she joined all of them at Emily's side. "I mean, Officer Hunter," Margaux corrected herself, though it seemed intentional. "I see you've met my friends—is everything alright?"

Ben glanced from Margaux back to the others upon transition and slowly calculated the connection. "Ah, yes," he informed her with an odd look. "I didn't realize you all knew each other. I was just informing Mr. Grayson that there's a standard protocol when a witness comes forward…" He trailed off, studying Margaux's pleading expression.

While the others waited anxiously, suddenly the radio on the shoulder of the attending female officer went off. _"Dispatch… just received a call for a Jane Doe that washed up along the eastern shoreline. Officers needed, possibly fits the description of a MISPER…"_

"Copy that—on our way," the officer replied, nodding to Ben. "That's us."

Recognizing it trumped the current situation in importance, Ben recanted. "Ah, but in this case," he finished, more so to Emily. "I'm sure we can make an exception until Mrs. Grayson is feeling up to it."

Margaux's expression lit with relief, making yet another of his concessions worthwhile. "Thank you, Officer Hunter," she obliged, lending a hand where Daniel was now aiding Emily to her feet. She helped them towards the door and then hung back to turn to him. "Once again, I can't tell you how much your assistance means in this difficult time."

He could not help echoing in response before leaving to answer the call of duty. "Again, glad I could be of help," he added. "Oh, and please—it's Ben."

 **SCENE**

Conrad assumed Victoria was lurking somewhere around Grayson Manor when the sound of footsteps became evident in the hall, so when the parlor doors suddenly slid open he was already speaking aloud to her, mid-thought.

"Ah, I see you've put your contempt aside and are ready to pay attention," he greeted without lowering the document before his eyes. "Lucky for you, I have crafted something that protects both us _and_ Charlotte to those reporters chafing outside. The confessions made during this dog-and-pony show will be considered under duress and inadmissible in a court of law."

"How convenient," was the reply, only much to his surprise it did not belong to Victoria. Conrad slowly lowered the devious confession he had just boasted, finding his daughter staring back at him in alarm.

 _"Charlotte!"_ he gasped without noticing, rushing over to pull her into an embrace. He was so amiss with emotion that he barely observed how rigidly she stood in place, never once returning the gesture. "My God, how did you get here?!" he continued in a mix of shock and relief. "Never mind, I should have known better that you'd find a way to escape!"

Her still countenance broke his celebration. "And why is that, Dad?" she accosted him sharply. "You've been insulting my intelligence for years… Why the sudden change?"

Conrad withdrew, detecting a sinister quality in her tone. "What is this? What are you talking about?"

Suddenly itching to clear the air, Charlotte lowered her gaze to the floor. "You know, since the beginning of the summer I've known you were to blame for the bombing at Grayson Global headquarters," she blurted. "The one that killed the father of my child—and changed my life forever."

He shrunk back, and Charlotte raised her head with fierceness in her eyes, intent on braving on.

"But up until now, all I could do was stay away. I suppressed my feelings to protect my unborn son, instead of _ripping into you_ like I should have done the moment I learned the truth," her voice cracked, gradually filling with raw emotion. "Well, I am not about to make that mistake twice! Especially now that I know just how much blood is on your hands—"

Conrad attempted an interjection but Charlotte was too quickly in his face, chiding him. _"You're_ to blame for Flight 197!" she belted. " _You_ laundered money for Americon, and then _you_ tried to cover it up by framing my father! David Clarke," she finished, nearly in sobs. "You are _nothing_ but pure evil, and you don't even have the _guts—_ " she inferred from his previous statement, snatching the false confession from his hands. "To admit it! Well, you know what? If you don't tell the police, this time I will. _You disgust me._ "

With a reprehensible glare she started towards the doors, stopping only at his bitter response. "And you my dear, are an ungrateful bastard," he seethed. Charlotte filled again with anger and turned about to face him, but he had already taken back control of the room. "My love for you was so profound that I was about to confess to everything to save your life," he declared, edging closer to sneer in her face. "But you know what? No longer—and you're not going anywhere."

Charlotte leveled in defense. "You have no power over me," she dared him, suddenly feeling endowed with the insight she had obtained. "And if you only knew by what authority I discovered the truth you would think twice before making threats."

"Oh, you'd like to test that out wouldn't you?" Conrad rebuffed in spite, suddenly wondering if Charlotte was in cahoots with Aiden Mathis and if they had somehow structured the entire charade. It momentarily crossed his mind that perhaps they had even schemed Patrick's death together. Whatever the case, he had no intention of letting her believe she could trump him in influence.

"Well, you can tell your 'authority' that I have the power to take you out _anytime I want!"_ he bellowed, beginning a rant. "I had the reach to snuff out your _nuisance_ of a sister, and I was in league with a confederacy of global terrorists who tried to bring me down, but I'm still here! And your father, the selfish and dim-witted David Clarke—he was my patsy to freedom! So, you rest assured I have the power – and my secrets are gonna rot inside of you beyond your last breath, because you are gonna keep your _stupid and thankless mouth shut!"_

On the resonant sting of his wrath-filled admission, Charlotte was frozen into silence, completely unaware that all of it had just been shared with a host of viewers. As she stood witness, the upper button to her coat had been affixed with a camera by Nolan, used to broadcast Conrad's live confession through the media channels that were waiting outside…

 **SCENE**

"Are we on the air?"

Emily held her breath as she and Daniel entered Nolan's living room, catching the tail end of Conrad's outburst as it played on his monitor. "We are broadcasting," he confirmed, and Emily concentrated over his shoulder.

"Cut Charlotte's camera," she instructed, looking next to his television display. "Turn on the TV at Grayson Manor."

While Nolan complied, Daniel followed her over to the screen and watched as the playback reiterated everything they had just heard in ten second delay, decimating Conrad and his haughty self-image in one fluid stream.

 _"No word on how our signal was co-opted,"_ the news reported live from outside the Manor once the feed ended. _"But it seems the transmission you just saw was live from inside the Grayson house—shocking footage shows Conrad Grayson confessing to a host of illegal activities, including terrorism, conspiracy, perjury, and murder. Our legal analyst is standing by to share with us the ramifications of these bombshells—"_

"Legal analyst—that's Stevie," Daniel supplemented upon hearing, taking a step closer to Emily. He placed his arm along the small of her back as they watched; proudly recognizing their friend and counsel, finally out of recovery.

"As former spouse to Mr. Grayson, I've declined to comment on the pending investigation that I'm certain will commence," Stevie spoke candidly outside of the courthouse. "But as a legal professional, the seriousness of these offenses could constitute a number of charges, and it is with certainty I can say that the district attorney will view this and any other evidence remitted in connection with the utmost priority. Nothing further," she ended succinctly.

Daniel beamed at the precision of her statement. It was the final stroke to force a comparison of the evidence provided with both his father's confession and Pascal's murder investigation that had just been reopened. "Yes!" he celebrated. "That's _it!"_

Barely able to fathom that it had all come together in perfect harmony, Emily remained speechless beside him. "Ems," Nolan prompted her from a few feet away, gasping in unison. " _You did it_."

It took both of their commentaries to awaken her to the reality. Stunned that it was at last out in the open, Emily glanced between them, resting her gaze finally on Daniel. He gently rubbed her arms, willing her to look into his eyes. "Babe, you realize what this means, right? My father is going to _prison_ ," he reiterated into words. "We _did_ it – we got him."

 **SCENE**

For the first time in years, and certainly within the past twenty-four hours, Victoria felt an enormous sensation of peace. She leaned back comfortably in her piano bench and tapped out a pleasant melody, even feeling inspired to break into a smile.

"You're certainly in a jovial mood, considering the authorities will be arriving any minute," Conrad came over to join her, bearing only a consolatory cocktail in hand.

"Oh, I'm simply thrilled I don't have to waste any energy throwing you out," she cooed in return, still baring her teeth. "After watching you suffer the humiliation of being sold out by your very own daughter, I don't think I've ever been so content." She paused playing to sigh in affirmation, enjoying every moment of the triumph.

"Naturally, since that mis-born wretch is yours alone," he fired back, but his wife remained unfazed. "It still amazes me how cavalier you can be on the matter. After all, where I'm going there will be many conversations and do not think that I won't pull each skeleton from your closet for the feds to pick over." He leaned over the bridge of the piano to add emphasis to his threat. "Not to mention the fact that Charlotte's perpetuator, Aiden Mathis, still remains at large…if I were you, I'd fear for my life."

While he sipped away his troubles, Victoria took the opportunity to respond. "If you were me, you wouldn't have to," she sneered. "I'm confident in my ability to handle Mr. Mathis—just as confident as I am that you'll never be able to prove my co-conspiracy in any of your wretched sins."

A loud knock at the door punctuated her declaration and she rose promptly to answer, relishing every step. "Goodbye Conrad," she gladly dismissed upon opening it. "Do rot in hell."

There was an inexplicable pleasure that came from watching the authorities pour through to place him under arrest, and Victoria savored every moment as they put him in handcuffs and led him away. Once they were gone she wallowed in the silence, resting her weight against the door. But not for long as she quickly regained focus, knowing he was only one of the longstanding torturers she sought to see destroyed.

Her inhibitions led her back to her bedroom and over to her vanity, to finish what she had been working on earlier. Methodically, she creased a letter twice and sealed it into an envelope before consulting the two documents lying beneath. Again she studied the headline that read, _Amanda Clarke Lives_ over Emily's face, and the handwriting that scrawled; _I know who killed your son._ In clever deduction, she took out a pen to add her concluded answer to the latter, writing it just beneath: _Aiden Mathis._

She looked up in resolution and a wistful sense of melancholy returned as she happened to notice Pascal's jacket still hung on the closet door. For the first time since his passing she went over to face his belongings, bringing the jacket close to take in his scent. As conflicted as she had been about him, it still hurt to see physical evidence that he was no longer there. But her conflict was soon to be heightened as she soon noticed a small velvet lined box tucked into the back on the closet floor. Satisfying her curiosity, she retrieved and pried it open; gasping once she saw what was inside. But as quickly as it incited fear, it made her gaze back across the room to her vanity, suddenly filling her with a premonition.

 **SCENE**

It was the wee hours of the morning when Aiden arrived at his destination, and he had to do a double-take at his phone upon slowing the car to a halt. He texted Nolan, _You're certain this is the address,_ receiving a return reply just as fast. _Positive,_ it read. Aiden sighed in exasperation and got out of the car, finding himself in an empty lot just outside the Hamptons that in his opinion, held little potential for being Amanda's hideout.

"Is anyone there?" he called into the darkness, looking around for clues to her whereabouts. "You can come out of hiding now," he persuaded. "Look, whatever you have planned, I'm not here to stop you—I just want to talk."

Still, there was hollow silence and Aiden drew his gaze downward as he walked about, keying in on a tiny object nestled in the dirt. He crouched down to inspect, lifting it into view. It was a complex chip, the kind used in most phones as a receiver for GPS satellites. At last the reality became clear – the receiver had been stripped from Jack's phone.

Just as it dawned on him that it was a ploy to lure him there, he sensed a presence above but was not quick enough to turn in time. Instead, he flinched at the puncture of a needle to his neck and before he could react in defense his entire body grew numb. He struggled to fight it, but was only barely able to glimpse the face of his assailant before slipping into the blackened deep of unconsciousness…

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

 **A/N: There you have it loyal readers! The penultimate chapter before the finale of S3… I do hope you enjoyed it despite the added elements of mystery. I PROMISE they will all come together and make sense in the next update. But so far, Conrad has been taken down, the S4 guest has made an early appearance (let me know what you thought about it!), someone is missing, someone is dead and someone else may be about to go MIA also… Doing my best to keep it exciting an interesting so you get a nice payoff on the reveal :) Please comment with your thoughts and feedback I am so eager to hear what you thought and feel free to leave your predictions if you think you know what's coming. Much love and Revenge always – you guys are simply the best! You have no idea how much I appreciate your support and staying on for this long. HUGS! ~MothToANewFlame~**


	42. Chapter 41: Execution

**Chapter 41: Execution**

 _ **Once a path has been clearly defined, and the steps taken to plan the journey, the only thing left is execution…**_

Judge Rivers slammed down his gavel, abruptly denying Conrad Grayson bail in one swift gesture. Despite his frantic pleas and that of the high-stakes attorney solicited for his case, it was clear he was not about to receive a partial hearing. Instead, the judge rested heavily on a packet of evidence that sat before him and remanded him to custody. Before Conrad could be trotted out by the bailiff, the judge called attention to a detail that sent the attending press hounds into frenzy.

"There's just one last thing, Mr. Grayson, and I think you ought to hear it," Judge Rivers declared.

 _ **Fueled by the desire to see countless efforts culminate in a grand finish, it can require control… dedication…and most of all, sacrifice…**_

Charlotte slammed the trunk of her car shut, resting a hand on it thoughtfully as if to secure the value of its contents. She concentrated momentarily before resuming the driver's seat, peeking in the rear mirror at Declan Jr's sweet little pout behind her. She switched on the radio for music to accompany their ride, but instead landed on a news station that had a much more harrowing effect.

"In breaking news," the report announced. "Conrad Grayson was denied bail at his arraignment earlier today, with Judge Rivers avowing that the wheels of justice would turn just as quickly for him as for _David Clarke._ Incidentally, the judge has since reopened the investigation, implying there may be an appeal in the works for Clarke, who was convicted on charges of money laundering and terrorism prior to his death in prison…"

 _ **Ten years ago I set out on a mission, one that I expected to conclude only in judgment. And whether a success or failure, I prepared myself for its inevitable end…**_

Emily slipped out the rear of the courtroom unnoticed, hiding behind large shades and a hooded leather jacket. She masked her satisfaction until she reached the steps leading out of the courthouse, where she finally exhaled a contented sigh, gazing off into the distance. Waiting for her curbside was Daniel, leaning against the car with his arms folded proudly. He opened the passenger door as she approached, discreetly exchanging a look of triumph as he saw her in.

… _ **But much like an execution in a court of law, the end of a journey brings freedom. And be it from confinement, emotion, or life itself, sooner or later… it has to die.**_

Aiden awoke blurrily, drifting in and out of consciousness as he tried to make out his surroundings. It was a nimble attempt, as his arms and hands were tied, rendering him captive on some kind of a cement floor. His vision was also hazy; a factor he attributed to whatever vice had been used to paralyze his senses in the first place. Yet even so, he could vaguely hear the sound of brisk footsteps coming toward him, enough to spring him into defense.

"Who's there?!" he shouted, jolting onto his side to see. Again his vision failed him, but the figure drew nearer and he could sense them at his side. He writhed in fear at the sound of a familiar voice, bearing only enough strength to utter one word in recognition.

"Amanda?"

 **20 HOURS LATER**

Daniel slowly dragged his fingers up Emily's stomach, tracing the arch of her bump and finishing with a few light taps just beneath her chest. The cool sensation on her skin woke her, and she rustled beneath the bed sheets until her eyes fluttered open, immediately fixing onto her husband.

"Good morning, beautiful," he greeted her with a soft grin, squinting in the sunlight. He pulled the covers up over their bare skin, allowing his touch to slide over to her right hand, resting beside her face. He turned over her wrist, focusing on her tattoo. "So," he began to ask. "How does it feel to finally fulfill your promise to your father?"

She brightened as the memories of the previous days' triumph returned. "Surreal," she answered honestly, still processing Conrad's takedown. "I suppose I should be asking youthat question," she realized, tenderly breaching the subject. "Seeing as yourfather paved the way?"

"Father only by _blood_ ," Daniel clarified, firmly asserting his detachment. "And I don't need to read off the long list of crimes he's being charged with to confirm just how much he deserves what he's getting." He shook his head ruefully, reflecting on the topic. "You know, I never told you this… but there was a while there when I wasn't sure how to go on with life knowing I descended from so much horror."

Emily shifted in his arms, staring with interest. "You're right—you never told me that," she confirmed, running her fingers through his hair coyly. "And yet, you still didn't abandon your soul?"

"You mean, like you did the first summer you came here?" Daniel chuckled to her light quip. He caught her hand, growing more serious. "In all honesty, after that night you gave back the ring … I carried around a lot of guilt. Once I knew who you really were, I immediately regretted not disowning my father the moment he admitted to the conspiracy. I could have put this issue to bed a long time ago."

"Daniel—" Emily began to protest, but he went on.

"But that's why I worked so hard to see justice served for everything he's done," Daniel assured, urging her to listen. "It makes me feel like I actually deserve to be with you now," he admitted humbly, opening her palm into his to stare at their wedding bands. "I'm finally making amends."

Emily wrinkled her brow appreciatively at his admission, though ultimately he did not have to make it. She had never held any resentment towards him for his family's sins and was proud to say that every effort they made to grow close never once felt compulsory. Their devotion to each other was one of the few honest things in her life, and she was certain it had humanized her in the past year.

"I'm glad you didn't abandon your soul," she thanked him wholeheartedly, cupping his face. "You saved mine in the process."

Daniel smiled and leaned in for a kiss, and for a long moment the only thing that existed in their world was the loving bond of union they shared. But like the morning sun in the distance, reality loomed over them and quickly set in once they separated. "Well, we're not out of the woods yet," he acknowledged first. "There's still my mother and whatever she's planning to do with those 'love notes' Amanda sent."

Emily sat up, following his lead. "I'm still not convinced Amanda was behind that," she declared assertively, checking her phone. "But I agree she's up to _something_. It's going on two days and Aiden still hasn't made contact; he should have found her by now."

Daniel pondered it as he stepped into his undergarments. "You don't think they, um…" he guessed.

"Ran off together to start their own mission?" Emily read his mind, slipping on a robe. "Let's hope not," she leered, tossing her phone as she came back within a step of him. "If Nolan doesn't hear back by this afternoon, I'm sending out a search. Otherwise we'll have to wait to get word from Jack."

Daniel furrowed his brow. "Won't that be difficult if Amanda has his phone?"

"Jack's resourceful," Emily assured him. "And he won't wait around for her to show up. My guess is he'll head back to Montauk with Carl—if he isn't on his way already."

She started to slip past but Daniel caught her before she resumed concentration mode. "Hey, Em," he drew her close, staring with certainty. "Before we get sidetracked with everything, I just want you to know… your father would be proud of you."

Emily steadied with acknowledgement. "He would have been more proud of _you,_ " she modestly corrected him. "For helping me do this the right way, instead of the way I would have chosen." She leaned in to kiss him again, briefly tapping his shoulder. "As it is, I may still need you to keep me from wringing Amanda's neck…"

Daniel laughed through his nose, letting her go. "I think you and I can handle it from here. It's two against one."

Emily half-turned to face him again, motioning to her belly. "Three."

 **SCENE**

Victoria inhaled deeply and followed the funeral party onto the tarmac, where Pascal's coffin was being dispatched back to France. With the ceremonial proceedings over with, she found herself lingering in the hangar bay to steal a moment with Margaux. She waited, biding her time until at last she could approach her undisturbed.

"Margaux, dear," she reached out to take her hand, instantly sensing a resistance. She braved through it, exuding her signature tone of regality. "Since your father and I were to be married, I consider you family now. We'll help each other through this loss," she empathized.

Margaux struggled to return the thought on the heels of her conversation with Daniel just days prior. She suspected that vengeance, rather than commiseration, was the only thing Victoria sought and kept her guard up on that notion. "Thank you, Victoria," she replied cautiously. "But like my father, it's in my nature to be strong," she warned. "It's the way he would have wanted me to cope."

"Indeed," Victoria agreed, seeing it as a perfect segue way. "Which is why I believe it's in your best interest that you hear this from me," she began, hinting towards a revelation. She stole a glance around, ensuring they were completely alone.

Margaux hesitated. "If this is more about your suspicions of Emily, I'm not interested," she quickly took defense, beginning a stride in the opposite direction. "The detective informed me they are not considering her as a suspect, and I trust their assurance."

"No, it's not about Emily," Victoria replied coolly, keeping in step. "In light of what I've discovered recently, I've averted my focus elsewhere."

As intended, her statement helped Margaux to relax and she turned back. "To whom?" she asked.

Victoria gazed into Margaux's piercing brown eyes. "Quite bluntly, to the kind of man Pascal was," she divulged. "I'm afraid neither of us knew him as well as we thought we did." She watched Margaux furrow her brow in confusion and continued further. "While going through his belongings in preparation for this very moment, I happened upon something that I found very disturbing..." 

Her suspenseful delivery continued to intrigue Margaux. "What did you find?"

At last, Victoria exhaled a heavy breath. "Your father kept a 9mm handgun in his possession," she revealed, padding her explanation. "He never told me about it, nor was it for our protection. It was fitted with an auto-silencer: a weapon meant to kill. But what's more alarming is what I found when I unloaded the barrel—one bullet was missing."

Margaux stopped dead in her tracks, allowing the realization process. "What do you suspect happened?" she responded in fear.

"I believe he used it on someone," Victoria elaborated. "Someone who was in our home, and who didn't leave alive… Nearly a month ago I noticed a stain on the carpet the morning after we'd had an argument." She sighed egregiously. "I think it was blood from the victim."

It gave Margaux chills to process such atrocity, but she was more interested in what Victoria was driving at. "I don't understand, you think my father _murdered_ someone in your house?" She shook her head, flabbergasted. "Who?" she demanded. "And _why?!_ "

Victoria pressed her lips together firmly. "The same reason he met his fate at Conrad's hands," she supposed. "A fact I will hold to regardless of what the police say. Someone stumbled onto their sins from years ago and was threatening to reveal them… Pascal tried to silence them and I'm convinced that's what Conrad's motive was when he pushed him into that blade!"

Though her theories had validity, Margaux was only further incensed. "The sins _your_ ex-husband now stands charged for!" she argued, folding her arms with spite. "Why would my father be involved? And who would have known to exploit him?"

"Open your eyes, child," Victoria answered with a look of pity, just as Margaux's phone began to ring. "The one person who knew both of our families' secrets," she guided her.

Margaux pondered the possibility as she retrieved her ringing mobile device. _Southampton Police Department,_ the screen registered, and she stared as if it held the answers. Yet it just so happened that in this particular case—it did.

 **SCENE**

The loud door alarm sounded and Conrad looked up from his seat in the consultation room, expecting his lawyer to walk through. But instead, a court official stepped in and Conrad rolled his eyes. "What the hell am I paying my attorney for if he's not gonna show up," he grumbled, shaking his head.

"Afraid your legal counsel has declined visitation since your bail hearing, Mr. Grayson," the court official informed him. "In layman terms that means he dropped your case. So, unless you want to defend yourself, there's only one legal advisor on premises who's willing to assist," he stood back, implying they were on the other side of the door. "I'd say based on your charges, he's your best bet."

Conrad unfolded his hands in an agreeable gesture. "Then by all means…" But to his alarm and dismay, his son Daniel walked through, bearing an unflinching edge of superiority. Conrad immediately recoiled. "Is this some kind of joke?!" he bleated.

Daniel dismissed the court official with a wave. "Excuse us," he began, setting his briefcase onto the table. "I just need a minute to speak privately."

Once they were alone, Conrad turned his signature sneer onto his son. "Give me one reason why I should even _consider_ allowing you to represent me?" he snapped. "Seeing as how I'm certain you were in cahoots with your mother and sister, orchestrating this entire ordeal!"

Rather than rush into response, Daniel merely smiled and studied his father, fallen far from grace in his orange jumpsuit and shackled wrists. His hair was moderately disheveled, but it was a minor detail in the overall picture of his guilt. At last Daniel leaned forward, interlocking his fingers as he delivered a confident reply.

"I think we can both agree that explaining myself would be a waste of time," he started in. "You don't have a case, Dad. Murder, conspiracy to support terrorism, perjury, jury tampering," he enumerated, shaking his head. "And the DA is just getting started. Not to mention the laundry list of things you've confessed to me personally."

Conrad mirrored his posture in retort. "So is that what you've really come here for? To gloat on my shortcomings, while putting on a pretense of support?" He sniveled as he bit his lower lip. "Have you forgotten all I've done to cover you for your own misgivings, not to mention all I've done to protect our _family_?"

"You mean how you tried to parlay my wrongful arrest into a media opportunity earlier this year?" Daniel shot back incisively. "Or how you conspired to remove me from _Voulez_ while I was on leave looking after Emily? A power-play that I'm sure stemmed from your rivalry with Pascal, concluding in his death less than a week ago," he accused with derision.

"I've said this countless times, Pascal's death was an accident," Conrad lied. "Two witnesses attested—"

"Yeah, well they're reopening that investigation too," Daniel over-talked him, cutting to the chase. "But, I'm not here to run down the manifest of horrible actions you've committed, quite frankly I don't think there are enough hours in the day," he jabbed, reaching into his briefcase. "I'm here to make sure you don't try to wiggle your way out of this like you have so many times before. Although considering what you're up against, you don't have a choice. It's time to take a plea."

Conrad snorted as he read the document Daniel slid across the table. "A plea for what?" he rebuffed irritably.

"Life in prison," Daniel asserted, staring him down. His father bucked him with a wry expression but he didn't budge. "Call it what you want, Dad. Comeuppance, payback, revenge…You can even call it in memory of David and Amanda Clarke," he lingered on those words before making his final offer. "But, this is where your story comes to an end. And trust me—you're not getting out of it."

 **SCENE**

Nolan clinked his glass of champagne into Emily's, which had been replaced with sparkling cider. A smile crossed his lips as he savored the long overdue moment, and he couldn't help reflecting as they stood in her father's beach house, enjoying it together. "Here's to you, David," he celebrated in honor first, and then swung his gaze over. "And to the conquering hero—his very own daughter. You did it, Emily."

" _We_ did it, Nolan," she corrected him, happily nonetheless. "It's been a long time coming, but we did this together… all of us."

At the mention, Nolan glanced toward the door. "Just wish _all_ could be present for this," he commented, finishing his sip. "As much as I love sharing this moment as the 'original' partners in crime," he had to admit, grinning devilishly. "It's a little worrisome that neither of us has heard from Aiden."

"I know," Emily supplemented, just as concerned. "And you're positive he didn't check in after you gave him that address?" she verified.

"I'm certain of it," Nolan replied, holding up his phone in confirmation. "I even went by the site just to take a look around, but from what I can see it was just a vacant lot. So either Amanda lured him there, or the two of them are competing for who can pull the best disappearing act."

Emily shook her head in digestion. "It's not like Aiden to disappear when the trap we set for Conrad was successful," she asserted. "He would have wanted to watch his downfall."

Nolan nodded in agreement, sending his thoughts down another path. "Conrad's now famous last words, which they keep playing over and over on CNN, are a constant reminder that David's _other_ daughter also had a stake in his demise." He paused to give Emily a look that said it was poetic. "Any word from sis?"

"Charlotte never came back that night," Emily answered wistfully. "But I understand; she wanted to get back to her son. I just knew she wouldn't leave without confronting her family and my hunch turned out to be right. Only…" she trailed off, alerting Nolan that something additional had occurred. "She didn't leave empty handed," Emily finished.

Puzzled, Nolan surveyed the premises until it finally hit him. "No, not the _Infinity Box_?" he gaped in surprise.

"She must have taken it with her," Emily confirmed, allaying his concerns with an open-armed gesture. "I know, I know, but I'm not worried. After all, I don't need it now," she reasoned, alluding again to their victory over Conrad.

"Guess you have a point," Nolan conceded uneasily.

"Besides, Charlotte deserved to have it as much as I did," Emily said with a hint of nostalgia. "Maybe it will help her find her way back someday. She's shaken but I think she just needs time with her son…and our father," she added metaphorically. She didn't expect Nolan to agree but he did his best to understand, though it was second nature for him to worry about that particular item going missing.

A knock at the door distracted them both from further reflection. Emily set down her glass to answer, standing back to allow entry once she saw who it was. "Stevie," she greeted warmly. "Please come in."

"Sorry, I can't stay long," Stevie apologized at once. "I wanted to drop by to congratulate you and Daniel." It was then Emily noticed she had a pad folio tucked under her arm. "And after all his hard work on the case, my firm asked me to deliver a proposition for him."

"Daniel's actually still at the courthouse finishing up a few final details," Emily explained. "But he should be back soon. You're welcome to wait here," she offered, but Stevie politely declined.

"You know what, that's alright—I've been dying to see my grandson for weeks now, I think I'll take a spin by the _Stowaway,_ " she intended. Emily sent Nolan a nervous look and he only delayed a second before bumbling over.

"Ah, Jack may not be there right now," Nolan explained on his behalf, cramping into the space between the door and Stevie.

"Yeah actually, we were just about to send the search party out for him," Emily supplemented, nodding to Nolan for support. "Why don't you go with Stevie and fill her in on your way over? I'll hang around for Daniel and then try a few other places he might be," she added. "Hopefully by then one of us will have found him."

Though Stevie looked uncertain, Nolan nodded for her to just accompany him and she complied, starting down the porch steps. Meanwhile, Emily returned to the counter to begin getting ready just as her phone chimed. It was Daniel. "Hey, you're late," she advised, glancing at the clock. "I was waiting on you to head out. Did you run into trouble?"

"Not with my father," Daniel replied, walking briskly down the courthouse steps. "But something else came up. I just got off the phone with Margaux—the police detective called her down to ID Ashley's body. They found her along the beach a few days ago, probably around the same time we were at the station."

Emily closed her eyes, accepting what had been the inevitable for some time. "Oh, God," she sighed.

"I know, it's horrible," Daniel sympathized, still not finished. "But get this—Margaux seemed to already know it was her father's doing. Apparently my mother revealed her suspicions this morning at Pascal's services."

By now Emily was out of the house, locking the front door behind her and coming down the porch steps. "Well, Victoria certainly picked a convenient time to believe you," she observed, recalling Daniel's warning to her. She gazed over at the boastful outline of Grayson Manor thoughtfully as she stopped to gather the mail. "You think she's trying to cozy up to Margaux again?"

"If she is, it's a rotten way to commiserate," he replied. "But this is my mother we're talking about. Anyway, Margaux's pretty upset about it. She asked me to come down to headquarters." There was an audible silence and Daniel soon wondered if Emily was still on the phone. "Em, you alright with that?"

But Emily was otherwise distracted with a suspicious letter she found in the mail. Not only was it anonymously addressed, the handwriting looked strangely familiar. "Ah, fine," she answered quickly, deciding not to share the contents just yet. "Listen, I may not be here when you get back," she determined instead. "I'm going to help Nolan track down Jack."

"I take it he still hasn't turned up then," Daniel concluded.

"No, and it's got me worried," Emily finished, still staring intently at the letter. She finally folded it back up, stashing it into her pocket as she started for her car. "By the way Stevie came by to see you, she mentioned a proposition from her firm."

"Really?" By now Daniel was also in the car, en route to LeMarchal headquarters. "A job offer?" he guessed.

"Looks like you made an impression, Harvard," Emily added playfully. She removed the phone from her ear to quickly end the call. "Catch up with you later," she finished before hanging up and then redialing Nolan just as fast. "Nolan, it's me," she said when he answered. "I think I may have a lead on our missing people."

"Ems, that's great," Nolan replied anxiously.

"But, I need you take a detour by your house before you head by the _Stowaway,_ " she instructed, getting a fresh sense of direction from the letter in her hand. "How fast can you trace a return address from a postmark?"

 **SCENE**

 _"Sortie."_

Margaux's stern delivery of the French word for 'exit' neatly cleared the room as Daniel made his way to her office doors. As the others walked out he glanced around, orienting himself with the unfamiliar walls of LeMarchal Headquarters, a location he had yet to visit after his swift departure from _Voulez._

"You can bear to be at work after the day you've had?" he commented, slowly approaching her.

She bowed her head slightly, pleased to see him. "I don't have much choice," she informed, gesturing in explanation. "This all belongs to me now."

"That's right," it finally registered to Daniel. "You're the new CEO." It was a morbid thought to ponder considering how much bloodshed had occurred to propel her to the role, and he continued to watch her cautiously, expecting her to crack at any moment.

"It's one of the reasons I sent for you," she elaborated, hovering over the desk between them. "The first, clearly being the atrocity your mother informed me about this morning… moments before I was asked to bear witness," she recalled, the memory still fresh in mind.

"Margaux, I'm so sorry," Daniel immediately sympathized, leaning in for support. "I hate that you had to find out this way. My mother should have never chosen your father's funeral to tarnish your last memories of him—"

"No," she interrupted him fiercely, swallowing her emotions. "No, I respect her for it. I prefer to know the truth… one that you seemed to already know?" she suddenly questioned.

Daniel was slighted and he took a defensive stance. "Now, just a minute," he prefaced. "If my mother knew anything it was because of what _I_ tried to warn her. I _told_ her Pascal was dangerous—"

"And yet you said nothing to me," Margaux finished for him, glowering. But as Daniel peered close he could see her own self-loathing behind her fury. "Why is it that I am just now finding out all of my father's transgressions? All this time I had no idea that Ashley was blackmailing him, if I had known I could have done something," she recounted.

"It wouldn't have changed a thing," Daniel assured, calming her with a gesture. "Margaux, your father was having an affair with Ashley," he revealed, certain it was a detail Victoria failed to include. "They'd been keeping it a secret. The only reason she went to see him that night was because she found out he was betraying her. None of us could have expected she would try to leverage it to her own benefit."

His explanation only partially assuaged Margaux's instincts. "How do you know all of this?" she begged.

"She spoke with Emily just before she confronted him," he answered, intending to calm her. But unbeknownst to him it only incited more questions. Memories of that day came pouring back to mind, and Margaux recalled that Emily had approached them at lunch and spoke with Ashley in private. The more she considered the outcome, the more she began to suspect that Emily was somehow at the helm.

"Emily knew she would go to Pascal," Margaux affirmed with a daring expression. "And yet when she disappeared, she did nothing?" Another thought struck her. "By your words, you said Emily also was there when Conrad pushed my father," she added liberally. "Why hasn't she come forward on any of this?"

Daniel shrugged it off with an obvious look. "Margaux, have you seen the news? My father got what's coming to him," he reasoned. "And none of us knew for sure what happened with Ashley until we got that call," he lied seamlessly, sensing he needed to protect his wife's discretion. He supplemented his argument by getting closer still, placing a hand to Margaux's shoulder. "Come on, don't do this to yourself. It's not worth going back over the things you can't change."

Though she still had her reserves, Margaux withheld them. "I know," she responded, growing solemn. "I'm just overwhelmed … I wish I had a way of sorting it all out but it seems I'm meant to handle all of this… alone."

He sympathized, wanting to offer some word of comfort. "Hey, you're not alone," he promised. It was hard not to reflect on how far she had come despite her unfortunate lot, and for a moment he saw similarities in their respective character. "Look, I know I haven't exactly been supportive since the whole thing with my father, but I appreciate everything you've done to make it right,  
he assured. "You didn't deserve to be at the center of all this… so believe me when I say all the bad blood between us is in the past."

Margaux faced him more directly, planning to hold him to it. "Then prove it," she suddenly demanded, moving on to the second reason she had called him there. "Come back to work for me."

Daniel wrinkled his brow. "Huh?" he replied, baffled.

"I can't run this entire company without a right hand, and there's no one else I trust," she pled, unintentionally leveraging his offer of support. "Please—allow me to do this one more thing to make things right. As far as I'm concerned, you're the only man for the job."

Her offer compelled Daniel to pull away, allowing himself both literal and figurative space to think about the proposition. On the heels of what seemed like another extension from Stevie, he had gone from essentially unemployed to being faced with a career dilemma in less than a day's time. The combination gave him a feeling of déjà vu to the previous year, where once again he was presented with a choice, one that he had to make wisely.

 **SCENE**

Emily's senses stayed sharply attuned to her surroundings as she deftly entered the location Nolan traced the postmark to, finding herself in an old tattered cabin with cement floors. Her eyes grazed over the clues strewn about—empty handcuffs, remnants of a destroyed cellular device, even frayed rope. But what caught her eye was the spread of newspaper clippings on the desk at the center of the room—all of which pertained in some way or another to Flight 197.

After a quick survey of the items, she stopped to remove the letter from her jacket pocket and carefully reread the words that beckoned her to the location. _If you truly are my daughter, then come out of hiding for the world to see_ , it said.Again she concentrated on the penmanship; zeroing in on the anomaly. It was signed _David Clarke,_ but something told Emily the person who sought to lure her there was far from family.

There was a faint noise and Emily went rigid, freezing at its sound. While her first inclination was to prepare for attack, she leaned flat against the doorway in waiting. Once she was certain the sound was growing closer, she darted into view to catch her assailant. Yet to her surprise, it wasn't the one she had expected.

"Jack?!" she gasped heavily, restraining her instincts. She would have nearly knocked him flat if not for her quick reflexes.

Jack flinched from the close contact, and relaxed upon seeing her. "Emily," he sighed, immediately relieved. "What are you doing here?"

"Guessing that one of you would turn up," she answered honestly, giving him the once-over. "I figured it would be Amanda or Aiden."

"Aiden?" Jack repeated, probing in alarm. "What's he doing back in town?"

Emily returned with a concerned sidelong gaze. "You mean he hasn't been in contact with you?" she verified, realizing it didn't corroborate with Aiden's account.

"No, not since before Amanda's arrest," Jack answered, sending her into further disillusion. It was then she noticed a folded letter sticking out of his pocket. Prompted by her look, he took it out to explain. "Amanda said she was going out yesterday, but she never came back. I found this in her things and I tracked it to here. I would've came sooner but I had to take Carl to my grandmother's."

"Yesterday..." Emily repeated, confirming another detail that did not match the original timeline. She took the letter from Jack and after a quick look, compared it to her own. "I received the same thing today."

"What does it all mean?" Jack asked anxiously, looking around the cabin. "Is this for real—is David still out there somewhere? And why would he wait until now to reach out to you or the girl he _thinks_ is his daughter?"

"He wouldn't," Emily assured him confidently, leading him back towards the table full of newspaper clippings. "My father wouldn't need any of this to tell him what happened, he _knew_ the people that conspired against him," she deduced cleverly, tossing one of the papers aside. "No, Jack, my father's not alive; which means all of this is just a ruse."

Jack shadowed her thinking. "Alright," he agreed. "But, for what?"

Emily followed her intuition back over to the crushed mobile device, crouching down to look at it again. "For someone to distract us," she continued with discernment. "The same person who wanted me to believe Amanda went missing, and sent Aiden on a trail to find her." She turned next to look at Jack. "Let me guess, your phone never disappeared either?"

He furrowed his brow, slipping it out into his palm. "No, it's right here?" he replied.

Emily stood, finally reaching a conclusion. "Then we've all been played," she stated firmly, quickly filling with dread. "Aiden, Amanda, you, me… all of us were given just enough information to lead us off track."

"By who?" Jack continued anxiously, but Emily was already heading back out of the cabin. She stopped just long enough to provide an unnerving response.

"The only person who would go to this length to destroy us all: Victoria."

 **SCENE**

Aiden shuddered awake, barely able to discern that he was conscious as his eyes opened yet again to darkness. But this time his blurred vision slowly became clear and he was able to make out his surroundings. They were strangely familiar and he found himself anxious to break free, but could not. Painfully, he became aware that his ankles and wrists were bound to the chair he sat in, keeping him captive in a house that he had been in more often than once…

His struggle to get loose was soon interrupted by a presence across from him, lit by the dwindling flame to his right. "Who's there?" he called out hoarsely, but a glint of light answered his question. "Amanda," he declared, gazing into the fearful eyes staring back at him. Instantly, he was incensed with anger, fueled by her apparent betrayal. But the sound of another voice soon put it all to rest.

"Ah, finally awake, Mr. Mathis?" a familiar drawl heralded him, and he watched in shock as Victoria's figure slipped out of the darkness to stand behind Amanda, resting a hand on her shoulder. It was only then Aiden realized that Amanda too was bound, only in addition to her hands and legs being tied to the chair facing him, she had also been gagged.

"What have you done?" Aiden seethed, finally understanding it to be a trap. Amanda stared back at him with wide, fearful eyes, unable to respond. Instead, Victoria granted his question an answer.

"For the time, I've just been observing your insecurities," Victoria replied in a cavalier tone. She reached over to add more light to the room and it finally registered where they were—Emily's beach house. "Despite both being captive these past 24 hours," Victoria continued. "You each at one time or another seemed to think the other responsible."

Aiden strained to read Amanda's expression, growing more anxious by the moment. "This is insane," he dismissed it, using his strength to attempt breaking free. It was useless and he resorted to glancing around the room wildly instead. "Whatever it is you're trying to do, Emily won't let you get away with it!" he hissed.

"Loyal to the bitter end," Victoria remarked, but remained confident. "But Emily is elsewhere occupied, so I'm afraid your loyalties are misplaced," she added, averting her gaze back to Amanda. "Clearly you should have preserved them for your paramour instead." On that word, she came from behind the chair, revealing a gun in her right hand. She raised it slowly, aiming at point blank range to Amanda's forehead.

"No, wait!" Aiden shouted in protest, succeeding in stopping her. His countenance immediately changed to desperation. "Please, she had nothing to do with this," he begged. "It's me you want—I'm the one who killed your son." Victoria glowered at his revelation, and he nodded to confirm. "That's what this is all about, isn't it? Patrick?"

"Oh, Mr. Mathis," Victoria sighed. "You've only begun to scratch the surface." With the gun still leveled at Amanda, she lowered it slightly to enumerate his sins. "Not only did you kill my son and orchestrate the death of my fiancé, you threatened my daughter's life and you've been helping Amanda Clarke destroy my entire family!" she belted.

"You're right," Aiden agreed, still pleading in negotiation. "I confess to everything, alright? But listen to me, Victoria. Your son, Patrick was about to kill your other son, Daniel—" he divulged, watching her face crease in surprise. "I was saving his life!"

"I don't believe you," she fired back.

"I swear it!" he nodded anxiously, hoping for mercy. "Ask Daniel, it's true! And as for Amanda Clarke," he stared at Amanda again, visually confirming the right to release the truth. "Yes, I've been working with her. But _she's_ not Amanda Clarke," he impressed, jerking his head in Amanda's direction. "Please, let her go—she has nothing to do with any of this. She never has."

He could see Amanda's eyes softening instantly at his willingness to sacrifice but it made little impact to Victoria's disposition. "You must take me for a fool," she chided him, finally letting the hand that held the gun fall to her side. "Did you think by now I didn't know that Amanda Clarke is actually the real _Emily Thorne_?"

Aiden paled in recognition, reading Victoria's disparaging look. "So you do know…" he began.

"Even so, she's _hardly_ an innocent," Victoria continued, cutting him off. She shook her head at his foolishness, once again reprimanding his lack of insight. "Like I said, Mr. Mathis—while you were too busy doing Emily's dirty work, you clearly misplaced your loyalties."

Aiden watched as her gaze suddenly shifted behind him and he held his breath at the sound of footsteps approaching from the rear. He tensed at once, watching Amanda do the same across from him until the fourth person to their company finally came into view, joining Victoria at her side.

"I tried to tell him that," Niko exhaled, folding her arms in clear confirmation that she was now on the opposing side. "Didn't I, Aiden?" she posed eerily. "But you just wouldn't listen."

 **SCENE**

Emily grunted irritably as she tried for the third time to reach Daniel and received his voicemail instead. She gripped the steering wheel with her left hand, increasing her speed down the highway while trying another call with her right. "Nolan, pick up," she whispered to herself, while Jack looked on from the passenger seat.

"You sure you don't want me to drive?" Jack offered nervously, glancing down at the visible evidence of her pregnancy.

His concern was quickly dismissed as Emily's call finally went through. "Nolan," she rushed at once. "Listen to me, I found Jack—Victoria lured us both to the same cabin in the woods. She set us up, Nolan. And by the looks of it, she's got something even worse planned for Aiden and Amanda—we've got to stop her!"

Jack could hear Nolan's audible reply through the cell speaker. "What do you want me to do?" he pressed.

Emily glanced over to Jack. "Meet me at Grayson Manor," was the only thing she could think of. "I'm taking this bitch down once and for all."

 **SCENE**

His heart aflame with the physical evidence of her grand betrayal, Aiden could only stare back at Niko unsuspecting before finally uttering a word. "How?" he whispered, conveying the depths of his shock.

Niko narrowed her eyes in return and glanced over at Amanda, knowing that if Aiden thought hard enough he would soon remember when their paths converged…

 _ **FLASHBACK – TWO DAYS AGO**_

Niko had left Aiden in the car and been standing on the porch of the safe house for barely a minute when Amanda answered. "So, we finally meet," she stared her down.

Amanda shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked.

"My father trained you," Niko volunteered at once, using it to further the trust of her subject. "I understand he took you under his wing more than once as an apprentice."

"You're Takeda's daughter?" Amanda verified, prying the door open slightly.

"And an ally of Emily's," Niko affirmed, taking advantage of her relaxed stance to walk through. She paraded into the house while Amanda secured the door, surveying the main room. Immediately she took notice of a phone charging on a nearby table, before turning to face the other again. "She dispatched me to find out why you're causing her so much trouble?" she explained.

Amanda approached, folding her arms. "Look, if this is about what I said to Charlotte, Jack just got done reaming me out for it already," she alerted, gesturing to imply he was just upstairs. "And I wasn't trying to cause trouble. I just needed to come clean before I disappear forever."

Niko glowered in response. "You're leaving?"

"I need a fresh start. Being here is just a constant reminder of someone I need to leave behind," Amanda replied, firmly unaware of the history between her visitor and Aiden. "I just wanted Charlotte to know the truth before I never saw her again."

"Funny, you have to be that far away to suppress your feelings," Niko commented, and while Amanda looked up curiously she quickly moved on. "But before you do, Emily needs your help. So if you want to save her you need to come with me." She followed Amanda's gaze towards the upper level and then handed her a folded letter. "If you follow my instructions, your husband will never know you're gone."

Amanda took a moment to ponder, reading the letter's clever contents while debating if it was worth yet another risk. While she deliberated, Niko seized the opportunity to lift Jack's phone, removing one key device in a matter of seconds and returning it before Amanda turned back around.

"And if I don't?" she threatened.

Niko shrugged objectively. "Then Emily will fail," she concluded the ultimatum. "Either way, her life is in your hands," she hinted, glancing down at the letter in Amanda's hand. "The location where I'll be is on the back, should you wish to save her. You have until tomorrow to decide."

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

After digesting the account as told by Niko, Aiden glanced over to Amanda. She was still gagged, but confirmed her blind compliance to the instructions with a shameful nod. "So you enticed her to meet you there," he deciphered, glaring back at Niko again. "And fed me those lies to get me to follow her?"

"I knew you would," Niko proudly confirmed, edging close to loom over him with authority. "You know, for a trained apprentice of my father you certainly chose a naïve woman," she insulted, crouching down to enjoy the moment. "Just one of your many weaknesses… I knew you were still in love with her. Just as I knew Amanda would trust me without once questioning my intentions," she paused to turn back. "Making it easy for me to abduct her the next day," she finished, tapping him ruefully.

Aiden violently shook her hand away, grinding his jaw in a fury. "You set me up!" he spat.

Niko spun around in mock defense. "Well, I had to lure you away first. So the whole time you were following the lead on the GPS, you were just following _me,_ " she explained, proudly retrieving the GPS chip that she stole from Jack's phone and toting it in hand. She stared at it in triumph. "I guess you could say I've always been a step ahead of you?" she added smugly.

It was becoming increasingly harder for Aiden to contain his anger at the overwhelming betrayal, compressed even more so by Victoria's presence. The more he weighed out the truth he realized how long they must have been in collusion. "Why?" he muttered dejectedly. "Why do all this?" he was desperate to know.

Niko came close to him again, kneeling down to eye level. "You know why," she answered in a sinister tone, running a hand through his hair. "You know it all too well, don't you?" she posed before he could shake her off.

"Revenge," he breathed at last, growing tired of the charade. For some time now he had subconsciously overlooked how easily she forgave his hand in her father's death, but he could not deny the fear was always there. Just like him, she was ruthless and was never going to spare his assailant, even if it was a man she loved. Niko stood in unspoken confirmation and it only fueled his disgust. "Well don't just stand there—" he dared. "Go ahead, take it! Shoot me!"

Amanda's grunt in protest could be heard from across the room, and it made Niko chuckle before coolly responding. "No. No, that would be in violation of our agreement," she countered, gazing over at Victoria, still wielding her gun in hand.

"As much as I hate you Aiden," Niko addressed him with a look of finality. "I'd rather your fate be decided by someone with an even bigger axe to grind." With that she turned to exit, passing Victoria on her way out. "Like I said before – he's all yours," she declared, calling back to their previous conversation. She saved a last look of disdain for Amanda, and sneered in victory. "Her, too."

 **SCENE**

By the time Nolan arrived at Grayson Manor per Emily's insistence, she had already made light work of breaking in to search the premises for Victoria. Jack met him in the foyer with an update. "Nolan!" he called out to get his attention.

"Jack!" Nolan greeted him with an enthusiastic hug, grateful just to see his face again. He couldn't help taking notice that the house was nearly turned upside down. "Geez, I always thought this place needed a little remodeling but I didn't expect Ems to march over here and do it herself," he commented aside.

"She's in over her head, Nolan," Jack shared with immediate concern. "She's been on a rampage ever since we left the cabin—she thinks Victoria's done something to Amanda," he sighed anxiously, leaning on Nolan for support.

"Wait a minute," Nolan paused to understand. "You don't believe her?"

Jack fretted with worry in his eyes as he kept watch for Emily to come back at any moment. "Look, I know she has good instincts about these things, but I can't rule out the fact that maybe Amanda just ran off?" he confessed, eliciting a disappointed sigh from the other. "I know, it sounds paranoid, but you don't know how she's been lately, Nolan—this whole thing with coming clean to Charlotte, she could've been planning this for a while…"

"Jack, get serious," Nolan scolded him assuredly. "Amanda _loves_ you, she may have her dangerous moments but she would never turn her back on her family—" Before he could finish, Emily came rushing down the stairs, having completed her scour of the rooms.

"Victoria's not here, and neither are the letters that Daniel found," Emily updated them, concentrating on Nolan. "Good, you're here, I need you to ping her phone—"

"Emily, wait, calm _down—"_ Nolan tried to assuage her.

"Don't tell me to calm down, I _know_ Victoria!" Emily barked back in his face. "She's going to do something drastic if she hasn't already—" she cut herself short as her train of thought quickly vacillated. "Where's Daniel, were you able to get in contact with him?" she demanded.

"Yes, yes, he said he's on his way home, he couldn't get reception," Nolan began, stopping to catch her from taking off towards the study. "Where are you _going?_ "

"I can't just sit around waiting, I need to find proof!" she hung back briefly to explain, disappearing into the room afterwards.

Nolan looked to Jack for explanation. "She got a letter today, signed from her _father,_ " he clarified. "We both did—she thinks Victoria staged the whole thing."

"Oh my God," Nolan sighed. "Victoria using _David_ as a ploy?" He stood aghast before finally thrusting off his jacket to get to work. "You're right, Ems really _is_ in over her head," he finally agreed, pulling out his device. "Let's see if I can't find the Grayson matriarch first—" he muttered under his breath.

Jack nodded, completing his sentence. "—before Emily does something she regrets."

 **SCENE**

With Niko gone, it left Victoria alone to relish the company of her captives and she resumed her stance juxtaposed between them. "Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned," she quoted aptly, focusing on Aiden to start. He remained silent and she turned her head to the side, as if to project his thoughts. "I imagine right now you're thinking what a gamble it was—spurning the woman you claimed to love," she paused, swinging her gaze over to Amanda. "For the one who would seal your undoing."

Aiden maintained a numb stillness as she spoke, allowing his silence to mask his attempt to wriggle out of the ropes binding his wrists behind his back. The struggle showed in his face, but Victoria merely read it as another sign of defeat, and continued recounting her foil of their plot. "So when Niko contacted me with information of who killed my son," she suddenly reached into her pocket, producing the letter that stated as much. "I realized it was the perfect way to destroy both you and Emily."

Behind Victoria, Amanda heaved angry breaths through the gag in her mouth. Aiden took notice, and tried to catch eyes with her but Victoria held his stare. "You're too late," he scowled forcefully, sensing the last of the ropes was about to break. "Emily will figure this out and there'll be nothing you can do to stop her once she does," he swore.

"Oh, I'm counting on it," Victoria absorbed his threat with a smile, glancing into the distance. "In fact, I believe she's very close already. You see, that's the beauty of my plan, Mr. Mathis," she dangled wickedly. "In return for everything she's ripped from me—it's only fair I do the same to her."

Once again Victoria lifted her gun into view, but this time she aimed it directly at him. In spite of her intimidation, Aiden was induced by his own sureness that his restraint was mere seconds from breaking apart. He only needed to distract her a moment longer and his hands would be around her throat. "That's just as well," he answered in prolonging; hoping Amanda would catch onto his cue. "Either of us would gladly die for her cause!"

But to his chagrin Victoria stared him down, calling his bluff. "I believe your right," she replied, leaning forward. " _But only one of you is already dead_."

With that she suddenly switched aim and fired at Amanda, just as Aiden shook free and lunged forward in outcry…

 **MONTAGE**

Emily and Jack flinched at the sound of a gunshot as they rifled through the study at Grayson Manor, glancing at each other for barely half a second before they both darted for the door. Jack yelled out for Nolan as they raced out, dreading what awaited beyond the fearsome sound that had come from Emily's beach house…

 **SCENE**

Daniel tossed his phone aside in frustration after no answer from Emily or Nolan. Instead, he bore down on the gas pedal, driving nearly 30 miles over the limit as he raced back to the Hamptons. He turned the radio on to distract himself, happening upon the one thing that could excite him amidst the chaos.

 _"The infamous case of the United States vs. David Clarke has been reopened by the FBI,"_ the news station was announcing. " _Due to the surfacing of new evidence brought to light in the trial of Conrad Grayson. The 20 year old conviction that landed Clarke in prison for life has now been officially overturned by the U.S. District Court, thus posthumously clearing David Clarke of all crimes…"_

The rest of the broadcast was overshadowed by Daniel's loud yelp in triumph, prompting him to speed even faster home…

 **SCENE**

True to the judge's promise, the wheels of justice had moved quickly for Conrad, who within hours of offering his guilty plea was already being shipped off to Ryker's State prison to await his final sentencing. To begin his time served, the guard ushered him down the long hallway to his cell, passing by a rather coincidental acquaintance.

"How the mighty have fallen," an inmate's voice rang out proudly, and Conrad turned in recognition.

"Mason Treadwell," he scoffed, with barely a second look at him before the guard prodded him onward. "This truly is hell on earth," he added.

Mason chuckled as he watched him trot away, having insight of a much greater foe in his path. As Conrad disappeared from view he rested against the bars, adding with satisfaction. "You have no idea."

 **SCENE**

As quickly as Victoria had fallen into Aiden's grasp upon leaping up from his restraints, she was able to writhe free moments later when he realized the gunshot had penetrated Amanda's chest. With his ankles still bound to the chair he pulled himself across the floor, while Victoria grabbed the gun and quickly ran from the room, leaving Aiden to cradle Amanda in his arms.

"No!" he shouted, using his newly freed hands to remove the gag and untie her. He propped her into his lap, applying pressure to the gunshot wound with his bare hands. "Amanda, hold ON!" he cried desperately into her face.

Amanda could speak but her eyes were wide from shock and her words were faint. "Aiden," she whispered hoarsely. "I—I can't," she began, and the pounding in her chest briefly silenced her.

"Listen to me, you're going to make it—do you understand?" he urged her to fight, continuing to press his hand over the wound. But as much as he willed her to hold on, he could feel the warmth coming through his fingers, overpowering him with every pump of her heart. He stared into the depths of her eyes and could see the pain piercing her soul, followed by the tears that clouded his vision in response. "Hold on, Amanda!" he begged her regardless.

"Jack," she whispered next, and Aiden shivered at the thought she was going delirious until he realized she knew exactly what she was saying. "Tell Jack—I'm sorry," she pled.

Aiden was beside himself with helplessness. It was as if the powers that be had sensed his disillusion when barely a moment later both Jack and Emily came rushing into the room, screaming in alarm. He gingerly shifted her into their grasp, humbly taking his place a few paces away. But as he watched them fret similarly for her life as he had seconds earlier, his hearing went numb and his senses fearfully cold. Accepting the grim reality that she was beyond saving, it was all he could answer in reply.

"No, Amanda. _I'm_ sorry."

 **END MONTAGE**

Emily stared ahead blankly from where she sat perched on her bottom porch step, seemingly oblivious to the aftermath around her. Mere minutes had passed since she and Jack knelt on either side of Amanda and watched her expire with barely a few words, and yet the unspoken emotion in her eyes was forever burned into Emily's brain. It stained her memory just like the blood smears that stained her sweater, the same remnants that matched Aiden's sleeve as he slowly approached her.

At first he stood quietly amidst the commotion of the others in the background. Jack hovered over Amanda's lifeless body in sobs, while Nolan tried to console him. Meanwhile Daniel, the latest to arrive, tried to make sense of it all. When Aiden could no longer bear Emily's silence, he spoke. "Emily—" he began.

She quickly cut him short, finding her voice. "Aiden, you need to leave," she instructed coldly without looking up. "Once Jack comes to, he won't want to see you here."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'll go," he affirmed, ignoring her mechanical response. "But first you need to know who was behind this. Emily—it was Niko," he delivered with grave emphasis. "She betrayed us both. She sold us out to Victoria."

Emily rose to meet his gaze in such a slow, deliberate manner that Aiden half expected fire to emit from her eyes. "You brought Niko into this," she reminded him bitterly. "Then you find her. But _go_ ," she emphasized spitefully. "Now."

Aiden forced himself to comply reluctantly; crossing paths with Daniel on his way out "Hey," Daniel began, just shy of his exit. He turned his attention onto Emily more pointedly. "How are you holding up?" he feared, crouching down to sit beside her.

"She didn't deserve this, Daniel," Emily confessed more openly in his presence, delving into reflection. "I knew she didn't send that letter—deep down I knew it." Painfully, she pinched her eyes shut as the reality set in that her mourning would not be spared a second chance. "And now she's gone… she's really gone this time," she broke down, quivering into a sob.

Daniel pulled her close, hugging her to his chest. "Em, I know you're hurting right now—we all are," he comforted sorrowfully, giving her time to process. Yet an eerie fact remained that he simply had to address. "But, we need to call the police—"

Immediately Emily pulled away, denying him with all her might. "No," she said firmly.

"Emily, we _have_ to report this," he pled, trying to keep his voice down. "Nolan says you're insisting on not involving the authorities, why not—"

"Tell Nolan to worry about _Jack_ ," Emily snapped, glancing in their general direction. "Or am I the only one that's thinking of how this will affect him? He's already been through enough, I am not going to make him relive an interrogation all over again," she determined. "He needs to get him out of here and let me handle the rest," she exerted, bucking Daniel's look of disapproval. "Your mother knew what she was doing, Daniel. We report this to the police, we admit to staging Amanda's death in the first place and we'll still have accomplished nothing!"

At that she rose into action, while Daniel continued pleading from the step. "Em, I know you're upset, but my mother should rot in prison for this—" he argued.

"That's not enough!" Emily hushed angrily in return. "Maybe for Conrad, but your mother's evil falls into a whole category of its own, and I am not about to play right into her hands!" She shook her head violently, gazing back over at Jack in his hour of deepest grief. Her soul went out to him in sympathy, but even the tug at her heart strings was trumped by her burning desire for vengeance.

"Fine," Daniel eventually conceded, standing to eye level. "No cops. Not to sound insensitive, then… but what exactly are we gonna do with Amanda's body?"

Emily stared darkly into space, unaware that she was striking fear deeper into Daniel's core with every moment that passed. It was her ability to remain dangerously calm under duress that scared him. The only indicator of the humanity that still remained inside her was the tear she swept from her eyes before finally answering.

"The only thing we can do...we bury her."

 **SCENE**

Aiden was in so much distress as he sped away from Emily's house that he didn't even notice when the flashing lights appeared in his rear view, nor did he spot the patrol car on his tail until the siren sounded. It played briefly to get his attention and he clenched his jaw in response, pulling over into the far right lane. He cursed himself for being reckless at such a crucial moment, but in truth he could barely remember where he was heading, much less how fast he had been going. The last few hours were a nightmarish blur, and he realized he hadn't even questioned how his own vehicle had gotten to Emily's in the first place, instead had just blindly followed her command to leave.

Once he pulled to a stop, he did a last minute sweep of any items that could hint to the previous events, ensuring they were stashed out of sight. At last the officer approached the driver's side and Aiden collected his thoughts, wiping the tear stains from his face to appear bright-eyed and cooperative. "What seems to be the trouble, Officer?" he asked after rolling down the window.

The officer leaned forward and shone a flashlight into the car. "Good evening, sir. I'm Officer Hunter with Southampton PD. We've got a report of a B&E over at Grayson Manor," he informed, studying his reaction. "This car was seen leaving that area at the time of the break-in. Have you been over there this evening?"

"No, I haven't," Aiden answered honestly, raising his hands in an innocent gesture. But as he did so, he unknowingly placed his shirt sleeve into the stream of light. Officer Hunter peered close, instantly noticing the traces of blood along the edges.

"Sir, would you mind stepping out of the vehicle?" Officer Hunter instantly tasked him, and Aiden complied without resistance, hoping his calm demeanor would allay any concern.

"Is ah… everything alright?" he asked, watching the officer call another car for assistance. A second officer came up and kept a close eye on him while Officer Hunter began a search of the car, shortly thereafter coming up with a gun from the backseat.

"Is this registered, sir?" he interrogated sharply, while Aiden's eyes widened in shock.

"That's not mine," he declared anxiously, only eliciting further suspicion. He stepped forward adamantly to insist. "I swear, it isn't—" he began to argue, and his pitched reaction impelled the officer watching him to grab him by the arms.

Meanwhile, Officer Hunter quickly radioed in his find, confirming what he suspected. "Copy that," he replied, directing his next comment to his fellow officer. "It matches the description of the murder weapon," he confirmed. "Take him in."

Again Aiden lashed out, this time landing himself in restraint. "This is absurd—I'm telling you that's not mine!" he bellowed while the officer bent his arms back to slap the cuffs on, painfully tightening around the same tender spots where he had just recently been bound. "You have to believe me," he swore angrily, suddenly putting it together. "This is all Victoria Grayson's doing— _I didn't kill Amanda Clarke!_ "

Officer Hunter stared gave him a confused look before replying. "Obviously; she died in prison over a month ago," he asserted, stepping in close to begin reading him his rights. "You're under arrest for the murder of Ashley Grobet."

 **SCENE**

Daniel tossed a final mound of dirt over the open gravesite and stopped to catch his breath, planting the shovel upright to rest his weight against it. He stood there just panting for a few moments, watching his billowy breaths in the cold night air and reflecting on the solemn reality. Despite how promising things had seemed at the day's beginning, here they were again in the aftermath of tragedy.

Before long Emily came over to join him, from where he insisted she wait while he finished the strenuous part. It was the only comfort amidst the morbid setting that at least she was showing consideration for her condition. But she still extended a hand for the shovel once she reached his side. "Is it done?" she asked quietly.

"Em, this can't be all you want to do," Daniel sighed, rubbing his nose. Emily gazed into his eyes, seeing how reddened his cheeks were from exertion in the cold, likely combined with his own show of emotion over their loss. She wondered for a moment how it was affecting him, and recalled his own exposure to Amanda had deepened from the first time she thought she was dead.

Dismissing thoughts that could send her spiraling into many others, she merely placed her hand over the shovel handle. "Please, just give me a minute alone with her," she insisted, and hesitantly he finally left, trudging back to the car. Once he was gone, Emily turned to face the headstone that read her own name, fighting back tears as she prepared to say goodbye.

"I want you to know that I'm sorry," she apologized, unveiling emotions that were trapped in her own web of guilt. "I should have never brought you into any of this… I know so many times you swore to me that it was your choice but…" She swallowed hoarsely, nodding with acceptance. "I should have made you leave," she condemned herself. Wiping her eyes, she forced herself to keep going.

"You saved my life so many times, Amanda. You didn't deserve to lose what you worked so hard for… what you sacrificed on so many occasions…" It pained her to finish but she desperately needed to. "Your family," she sighed conclusively.

While her final words brought back vivid memories of their time together through the years, of Amanda giving birth to Carl, and even their tender moments on her own wedding day, the one moment that seemed to emerge primarily in Emily's mind was the first time they said goodbye. She was finally leaving juvenile detention and back then she still had her name, before her mission and before everything had changed. Emily closed her eyes and she was back there, returning Amanda's warm embrace.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _"We're sisters, right?" Amanda pled with sincerity in her eyes._

 _"Always," Emily confirmed, receiving her hug with simultaneous realization that she truly did care for her._

 _"I love you," Amanda whispered without even having to think about it, without any reserve. She uttered it without expectation, but merely from the bottom of her open heart._

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

"And I love you too," Emily returned aloud to herself at the gravesite, filling with regret that she had not been able to say it sooner.

If the moment represented the frailty of her spirit, it all quickly shattered when Emily's keen awareness sensed a presence behind her; the very one she had been waiting for. She erased any trace of vulnerability with one breath and when she spoke her voice lacked the soft sentimentality from a second earlier, but was grim and harsh in contrast. "I know you're there," she said without turning.

True to her prediction, Victoria stepped forward, cautiously stopping just shy of where Emily stood. "From the second I laid eyes on you, I knew something was wrong," she declared, staring at the gaping hole in the ground beneath Amanda's name. "So this is where it all ends… fitting."

Still without turning, Emily dug the shovel into the ground and lifted another patch of dirt. "I don't think we've come to the end just yet, Victoria," she retorted. "In fact, you could say this is only the beginning."

"Not for your dearly departed friend," Victoria spat, watching it sting Emily in response. "She sacrificed her life for your cause—just like my son."

"Your son was a cold-blooded killer, just like his mother!" Emily could not resist daring her back.

Victoria edged slightly closer. "My son _died_ because of your secrets," she impressed, raising her tone with disdain. "Well, now you know how it feels to bury them," she added, watching her shovel another mound into the grave. "See that's the thing about faking your death – no one cares when you really die—"

Though Victoria expected her cruel words to hurt, she still flinched when Emily suddenly whirled around to get in her face. "I should kill you right now," she breathed fiercely, clearly using all of her willpower to prevent herself from doing it. "I'd get away with it," she challenged. "No one would miss you—no one would mourn you. You _destroy_ everyone who gets close!"

"Like your father?" Victoria met her wrought expression, averting her gaze over to the headstone beside Amanda's. It was meant as yet another seed of doubt, but Emily read it only as her confession to perpetrating he was alive in her letter.

"You certainly tried," Emily deflated her assumption, turning slowly back towards the gravesite as if she were about to return to shoveling. "But there was one thing you didn't count on…" she hinted.

Victoria narrowed her eyes with intrigue, but before she could probe Emily had spun back around and whipped her across the head with the shovel, sending her careening to the ground unconscious.

As she lay speechless and unmoving, Emily towered above her, finishing her statement. "As long as I'm around, his legacy will never die."

 **SCENE**

"So what are you in for?"

Conrad shuddered at the sound of his cell companion's voice, not even realizing he was there deep in the dark shadows. He tensed where he sat closer to the bars, but quickly gave up trying to be cautious. It seemed he had truly reached the end of the line, and might as well get comfortable if this were to be his final resting place.

But his pride still got the better of him. "I'd rather not bore you by running down the list," he snarled over his shoulder, still unable to make out his cellmate's face. "How 'bout yourself?" he asked instead, curious to see the nature of the man he would be living with.

"I wish I could say but, my memory's pretty hazy," he answered hoarsely. "A fellow inmate tried to escape almost 10 years ago and I was injured in a yard fight. Ever since, I've had difficulty grasping the past… who I was… what I was in for… when I'm supposed to get out..."

Conrad folded his arms objectively. "Well, that must be most distressful," he remarked. "But rather convenient if you ask me. Without recollection of the life you had before there's less for you to miss…" The thought sent him into instant reflection and self-pity. "Take it from me, it's better that way. You can't imagine what I've left on the outside."

His cell mate edged nearer at that, slowly stepping into the light. "I'm sure I can't," he sympathized and it was then that Conrad sensed something familiar about his voice. He turned just enough to discern the lines of his face, the height at which he stood, and lastly the dark pupils of his eyes. A shroud of unbearable fear fell over him and he shrunk back in shock, unable to believe it.

"Oh my God," he gasped, bracing himself against the bars. He turned and began shaking them with a fury, attempting to cause any kind of commotion to get the guard's attention. "Help!" he shouted desperately at the closest one. "You there—please! You've got to get me out of here! HELP ME!"

"Pipe down, Grayson!" the guard responded gruffly, coming over with a stern glare.

"No, please," Conrad begged, still anxiously looking over his shoulder while his cell mate had not even moved. Despite the guard's disinterest he leaned close between the bar openings, imploring him to listen. "I'm dead if I stay in here, do you hear me?"

The guard partially ignored him, but at his heightened state decided it was worth calling for assistance to calm him down. "Hey—another meltdown on cell block eight," he yelled to another guard.

But Conrad refused to let him go, reaching out in desperation. "Please! You don't understand," he begged, finally explaining his wild reaction by pointing a finger behind him. " _That man is David Clarke!"_

 **SCENE**

"Patrick?"

Victoria awoke in a daze, temporarily losing her grasp on reality and fantasy. It seemed as if it were only moments ago her son was speaking to her, telling her to wait while he went searching for something, someone… Until suddenly it all came back to her. Patrick was long gone, just as was her fiancé Pascal, and again her life was intolerably empty. The knowledge would have cloaked her in sadness if not for the presence she soon discerned at her side, causing her to flinch once she recognized it.

"Don't struggle," Emily whispered softly, smarmily, in the same pretense she had used for years on her adversary. "It'll only make things worse," she insisted.

"What have you done?" Victoria dared. Her first instinct was to lunge at her but there were restraints locking down her arms, making her aware she was in some kind of hospital bed. Her room was eerily white, with a disquieting aura of serenity.

Emily leaned in with superiority. "You needed help," she said in mock soothing tone, stroking her own rounded midsection. "To protect my child, I had no choice but check you in. Surely you understand?" she dangled, looking up as the doctor came in. "Don't worry—Claremont Psychiatric is the best."

Victoria began a loud outburst as the doctor neared, just as Emily hoped she would. "Help me!" she screamed. "Someone help me, please!"

Emily ignored her cries to address the doctor. "She just woke up—she's panicking."

"I don't belong here!" Victoria continued pleading for help. "You've been deceived by this woman! She's been running around under a false identity—she's Amanda Clarke!"

At that Emily looked at the doctor expectantly, as if it only added weight to her concerns. "You see? She's been obsessing over this theory for months. When I found her digging up Amanda's grave," she leered, sneaking a direct glare at Victoria. It emblazoned her with power to use her enemy's horrific acts to seamlessly tie together her own plan. "I—I tried to calm her down but she attacked me."

"LIAR!" Victoria belted, but the doctor ignored it nonetheless.

"Doctor, I only want the best treatment for her," Emily exuded with an air, again caressing her stomach. "After all, she's my mother-in-law and with her grandchild on the way, I simply couldn't risk letting her cause any further damage."

"She's _lying!_ " Victoria continued shouting.

"Now, now, simmer down Mrs. Grayson," the doctor finally attempted to calm her, just as a nurse came in to assist. "If you ask me, your daughter-in-law is the only one that cares about your well-being. Instead of pressing charges for your attack, she ensured the authorities issued a 5150 to bring you here—where you'll be safe."

"No!" Victoria yelped in outrage, and at last the nurse relented to sedate her.

Emily half-stood, confirming the doctor's assessment. "I just want you to be cared for—the same way you once cared for me," she cooed.

"You'll never get away with this!" Victoria hissed amidst the commotion, still struggling beneath the nurse's grip and the attending doctor's.

Emily leaned forward, seething what she hoped to be her final words to her arch nemesis. "Watch me," she uttered fiercely.

With that, she excused herself from the room and put on her coat, striding away with confidence after finally dishing out the comeuppance that was deserved. Despite all the pain and loss that had been endured in the process, she could rest with ease knowing Victoria was in the same hellhole she had once put her years ago. She savored it as a victory every step of the way, against the backdrop of Victoria's cries of despair echoing down the halls…

"She's Amanda Clarke!" Victoria screeched to no avail. "She's Amanda Clarke! She's Amanda Clarke! She's Amanda Clarke! SHE'S AMANDA CLARKE!"

 **END OF SEASON**

 **A/N: THANK YOU for staying on loyal readers! I surely hope you enjoyed the complex conclusion to Season 3 and enjoyed the modifications made for your reading enjoyment. I know it did not come without its tragic moments, and believe me when I say it was very hard to part ways with the character I chose to save once before. But to further the story, I believed it to be the best decision, as well as propel Emily with the right incentive to continue hatching revenge. But for now she's got her own bundle of joy to hatch, which I can promise will be addressed almost right away at the beginning of Season 4! That being said, I want to announce that while I still plan to write it if you're interested, it will most likely be an abbreviated season. I don't want to draw it out too long and I also don't want to lose your enthusiasm in unnecessary storylines. So let me know if you're still up for another season and what you thought about the conclusion of this one! Love you guys SO SO MUCH—thanks a million for all your thorough reviews, PM's and guest notes—it truly makes my day! Please let me know what you thought and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Xoxo ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	43. Chapter 42: Renaissance

**Chapter 42: Renaissance**

 _"In my lifetime, I've come to understand that there are three ways for a person to disappear. The first is to die. The second is to lie. And the last is to be reborn. It was here in the Hamptons that my own transformation began. I sought those who wronged me and I made them suffer. I repaid evil with vengeance. I sacrificed happiness in favor of addiction. But, after years of retribution, I've come to see my time here in the Hamptons as a renaissance… And the greatest lesson I can teach you is this—"_

Emily cast her eyes along the horizon, skimming the lapping crests of the ocean until her gaze traced back to the empty beach, leave for the kneeling figure a few feet away. Her jaw was set and she drew her hands behind her back in a powerful stance, exuding strength and confidence as she spoke. There was a prolonged silence and at last her companion looked up from under their hood in expectation, waiting for her to finish.

"Yes?" they whispered.

Emily stared with intensity, conveying deep reflection as she finally turned to offer her reply…

 **ONE DAY EARLIER**

In the throes of early morning, Emily took slow strides through the bedroom, past the open doors and out onto the balcony. Her long white gown trailed behind as she rested her hands along the ledge of the uppermost vantage point of her home, a place she formally knew only as the fort of her enemy. Thanks to her marriage it was still aptly named Grayson Manor, but it was much changed since acquisition in the past six months. With its former owners vacated, it had simply become a nesting place for her and Daniel to gut from the inside out, redecorate, and make their own.

Emily sighed as their reason for moving entered her view, but it was still hard not to look fondly at her father's beach house. Memories of Amanda's loss had made it too painful to stay, and yet it still held a dear place in her heart, impelling her to keep the property nonetheless. She owed everything she had to the unconditional love that was bestowed upon her childhood in that house, a fact she was reminded of as the sound of footsteps entered the room.

"Summer is finally here… sometimes I still can't believe it."

The greeting warmed Emily immensely, prompting her to turn at its variable meaning. Daniel proudly carried their daughter in his arms and they were both bare-chested, likely because he was still dressing when he stopped to change her diaper. Emily left her place on the balcony and met them halfway through the room, breaking into a tender smile.

"But now that she is, it's like she's always been here," Daniel finished, nudging their one-month old in reference. His sweet expression was colored more by the reminder that she shared a name with the approaching season, reinforced by the warm sunrays streaming into the room. He shifted to support her head, turning slightly so she faced her mother.

"Tell me about it," Emily agreed, locking eyes with their beautiful baby girl. Not surprisingly her features mirrored many of her own, making Emily often feel as though she were gazing into her past. "You weren't the one carrying her nine months to the day," she added aside, giving Daniel a peck on the cheek. "Morning, Papa Grayson."

"Ouch," he grunted affably, looking down at the infant. "Didn't you tell Mommy we agreed to go with 'Da-Da'?" he joked, mouthing it as if she could understand. Emily grinned at their sweet interactions, a morning ritual that regularly filled her with immeasurable joy to watch. At last Daniel resumed regular conversation. "So what time is the photographer coming?"

"Soon," Emily responded, glancing over her shoulder. "She said the lighting is best early if we want to start on the beach."

"Which we do, of course," Daniel chimed in full support of the sentimental attachment. "Then I better finish getting dressed," he added, gingerly lifting Summer to hand her over.

Emily stole a quick glance before he slipped back into the hall. "No objections to what you have on now, though," she supplied, catching his eye mischievously. He gave her a wishful look, well aware that neither timing nor her post-natal recuperation was in their favor yet for intimacy. But it was good to know her instincts were flaring back up.

"Hey," he chided smartly, pointing at the baby. "Cover her ears if you're gonna talk like that," he kidded.

Emily snickered and let him go, nestling Summer in her arms as she headed for the nursery. "Come on, baby girl, let's go get dressed," she cooed affectionately. "We're going to where it all began…"

 **MONTAGE (** _ **"For You" – Angus & Julia Stone)**_

Fully clothed in all-white ensembles, Daniel and Emily took turns holding the baby as they posed for their first family photos along the shore. They started off seated closely on a small blanket, and then took a few frames at the very crest of the water, lifting their daughter high into the air while the waves crashed at their ankles. The captures were essentially effortless, with nearly every moment brimming with the happiness between proud new parents and child. And yet despite the bliss of what was certain to be an unforgettable memory, it still triggered a yearning at the core of Emily's heart, one she couldn't ignore every time her father's beach house came into view…

 **FLASHBACK**

 _"Daddy!"_

 _She was a child again, running along the beach happily while her father chased her through the waves and back up to the shore._

 _"I've got you, Amanda!" he replied excitedly, catching her in his arms while she broke into wild giggles. He echoed her soft laughter, wearing the familiar smile that she would never forget. "You know how much I love you, right?" he asked._

 _Her answer came earnestly—it was one she knew by heart just as well as she knew her own name…_

 **END FLASHBACK**

"Infinity times infinity," Emily whispered aloud, nestling her daughter closely in her arms. At the sound of the phrase Daniel turned and gazed at the two of them, sensing she was reliving a treasured memory. With his eyes on Emily and hers on Summer, it completed a seamless moment against the shoreline backdrop.

"Hold it right there," the photographer took advantage and quickly snapped the photo before the capture disappeared. "That's perfect."

 **END MONTAGE**

"I was beginning to think you tunneled out of this God-forsaken place."

Conrad turned his attention from the figure he had been watching pace along the gates of the prison yard to the man that had suddenly plopped down on the bench next to him. He squinted in the afternoon sun and looked over to his right, no more impressed by Mason Treadwell than he had been when he was a free man.

"From the looks of it, you certainly tried," Mason observed to his silence, eyeing the dirt on his face and uniform collar. He cocked his head disapprovingly and could not resist dishing what he knew. "Word on the street is you screamed and shouted your way to solitary confinement," he leaned over to whisper. "Nice to have you back in the arena."

"What do you want," Conrad finally grumbled, hoping he would just walk away.

Mason shrugged. "Only validation that your flair for the theatrics hasn't progressed to full insanity," he worded creatively, getting to the point. "Is it really true they threw you into the pit for claiming your cellmate was none other than David Clarke?"

Conrad became utterly rigid. "It _was_ him," he swore, wearing the same eerie look of shock from six months prior. Though his countenance was more sedated, he was just as convinced. "It was David."

"Of course it was," Mason patronized with a chuckle, following Conrad's paranoid gaze around the prison yard. "What other persona would you be so compelled to hallucinate—"

"That was no hallucination," Conrad insisted, and a glimmer of his old persona could be seen in his dark eyes. "I know what I saw!"

Mason edged back just a smidge. "Dear me, in the flesh," he remarked, wondering how progressive Conrad's insanity truly was. "Well in spite of your wild apparition, it appears Mr. Clarke doesn't care to frequent the yard," Mason observed, glancing at the other inmates walking about, some lifting weights, others talking in groups. "But I hear your old Grayson Global comrade Aiden Mathis is soon to join the ranks. Perhaps you might find him more interesting? That is, of course, when you're done fabricating rumors of the undead…"

Conrad grunted in reply. "Now that's the best news I've heard in a long time," he hinted.

"Sounds excruciating," Mason observed, moving onto the point he came over to discuss. "But lucky for you I have even more. You see I've begun writing an eyewitness account to your family's monstrosities and since your convenient arrival I had been hoping to solicit your own personal touch?" he asked, further elaborating. "What do you say, Conrad? Ready to be a media sensation again—finally play the villain we all know you to be at heart? The story will be my ticket out of here, thanks to a little girl named Amanda Clarke."

It was Conrad's turn to chuckle at Mason's ignorance. "Amanda Clarke is dead," he chided him.

"You mean her ghost hasn't sought you out for a midnight haunting too?" Mason shot back, sneering devilishly. "Well that's good to hear. But ironically, I'm referring to the maestro behind the scenes of your three-year decimation, the _real_ Amanda Clarke, who is very much alive." A look of confusion befell Conrad and Mason could not resist dropping the bombshell. "You might remember her as _Emily Thorne_?"

With a slow, deliberate turn of astonishment Conrad gasped his shock aloud. "What?!" he thundered, but with little time for it to resonate. Not a moment later there was a loud noise of a scuffle and they both looked up, watching a fight break out only a few feet away.

As the fight grew to involve more inmates the alarm sounded and several guards came out to lock down the premises. The former associates stood to avoid the commotion and it was then Conrad realized he had lost track of the man he was watching lurk along the gates.

"My, my, what a day of revelations for you," Mason was distracting him again once they were placed in restraint and pushed to reenter the building. "I suppose I'll save my request for a later date...when you're not so shaken," he observed. Indeed, Conrad was more than panic stricken as the guard pushed him along and before they were separated Mason offered one last piece of advice.

"Rest easy, former Governor," he mocked dryly. "Whatever ghosts that haunt you… they can't get to you in here."

 **SCENE**

"Lastly, Victoria—what progress do you believe you've made in your time here at Claremont?"

Victoria glowered at the conclusion of the group therapy session, calling on all the willpower she had not to berate the doctor and storm from the circle. "As I've told you," she smoothed in her most ethereally calm voice. "It's my dedication to helping others that fills me with the most satisfaction. I understand now the true importance of surrounding one's self with individuals you can trust."

Her doctor examined her frail expression, sensing there was more behind the surface. "So you've been making friends lately," he acknowledged, surveying the others. "That's certainly an accomplishment."

"Oh yes," Victoria confirmed, glancing to either side. "I've made many, Dr. Miller. You simply have chosen not to notice."

His lip tightened at her admonition but the attention of the group quickly shifted as the entrance doors slid open. "Well, perhaps here comes another," Dr. Miller commented, glancing over at a young, sharply dressed redhead that came flouncing through.

As soon as she made eye contact with Victoria, she suddenly retracted and doubled back towards the door. "You know, I think I may have left something back in my car," she stammered in a Southern accent, but it was too late. One of the workers buzzed the doors shut, and came around to urge her by the hand.

"Ma'am, you can't leave," they insisted. "You need to come with me."

"No—" she retorted sharply, pulling away. "No, there must be some kind of mistake—!"

But the orderly forced the young woman in, putting her right into the path of both Dr. Miller and Victoria, who was now standing. "I don't believe it," she gasped before having time to think better of it. It was Louise.

"Do you two know each other?" Dr. Miller asked Victoria, studying their interaction.

"No," Victoria immediately recoiled, turning from view of her former houseguest. "She just has, um… quite an elegance," she lied, hoping the doctor would buy it.

Though it seemed to partially work on him, it failed with one the women from group therapy who had been standing nearby."Are you saying that I _don't?!_ " she suddenly lunged for Victoria, an inch shy of grabbing her by the throat. "Is that what you're saying! Because I do—I'm the belle of this ball!"

An orderly immediately seized her by the arms and carried her away as she continued to spew ludicrous things. Meanwhile, having been spared the attack Victoria shrunk back closer to Dr. Miller, who observed the entire interchange with interest. "Well, maybe you were better off alone," he commented.

She agreed with a steely gaze. "Maybe we all are, Dr. Miller."

 **SCENE**

At the sound of heavy breathing and vigorous punches hitting a sandbag, Daniel doubled back through the outside dais and ventured into the old pool house that had since been converted into Emily's exercise den.

"You know, it's alright if you miss a workout once in a while," he observed, approaching from behind to study her toned physique. "I know you want to look your best, but you're already gorgeous." He assumed her priority was getting her post-pregnancy body back into shape, but he could not ignore a tingle of intuition. "...Unless of course," he pursued it. "You're getting ready for something else?"

Emily gave him a look that both dismissed his concern and owned the compliment. "This just helps me focus, Daniel," she assured, dropping her gloves. "It's our first year hosting the Memorial Day party together – nothing wrong with being prepared."

Daniel chuckled. "I know it's for a good cause but remind me again why we're upholding a tradition started by people we're both trying to forget?"

"Because the Grayson name is what we choose to make it now," she reminded him, using her wrist to wipe sweat from her brow. "And the foundation for underprivileged girls has already done a lot of good," she offered with heartfelt sincerity. "Dedicating it in honor of Amanda and Ashley will only solidify its commitment to helping the less fortunate. Trust me, by the end of tonight you'll be proud of what we've accomplished."

Daniel snuck a grin. "Have you seen our daughter? I already am."

Emily scrunched her nose in agreement and fell back into fighting stance. "Besides, ever since taking the position at Stevie's firm and going back to law school, you've completely changed your image. The public sees you for who _you_ are, not who your father was." Before she could return to pummeling the bag, she noticed a change in Daniel's countenance. "What is it?" she probed, relaxing again to study him.

He shrugged, mulling over her words. "What you said just reminded me of Aiden's trial… last few conversations I had with Stevie, things weren't looking up—" he started with concern.

"They _will_ , Daniel," Emily assured him swiftly, prompting him to stay positive. "And if not…" she paused to casually tilt her head and thrust a heavy punch into the bag. "We can always take care of it the other way?"

Daniel held his hands up innocently. "No thanks," he chuckled. "I'm still sticking by the system."

Emily nodded in expectation. "Then you have to trust it."

Daniel gave her a convincing look in agreement and dropped the subject, allowing her to finish with a tentative grin. Emily remained a few minutes longer before finally heading up to the house, crossing paths with the temporary wait staff on her way in. She greeted an unfamiliar face in the redesigned parlor area. "Do you mind giving me a hand with these—" she gestured to her gloves.

"Oh, I can get that for you," Nolan interrupted, suddenly at her side. He beamed in all his fashionable glory, donning a new hairstyle and cautiously eyeing her sweaty exercise gear. "I gather you plan on changing before guests arrive?" he guessed, handing her a bottle of water.

Emily checked her wristwatch once her second glove was off. "We still have another four hours, Nolan, I think I can swing it," she replied smartly to her best friend. They exchanged smiles and Emily quickly refocused on the bustle around them. "Nice job on the decorations," she observed, spotting an array of bright colored hues that matched the pastels in the repainted walls. "Were you going for an Alice in Wonderland theme?"

Nolan took her jab in stride, smirking as they strolled down the hallway. "Well, you _did_ give me absolute power when you handed over the reins so ah, don't tempt me," he allured. "I can easily audible to my Mad Hatter ensemble for later."

Emily took one look at him before diverting into the study. "I thought you already had?"

"Heh," Nolan mock-laughed and followed her over to the desk. "Sorry to say but at present the crown for _'madness_ ' is reserved for the most notable absentee from this year's affair," he hinted, handing his tablet over for her to examine the guest list. "That is, unless you plan on giving Grandma Grayson a one-day pass out of the looney bin?"

"I think not," Emily retorted without even looking up. "Victoria is right where she belongs. And please tell me I'm not going to regret making you the party planner? I promised Daniel no surprises this year."

Nolan shrugged. "Easy enough task considering his father's in prison, you _committed_ his mother, and the wild cards are either incarcerated, off the grid or," he lowered his head with respect. "Unfortunately… dearly departed," he added solemnly. "God rest their souls."

Emily acknowledged the absence of Ashley and Amanda with a reverent nod. "Another reason why this party needs to go off without a hitch, since the foundation is being dedicated in their honor," she added, comforting them both. Trying not to dwell on the painful thoughts she continued scrolling the guest list, furrowing her brow once she reached the end. "You removed Charlotte?" she deduced, looking up.

"What? Em—you just said no surprises," Nolan reminded her. "I mean come on, six months and still no response, even after the baby?" he dreaded breaching the subject but it was inevitable. Charlotte had clearly moved on with her life and wanted no contact with her. "Look, I don't blame you for still holding out hope, but you said she deserved a fresh start and a chance to put the past behind her. Isn't this what you wanted?" he continued tenderly.

"No, it is," Emily agreed after a pause, still finding it hard to accept. "It's just with the media finally dying down and things beginning to look up," she trailed off hopefully. "I don't know, I was hoping things would be different this summer."

Sympathizing, Nolan came around the desk to offer an arm in comfort. "They already _are_ ," he offered wisely. "I mean, look at you… you're married to the boy next door, you have a beautiful baby girl together, living in the house of your dreams—which also happens to be the old homestead of your defeated enemies—" He paused, eliciting a cheered grunt from the other.

"Not to mention you completed your mission, cleared your father'sname, and are sitting here about to host your first Hamptons soiree 'takedown-free'—" he couldn't help grinning. "I mean, if that doesn't scream _different_ to you, then maybe you should consider hiring a new sidekick?"

Emily was finally persuaded into a smile. "No, the one I have is just fine," she admitted, appreciating the pep talk. She returned his tablet with a resolute expression, collecting her focus again. "You know me; I'm just always trying to accomplish the impossible."

"Yeah, I know," Nolan accepted it with affirmation. Sensing she probably needed the next few moments alone, he motioned to return to oversight of the event. But he couldn't resist one last reminder before leaving. "Hey, Ems, know what they said about the girl who gave up revenge?" he prompted.

She looked over warily, expecting the witty comment that followed.

"She lived happily ever after."

 **SCENE**

With a loud slam, the attending nurse shut the door to Louise's cell at Claremont, leaving both her and the large chest of belongings she came in with to face her newly acquired roommate. Louise inhaled a deep breath, expecting the standoff that followed.

"Now you listen to me," Victoria warned abrasively, entering her space. "I have been locked in this institution against my will for six months and I am _this_ close to making contact to the outside world," she informed. "So despite whatever misfortunes have forced us to cohabitate once again; you be sure to stay out of my way."

Louise glared in reply. "Do you really think I _want_ to be here? I was just peachy keen on never having to see you again!" She folded her arms with contempt. "The last thing I want is to share four walls."

Victoria arched an eyebrow. "No surprise there considering how quickly you disappeared last summer," she reminded.

"And with _good_ reason," Louise spat, challenging her. "Your fiancé was a cold-blooded killer and you were just as much his accomplice! Don't think I didn't hear about your handiwork once I left town, Amanda Clarke's death in prison was surely no accident."

Victoria ignored it with her usual air of disinterest. "I'm beginning to see why your family committed you, dear," she chided. "With talk like that there's no wonder they questioned your mental health. As for Pascal—the authorities cleared him of any implication in Ashley's murder when the weapon was found on that _radical_ Aiden Mathis. So I'll thank you to bite your tongue in Pascal's memory," she stood back at last, finishing her threat viciously.

Louise batted her eyes mockingly and made a gesture resembling zipping her lips shut. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed. After all, what difference does it make who I tell?" She gave her a scornful once-over before brushing past. "You're not getting out of here any sooner than I am."

Despite her taunting, Victoria remained composed and palmed the item her friend was able to swipe during her outburst earlier that afternoon. It was the orderly's cell phone, carefully stolen from his person during the distraction. With it, she felt more assured of her destiny and couldn't help hinting in reply.

"So you think."

 **SCENE**

"So, Mr. Grayson, how are you coping in the wake of being the son of a known terrorist?"

Daniel gazed around the bustling foyer, silently wishing he had insisted on no press at the party, if not having canceled it altogether. "Well, considering what Amanda Clarke went through," he alluded with hidden meaning. "Personally I'm just now seeing what _she_ endured for years after her father's wrongful conviction. So with all due respect, having been in this position only a few short months, there's no comparison."

The press rep nodded emphatically, accrediting his answer. "And how do you plan to spend the days ahead?"

Daniel straightened his blazer and switched his cocktail to the other hand. "As I'm sure you're aware, I'm a new father so my days and nights are now at the mercy of my one-month-old," he held his glass up towards to the nursery and a few guests laughed. "Other than that, I'm juggling law school with supporting the defense for the Grobet murder case… all thanks to a staff I can rely on and of course, my dedicated wife."

This time when he gestured upwards Emily had arrived at the overhead walkway, surveying the party from above. She smiled down at her husband and the press rep stopped the interview to take a few photos, allowing time for another voice to interject.

"A woman who needs no introductions," Margaux heckled from a few feet away. With a sharp new haircut and impeccably tailored lines she was dressed to kill, and her expression said there was even more beneath the surface. "The great Emily Thorne," she finished dryly, glaring Daniel's way.

Daniel absorbed it uneasily, sensing a note of bitterness. But the reporter interrupted before he could reply. "Indeed, Ms. Thorne still manages to run several charitable organizations; including the one being debuted today—where does she find the time?"

Keeping a cautious eye on Margaux, Daniel turned ever so slightly to answer. "It's Grayson now," he corrected firmly. "Emily _Grayson_. And my wife is no ordinary woman," he added, coolly redirecting the emphasis back over to Margaux. "Now if you'll excuse me, while I get back to our party." Dismissing the press, he brushed past, further impressing the tension between them.

Margaux whispered something under her breath in French as she watched him go, lingering in the spot for a moment longer before she was finally joined by her date.

"Everything alright?" Ben Hunter approached, more notably casual outside his uniform. He couldn't help noticing Margaux's unsettled demeanor as he brought her a drink and then watched her take it to the head. "Whoa—easy there," he urged softly, cracking a grin. "I may be off duty, but I can still take your keys away."

She chuckled at his joke and then suddenly closed the space between them, leaning in indulgently. "Oh, come on Ben—it's a party," she offered, suddenly feeling impulsive. "Nothing wrong with a little fun…?"

He squinted to meet the wicked look in her eye but before he could reply she was grabbing him by the lapel, luring him towards the bathroom down the hall.

 **SCENE**

"Enjoying yourself?"

Emily turned a sly grin to her husband's remark upon meeting him at the bottom of the stairwell. "I expect you're _not,_ " she detected, reading his expression. Daniel favoring a private moment alone and away from the guests told her all she needed to know.

"Margaux's still giving me the cold shoulder," he sighed, explaining what she had observed from upstairs. He shook his head and sipped at his drink. "You'd think by now she would be _over_ my decision to turn down her offer."

"More snide remarks?" Emily asked, which he verified with a nod. "Well, she's never been too good with handling rejection," she shrugged in reminder. "But she is _your_ friend."

He digested it uncomfortably. "Yeah, well I think we need some new ones," he added, glancing at the mostly young and rich crowd. "I never thought I would say this but, I can see why people with kids hang out with _other_ people with kids."

"You mean because they understand the need to check on them three times in the same hour?" Emily supplied with a look upstairs. When Daniel laughed affirmatively she continued. "I went back twice before I finally came down," she admitted.

"Then safe to say, it's my turn," he offered, giving his empty glass to a waiter. Emily motioned to follow but he insisted. "No—I'll check on Summer this time. You stay with the party."

She shook her head aimlessly while he marched up and tried again to focus. He was right, they were admittedly different than the surrounding socialites and despite being skilled at purporting the role, Emily could not deny she felt graduated from the scene. She momentarily worried that it meant her senses were dulling but quickly dismissed it as something caught her eye from across the room. She waltzed through casually, crossing Nolan in her path.

"Pardon me, can I borrow him for a sec?" she begged the guest he was speaking to, taking him by the elbow. He allowed her to guide him to the foyer where she abruptly stopped, gesturing for him to look down the hall. "Notice anything?" she posed.

Nolan stared ahead and shrugged. "Margaux leaving the bathroom," he answered. "So what?"

"Wait for it," Emily instructed in a whisper, and a second later Ben emerged from the same room, straightening his clothing.

"Oh!" Nolan gasped, blushing in response. "Well, I suppose we all… _grieve_ differently?" he guessed, trying not to judge Margaux too harshly. "Though I have to admit it does slightly impair my professional view of my business associate," he added.

"Likewise," Emily agreed, folding her arms. "I think I'll ask her to leave—" she started.

Nolan reached out to hold her back. "Oh come on Ems, lighten up," he pleaded, leaning in privately. "What's one skanky little public escapade? Besides, your record's not exactly free of charge…" he implied, recalling at least one of her encounters from the previous year. "I'm pretty sure Daniel would agree."

"That was a long time ago," Emily argued.

But it only fueled Nolan's point. "Hm, jealous?" he shot back cleverly.

Emily opened her mouth to protest but was conveniently interrupted by the phone ringing from the study. She shook her head at him instead and stepped away to answer. "Hello?" she barked, and quickly recognized her caller.

"This is Victoria Grayson. I'm being held captive at Claremont Institu—"

"I know exactly where you are, Victoria," Emily cut her off, shifting tone instantaneously. There were several things that could snap her into focus and this was one of them.

"What are you doing in my house?" Victoria demanded on the other line. Unbeknownst to Emily she was hiding out in a supply room, using the cell phone her friend managed to steal.

"Paying the mortgage," Emily taunted proudly. "You should see what we've done with the place. I changed everything except the phone number, a precaution I'm sure you now understand."

"Please," Victoria begged, aware her time was short. "I've hurt you. I admit it. But you've hurt me, too. I just want to end this cycle, please—"

"And I want my childhood," Emily spat angrily, unable to contain the emotion that was now brimming. "I want Amanda back," she continued in a hoarse whisper, nearly cracking. "And all the people you either destroyed or took from me—"

Before she could finish the phone had been snatched from her hand and Emily whirled around. Daniel held it to his ear, having deduced who she was talking to. "Mother, is that you?" he belted in alarm.

"Daniel?" Victoria sank in relief. "Oh, thank God—Daniel you have to help me, Emily has been holding me here against my will!"

Daniel barely flinched as he uttered a well-timed response. "And who do you think signed the papers on your behalf?" he revealed. Silence followed as he presumed she allowed it to sink in. "See as your oldest living child, I have both the relationship and the legal authority to attest to your condition," he warned, sneering towards the end. "And the only reason you're not rotting in a jail cell is thanks to Emily."

Victoria sighed adamantly. "You continue to stand by her after what she's done to me?"

"After all you've done to _her_ , you should consider this a kindness," he retorted. "So I suggest you get comfortable. Unless you're done ranting like a lunatic about her being Amanda Clarke?"

"She _is_ Amanda Clarke!" Victoria hissed, just as the door to the supply room opened. But it was too late for her to stop now. "You know as well as I do!"

He turned to catch eyes with Emily and she nodded, affirming she had just sent a text to the doctor. "I'm afraid that's a story you'll never be able to tell," he wished her spitefully. "Sorry you just wasted your call."

He hung up irritably, picturing she was being seized and sedated after violating the rules. Emily watched his countenance darkly once he turned around. "Is this the first time she's done that?" he quizzed, immediately heading for the liquor stand in the corner.

"To my knowledge, but you know your mother—she's bound to try it again," Emily shrugged, focusing on him instead. By her count it was his third. "Hey, don't you think you should slow down?" she suggested.

He ignored it with a shake of his head. "At this rate I'm gonna need it to get through this party. If it isn't the media tugging at my every move, Margaux shooting dirty looks, or Aiden's trial hanging over me, then it's my conniving mother," he paused, realizing. "And it's only just getting started."

 **SCENE**

Despite the unprecedented interruption, Daniel had collected himself in time for the dedication and both he and Nolan were front row in the crowd as Emily took the stage in their large yard. She introduced the foundation to thunderous applause from the gathered guests, taking a moment to pay special tribute.

"…In short," Emily concluded. "If there's anything this past year has taught me, it's not to take the ones we love for granted… and not to give up on those who still have a fighting chance." Her expression grew solemn as she recalled fond memories of their friends, and she paused to gain strength to finish. A quick glance at Nolan and Daniel helped her along.

"Which is why I'd like to dedicate the Foundation for Underprivileged Girls in memory of Ashley Grobet and Amanda Clarke," she uttered to a warm reprise. "Two women who took the hand they were dealt in life and still made _good_ things happen—" she took a breath to allow the clapping to die down. "And two women I was fortunate enough to call… my friends."

Again the emphatic applause resounded from the audience and Emily's first recipient joined her onstage to accept a donation. She gave her a warm hug and kindly requested to approach the podium while Emily stepped aside.

"On behalf of Saint Baron's Shelter for Young Women we sincerely appreciate your efforts, Mrs. Grayson." Another ovation began, but the woman begged for the crowd's attention before it could drown her out. "It's clear to me that your charity is already contagious in its effect on others. I'm so happy to announce that we just received yet _another_ donation in support of your fund just this afternoon, by someone truly close to the cause—"

On that she turned to beckon someone from the audience up to the stage and the crowd split apart to let her through. Upon sight, Emily stepped forward in awe, barely able to believe her eyes as she allowed the recipient to finish her introduction.

"Ladies and gentleman, Miss Charlotte Clarke!"

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte… you came! Where have you been?"

The crowd had begun to dissipate by the time Emily managed to see her sister offstage and began firing off questions. As expected, Daniel and Nolan also made their way over to join, but not before a third individual reached the women first.

"Emily," Charlotte breathed in an airy tone. "I know we have a lot to catch up on," she admitted, oddly dodging eye contact. She deferred instead to the man that loomed nearby them and shifted to stand at his side. "I didn't want to make a fuss of correcting everyone from the stage but the name's Ellis now, not Clarke. This is my husband, Lyman."

"Husband?" Emily repeated, unable to contain her surprise. She glowered as the man at Charlotte's side leaned forward in a broad gesture.

"Pleasure's all mine, Mrs. Grayson," he prefaced in a thick Southern accent. "And may I just say, what you've done here is simply swell – it's an honor to know my darling Charlie has such a generous family."

Though she felt it shining through, Emily braved to mask the skepticism in her eyes. "Charmed, I'm sure," she replied. Daniel reached them next and she waited for him to finish greeting Charlotte. "May I introduce my husband also—Mr. Ellis, is it?" she emphasized. "Daniel—meet your brother-in-law."

Equally taken aback, Daniel glanced from Emily to Lyman and back again, finally landing his gaze on Charlotte with interest. "Well, I didn't see that one coming," he volunteered openly.

The others snickered while Emily lowered her head slightly, imagining his alcohol intake was to blame for his candor. "Ah, sweetheart why don't you take the newlyweds to see the baby?" she offered, gliding quickly into diplomatic gesture. She reserved a glare for her sister as she left. "Good to see you, Charlotte."

Daniel nodded awkwardly and showed them the way, leaving Emily behind to digest what just happened. True to character, Nolan approached to help her pick up the proverbial pieces.

"Call me a cynic but, somehow I _knew_ we wouldn't get through a Memorial Day soiree without at least one jaw-dropping moment," he paused, glancing over to the queen of the event. "Just didn't expect the jaw to be… yours?"

 **SCENE**

"They eloped, a month ago," Emily sighed, padding down the stairwell to join Nolan on the last step. "He's a district attorney from the south." She slipped off her heels, adjusting the skirt of her dress to sit on her leg. The party was finally over and besides a few workers it was just them left. Daniel was still upstairs talking with Charlotte while Lyman held the last prominent guest at the door, chatting at length.

"No wonder 'darling Charlie' missed the birth," Nolan mimicked, leaning back on his forearms to look up at Emily. "Too busy planning her nuptials, I guess?"

Emily shook her head pensively. "Something's not right. The name was too familiar so I dug a little deeper— Lyman is Louise Ellis's older _brother_. That doesn't strike you as odd?"

Nolan agreed, raising his brow. "Besides the fact he has a strong rating on the Kinsey scale," he hinted, observing a few tell-tale mannerisms from afar. "But, not altogether surprising considering he _is_ a politician." He handed over his own research via mobile device for her to peruse. "No wonder he's got every wallet tied up in a corner, he's targeting sponsors for his Senatorial run. You'd think Charlotte would steer clear after her experience with _dear old dad_ ," he mocked. "Unless they met by socialite coincidence?"

"I don't believe in those," Emily countered, raising suspicion. "And Louise has told me enough about her family not to trust them. Charlotte could be in danger."

"And if she is, what are you going to do about it? She's obviously taken control of her life without your help," Nolan reminded in a warning tone. "So outside of keeping watch now that she's close by, this isn't exactly cause to break out the red Sharpie."

Emily watched her words, hearing footsteps coming from above. "Sometimes keeping close watch is enough," she whispered in reply before standing to meet her sister. "Headed out, then?" she asked, purposely brightening her tone.

"Yeah, it's time we get going," Charlotte nodded, glancing over at Lyman by the door. She leaned in to give Emily a hug. "Summer is absolutely precious, I'm so happy for you two," she echoed, also gazing at Daniel.

"It's good to see you again, sis," he offered warmly, and Emily wondered if they had been able to talk openly in their time alone. He leaned over to kiss her goodbye, admiring how grown she continued to look. "I'm in the city more often now," he added. "Let's try to do lunch sometime?"

Charlotte nodded and continued down the steps. "Charlotte, before you go," Emily intercepted, trailing a step behind her. She waited for her to turn so they could have a moment alone. "Just so you know, I still own the property next door… If you'd like to stay nearby that is?" She tensed, suddenly feeling apprehensive. "You know you're always welcome."

She inclined softly at the offer. "That's sweet of you, Emily," she acknowledged in an airy tone. "But Lyman wants to stay in the city. And we already have a nanny staying on to look after Declan, I wouldn't want to uproot things– you know how that is," she shrugged.

Emily peered close into her eyes, desperately trying to read her. "Are you sure that's what you want?" she probed.

"I just want the best for my family," Charlotte affirmed resolutely. She started to break away and then caught herself, eventually turning back. "But I still hope you and I can spend more time together?"

Rising from the disappointment, Emily looked up excitedly. "I would love that."

Charlotte smiled, thinking of one last thing just as Lyman joined her side. "By the way, have you heard from Jack?" she posed curiously. "I was thinking about dropping by the _Stowaway_ so he could see his nephew sometime."

"Ah, he's still upstate training," Emily shared in part, reserving further detail with Lyman still present. Catching the surprise in Charlotte's expression, she elaborated slightly. "Sorry, I thought you knew… he decided to go into law enforcement."

Charlotte wrinkled her brow in confusion, meanwhile Lyman chimed in. "Well, isn't this family a regular public service flush?" he remarked proudly. "A lawyer-in-training," he declared to Daniel. "A philanthropist," he addressed Emily. "And an officer to boot," he concluded at her reference, gazing back over to Charlotte. "Don't mind me for sounding crass, honey but I imagine this campaign will be a breeze. I feel quite honored to be your beau."

While Emily steamed at his commentary, Charlotte merely absorbed it with grace. "You should," she agreed with a plastered grin and savored a last look at her sister. "Take care, Emily. I'll be seeing you soon."

 **SCENE**

Daniel drug his feet as he slithered into bed, noting Emily was sitting wide awake with her computer across her lap. "Anything going on?" he mumbled, assuming she was watching the baby monitor app.

"No, she was fast asleep when I peeked in," Emily muttered quickly.

"Good," Daniel sighed, barely lifting his head to speak. "After the crazy day we just had it's nice to know she's completely oblivious…I don't even know where to begin," he trailed off suggestively but when Emily turned to follow up he was already shutting his eyes against the pillow.

Saving discussion for another time, she ensured he was well settled under the covers before switching back to her search engine. Her research on the Ellis family reappeared and several things caught her eye as she pored through, with the most curious being a notation on Louise's health records.

"You know what, I'm just gonna check again to make sure," Emily whispered, slipping out of bed. Daniel made an unintelligible noise, confirming he was out cold and giving her lee way to make a phone call.

"Yes, this is Dr. Barnes," she whispered into her phone, feigning an alias as she entered the hallway. "A patient of yours was recently recommended into my care but she's missed her last few visits. I was wondering if you could give me a little background on her condition—a Louise Ellis?"

The attending doctor replied on the other line. "I'm so sorry for the confusion but Ms. Ellis was placed in a mental facility after an unfortunate incident last year," she informed. "Any previously scheduled visits should have been cancelled."

Emily narrowed her eyes in discernment, playing a hunch. "Can you confirm if that was authorized by her brother, Lyman?" Realizing it was likely confidential, she added. "He's been my correspondent and I just want to make sure he was made aware."

A few seconds passed and the doctor returned to the line. "Ah, yes, Mr. Ellis signed her over personally, along with the patient's mother, Penelope," she confirmed, adding one final bit of information. "They remitted Louise to Claremont Psychiatric."

Emily froze, feeling a thud in her chest she hadn't experienced in months. "Claremont," she repeated hoarsely, wrinkling her brow. "In the Hamptons?"

"Correct—the notes on file indicate her family thought giving her some distance would help aid her recovery."

With the final assertion, Emily was now certain it could not be a coincidence. She ended the call, careful not to break character too abruptly. "Thank you, Doctor. I couldn't agree more."

 **SCENE**

Daniel was hazy when he arrived at visitation to see Aiden the next morning, still reeling from the previous day's events. Charlotte's return and sudden marriage were quite the shocker, not to mention the random call from his mother. Even after self-remedying with a few drinks and a full night's rest, Daniel was exhausted. But not overly so to forget his appointment, a privilege that working for Stevie's firm gave him access to even while completing online courses for his law degree. Yet he could feel the stress of fatherhood and life-work balance slowing ebbing at him, to the point it showed on his exterior.

"You look like hell," Aiden confirmed briskly, breaking his trance as the guard walked him in. Ironically, _he_ was quite the changed man in a full beard and more tattoos than Daniel recalled. Yet it was still a role reversal each time he came to visit when almost a year prior the tables had been turned.

"You should know," Daniel retorted with a scolding look. "Since that's where you're headed." He alluded to the notification he received on the way there. "Stevie says you're changing your plea?"

Aiden agreed without even a flinch. "That's right. I've had plenty of time to think about it," he affirmed, folding his hands on the table that separated them. "And I don't see any point in dragging this out any longer."

"And you chose to do this _one_ week before trial?" Daniel resonated, shaking his head. "You know, for someone who seemed desperate to save Amanda from herself, you sure sound just like her." He waited for it to hit a nerve but Aiden didn't budge, already accustomed to Daniel's tactics to elicit emotion. "Aiden, you know if you plead guilty it's life in prison. They'll transfer you immediately to the maximum security facility—you'll never walk out of here." He leaned in closer, sharpening his angle. "Not to mention the fact that you and I both know you didn't do this. Now, tell me the truth—what is all this about?"

"I have my reasons," Aiden deflected, looking away.

Daniel sat back, running a few possibilities through his mind. "You know my mother's still locked away," he tested. "And while I don't often mention this to Emily," he lowered his voice to a whisper. "The investigator I hired has instructions not to stop until he finds Niko. None of us have given up, if that's what you're worried about."

Aiden folded his arms, disregarding the information. "What makes you think _I_ have?" he challenged, partly opening up. "This is not a final despair Daniel; it's called penance. What happened to Amanda is on my hands… and there have been others. If you don't understand, just ask Emily." With that he stood, motioning to the guard that he was ready to return to his cell.

"So that's it," Daniel pressed before he could leave. "After everything we've done to fight for you, and now it's all for nothing?" He had not meant it to come across selfish; but it was undeniable that his time could have been spent elsewhere.

For the first time since seeing him, Aiden cracked a grin. "Your efforts haven't been in vain," he reassured, and there was a peculiar confidence in his aura. "I appreciate them more than you know." With that he allowed himself to be led out, pausing to add one last thing. "That is except for Niko—"

Daniel looked up, attentive to the significance. "What about her?"

"You might as well call off the search," Aiden concluded. "Trust me—you won't find her."

 **SCENE**

When Emily received Daniel's call she was noticeably out of breath, having finished her morning run halfway down the beach. "Hey, is everything alright," she asked with a hint of worry. "You were gone before I woke up?"

"Yeah, sorry about that; I hate missing out on mornings with you and the baby," Daniel grumbled, inwardly wishing he had not broken his routine just to be met with disappointment. "Look, I just got some bad news about Aiden's case and I'm already regretting driving into the city to hear it in person…" he trailed off, soured by the subject. "If you don't mind, I'd rather talk about it later..."

"No, that's fine," Emily assured, wondering about the latest development. But her focus remained on the structure before her as she reached the break from sand into tall grass. "I asked Nolan to keep an eye on Summer while I ran a quick errand. I should be back by the time you get in."

With his mellow reply the conversation ended and at last Emily breathed a heavy sigh, staring wistfully at her former home. Somehow the beach house felt even more abandoned and empty than the day she had returned months after her eighteenth birthday. She pinched her eyes shut and the memory came to life—the fresh pain of discovering her father had died just before her release and later, the stinging revelation that all along he had been innocent. When her eyes opened she was on the porch, tracing the familiar carving on the wood post and tempting herself with a glance inside the window. It was just as she and Daniel had left it— linen sheets draped over the furniture, the fixtures still and undisturbed, preserved indefinitely while they made Grayson Manor a new nest for their family.

Emily savored moments like these, knowing that while reminiscing could easily bring back pain, it could only impel her to continue with the next chapter of her life. The past year had been undoubtedly filled with strife, but the miraculous birth of her daughter along with the dissolution of her enemies had empowered her with purpose. And while she was still committed to righting wrongs, her new philosophy had helped her to find balance – which she finally intended to put to use.

As she pondered the method for doing so, a noise from the other side of the porch caught her attention. "Someone there?" Emily called out, wrapping around to look.

Charlotte was waiting on the eastern side facing Grayson Manor, more casually dressed in sweats and trainers compared to her dress and heels the day before. Alone at last, the two women surveyed each other cautiously, with a likeness that could only be attributed to being sisters.

"You said it was urgent," Charlotte prompted first.

Emily dove in, bracing herself. "It is. There's something I need to tell you about Lyman. Charlotte, I don't know how to say this, but…you don't know everything about him."

"So you asked me here to tell me all of my husband's secrets?" Charlotte rebuffed, shaking her head dryly as she called back to the previous year. "Gosh, Emily what is it about this house that makes you so confessional?"

"Charlotte, he's dangerous," Emily braved nonetheless, edging closer. "I know I'm probably the last person you want to hear this from but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't warn you. You know, his sister is Louise Ellis," she continued. "But what you may not know is she stayed here in the Hamptons last year just before everything transpired and she told me enough about her family not to trust them. Last night I discovered Lyman had her committed to an insane asylum."

She stopped, waiting for at least one of the things she offered up to resonate. But to her surprise Charlotte merely stood back and a superior glow entered her eyes. "Yeah, I thought you might appreciate that extra touch," she replied, shrugging deviously.

Emily gaped after a few seconds. "Wait— _you_ did this?"

"I simply suggested a solution to his problem," Charlotte elaborated, shifting stance. "But in actuality, I owe _you_ credit for the idea." She watched as Emily's perpetual state of shock grew. "Locking up my mother in the looney bin?" she posed, beginning a slow walk around her. "That was pure genius…retribution without all the messy legal measures. And, after I discovered that _Louise_ helped her land Amanda in jail, it just seemed fitting for those two to share a padded room. So, I decided to put this one in motion, myself."

Emily remained still, processing as she enumerated every detail. "You married Lyman just to get close?" she stammered in reply.

Charlotte shrugged again. "Bring back any fond memories?" she taunted derisively. "Yet another idea I got from _you_."

Emily shook off the insult, focusing instead on her admission. It suddenly made perfect sense and she reasoned out the final connector. "The Infinity Box," she prompted, peering closely as Charlotte came back round to face her.

The glassy look in her eyes confirmed she was right. "What—did you think after everything you told me I would just get over it?" she supplemented, eliciting a weary sigh from the other. To prove her point, she produced one of the journals from her pocket and held it as evidence. "You gave me everything I needed to do my own research. I followed the notes you left behind. And while you may have cleared our father's name, the roadmap he left is just the beginning—there are still more enemies out there!"

With quick reflexes Emily snatched the journal from her hands and got in her face. "You think I don't know that already?" she retorted sharply, shaking her head. "That there are still people who deserve a reckoning for what they did? But that's not what matters anymore, and it's _not_ what I meant when I showed you that box—"

"Then why _did_ you, Emily?" Charlotte fired back. "Or were you too busy being a hypocrite to realize the effect it would have?" She stared at her intently, gasping a firm breath. "I didn't come back here to make nice or ask your permission—"

Frustrated, Emily interjected. "Then what did you come back for?"

"I came back for you to train me!" Charlotte blurted, demanding it with every muscle in her face.

"What?" Emily wrinkled her brow in disillusion. "Charlotte—that's crazy," she exhaled adamantly. "I have a new life now, I moved on…I'm a _mother_ ," she reinforced, still owning the concept. "And I promised Daniel I would give this up—"

"You lied to me for three years," Charlotte countered, still holding her ground. "You can manage a few months of discretion from my brother. And now that you are a _mother_ ," she added, reflecting on her own experience. "You should know firsthand what it means do anything for the ones you love."

Emily shook her head in a firm negative. "Not like this," she argued, seeing traces of Victoria in Charlotte's reasoning. "This is not my path anymore. And it isn't the path for you, Charlotte."

Charlotte glowered in response and her look turned sinister as she offered a final ultimatum. "That's not for you to decide," she insisted. "And it's not up for negotiation. So either you help me as my ally or I'll learn it on my own… as your enemy."

 **MONTAGE**

 _It's been said that every choice we make adds to the strength or weakness of our spirits…_

Victoria returned solemnly to her room, escorted by two nurses that would now shadow her every move after trying to establish outside contact. They secured the door and posted a guard while she reclaimed her corner. Louise immediately turned her back in response, tensing at the presence of a woman she not only loathed but inwardly feared. But to her credit, Victoria remained unwavering as she rested her head against the pillow, certain that in time her plans to break free would succeed.

 _And that every human life's worth is to construct an identity bit by bit…_

Daniel glumly walked into Grayson Manor, heading for the liquor stand in the study as consolation after his depressing morning. But he stopped mid-step when he noticed a change in the front hall—a large canvas had been delivered and was in the process of being hung by the staff. Instantly he changed direction and went over to look—it was an amazing capture of him, Emily and Summer taken from the session just the day before. Impressed at how quickly the photographer gifted the masterpiece, Daniel stood there for a moment just admiring it before deciding against his retreat and redirecting his steps to the nursery instead.

 _And to walk a path step by step…_

After the long walk back to his cell, Aiden lay across his cot and folded his hands beneath his head. As the guard slid the bars shut he stared upwards at the ceiling, suddenly calling out before he departed.

"The facility I'm being transferred to," he asked firmly. "You're sure it's where Conrad Grayson is?"

The guard glanced over with a pitied look. "Oh yeah," he confirmed. "Positive."

 _But while we perceive it to be a straight line, in truth our journey takes us in a circle…_

Emily traced the infinity symbol on the post of her father's porch and then gazed ahead at the horizon, where Charlotte had walked down to the shoreline following her final ultimatum. She closed her eyes, searching for answers to the dilemma she was presented with in the manner she always did—by reflecting on the past. The same memories emerged from the previous day: moments in time spent with her father, moments that solidified the bond between parent and child. It was a bond she could finally appreciate, and yet through life she was learning that inevitably it would be tested.

 _Our endings form other beginnings… our paths merge to take us back where we started..._

"Need a lift?"

The driver rolled down his window and nodded innocently at the hooded figure walking along the side of the road. Though he knew it was chancy offering rides to random strangers, something about the middle-aged man hobbling along at an off pace seemed harmless.

The man met his invitation with a weary look, but even his unkempt beard and dirtied exterior could not disguise the kindness in his eyes. "I'd say yes, only I'm not sure where I'm going," he replied uneasily.

"Well, hop in," the driver gestured nonetheless. "I'm headed upstate. Sure there's somewhere I can drop you off there."

He obliged, getting in the passenger side gingerly. "Actually," the thought aloud, feeling a peculiar yearning to a specific place. "There is somewhere I'd like to visit." When the driver prompted him to say, he stared ahead with certainty before answering.

"Southampton."

… _And what goes around… often comes right back around._

Emily cast her eyes along the horizon, skimming the lapping crests of the ocean until her gaze traced back to the empty beach, leave for the kneeling figure a few feet away. Her jaw was set and she drew her hands behind her back in a powerful stance, exuding strength and confidence as she spoke. There was a prolonged silence and at last her companion looked up from under their hood in expectation, waiting for her to finish.

"Yes?" they whispered.

Emily stared with intensity, conveying deep reflection as she finally turned to offer her reply…but one look at her sister and the words escaped her.

Charlotte grimaced impatiently. "You said, your time here in the Hamptons has been a renaissance," she reminded her. "And a chance to share your greatest lesson… I'm ready to be trained, Emily. What is it?"

In a last ditch effort to convince her sister, Emily met her intense stare. "To forgive," she replied.

Charlotte absorbed it for a beat. "And what if forgiveness isn't an option?"

Expecting as much, Emily refrained from condemning her sister's choice and returned to face the ocean again. "Then revenge is the only way."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Greetings again faithful readers! Ahhh, I've missed you so much and I do hope this "premiere" to S4 was well worth the wait! I put a lot of thought into where I wanted our characters to be at this point in the story and I really wanted to further it to a place that held potential for exciting things! So please let me know if you are happy with it and feel free to fire away questions, I know some things were left a bit vague but I'll do my best to answer without giving away too much… As for the other things, I'm so excited to finally reveal Daniel & Emily's baby girl, Summer! How do you like her name? Demily is definitely back with a passion and while I elected to overstep the birth, etc. with the time jump, there is much more coming on their front. You may have already noticed hints towards obstacles ahead and rest assured, their "family" will impact the decisions they make. I know there is a LOT going on but I wanted to keep it fresh and interesting and give you plenty to catch up on. Hoping to post the next chapter sooner than this past hiatus and as always MANY thanks to all your supportive comments and guest posts, you guys are the best! More in store… stay tuned! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	44. Chapter 43: Disclosure

**Chapter 43: Disclosure**

 _When a truth is first divulged, seldom does it come with full disclosure…_

The book's title was all too familiar to be ignored, and yet even as the aged drifter stared upon his reflection on the cover photo, it only registered faint recognition. By his rugged outward appearance he _was_ the aforesaid David Clarke, yet his mind was an empty hole, uncertain of anything beyond gratitude for escaping the pen that held him captive for the past ten years. Inwardly he was still a prisoner to the empty void of his identity: unaware of whom he used to be, how he had come to be so misplaced, and why the book in his hands described him as once a terrorist, and now deceased. All he had were his instincts, which he applied by taking the book from the library as the first step towards discovering his past...

 _The guilty often conceal details to avoid punishment… or to profit at another's expense…_

Conrad left the cafeteria line to search for a place to sit in the mess hall, uncomfortably walking past an assortment of dirty looks and uninviting stares. He finally settled next to Mason Treadwell, who was quickly becoming his only friend within the prison walls. Their forced comradery served to distract him from the new inmate transfer that was watching him from afar. Not a few tables over, Aiden Mathis kept a cautious eye in his direction, reserving his own intentions for when the time was just right.

 _Others may seek to protect the innocent from harm…_

After waking to soothe the cries from her nearly one-year-old son, Charlotte took a moment to rest in the nursery while Declan went back to sleep. She eased into the rocking chair, quietly reflecting on the surreal life around her: a posh apartment in the city and a contrived marriage to Lyman, who was sleeping in the next room. As was often the case, her mind wandered to people from her life a year before and she found herself pulling out her phone to send a message to Jack. _Heard you were training upstate,_ she tapped vigorously, hoping this time to get a reply. _Sorry I've been out of touch. Please tell Amanda I'm not angry with her… I finally know the truth._ She waited but again there was no response.

 _And still others may fear the consequence of a complete revelation..._

Jack read the message uneasily as he trudged up the steps of his new house, returning home from another late shift. His transformed life was not only evidenced by his uniform and freshened haircut, but what waited for him on the other side. As he pushed the door open a golden retriever puppy came to greet him, panting excitedly while still not waking sleeping Carl upstairs. His grandmother was up putting on a pot of coffee in the kitchen, well acclimated to Jack coming in at an early hour. He sighed contentedly in her direction, but Charlotte's words remained painfully resonant. Jack gazed wistfully at a photo resting on the ledge and digested what was still unbeknownst to her – his wife and mother of his child, Amanda, was gone.

 _Yet, human salvation depends on complete and unabridged honesty. It demands the divine disclosure of truths surpassing reason…_

Emily leaned over to plant a kiss on Daniel's forehead, feeling a twinge of guilt as she quietly slipped out of the bedroom for her morning run. She stopped by the nursery on her way out, verifying she had just under fifteen minutes to make it back before Summer would wake, eager to be fed. She aligned her watch to the time constraint and then swiftly jogged out the back door, headed for the rendezvous point on the beach. At last she came face-to-face with Charlotte at the intended spot.

… _Even if they seem impossible to bear._

 **END MONTAGE**

"So, when's the last you heard from Jack and Amanda?"

Fortunate for Emily, Charlotte's jolting question came while she was distracted, dabbing her chest with a towel as they entered Grayson Manor from the rear. "Ah, I haven't heard from Jack in a while actually," she panted in response, focusing on the walk back to the kitchen. It was a reminder that Charlotte's departure last year preceded tragedies she still had yet to learn of.

Too clever, Charlotte followed closely. "You knew he was training to go into law enforcement," she prompted, taking the water that Emily handed her from the fridge. "I mean, things must be good if he can afford to come out of hiding. So what's Amanda doing during all of this?"

Again Emily averted the question, rescued by the sound of her daughter's wails. "That's Summer," she answered with relief. "She's probably hungry—"

Emily had barely rounded the corner with the formula when Daniel entered the dining area, jiggling the baby in his arms. "Good timing," he chuckled, reaching with his other hand. "I was just about to feed her… Sorry I've been missing the last few mornings." He glanced up and stole a kiss from Emily as she handed it over, spying Charlotte in the background. "But, I see you two are making early work-outs a regular thing?"

"As long as Emily can keep up," Charlotte chimed pointedly, joining them in the room.

Emily tensed at both of them for different reasons, but quickly refocused. "Daniel, you don't have to keep apologizing," she concentrated on his earlier comment, watching him sit down to feed their daughter. "I know the past week has been difficult," she whispered, alluding to Aiden's decision.

"Yeah, well that's history now," he attempted to brush it off, nodding at the muted television on the wall. "Especially when an escaped inmate from Riker's is all over the news—look," he urged. Emily turned and increased the volume.

"Tell me it isn't—" she began anxiously.

"No, not Aiden," Daniel corrected her presumption, having seen the news release already. "And not my father either. They released the name; it's Russian, Schmerkovsky or something like that. They're buckling down security on the Island, which means even if Aiden did get any bright ideas, they wouldn't work. They're also advising the public to be extremely cautious; apparently the escapee has severe brain damage." He paused, and the women continued watching. "Of course I don't have to tell either of _you_ to be careful…"

Emily met his coy look, knowing he was well aware she could take care of herself. He grinned, lifting Summer to burp her on his shoulder, while Charlotte piped in. "We'll be fine—Emily's teaching me a few defense techniques," she added.

"Really?" Daniel pressed curiously.

Again Emily tensed, shooting her a warning look. "Just a few safety precautions, nothing too complicated," she smoothed over, shifting topic. "We ah, still have a lot of catching up to do… you hanging around?" she hinted at Daniel.

"Actually, no," he replied, catching the drift. He stood up to hand Summer over, moving the burp cloth from his shoulder onto Emily's. "I need to hit the books if I stand a chance at passing the bar in August; I'm gonna swing by the library. I'll see my girls later—all of you," he added, winking at his sister. He reserved his last looks for Emily. "By the way, I think your daughter left you a present."

Emily felt her diaper and agreed it was full. "Got it," she smirked, and stepped away to change her. Meanwhile, Charlotte watched them both go in separate directions, rising slowly to drift back into the kitchen.

"Hope you didn't mind what I told him," she called out to Emily, lurking around the counter. Her sister's phone was sitting out prominently. "But you said it yourself—you don't like hiding things."

"I don't," Emily affirmed briskly from the other room. "But if I'm going to tell him anything I'd much rather it be the truth, and not a pretense."

Charlotte failed to respond, too focused on a text Emily had just received. _Need to talk,_ the first line read on a message from Jack. _When can we meet?_ She seethed inwardly; realizing it not only affirmed that he had been avoiding _her_ messages, but that Emily was also not being forthright. It irked her even more as she thought about their conversation topic but instead of lashing out, an idea came to her instead.

"Yeah, I can see how much honesty is important to you," she replied coyly, picking up the phone to reply on Emily's behalf. _Tonight—the Stowaway,_ she responded and then thinking quickly added, _If safe, with Amanda._ She waited for another response but there was none. Hearing the sound of Emily's footsteps she swiftly deleted the entire chain and put the phone back in place like it had never been moved. "Especially when you're still calling yourself _Emily_ —" she inserted casually, dashing over to take her niece. " _Hi, honey!_ "

Emily fought back a scowl, but couldn't help admiring Charlotte's relationship with Summer. She silently wished she could say the same for their own relationship – despite agreeing to her wishes, she still felt like she was working to earn favor. And every snide remark was a reminder that her sins were not yet forgiven.

"You're good with her," she admired instead of dwelling on it, tilting her head to watch them. "You must miss Declan being that small… is he walking yet?"

"Crawling mostly, but one of these days," Charlotte replied without looking in her direction. There was a noticeable silence and at last she caught Emily's eye, sensing her desperation for closeness. "I would bring him but we have too much to focus on," she quickly moved past it, strolling into the nursery. "It's been a week and we still haven't discussed my plan to take down Lyman. Enough physical training— it's time to put something in motion."

"Alright," Emily sighed reluctantly, following her to the doorway. "What's your play?"

Charlotte nestled Summer into her crib and closed the door behind, turning all business. "Lyman's been having secret meetings at least once a week. He says it's for financial investments but I don't believe him. With his run for Senator, I have a feeling he's up to something underhanded to give himself an edge." She fixed her hands firmly at her hips. "I need to find out what it is so I can do the opposite."

"So, hire an investigator," Emily countered, hoping to deflate her enthusiasm.

Charlotte folded her arms stiffly. "Yeah, that's rich—and he won't think it's odd that his own _wife_ is trying to sabotage his campaign?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," Emily reflected nonchalantly, sipping her water.

"This is where you're supposed to dole out all your wisdom, _sensei_ ," Charlotte insisted. "You said you would help me and I happen to know that scheming politicians are your specialty. I'm looking for something a little more permanent than incriminating photos," she leaned in to demand.

"Then you should do your research," Emily fought her confidently. "Because that's exactly what I used to take down Tom Kingsly two years ago." She shook her head, realizing it was going to take more to convince her. "Char, these kinds of people aren't complicated, they just have weaknesses; I learned how to exploit them. At the time I did it because of what they did to our father, but they were just as likely to get exposed eventually."

"Well, I don't have timeto wait for _eventually_ ," Charlotte seethed, growing impatient.

At last, Emily conceded. "Fine. You said you and Lyman had a whirlwind courtship before he proposed, right?" Charlotte nodded and she continued thoughtfully. "Well the first time Daniel proposed, he later told me the thought entered his mind because your father had put a clause in his trust, one that required him to be married to claim it."

"Can you blame him?" Charlotte retorted, assuming she was dodging topic. "You were _using_ him at the time—"

"That's not the point," Emily stopped her. "I'm saying; you need to consider that maybe this marriage to Lyman was mutually beneficial to _him_ , too." At that Charlotte finally recoiled, giving thought to her point. "My advice would be to look a little deeper. I'm sure he had you sign a pre-nuptial agreement; take a second look. Maybe he's been hiding the fact that he's using _you_ just as much as you're using him."

Finally satisfied, Charlotte returned an accepting look to Emily's advice and allowed her to step out of the way. But not before she doubled back, clearly still thinking about something in particular. "And Charlotte," Emily insisted sincerely. "As far as me and Daniel goes, I don't fault him for anything that first year. But we rebuilt our relationship on being honest with one another from that point forward…" she trailed off with a serious tone. "Something I'd like to get back to."

 **SCENE**

David's first venture into the public library was met with little response since his gruff appearance still served as a disguise. He could no more use his real name than the Russian alias he had in prison—one that the authorities surely had and would be looking for. Nevertheless, he chose a quiet corner to begin his exploration on the past, starting with Mason Treadwell's book and then later moving on to news articles in library archives. To his dismay, none of it seemed to trigger a deeper connection. It was as if he were reading a convoluted tale about the trials of a complete stranger, only it was his life.

He focused instead on the sole entity that lingered amongst the fragments and the one thing that impelled him to return to Southampton – his daughter. The one memory that remained was a vague image of a young girl with a bright smile and angelic laughter; even with all his heavy scars from a lifetime of torture it would not go away. He knew she had to be the key to why he fought so hard to survive, why he eventually found a way out. Perhaps she would help him find his way now; back to the person he used to be.

He finally stumbled across an article that alluded to his having a child and with disappointment forced himself to read the fearsome truth. His memory was correct—he did have a daughter, named Amanda—but in a troubling turn of events she was deceased since the previous year. Her death followed a prison conviction and David stared sorrowfully at the report detailing the crime. The photo of Amanda did not feel familiar, yet his sympathy quickly turned to intrigue as he read further on the attempted victim– Conrad Grayson. David recognized him at once as his temporary cellmate from six months prior.

The plot was beginning to thicken as David continued reading Amanda's connection to Conrad and the Grayson Empire. Among the adjoining photos in the archives was one that caught his eye, mesmerized by the alluring monarch of the family, Victoria Grayson. With an anxious look around the library he printed the article, folding down a picture of her alongside her family and his late daughter.

With the article, Amanda's obituary and Mason's book he at least had a start, and more importantly a connection that was quite possibly still accessible. Nervous to step back out into the light of day, David hunched forward and covered his face with dark shades to render him unrecognizable. It worked to his favor when he brushed into an unsuspecting young man who crossed his path on the library steps – one who hesitated only for a moment to take a second look.

"Hey, careful—" Daniel muttered in his direction. He dismissed the run-in quickly, thinking nothing of it. All the while, David briskly continued walking, concentrated only on following the trail of Amanda's surviving family to her last residence in Montauk – the _Stowaway_.

 **SCENE**

"Well, what do you know? My mama still remembers I exist after all."

Victoria looked up at Louise's self-sympathetic drawl, watching as she perused a letter in solace after the morning mail call. They caught eyes briefly and Victoria quickly looked away.

"Would you care to hear what she has to say?" Louise prodded anyway. After spending a week as roommates it was hard to resist taunting her at any opportunity. "Oh no, wait a minute, that's right," she recalled, twisting the knife in. "You're already an expert at the art of meddlin' in _your_ children's lives… Come to think of it, do they even know you're here?"

"My son does," Victoria snarled, staring into the distance. It was often easier to answer Louise's infantile jabs than to incite her with ignorance.

As expected, Louise returned to her letter, propping her legs up on the bed. "And not one visit for his dear 'ol mama, tsk-tsk," she feigned sympathy, following with a sinister chuckle. "Well, no surprise there—your maternal instincts do leave _much_ to be desired."

Irritated, Victoria finally whirled around. "Perhaps if you focused on something other than acting out your tedious little insecurities, we might actually figure a way out of here," she leered, barely raising her voice an octave. "Besides, don't you think it's time you accept your _own_ family issues? They're so clearly a result of the father you had."

At that Louise bolted upward, angrily slamming down the letter to get in Victoria's face. "How dare you speak ill of my Daddy! Just what makes you think you know anything about him—or _me!_ "

"Oh, but I know more than you think," Victoria dangled calmly. "And I've been around long enough to know what a father's presence does to a child – or the lack thereof," she reflected, drawing on personal experience.

Louise's face trembled as she hit a nerve. "You know the longer I stay here the more I think I wouldn't mind helping you break out," she admitted painfully. "Just as long as it meant I never had to see your face again!"

"So then what are you waiting for?" Victoria eerily apprehended, drawing close. "Lend a hand, poppet," she taunted, implying she already had a plan that Louise could play a role in. "Why waste another second?"

Victoria turned back, leaving Louise to ponder if it was worth it to help her. But in a moment's time she had quickly doubled back to address another of her jabs. "And for the record, my son Patrick never viewed my love for him as interference. And while Daniel may yet torture me with his foolishness, I still have hope for my youngest child. She and I share the one thing that I'm afraid your relationship is dearly missing…"

"And what's that?" Louise grunted, folding her arms in challenge.

Victoria gave her signature sneer. "A daughter's best friend should always be—her mother."

 **SCENE**

Ben brought the patrol car to a slow halt just outside the library and leaned back to relax in the driver's seat. He shook his head while studying the steps leading up to the entrance and then resumed the call he had on hold. "Tell me again why I'm wasting precious taxpayer funds on following Daniel Grayson around?" he sighed.

"Because you're an officer," Margaux's thick accent rolled off her tongue and through his speaker. She paraded the halls of _LeMarchal_ headquarters, headed to a conference. "Your job is to serve and protect isn't it?" she asked.

Ben returned a grunt. "Yeah, well lately I feel like all I'm doing are _services_ for you and not enough _protecting_ my dignity." He stopped to reflect. "You know I can honestly say, six months ago I would have never broke protocol for a personal request—you are legitimately having a bad influence on me."

"Aw, I don't think so," Margaux chided with a cluck of her tongue. "Perhaps you were already a little bad to begin with…"

He couldn't resist a chuckle at her playfulness. "Seriously, though what's all this about," he pressed. "What makes you so convinced Daniel is up to something?"

"I already told you—his mother warned me that he and Emily were up to something sinister right before she disappeared," Margaux reiterated sternly. "It's not like her to lose contact for this long, something is wrong."

Ben obliged with a nod to himself. "I would agree, if I wasn't already accustomed to people of her status reacting to scandal by running for the hills. This is the Hamptons, Margaux. Conrad's arrest destroyed Victoria's image overnight—"

Margaux interjected wisely. "And yet somehow Daniel and Emily seem to have prevailed," she pointed out. "You can't tell me that turn of events wasn't by design," she theorized.

"Yeah, well unless this design includes stashing his mother in a public library, I highly doubt following him is going to get us anywhere," Ben countered wryly, allowing his attention to drift from the entrance. He focused instead on another figure several feet away, walking in the opposite direction.

But Margaux insisted, commanding his attention. "Please, Ben – I'm asking you to do me this favor, just this once. If nothing comes from it," she bargained hesitantly. "I promise I won't ask again."

"Alright," Ben finally conceded with a sigh, refocusing his glance. "But after this we need to talk—and soon."

" _Merci,"_ Margaux thanked him regardless, ending the call just as she entered her next appointment.

 **SCENE**

"So what, you're _Takeda_ now?!"

"Shh!" Emily quieted Nolan emphatically after putting Summer down for a nap. "See, _this_ is why I didn't want to tell you," she muttered, plowing through the hallway into the main parlor with Nolan just a step behind her. Fresh on the heels of her telling him the latest about Charlotte, she had expected as much from his reaction but it was still unsettling nonetheless.

"I'm sorry," Nolan ranted with sarcasm, while Emily sat down in a fresh outfit and fiddled with the straps on her shoes. "Forgive me if hearing that you're starting your own _revenge camp_ causes my octaves to rise up to level INFINITY—!" he belted, getting louder with each word.

"Will you keep your voice down?" Emily snapped in a firm whisper. "It's not like that; I didn't _want_ this for Charlotte!" she insisted, rising to her feet. "But half of the damage was already done by the time she came to me—for crying out loud, she _married_ Lyman just so she could take him and Louise down!"

"Oh and I wonder where she got that ingenious idea?" Nolan couldn't help scolding. He folded down his scowl once Emily met his expression. "Look, fine and well if this whole vengeance streak is a result of shared DNA, but you're sitting here acting like you don't have any choice but to help her?"

Emily reached his eye level. "Charlotte is determined to do this with or without my help, Nolan," she clarified. "I've already tried talking her out of it. At least this way maybe I can reel her in," she rationalized.

"Hm, good job with that so far. I wonder who gets top bunk at _Claremont_ – Louise or Victoria?" Nolan shot back, retracting slightly afterwards. He put his hands up apologetically, surrendering it as his last shot. "Sorry—it's just hard to stay calm when you have an Ems 2.0 on the loose," he digressed, coming around to trade spots with Emily.

"This is where it gets tricky," Emily addressed him as he sat down, shifting into damage control. "Charlotte thinks she had just as much cause to put her away as I did over Victoria. But despite what Louise did, she doesn't belong there."

Nolan steadied his thoughts by closing his eyes and placing a hand in the air. "So, Charlie thinks _Louise_ isjust as culpable as Mommie Dearest for sending Amanda off to meet her maker?"

Emily took a deep breath. "Charlotte thinks Amanda is _alive_ ," she delivered, expecting the contorted look she got in return. "Thanks to Victoria's conniving the world already thought she was dead. But Charlotte still thinks that's just a ruse to hide her out," she paused before finishing. "She left before I had the chance to tell her what happened. Her relationship with her mother was already destroyed," she explained helplessly. "I didn't want to add this to it."

Nolan exhaled heavily. "Now that's the Ems I _know_ ," he admitted, recognizing her more caring side. "So what are you gonna do?"

"The reason I told you all of this is to help me minimize the damage," Emily began pensively.

"Which translated means, 'help me stop my psycho baby sis before Daniel finds out'," Nolan concluded the rest.

Emily warned him with a stern look. "She's not psychotic, Nolan—she's misplaced. This is the only thing that gives her focus, trust me, I know." Her demeanor softened with empathy, personally attesting to having felt the same way for years. "But if I can convince her to hold off releasing what she finds on Lyman, maybe we can use it as leverage to get Louise out and actually do some good. After that…" she trailed off in thought. "Charlotte needs to hear the truth from Victoria."

"You really think she'll be able to handle it?" Nolan prompted, shivering at the possibilities.

But Emily's hope rested sure. "As long as Victoria's in Claremont, she's getting exactly what she deserves," she steamed. "Once Charlotte realizes that the one person at fault is paying out the price—maybe she'll let this go."

"Pending Victoria remains there indefinitely," Nolan hinted, reminding Emily of the big story in the news. "I mean, if an inmate can escape maximum security at the correctional facility on Riker's Island—what does that say about a place like Claremont?"

 **SCENE**

"Did you talk to her?"

Victoria's avid question met Louise just as she rounded the corner into the common leisure area, giving her barely a moment to catch her bearings before demanding response. "I suppose, if you can call that wild jibberish 'talkin'," Louise whispered in a drab tone.

Victoria scowled disapprovingly and immediately regretted trusting her with the errand. "What did Phyllis say?" she probed nonetheless.

"Essentially, that I'm crazy if I thought she'd be willing to fold herself into an airtight contraption just to smuggle out of here," Louise sighed irritably after checking to make sure the coast was clear. "Something I'm starting to believe, considering my surroundings," she agreed, glancing at some of the other patients. There was quite an array of the mentally unstable in the near vicinity.

"Nevermind that," Victoria pressed in reassurance. "She probably just didn't take well to a stranger asking—I'll speak to her when we're not being so closely watched."

With her promise she started away, but Louise pulled her back gently by the arm. "Victoria, are you sure about this? If either one of us gets caught, I shudder to think what they'll do—" she supposed doubtfully. Her nerve was quickly diminishing, causing her to wonder whether it was worth teaming with a woman like Victoria even if it was to accomplish dual benefit.

"Don't worry –I won't let anything happen to you," Victoria insisted, taking hold of her hand. The gesture surprised Louise and she froze unsuspecting, impelling Victoria to sink back into her seat. "I know we may have been at odds, and perhaps my inability to trust is to blame for why I've not always been open with you—both now and in the past," she admitted. "But I swear; I would never leave you behind. If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to see to it that you are freed from this god-forsaken place."

Louise's expression only grew with surprise. Though it was hard not to question Victoria's sincerity, her eyes were nothing short of contrite, as was every word that came from her mouth. Perhaps she had actually learned her lesson in the short time she spent in solitude, and if that were the case Louise could not really hold it against her. She was always one for giving people second chances.

"You would do that for me?" she affirmed, testing how far she was willing to go.

Victoria sealed the agreement with a firm nod. "I give you my word—if I walk out of here, so do you."

 **SCENE**

David arrived gingerly just outside of the _Stowaway,_ relying on directions from a local dockhand on where to find it. He approached the entrance with a mix of curiosity and reverence, wondering what legacy of his late daughter was held within the structure. But to his dismay the sign read that it was closed, and a peek at the inside told him it had been that way for some time.

"Lookin' for the owner?" a passerby called out from a few feet away, prompting David to turn.

"Yes," he answered, careful to make as little eye contact as possible. But the man who called out only edged closer, making David slightly nervous. "Is ah—is the place closed for the season?"

"Nah, I expect not much longer," he assured, swaggering even closer to join him in peering inside. "Jack asked me to look in on the place while he's upstate. But this morning he phoned, said he'd be by to pick up the keys later on this evening." He paused to look over while David continued to shield himself from a frontal view, gazing around back. "I imagine he'll open the place now that's summer's just underway… too much business to shut down this time of year."

David waited for him to slowly edge off before acknowledging the update. "Thank you, sir," he dismissed him swiftly, making his exit. "I'll keep that in mind."

 **SCENE**

"Anything?" Emily paced in front of her desk where Nolan was now seated, vigorously putting his technical skills to use.

Nolan stared in concentration, nodding a moment later when his search finally yielded something. "Well, I was able to hack public record for the newlyweds' prenup," he led in, prompting her to come around to inspect it. "But unfortunately—no dice," he finished with an unimpressed shrug. "There's nothing here to suggest it had any connection to Lyman's inheritance or his campaign run… other than the usual 'what's mine is mine', it looks pretty standard."

Emily sighed and stepped away, called back to the drawing board. "Keep looking, there had to be something in it for him," she insisted.

"I don't know Ems," Nolan countered, coming up empty again. "Maybe loverboy just really has it bad for your sis," he paused to consider carefully. "Speaking of, where _is_ said sibling by the way?"

Emily whipped out her phone, queuing up Charlotte's number. "I sent her digging for the same thing to slow her down. Let's see if it did," she whispered before switching tone as Charlotte picked up. "Hey, how'd it go?"

Charlotte's reply had a clearly audible tone of disgust. "Well, I went by the loft to look through our files…"

"And?" Emily probed eagerly.

Charlotte took a deep breath, turning the corner of her apartment's hallway. Now fully free of earshot she inspected the evidence that burned in her phone's camera. It forced her to momentarily stop conversation while she stared in alarm.

"Charlotte… Charlotte?" Emily's voice continued echoing through the receiver.

"I'm still here," she finally responded, putting the phone back to her ear. "Let's just say I walked in on Lyman's meeting with our finance manager—only they were having it in our _bed,_ " she divulged.

Emily pinched her eyes shut; ignoring Nolan's signals to relay what was going on. "He's cheating on you," she sighed, answering with a deduction. "Charlotte, I'm so sorry," she immediately consoled. "Listen, I know this probably all took you by surprise but… by any chance were you able to get a picture of him with her?"

"With _him,_ " Charlotte corrected, enlightening her on Lyman's secret. "But yes, just before I ran out. You were right, Emily – this marriage was just as much a front for him as it was for me."

Again Emily sympathized, though it was clear her sister's reaction was more from foiling Lyman's cunning than sincere heartbreak at the outcome. "I tried to tell you," she reminded her softly, spring boarding into the next order of business. "But now that you have proof you can use it to your advantage—"

"Oh I am," Charlotte attested boldly, drawing up courage as she continued her march down the stairwell to the street. "I'm going to destroy Lyman's campaign and political career before it even begins!" She reached the curb and thrust a hand out hastily to hail her driver.

"Charlotte, slow down," Emily urged her, pacing back towards her desk. "If Lyman knows you have leverage on him, you have time! State your terms, negotiate what you want, and remember what else is at stake here."

"Such as?" Charlotte defied, slipping into the backseat of her ride.

Emily stalled for emphasis. "His sister, for one? Come on, we've talked about this. Louise didn't deserve to be committed, and she's not safe in there with your mother—"

"If you ask me, they're perfect for each other," Charlotte cut her short to dismiss it. "Look, Emily you may have been right about Lyman but at this point I can't afford to have any loose ends—"

"—we _won't_ ," Emily pleaded for her to listen.

"Only if we stick to the plan!" Charlotte pushed vehemently. "If there's one thing you've taught me so far, is that." She ended abruptly, determined to win the argument. "I have to go; I'll talk to you later."

"Charlotte—" Emily attempted, but she had already hung up. Aggravated, she turned to Nolan.

"Well, if there was any question about your bloodline, safe to say that squashed it," he quipped, getting a familiar sense of déjà vu. "Takedowns gone awry… Clarke family tradition."

"Track her," Emily instructed him, too busy bolting for the door to notice his jokes. "Call me as soon as you know where she's headed, my guess is back to her attorney's office but at this rate she might go straight to the press."

Nolan was already one step ahead, pulling up the program. "On it," he confirmed, waiting for the task. "Anything else you need me to do, other than take credit for sniffing out Lyman's preference from the get-go?" he interjected as a sidebar, grinning sheepishly. "I saw that coming from a mile away at the Memorial Day affair..."

"Just focus on finding Charlotte," Emily maintained, still looming in the doorway. Before heading out, a thought occurred to her. "And Nolan," she doubled back with a wishful look. "There is one other thing."

 **SCENE**

Charlotte stormed briskly up the pavement and into an office building, making a fast break in heels for the elevator that was just about to close. "Hold that please!" she called ahead. A hand reached out to catch it just in time. But when she looked up she realized it belonged to her brother. "Daniel," she gaped awkwardly, stepping inside. "Hi?"

He eyed her with a matching level of surprise. "Char, what are you doing here?" he asked, scrunching up his nose. "I thought you were spending the day with Emily?"

"I ah, had to meet a friend," she replied quickly. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I work here," Daniel informed, reminding her that the building housed a number of law offices. "Remember?" He pointed to the button for the tenth floor where Stevie's firm was housed, and it prompted Charlotte to press hers just a few levels below.

"Right, you did say that," Charlotte remembered late, fumbling for small talk.

As per usual, Daniel was too keen for it. "So, is your _friend_ a divorce lawyer?" he probed, eyeing the floor selection.

Charlotte tensed, coming up with a quick lie. "My husband is an attorney, we have a lot of friends in the field," she shot back cleverly.

And just as easily Daniel diffused it. "Yeah, but if you were off to meet one of _Lyman's_ friends you would have said that," he pointed out. "But you just said _a_ friend." With that he drew back, giving her a more investigative look. "What's really going on? I mean, what's with Lyman anyway; he's clearly not your type."

"Oh, I'm sorry, are you and Emilytaking over for Mom and Dad now?" Charlotte snapped defensively. "Because last I checked, I _shared_ a parent with each of you. And I have a family of my own, so I don't need you checking up on me."

"Yeah, like a nephew I never see now that you've transformed into… whoever you are now," Daniel retorted. Charlotte scoffed as the bell rung for her floor but he pressed the hold button, delaying her. "Hey," he continued. "Look I know we dropped a huge bomb on you at the end of last year, ok I get it. It took me time to get over it too when I first found out. But you disappeared for months and then you just show up with a new life!" His expression pled for her to understand. "You can't blame me for being concerned."

"Don't worry, Daniel, I don't _blame_ you," she avoided slyly, reaching over him to release the door. "Not that it would change anything if I did."

"Oh and marrying some stranger is gonna make a difference?" he pressed, catching her hand. "So what is it—you guys having trouble already or are you just playing a role with Lyman while you're seeing someone else?"

Charlotte rebuffed his guess with a piercing laugh, unable to bypass the irony. "Wow, unbelievable," she sighed overwhelmingly at the insinuation. "No wonder Emily can't risk hiding things from you—anything you don't know you just assume until you figure it out," she chided; unaware it was a subtle hint.

While Daniel grew curious Charlotte finally was able to secure her swift exit. "But fortunately I don't have to answer to you or anyone else and thank God for that," she finished, tapping him with a pitiful look. "Since you so clearly aren't as _over_ all the secrets as you claim to be."

Daniel stood there just stunned for a moment as she left. He used the time between the doors closing and him arriving on his floor to think just how detached his sister had become, but more so to ponder what Emily could possibly be hiding.

 **SCENE**

"I couldn't have done this without you, girl."

Nolan leaned above Summer's crib in reflection, grinning softly to himself. But despite the tender tone of his expression, it was directed towards the whale figurine in his hand rather than the cooing infant below. Nolan held up Shamoo to take a closer look, admiring the keepsake that had served as his first of many secret cameras since his partnership with Emily.

"My muse," he echoed nostalgically, setting it on the ledge while he reached into his pocket. He retrieved a very thin, clear piece of plastic in a similar whale shape and carefully secured it onto the panel opposite the baby's crib: it was a very sophisticated and discreet monitoring device. With the news of Charlotte's vendetta and Emily now slipping into a mentor role, he was certain precautions would be needed. And while Emily had simply asked him to keep an eye on her daughter, he took it as a personal obligation to protect her to the fullest extent.

Summer let out a gurgle and Nolan looked over, noticing her eyes were transfixed on the whale figurine. "Sorry, baby girl," he answered affectionately, discarding it. " _This_ is not a toy." Her lips quivered and he quickly reached in to lift her out as a cry soon followed. "Ok, sh-sh-sh," he coddled, rubbing her back. "Uncle Nol is here... Mommy should be back soon."

He jiggled her softly until her cries eventually subsided, allowing him to hear the vibration of his phone in the other room. "In fact, that's probably her right now," he guessed, balancing her on his shoulder while he went to take the call on speakerphone. "Hey—did you get the address?" he asked upon seeing he was right.

Emily responded uneasily, exiting her car to step onto the curb. "Yeah, you sure it's the right one?" she questioned worriedly. "This is Daniel's building."

Nolan furrowed his brow, using his free hand to double check the locator on his tablet. "Afraid so—27th and Broad," he confirmed. "There's more than one law office there, Ems. Maybe your guess was right, she took the evidence to her attorney?"

Emily had already begun cautiously walking inside, glancing around the downstairs lobby. "If that's the case then it may be too late try stopping her," she slowed her stride, coming up with a new plan. "I'm better off catching her when she comes out," she supposed, turning to find a seat in the waiting area.

Her about-face dead locked her with Daniel, who was already sitting in an obscured seat by the door. "Well, that makes two of us," he completed, watching his wife's demeanor shift as she clearly had not expected him to be staking the place out. He stood with a dry greeting, implying she was caught.

"Hey babe… wanna tell me what the hell is going on?"

 **SCENE**

Emily took a deep breath, extending her hands onto the table in a quiet corner of the lobby. Her focus was still divided between watching the elevator but she forced herself to gaze into Daniel's eyes, knowing he deserved her undivided attention along with the truth.

"Charlotte didn't come back to the Hamptons to be closer to us," she dove in. "She came back for revenge."

Daniel squinted in reply, shuddering at the word. "Revenge?" he repeated. "Against who?"

Emily continued. "Enemies that she thinks still need to answer for everything that happened last year… people she discovered that had a hand in helping your mother convict Amanda… one of them was Louise—Lyman's sister."

"What's she after with her?" Daniel probed, piecing it all together.

"She persuaded Lyman to commit her to Claremont – it's why she married him. And she plans to ruin him next – exposing his secrets to the public to debilitate his image," Emily explained, pausing after each shocking revelation. Her eyes averted upwards and back over to glance at the elevator doors. "She may even be using the evidence she has on him as we speak."

Daniel closed his eyes to digest it all, pressing his hands along the bridge of his nose in exasperation. He barely knew where to begin other than to focus on the one thing that stood out from all she had just told. "How long have you known about this?" he dared, moving his hands so he could look at her.

"A week now… I tried to talk her out of it, Daniel," Emily pled, begging his understanding with a sincere shake of her head. "I thought I could stall her until I figured out a plan—"

"Until she got ahead of you and you had to chase her down," he deduced irritably. "And since you obviously didn't show up planning to tell me this, I'm guessing you got Nolan to track her location," he presumed, knowing her well. "Does he know about this too?"

Emily bit her lip. "Only since this afternoon," she replied honestly and Daniel rose apprehensively. "Daniel, I was going to tell you—" she insisted.

"Nevermind that," he brushed over, remaining focused rather than upset. He glanced at the elevator and then back over to the front entrance, surveying the premises. "You need to get him on the phone—Charlotte's been up there for a while now which means she either expects you to be tailing her or she found another exit."

While Emily complied Daniel headed back out to the street, casually taking a look around to see if she went out of a side entrance. He spied little more than a patrol car a few yards off, but quickly took his eyes off of it when he heard Emily on the phone.

"Nolan, can you check her position again—we're here but we don't see her," Emily asked.

"We…?" Nolan pinpointed the subtle detail but checked the tracking device nonetheless. This time he synched it to calculate distance from Emily, puzzled once he realized how close she was. "Ems, check under your Manolo's," he insisted. "You're right on top of her."

Confused, Emily whirled around anxiously to keep looking and then suddenly gazed in the only direction she hadn't checked – up. The phone slipped partially out of her grasp as she stared aghast, pinching Daniel beside her to look. Fear sank into their hearts as they glimpsed the figure atop the building—Charlotte was on the roof.

"Oh my God…"

 **SCENE**

Margaux was in the midst of a conference with two prominent business associates when Ben suddenly barged into her office in full uniform, alarming them with his presence.

"Is there a problem?" one of the associates whispered, triggering Margaux to look.

"Ben, what are you doing here?" Margaux gaped, partially calming them with her familiarity.

"We need to talk," he demanded, addressing the others. "Sorry for interrupting but this is urgent."

"Ah—yes, apologies gentleman," Margaux supplemented, escorting them out. "I've merely been assisting Officer Hunter with an important investigation, I assure you there's nothing to worry about," she cajoled, glaring underhandedly at Ben until the last one left. She secured the door shut and marched back over to face him squarely. "Please tell me this means you have information?" she pressed.

"Oh yeah, breaking news—Daniel Grayson went to work today and his wife met him for lunch," Ben rattled off sardonically, folding his arms. "Did you want me to bring them down for questioning or just read 'em their Miranda rights?"

Margaux pinched her eyes at his acerbic response. "Ben—" she began, staring at the floor.

But he continued on momentum. "You know, it's funny as I was watching them sit down as a couple in a romantic corner of the lobby, I suddenly realized what an _idiot_ I am," he replayed. "How I've been ignoring all the signs in this relationship."

"Ben, what are you saying?" Margaux peered into his face to decipher.

"You're in love with him, Margaux," he slung forcefully, speaking with a firm conviction that perhaps came with the nature of his job, but more so derived from the emotions in his heart. She scoffed at his assumption nonetheless. "Or maybe you're just jealous that he's already taken," he altered it with a shrug. "But either way—you're _not_ in love with me," he asserted more forwardly.

On those words she was compelled to silence, finding it difficult to argue a strong defense. "That's not what it is," was all she felt comfortable assuring, but it was barely enough.

"Then why can't you commit to me?" Ben reasoned, shaking his head. "You'd rather put my badge at risk, sending me out of jurisdiction to spy on your ex, than stay one night at my place without rushing out in the morning."

Margaux froze, getting a full picture of the dysfunction in their relationship from just a few words spoken with resentment. She ultimately had no response, even though a part of her wanted to insist it wasn't true. Her experience had taught her that without proof, it was a hard case to make.

"Listen, I know how to take a hint," Ben continued, taking her silence as agreement. "And if this isn't what you want then maybe you need to take some time to figure it out," he absolved, sensing the break-up coming on. He studied her face for any semblance of disappointment but she was numb and he was tired of grasping for a reaction. Satisfied with the ability to at least speak his mind he nodded in farewell, slipping past to leave her office.

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte!"

Daniel and Emily simultaneously burst through the doors to the roof, echoing each other's cries only to find no one there. They both searched frantically, Daniel bolting ahead to run to the ledge and stare down at the ground below, fearing she was already gone. But to his surprise there was nothing amiss beneath them – the streets were bustling just as they were minutes before they ran upstairs.

He stared dumbfounded over to Emily on his left, and for a moment she too was thrown with confusion until her instincts kicked in. She surveyed the area where they stood, zeroing in on an object less than a foot away: Charlotte's phone, discarded onto the cement.

"She's not hurt," Emily assured him upon picking it up, slowly putting it together. "She set us up," she concluded instead, holding up the phone. A glance over at the stairwell and down to the street made the rest pretty simple, albeit embarrassing. "A distraction so she could leave without being followed," she finished.

Daniel sighed, still catching his breath from his sprint. "That's just great," he exhaled in dry realization. "A week in training and she's already outsmarting you," he couldn't help chiding as he walked away. At this point he was starting to feel like Emily deserved it as he left her to ponder where she stood. "You two are off to a good start."

 **SCENE**

Louise looked up at the sound of the door opening to her room, hoping the next phase of the plan to escape had gone successful. But to her dismay Victoria was being escorted back by one of the nurses, her downward gaze implying she had once again been foiled.

"What happened?" she asked anxiously, but Victoria was silent and merely returned to her bedside.

"She's just here to collect her things," the orderly informed, and Louise glanced over again, realizing Victoria had begun to pack. "This is her second violation in a week—she's being confined to a solitary room."

Realizing it was a complete upset to their plot, Louise pushed aside their contentions to argue in her behalf. "No, you can't do that—it isn't fair!" she wailed, but Victoria quieted her, coming over to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Shh, poppet," she hushed, calmly accepting it. "Thank you for trying," she praised her instead. "I know it wasn't easy. But it seems I'm destined to be trapped behind these walls… I can only wish you a much better fate, my dear." She leaned in to give her a hug in farewell, and though it was awkward, Louise couldn't help hugging her back.

In a matter of minutes Victoria was packed and Louise watched her go, helplessly searching for what to do. "Isn't there anything that can be done?" she insisted to another orderly who came to see Victoria down the hall.

"Sorry, Ms. Ellis," she replied. "Doctor's orders… in the meantime," she shifted, placing a hand on Louise's arm to escort her in the opposite direction. "You have a visitor waiting."

Louise furrowed her brow. "A visitor for me?"

 **SCENE**

The dark corridors of the men's shower hall at Riker's Correctional were meant to be daunting, urging inmates to rush through their evening routine for fear of being attacked in a vulnerable state. Such was Conrad's aim as he rinsed off swiftly and secured a towel about his waist. But the hall had all but cleared out when he padded around the other side of the wall in a hurry, faintly hearing a noise

"Mason?" he called out apprehensively, but there was no response. He edged along to the next wall, desperately hoping that he was waiting in the shadows—when he was startled by the presence of someone else.

"Looking for these?" Aiden accosted him from the darkness, holding up his prison clothing.

Conrad went rigid, though seeing his former foe did not have quite the same effect as his previous encounter with David. While the latter felt like being haunted by a ghost, being alone with Aiden in an empty room was more like an ambush.

"I've been expecting you," Conrad made an attempt to stay composed. With a clearer look he could see Aiden's form was more defined than he recalled, more covered with scattered markings and his facial hair was grown in. By appearance alone he was much more intimidating, though he tried not to let on. "I hear your plan to deceive me into a confession was no match for Victoria's scorn?" He shook his head grievously. "Did you take a plea just to come here and blame _me_ for it?"

Aiden took a step closer, suddenly jolting in his direction. When Conrad flinched in response he merely chuckled, throwing his clothes to him instead. "Relax, I'm not here to attack you," he advised. "I came to call a truce."

"A truce?" Conrad couldn't help letting out a real laugh, and quickly slipped on his uniform while he could be certain Aiden wasn't hostile. "You staged the fake kidnapping of my daughter that landed me in prison for life," he rebuffed. "Why would I ever call a truce with you?"

"Because I know you're desperate to get out of here," Aiden answered coyly, looking away while collecting his thoughts. "But you have neither the means nor the access to stage an escape – especially when your every move is being watched."

Conrad agreed with a stern look, still conscious of their surroundings. "And I suppose you think you're _above_ those measures?" he guessed, discrediting it quickly. "In case you didn't realize, security has been amped up around here ever since that inmate took a walk last week."

Aiden smirked. "Not to worry; the kind of freedom I'm prepared to offer doesn't require hopping a fence," he promised. "That is… if you're willing to do something for me in return?"

 **SCENE**

"I thought it was time I met my sister-in-law."

Louise walked blearily towards the woman waiting for her in the visitation room. She was youngish looking and somehow familiar. "Sister in law?" she repeated, thinking hard. "That's right—I did hear a rumor my brother went out and got himself hitched before I was checked in here," she recalled. "I didn't even realize his divorce from his first wife was final?"

"Yeah well, when you're a district attorney people tend to move a little faster with legal matters," the woman informed, extending her hand to introduce herself. "I'm Charlotte."

"And I'm Louise," she replied, shaking it skeptically as she sank into the seat across from her. "But I suppose if you're here—you already know that?" she added sheepishly.

Charlotte put on a pretense to imply it were newly acquired information, glancing around the room. "You know how private your brother can be," she answered, unable to hide a shade of underlying contempt. "But I insisted on seeing for myself."

Louise relaxed slightly, leaning in. "Lyman has a tendency to be private in a number of areas," she related, studying Charlotte closely. "One of which I'd assume his bride would have already stumbled across by now, if you catch my drift… but you seem awfully naïve, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Do you have any idea what you married into, honey?"

Despite Louise's patronizing, Charlotte maintained an armored smile. "I've done a bit of research," she offered in retort. "Like the fact that you were the last person seen with your father just before he fell to his death from a flight of stairs last year?"

Immediately Louise turned cold, shrinking back in disbelief. "How could you know about that?" she gasped. It was a secret she had not spoken aloud in months, one that even Lyman had avowed to keeping under wraps.

"Or the fact that you conspired with Victoria Grayson to land Amanda Clarke in prison— a stint that eventually led to her _murder_ disguised as an accident," Charlotte plundered on. She watched as Louise continued to retract, taking anxious breaths.

"Who are you?" she breathed fearfully. "What gives you the right to come here, throwing all of this in my face—"

"Only the very thing you thought would protect you just now," Charlotte fired back angrily. " _Family._ Except what you don't get is your family is the one that put you here," she revealed, ready to play it to her advantage. "It didn't take much to convince Lyman you needed help. But what made it more poetic was you ending up with your accomplice – my mother."

The entire shape of Louise's face contorted and her eyes grew big as saucers as she processed the identity of the woman before her, a woman who for all intents and purposes was now her sister-in-law. " _You're_ Victoria's daughter?" she gaped. But rather than become enraged by the deceit she suddenly fell forward with contrition. "Please, you've got to believe me I didn't know what she had planned when I said I would help her—I swear!"

Charlotte remained firm. "I'm going to need more than your word," she resolved. "It's the reason why I came." With that she produced a tablet from her bag, accessing the photos she had taken earlier of Lyman from her cloud. "I could have easily used these to destroy your brother and attach your family to a colossal scandal," she warned, giving her a moment. "But someone convinced me that I should use it to my advantage."

Louise had barely taken a glance before looking away. "What do you want?" she posed, handing it back.

"To negotiate your release," Charlotte dangled carefully. "Lyman would authorize practically anything to keep me from publishing those. You could walk out of here in the next five minutes."

"I don't understand," Louise folded her arms. "You convinced him to lock me up in this looney bin only to let me right back out?"

"On one condition," Charlotte revealed at last. "You come back with me to the Hamptons and admit to everything." Louise gave her an incredulous look but she maintained her stance. "Jack deserves to hear it from the one person he trusted the most," she added. "It's that or I become a very unforgiving wife and you stay here indefinitely while Lyman deals with a media scandal…"

Charlotte watched Louise sit back to ponder her options, sensing the likelihood was that she was about to get the perfect resolution of justice while still heeding Emily's advice. "So," she prodded, conscious of time running out. "What's it going to be?

 **SCENE**

Ben answered the knock at his door later on that night with curiosity, amazed to see Margaux standing on the other side with a pleading look. He leaned his arm on the door frame, uninviting. "Something I can do for you?" he asked, maintaining formality in his tone.

She bowed her head slightly in expectation. "I came to apologize."

He shifted with interest, reading her expression. "Really," he admitted unexpectedly. "Didn't think you had it in you?"

Margaux took a step forward, closing the space between them. "You underestimate me," she informed, hoping it would sway him to let her in.

He obliged, but turned his back as she followed him inside. "And you misinterpreted that as a compliment," he shot back, finding a seat on the armrest of a chair. His bachelor pad was fairly sparse and uninteresting, and by Margaux's assessment dearly in need of a woman's touch. But she entered with determination, intent on proving that she was willing to be a permanent fixture if he would let her.

"I know my actions of late may have seemed rash," she began her confession, sensing by his stance that it was needed first before anything else. "And for that I am sorry. But I want to assure you that you were wrong earlier— none of it comes from having feelings for Daniel." She crossed her arms, growing serious with her next assertion. "It's not longing within my soul that makes me this way, Ben. It's justice."

Ben scoffed but when she glared heavily in response he forced himself to accept it. "Justice," he repeated, trying to sympathize. "Well if there's anyone that should be able to understand that side of things it should be me," he added, a nod to his profession. "The only problem is—you never want to talk about it."

"You're right," Margaux affirmed, touching him as she reached his vicinity. "I've been holding back for some time now… but I believed it to be where my power comes from. For so long I've been afraid that if I let go and let someone else in—" she glanced away abruptly and her eyes were softened, even vulnerable when they returned. "I would lose it."

Gradually empathizing, Ben relaxed his stance to place an assuring hand over hers. "No one's trying to take your power from you, Margaux. You've been through a lot and you're a strong woman," he commended her, exhaling softly. "It's the reason why I was attracted to you in the first place. But don't misunderstand me –I respect what makes you who you are, but you have to do the same. I'm not a guy who just does things on the fly without thinking…"

She chuckled, agreeing on how fitting a description it was of his personality. Deep down Ben had a strong reverence for procedure and protocol and that included following through on any responsibility he owned.

"…I need to know where I'm headed," he was finishing when she looked up. "And that includes where this thing between _us_ is going," he stated finally.

Margaux had already given it enough thought to be confident in her answer. "In that case, it's time I stop fighting my impulses…" she allured. And though her seductive tone was familiar, this time Ben saw a commitment in her eyes that superseded their previous trysts. To further solidify it, she took him by the hand in promise. "I want to be with you, Ben... And I want to start by telling you everything."

 **SCENE**

It was late when the phone rang in the study at Grayson Manor, piercing the silence between Emily pacing the hall and Nolan busy at work on the computer. Daniel had gone upstairs hours before, clearly irritable at the turn of events, but pouring himself into spending time with their daughter instead. Emily had graciously allowed him the needed space and inwardly hoped to resolve things before the tension in the house grew. So when the incoming call signaled on the main lineshe rushed to answer, expecting it was an update.

"Charlotte, tell me you didn't release those photos," she demanded, guessing by the unknown ID that it could only be her sister.

"I didn't. You were right—it's better to use them to my advantage," Charlotte's voice confirmed.

"Thank God," Emily sighed. "You did the right thing."

But the relief was only temporary. "Oh, I'm not done yet. Louise still needs to answer for what she did," Charlotte interjected, turning from her vantage point at the bar inside the empty _Stowaway._ She cast a quick glance over to Louise, who waited sheepishly by the door for Jack to arrive. "And tonight, she will."

Emily wrinkled her brow in confusion. "Wait—what are you talking about?" she probed anxiously, taking it a step further. "Where are you?"

"I'm waiting for Jack," Charlotte replied, loosening her guard to get a little snippy. "Since you insisted on _lying_ to me about hearing from him I decided to not to wait any longer. He needs to hear the truth from the horse's mouth." She turned sinisterly, revealing more to her ploy than she originally had to Louise. "And it's time she faced the consequences from the people she betrayed."

Louise shifted uncomfortably, realizing there was more to the staged faceoff than simply an admission. She began frantically looking around, wondering if she had made the wrong choice making a deal with Victoria's daughter.

Meanwhile, Emily fumed on the other line, grabbing the other's attention. "Charlotte, I don't know what you've done but, you need to leave Jack out of this!" She rubbed her forehead in exasperation, realizing it was time to lay it all bare. "For the last time, Louise isn't the one at fault— _Victoria_ is. _Your mother killed Amanda!_ "

It took everything in her gut to speak the words, but once they were out there was an audible sense of fear that translated from Charlotte on the other side. "What are you talking about?" she whispered hoarsely, surging into denial. "Amanda faked her death— I saw her in the flesh!"

"But the night you came back Victoria had already tracked her down," Emily explained, regretting every moment of not sharing it sooner. "She held her and Aiden hostage and then she _murdered_ her, Charlotte. When we got here," she trailed off, fighting back emotion "… she was already gone."

Charlotte could feel herself going numb, unable to fathom that more secrets lurked beneath the surface—painful ones that meant the reconciliation she sought with Amanda could never be. She steadied herself along the bar, all the while never realizing that Louise was hearing every word and slowly rethinking her predicament.

"You're lying," Charlotte made one last attempt at bargaining, quickly losing focus. "How could you lie to me again?" she demanded.

"I swear it's the truth," Emily insisted, instantly worrying that there was still more at stake. "I know, I should've told you but you had already gone before I had the chance to. Please, Charlotte just—just tell me where you are so we can sort this out—"

"I can't—it's too late," Charlotte replied instinctively and glanced again towards the door. Before she could process that the confrontation was not going to happen as planned she suddenly realized Louise was no longer there. She turned at once to look— and was promptly struck with a blunt object that sent her falling to the ground, unconscious.

Louise towered over her, dropping the heavy object she had found nearby. Her hands immediately went to her mouth and a shriek escaped, denoting her shock. A small trail of blood was seeping from Charlotte's forehead— what was meant to merely incapacitate her captor now looked by the impact that it had caused her end. Meanwhile, Emily's frantic shouting for Charlotte to pick up could still be heard on the phone in her hand.

Panicking, Louise looked around at once, realizing she had to do more to cover the damage. She grabbed a nearby electrical fixture and tossed it to the ground, watching it crash with a spark that exploded into flames. She worked quickly to help it spread, eventually backing out of the bar the same way she had come in, but not before stepping over Charlotte's motionless body. Her memories plagued her with guilt and she leaned close penitently, whispering into her ear.

"Goodbye… Sis."

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she pulled away, horrified at what she had done but still impelled nevertheless to do it. The fire intensified and she finally rushed out, covering her mouth so as not to breathe in the clouds of smoke. She began coughing and was still struggling to catch her breath as she emerged, running right into the arms of an unfamiliar stranger.

"Oh!" she gasped, never once recognizing that the man staring back at her was David Clarke.

"Are you all right?" David asked anxiously, looking towards the burning building. "Is anyone else in there?"

Louise turned nervously in the direction, sealing Charlotte's fate with her reply. "No," she stammered. "It's empty."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: "When it all goes up in flames… we'll be the last ones standing." Welcome back Revengers! Sorry had to add in that line from the song used in the episode (Up in Flames by Ruelle) - it just fits so perfectly! So I hope you enjoyed despite having to end on a cliffhanger! But I wanted to stay parallel with the structure of the show while still moving a lot of ground with Charlotte's revenge. Emily will certainly have her hands full when the next chapter picks up but in the meantime, how did you like her first run at playing Revenge-Mentor to baby sis? I know that all the "Disclosure" in this chap led to a few bumps (including a little tension for Demily) but all I ask is that you hold on for the ride! I'm listening to your suggestions and reviews and there is a lot in store for them! But I promise to keep it interesting and still worth the time you invest to read :) On that note, thank you so much again for returning! Let me know your thoughts and feedback when you get a chance and hopefully I can update again soon! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	45. Chapter 44: Ashes

**Chapter 44: Ashes**

 _ **It has been said that glory paid to our ashes comes too late… and that people rarely get the flowers while they can still smell them. Such has been the case for the losses I have endured – lives snatched away without tribute… without due respects that were owed...**_

Emily held her breath as she trudged up the cemetery path, exhaling at the peak of the incline. The clearing was less than twenty feet away—a final resting place for another life lost too soon. And while this soul had been taken unexpectedly just like many others, the loss was unique. It filled Emily with a sense of wonder, forcing her to rethink how different both her past and future might have been had she made different choices. And yet there was no way to turn back the hands of time, nor deny the one factor that linked them together: they were family.

 **THREE DAYS EARLIER**

David's need for discretion quickly vanished as he took a closer look into the burning structure, instantly spying someone was inside. _"Hey! Someone's still in there—we need help!"_ he yelled.

Ignoring the girl who had just run off, he rushed in alone, using his sleeve as a shield from the smoke. Nearly the entire bar was aflame but there was one small area that had yet to be consumed, where a young woman was sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Covering her mouth, he hoisted her upper body and lifted her into his arms before charging from the building, just shy of a falling beam.

The impact caused him to lurch forwards as he ran, and he lost his balance pulling her to safety. He huddled over to check—she was still breathing, but barely. Slowly the fear returned of his identity being discovered and he knew he had to act quickly to get her assistance. He could hear fire sirens within close range and workers nearby were creating a parameter. One man was pushing through to get to the bar. _"_ No, no, no! _"_ the man cried, while the workers tried to restrain him.

"Jack, you can't go in there—" they urged, but he shoved his way through.

 _"That's my bar, I can't just watch it burn!"_ he shouted, sprinting for the entrance. David seized the opportunity, making a break for the docks while he hoped the owner would find the girl.

Sure enough, he stopped short right where she was laid a few feet off. _"_ Hey—over here! Someone's hurt! _"_ Jack yelled, and he crouched down to inspect. He turned her over with sudden recognition. _"Oh my God—CHARLOTTE!_ " he wailed in concern, holding her until another worker arrived. _"What happened – was she inside?!"_

 _"_ I don't know, Jack—I'll get the paramedics! _"_ the other responded.

It was enough to assure David that she would receive the proper attention and at last he retracted, edging his way out without notice or recognition, just as he had done so many times before.

 **SCENE**

"Speechless, are you?"

Margaux's husky response came between heaving breaths, just as Ben rolled under the covers from atop her sweaty form. He echoed her spirited gasps in the wake of vigorous exertion, chuckling as he gathered his bearings.

"Sorry," he finally panted, gazing over glassy-eyed. "I know it's not like me to be at a loss for words."

She grinned back. "And to think, all it took was a little commitment to get you to shut up," she dangled affectionately, teasing him.

He laughed heartily in return, still simmering from contentment. Even with her lighthearted jokes, it was clear the tension between him and Margaux had released. Their relationship had only been affirmed just over eight hours but already it felt empowering to have both security and direction. The difference was not only clear in their physical intimacy, but in the emotional confession she had offered the night before—solidifying their first bond of trust.

As her honest admissions came slowly trailing back to mind, Ben couldn't help reflecting. "I know I said this last night but, it really means a lot you opening up to me," he praised her, stroking her cheek. "And I understand why it's been hard for you… after everything that happened surrounding your father's death, I think it would be hard for me too."

Margaux bowed in acknowledgment, shaking a few stray blond hairs from her face. "I'm just happy things are now in the clear between us," she sidestepped it.

Ben sensed it was wise not to force her to keep reliving it and merely smiled in approval. "So listen, this whole stepping-out-of-the-comfort-zone thing doesn't come without reward," he offered, shifting position to draw closer. "And I was thinking maybe there was some truth to what you said … you know, about me having a bad side?"

"After last night I thought that went without saying?" Margaux alluded, eyeing his physique.

He chuckled again. "I was thinking more along the lines of bending the rules," he implied. "I don't think the chief would mind if I started my shift a little later today…if you wanted to spend the morning together?"

"Ah, a romantic morning to follow a passionate night," Margaux retranslated, reaching in for a quick kiss. She nuzzled him softly to show interest before regretfully pulling away. "I would love nothing more. But alas—business calls. I have a meeting I cannot miss," she admitted with apology. "I hope you can forgive me?"

Ben sighed. "Of course," he obliged. She had already surprised him with more than was expected. He let her get ready, watching for a few moments as she dressed in last night's clothes. "I should probably go in anyway—wouldn't want to tarnish my perfect record of attendance."

Margaux giggled, shaking her head. "Not so devious after all, mm?" she chided, leaving the room to find her shoes.

Ben agreed she was right, though part of him was slowly yearning to show his more spontaneous side. He made a mental note as he reached over to check his phone, quickly forgetting the thought when he saw several alerts from the past few hours. It seemed inevitable that fate wanted him at his shift that morning—there had been a devastating fire in Montauk at the _Stowaway_.

 **SCENE**

"Thank God you got there when you did, Jack."

Emily offered her sentiments of relief just outside Charlotte's room in the intensive care unit of Suffolk County Memorial Hospital. After the curious ending to their phone conversation, her instincts had led her and Daniel over to the _Stowaway_ to investigate in the wee hours of morning, just as she was being carted away by paramedics. Ever dependable, Nolan had obliged to look after Summer while they spent hours with Jack in support, waiting for an update that was due any minute.

"She could have died in that fire," Emily lamented, still digesting the possibilities.

Jack leaned forward in the seat next to her, visibly wearing his concern. "I wouldn't have come back if it wasn't for your message," he admitted honestly, taking advantage of the brief moment alone while Daniel spoke to the doctor. Emily's eyes narrowed and he faced her more directly. "When you mentioned Amanda," he explained. "I knew something had to be wrong."

"Amanda?" Emily repeated with slight confusion. Her expression relaxed as she did the math and then shook her head woefully. "Charlotte must have gotten hold of my phone," she deduced, rethinking their moments together the previous day. "I'm sorry. I never told her what actually happened… but once I discovered she had her own plans for Louise, I knew I needed to tell her the truth."

"Louise—you mean that _spy_ Victoria planted into my family?" Jack verified irritably.

A nod from Emily only spurred him into deeper anger. "She was with her at the time."

"What was Charlotte thinking? She put herself in unthinkable danger—!" Jack vented just as Daniel returned, looming over them.

"She's still not out of it," he delivered solemnly, saving Emily from an uneasy explanation. But what followed was even more harrowing. "The doctor said Charlotte inhaled a lot of smoke. While they're pretty certain she's going to pull through, there's a chance she may have permanent lung damage. They're running a few more tests before they say for sure." He allowed time for it to resonate before shifting into his own rant. "Look, I know we're all still taking this in— but are we going to talk about what _really_ happened? Louise clearly tried to murder her!"

Emily looked up, expecting the interrogation. "This doesn't make sense," she reasoned. "Louise was only an instrument to Victoria's plan last year – she said she never wanted any part of it—"

"And you believed her?" Jack objected, shaking his head in the opposite.

"She's _not_ a bad person, Jack," Emily defended, glancing up at Daniel. "Trust me; I know when I'm dealing with a cold-blooded killer. I tried to help Charlotte to see that but she wouldn't listen…" she trailed off, careful not to let on about her hidden agenda.

"Yeah, well after being left for _dead_ in a burning building, I'm not sure I blame her," Daniel came to Charlotte's defense, stepping a pace away. Emily glared in his direction, but her retort was interrupted.

"That's just it, though—Charlotte wasn't inside the building when I found her," Jack informed, drawing their attention. "Maybe she had been in there a while before that but… I'm telling you when I got to her, she was safely outside."

Daniel edged back over skeptically. "You saying Louise had a change of heart?" he guessed, planting a hand on his hip. "Decided, 'oh maybe I don't want to kill her after all' and went back in to drag her out?"

"Well, someone had to!" Jack insisted fairly. "How else do you explain where she ended up?"

He shrugged. "Maybe she dragged herself out," he offered, eyeing Emily with subtle indication. "We all know she's stronger than she looks."

"She was unconscious when they got to her," Emily snapped in correction. "She had a blow to the back of her head—there's no way she pulled herself out of there."

Daniel folded his arms. "That's not boding well for your theory about Louise," he threw back.

It prompted Emily to stand, growing tired of the argument. "Do you have a better one?" she posed. They both took a breath, moving away from the other while Jack looked on uncomfortably. Emily took a peek into the room. "I'm going to sit with her for a while," she announced before heading in. "I'll let you know if she comes to."

Daniel agreed and wearily took Emily's seat next to Jack. And while it was rare for him to share a common perspective, he couldn't help sympathizing. "Sorry you came all the way back to the Hamptons for this," he muttered.

"Actually… I'm glad I came back," Jack replied. "I know it may sound crazy but—it gave me a lot of closure I didn't realize I needed." He paused to think, quickly adding. "Once I knew Charlotte was safe, of course."

"Thank you, again," Daniel was compelled to add, peering over with appreciation. "If something had happened to her…" he trailed off, shuddering to picture yet another tragedy.

"Yeah, I get it," Jack finished, and suddenly Daniel felt incredibly insensitive. Here he was lamenting what could have been while Jack was still mourning Amanda's loss. He started to apologize but Jack was already onto another thought, distracting himself. "I just really want to know what was going through Charlotte's head. I mean _, Louise_? How did she even know where to find her?"

The questions unsettled Daniel, as his foreknowledge of Charlotte and Emily's joint plan was already a source of distaste. "Well, if you can believe the irony," he doled out in part. "At least more recently, Louise has been with my mother." He stared over at Jack to finish. "In a mental institution."

"Wait a minute," Jack struggled to grasp, focusing on one of the details. "You _committed_ Victoria? So you mean to tell me right now she's sitting somewhere in a padded room?"

Daniel turned ominously. "As far as I know…"

 **SCENE**

Louise made her troubled entrance into a backwater diner on the other side of town, jumping slightly as the bell rattled on the door. It signaled the waitress behind the counter to look up and she smiled nervously, relieved after she quickly looked away. Staying incognito was neither one of her strong suits nor an acquired practice, but in the past twelve hours it was quickly becoming a necessity. Even more so as she stepped back to ensure the coast was clear before letting her companion walk ahead of her—Victoria.

"I'm sorry your first outing is a dive in the middle of nowhere," Louise apologized, whispering as they settled into a corner booth.

"Nonsense, dear," Victoria assured her with tenacity. She reached across the table to take her by the hand. "I can't tell you how grateful I am you came back for me… Though I still don't know how you managed to get Dr. Miller to let me go?" she added.

Louise put on a half-grin, guiltily pulling her hand away. "Well, when my… _relative_ showed up unexpectedly and said they'd called in a favor," she swept over the details. "I asked if they wouldn't mind pulling a few strings; it's the least I could do."

A waitress came by to bring them water and Louise immediately seized hers, draining it halfway. "Coffee, please?" she begged when finished, sending her off. She was still shaking from nerves when she set the glass back down anxiously and faced Victoria again. "After all, you said you would do the same for me?" she forced a smile.

"And I meant it," Victoria affirmed, staring back with sincerity in her eyes. "You've been more loyal to me than my own family."

An alert sounded from Louise's purse and she glanced down. It was Lyman. "Funny," she ignored it, again with a nervous laugh. "Since as it turns out, we're kind of related?"

Victoria cocked her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

Louise fidgeted until she finally decided there was no point holding it in. She closed her eyes and prepared to purge the truth. "Victoria," she began apprehensively. "There's something I have to tell you—"

"Oh my God," Victoria interrupted before she could finish. "Charlotte!"

Louise wrinkled her brow in disbelief. "How did you know…" she asked upon opening her eyes, soon realizing that Victoria was concentrated on the TV monitor just above them. On it was a news broadcast, announcing not only the fire that she had nearly just confessed to, but a revelation that also came as news to her – Charlotte had survived.

 _"Charlotte Clarke, more recently known as Ellis after whirlwind nuptials to a local Senate candidate, was discovered by bar owner Jack Porter in what appears to be an electrical mishap,"_ the report detailed.

"Oh, Louise," Victoria whimpered desperately, overlooking the subtle reference to her marriage. All she could focus on was her daughter's state. "I must ask you to take me to her—I can't sit here while my child may be seriously hurt!"

"Ah—ah, of course," Louise stammered, shaken first by the report and then by her subsequent obligation to possibly cross paths with her again. "You, um, go on ahead outside; I'll just take care of the bill," she urged nimbly.

Victoria left at once, preoccupied with worry as she trudged back out to the car. Meanwhile, Louise hung behind and quickly dug out her phone to study Lyman's missed call. She rang him back and he answered within seconds.

"It's me— _yes_ I just heard," she cut through the pleasantries. "Don't worry, I took Charlotte's phone with the pictures before I left, the police won't find anything," she assured, but not without a note of warning. "Look, Lyman I appreciate your help getting Victoria out but don't think for a _second_ that this is over! I still haven't forgiven you for putting me away in the first place… I'm gonna need another favor before all this is through."

She went silent to allow for his response, and got up to settle the bill. Before turning to leave she couldn't help zoning out momentarily, entranced by the news report. Slowly but surely she could feel it sealing her fate, knowing she was about to enter the lion's den with the mother of the girl she had nearly killed the night before.

"Oh dear Lord…"

 **SCENE**

"… and that's when the ambulance came and brought her here."

Ben nodded at the conclusion of Jack's statement, taking the official report down just outside the entrance to Suffolk County Memorial Hospital. Jack was on his way out, wearing a tense look that read how eager he was to leave.

"Right, well I think that's all we need," Ben wrapped up, folding down his pad. "Appreciate your hard efforts, Officer Porter – that was quite a rescue."

"Thanks, but it's not 'Officer' just yet," Jack volunteered honestly, shaking his hand. "I still have another week or so before I graduate from the academy."

Ben cocked his head in approval. "Well, if you ask me, field experience is a better qualifier than anything else, Cadet Porter," he appraised. "It's obvious you've got what it takes." A kindred thought occurred to him. "Listen, I know you're upstate but if you chose to stick around I'm pretty sure you could get a transfer? We need someone like you on the force – though I'll let you know in advance we don't get paid extra for going into burning buildings," he tried at a joke.

"Thanks, but… have to be getting back to my family," Jack declined with a pleasant grin. He spied Emily and Daniel also coming out from his peripheral vision. "Nice meeting you, Officer Hunter," he added to Ben and started towards the lot.

Emily sped up her stride to catch him. "Jack, wait," she called out. "You're not leaving town just yet are you?"

He kept his stance firmly planted in the opposing direction. "I'm just swinging by the _Stowaway_ to salvage a few things and then I'm headed back north," he admitted, ignoring her pleading look. "The insurance company doesn't need me around to handle the rest and it's not like I'd have anywhere to camp out if they did."

She reached out before he could take off, pulling him to face her. "Jack, you know you can stay with us," she offered, glancing over at Daniel for support. He stayed behind without any conscious objection to the idea, but neither was he overly enthusiastic. "Please," Emily insisted. "You saved Charlotte's life. We owe you everything—"

But Jack stopped her before she could finish. "I've already _lost_ everything," he corrected her solemnly, stinging her into silence. He stared back resentfully between the both of them and continued to edge away. "Look, I appreciate the offer but no thanks," he attempted to soften it. "You two have a nice life."

Again, Emily started to but this time Daniel reached out to hold her back. "Let him go, Em, he's been through enough," he urged. "If he wants to be on his own, we should respect that. We'll send a check to take care of the losses _—_ " he began in comfort.

"I'm not gonna just pay him off, Daniel!" Emily snapped, misunderstanding his intent. "He just lost his entire life, he needs to be around people that care about him," she argued.

Somewhat annoyed by her persistence, Daniel peered closely into her eyes and then suddenly let go. There was still an unrequited air of tension between them from the previous day, and it was only continuing to mount. "Fine," he resolved, growing tired of fighting. "Go after him. Not like I could stop you anyway," he added spitefully, turning back towards the hospital entrance.

Emily remained in the lot as both Daniel and Jack went in opposite directions, conflicted by whom she should follow. At last she shook her head, concluding her husband's response was a little less reasonable than the situation called for. She went after Jack instead, rushing to get to him before he left.

Unbeknownst to all three, a car had pulled up just shy of the hospital entrance and slowed to a halt just as Daniel was walking back inside. The tinted window rolled down halfway on the driver's side, revealing Louise behind the wheel.

"Isn't that your son?" she whispered over to Victoria in the passenger seat.

"Yes, stop here, please," Victoria cautiously plotted her next move.

Louise tensed nervously and gripped the wheel. "We can go to the South Fork and wait it out, if you like?" she fumbled, hoping to change her mind.

"No, I must see Charlotte," Victoria insisted to her dismay. "If it means facing Daniel..." she trailed off, gripping Louise's hand. "Please just wait here."

Victoria had already exited the car before Louise could object, forcing her to merely watch her stride in through the doors. She heaved an anxious sigh and glanced around, wondering should she take the opportunity to speed out of dodge. But her conscience condemned her, a guilty reminder that whatever Victoria uncovered was only a consequence to her actions in haste. Did Charlotte even remember what had happened? Was she coherent enough to speak? Louise ransacked her brain with the possibilities, though a small part of her was relieved that the girl was still alive.

Barely a minute had passed when Louise finally decided to flee the scene. She had just restarted the car when suddenly the rear door swung open and a man slid into the backseat, threatening her with a hand poised just at her throat.

"Don't move," he whispered gruffly before she could react. "Don't even think about it." All Louise could do was to stare back frightfully into the overhead mirror, her expression contorting instantly.

"You," she gasped breathily.

"So you do remember me," David accosted her smarmily, revealing he knew her face just as well. "You were a lot more forgetful last night when you left that girl for dead in the bar… I take it you knew that when you ran off?" he questioned.

"Please," Louise immediately began to beg, wailing. "It was an accident, I swear—"

David cut her off with a dubious grunt. "You sure you didn't come back to finish the job?" he probed, watching Louise shake her head insistently. He read her with precision through the mirror, slowly loosening his grip. "Well, for now your secret's safe… I won't hurt you as long as you promise to help me."

Louise nodded emphatically. "Yes—yes whatever you want," she swore.

Again David retracted, looking in another direction. "The woman who was with you—the one that just went inside – who is she?" he asked.

"Victoria," Louise gave it up without hesitation. "Victoria Grayson." He listened with interest, impelling her to go on. "She's Charlotte's mother—she doesn't know what happened."

David nodded, immediately planning to use the information. "And she doesn't have to," he offered in return. "As long as you listen to me and do exactly as I say."

 **SCENE**

Daniel sighed at the end of his walk to let off steam and arrived back at the lower level elevators, irritably tapping the up button. It was enough to find out just a day ago that his wife had returned to her seemingly unescapable revenge, but the added factor of collusion with their shared sibling made it all the more disturbing. Then for it to have escalated into Charlotte nearly dying in a fire; it was no wonder that he stormed away in a stubborn fit. But at this point his patience was draining while his craving for a drink was slowly increasing.

Instead he nursed the coffee in his hand, finishing it just as the elevator doors opened. Officer Hunter walked through and upon seeing Daniel he couldn't help prodding with interest. "Mr. Grayson," Ben inquired as they passed each other. "Holding up alright?"

Daniel nodded. "Just been a hard few days," he obscured, pushing the button for Charlotte's floor.

"Right, of course," Ben obliged. "Well, at least you'll have some more company. I just got called down to escort your mother up to see Charlotte."

The words barely made it out in time for Daniel to reach between the elevator doors, abruptly stopping them from closing. "Sorry—come again?" he stammered, hoping he had heard wrong.

"She's at the front desk," Ben affirmed, carefully watching his reaction. "You weren't expecting her?" he fished. "I know she's been out of the public eye for a while, but I assumed the family contacted her after the accident?"

Daniel grinded his bottom lip as he thought up an appropriate reply. "Ah, actually we haven't been able to get in touch," he alluded carefully, rushing out of the elevator to precede him. "But you know what, considering Charlotte's condition right now I think it's best she doesn't have any visitors… my uh, my mother and her aren't exactly on the best terms."

Ben eyed him closely. "Of course," he obliged, relaxing his stance. "I can inform administration if you'd like a restriction placed on your sister's room?"

Thinking better of it, Daniel continued ahead. "You know what, I'll take care of it," he volunteered, now halfway down the hallway towards reception. "Appreciate the heads up."

He was off and nearly running before Ben could respond, leaving the officer even more skeptical than when their conversation began. Margaux's influence was still fresh in mind and he was beginning to wonder if she was onto something.

Meanwhile Daniel rushed down the hallway, more heavily concerned with intercepting the last person he expected to show up. He came face to face within a matter of seconds, striking fear into her eyes as she looked up from rounding the corner. She gasped deeply, unable to even get a word out before he accosted her with indignation.

"Going somewhere?"

 **SCENE**

Nolan was up to nearly seven hours of babysitting when he heard the front door to the Manor open, finally signaling his relief. "Delivered at last _,_ " he exhaled as he finished changing Summer. His nose was pinched from the scent, giving him practice in an area he could honestly say was the least pleasant thing about being an uncle. But dirty diapers aside, the role was really growing on him, especially since he didn't have much of a family to call his own.

He buttoned her onesie back up; pausing when he realized her full name was actually stitched on the underside. "Summer Clarke Grayson _,_ " he read with admiration, grinning as he returned her to her crib. He was all but satisfied to leave the nursery until the sound of sobs suddenly broke his stride.

 _"So close,"_ he whispered before doubling back. The noise was not coming from Summer, but the most recent addition to the nursery – a crawling, irritable Declan Jr. He scooped him up next and slipped out of the room, hoping either his aunt or uncle was there to help console him before he riled up his cousin.

"Nolan?" Daniel inquired, reacting to the unfamiliar high pitched wails.

Nolan shifted Declan to his hip as he met Daniel in the hallway. "Sorry to break the news but your family is expanding," he explained over the noise, about to inform him that Declan's nanny had dropped him off without warning. But before he could finish, Victoria walked through the grand doors next, stopping him in his tracks. "And apparently it _still_ is," Nolan stammered eerily.

"Ah, it's a long story—" Daniel started, but his mother quickly brushed by, reaching out for the squealing infant.

"Here, let me tend to that child—he's positively restless!" Victoria cajoled, lifting Declan out of Nolan's grasp before he could even register what was happening.

"Mother, you don't have to do that," Daniel attempted to dissuade her, but despite his insistence she was quickly able to get the screams to stop.

"There, there," Victoria soothed, hugging him closely. "Oh, how I've _missed_ you, sweet boy!" Nolan and Daniel exchanged cautious looks as she jiggled the ten-month old in her arms, watching her walk slowly down the hall. As calming as it was to finally have quiet, it was just as disconcerting to observe the speed of her infiltration.

"Mom, just—just stay nearby," Daniel instructed helplessly, keeping an eye on her as she ventured into the parlor area. He turned back to Nolan who was already inches away in shock.

"What the _hell_ are you thinking?!" Nolan hissed, pulling him to attention. "Emily is going to _flip_ if she sees her—how did she even get out of Claremont in the first place—" he flabbergasted, rubbing his forehead in disbelief.

Daniel responded in a low whisper. "I have no idea, but all I know is she showed up at the hospital and would've gotten to Charlotte if I didn't intercept her when I did—" he breathed just as fast, but still not quick enough to escape retort.

"Oh and you thought bringing her _here_ for the royal tour was a good idea?!" Nolan challenged.

"Better where I can watch her than someplace else, doing God knows what!" Daniel fired back, repositioning as a thought hit him. "And you're one to judge, especially since I know you helped Emily with Charlotte's twisted little plot!"

Nolan closed his eyes to gather bearing. "That is not fair—I got pulled into that in the eleventh hour—" he defended.

"Yeah, well you two officially aren't the only ones exchanging secrets now," Daniel asserted, checking on his mother with a quick glance in the other room. He gestured in her direction, still keeping his voice low. "So this little run-in is gonna stay between me and you. Until I can figure out what to do with her before Emily gets home. Got it?"

"Are you insane?" Nolan couldn't help himself. "Keeping your asylum escapee mother under the same roof as her archenemy, _and_ your infant daughter I might add, is _ludicrous!_ " he emphasized fearfully.

"I _won't_ let her near Summer," Daniel assured with a determined look. Instinctively he glanced towards the nursery, perhaps processing the thought for the first time. "But I'm not letting my mother out of my sight until she's back in Claremont where she belongs. So instead of standing here lecturing me, why don't you get on the phone with Dr. Miller?"

Nolan finally calmed enough to see the logic in being proactive. "Fine," he agreed, albeit reluctantly. "I'll see if they can send someone to pick her up, but in the meantime what are you gonna do?"

Daniel gazed into the parlor, not having thought it through quite that far. "My mother didn't break out of there without help," he assessed. "And it's no coincidence that her little roommate Louise is the one who tried to off my sister _._ So before the doctors lock her up until doomsday—" Daniel stopped short, baring his intent. "I'm gonna get her to talk."

 **SCENE**

Emily trailed behind Jack as he trudged up the ashen entrance to the _Stowaway,_ now barely recognizable with most of its fixtures crumbled and covered in soot. Smoke seeped into the air as the blackened ruins settled, and it broke her heart to watch him step over them, immediately regretting the decision to come along. Daniel had been right – the process was only going to dredge up more pain, and she owed him the respect of doing so in peace. Instead she felt like a ghostly reminder following him through, growing more remorseful with every step.

"Jack, I—" she offered, stopping herself as he surveyed the desecrated bar. He was already fixated on a frame that had partially survived, one she recognized as the photo of Amanda with Carl when he was first born. Emily pinched her eyes shut, but her heart would not allow her to be silent.

"Jack, I know we haven't talked about it," she tried again, fully expecting him to lash out at her in anger. But he was still and quiet. "Part of me I guess, expected you wouldn't want to… or that nothing I could say would ever be enough," she continued, gingerly breaching the subject. "But I want you to know—I haven't forgotten her. I _miss_ Amanda _,_ " Emily finally brought herself to speak the words, her voice cracking as they came out. "I think about her every day… and I am _so_ sorry for what happened to her."

Jack's response finally came moments later as he forced himself to look up from the photo. "I know you are," he said calmly. "I know, Emily," he assured, with warmth that only he could convey by just his expression. "But I don't fault you for it," he added genuinely, surprising her. "Or Daniel, or even Aiden…"

Emily approached him graciously as he trailed into thought. "You know, for so long I wanted to," he went on to admit. "I wanted to have someone to hold accountable – and not just Victoria, but someone who I could honestly say was the reason she met her fate. But then I realized… that meant I'd have to hate her too."

On that heavy admission his eyes finally welled, and he wiped away the tears so he could finish. "I know she loved us, but the truth is she stood by every decision that she made—good or bad," he faced Emily, hardening at the thought. "So, it didn't matter what either of us did, Emily. She chose the life she led. But now that she's gone, I can finally forgive her," he concluded with hope, gazing around at the bar in reflection. "Just like I can finally move on now that this place is gone… so you see there is some consolation after all."

He returned to puttering about the remains, and for once Emily did not have a reply. As much as it pained her to see how scarred he was, she could not deny his reasoning. Instead she stood at bay, pledging her continued support. "I understand," she offered and Jack nodded in appreciation.

The next few minutes were helpless as Emily watched him salvage what he could, and she was just about to leave when a visitor came through the door. "Jack – there you are, finally," a middle-aged man pushed through. He paused to look sorrowfully at the state of the place, handing over a thick stack of mail and a set of keys. "I meant to give this to you last night. I'm terribly sorry about all of it," he consoled. "I swear I could have never expected things to get out hand—"

"Thanks, Mel, but this wasn't your fault," Jack cut him short before he went on. He reached out and shook hands familiarly. "I appreciate you looking after the place while I was gone… and for staying around to help."

Recognizing him as a nearby dock worker Jack must have entrusted with the bar's care, Emily hung back, observing. "Honestly, though, I just can't believe this happened overnight," Mel muttered aghast. "Is the girl going to be alright?"

Jack glanced at Emily and she piped in. "Ah, the doctors are still evaluating how much damage she sustained from the smoke. She's not awake yet," she alluded, aching more than ever to be by her side, or at least with family. "Jack, I think I'm going to take off," she bid him farewell, following her instincts. "I'll keep you updated on what I hear."

"Yeah, of course, do what you have to do," Jack insisted she go. "Take care, Em." He started to peruse through the mail just as Mel inserted another question.

"Listen, did your friend ever catch up with you?" he posed, drawing Jack to look up from the curious envelope he had just slit open.

"What friend?" Jack wondered. His eyes flickered over to Emily, who was still in the doorway.

"You know the fella that was asking around for you," Mel responded, drawing even more curiosity as he went on. "He came by early, I told him you would be back last night." Fear quickly dawned on his expression. "You don't think he had something to do with it, do you?"

At last Emily doubled back, once again following her gut. "What did you say he looked like?" she couldn't resist asking. She listened as Mel did his best to give a loose description, looking over at Jack for confirmation when he was finished. But his expression was drawn and instead of engaging them he merely looked up with worry.

"Hey, Mel, why don't you come back by later on to tell me the rest," Jack asked, dismissing him with a nod. Mel complied, and Emily realized he was keenly focused on an open letter at the top of the mail stack.

"Jack, you need to follow up on that lead," she urged him softly once Mel had left. "And what do you mean 'later'?" she shifted focus. "I thought you said you were headed back upstate."

Jack bit his lip cautiously, fearfully gazing as he forced the letter into her hands. "Looks like I'll be headed someplace else," he alluded eerily. Before she could look he placed a hand over hers, as if bracing her for something terrible. "You might want to sit down before you read this."

 **SCENE**

"That's close enough."

Louise slowed the car to a halt at David's instruction, a few yards shy of the driveway to Grayson Manor. She had followed Daniel all the way home at his behest, trailing behind at a safe distance until they finally arrived. Staring at the massive property in the distance it felt like déjà vu from the previous summer, only this time she was there against her will.

Reminding her of that fact, David continued with more orders. "Now turn off the ignition and hand over the keys—and your phone," he enforced, watching her grimace. "Sorry, but I don't trust you to stay put," he was compelled to explain as she did so. "And I imagine you won't get far in those."

Louise glanced down at her expensive heels. "You have me mistaken, I'm not cut from the same cloth as these people," she insisted, half-turning to face him. To her surprise a closer look at his eyes revealed softness that she wasn't expecting either.

"I believe you," he assured, turning away before she could stare too long. "But you must be scared of Victoria to come along this far," he deduced. "I'm counting on that. Remember—stay put, or I make sure she finds out your secret," he reminded her.

Louise opened her mouth in protest as he exited the vehicle but it seemed as though she had no other options. Without her phone she couldn't call Lyman for help and they were too far from anything in walking distance. And though she had been only moments from admitting the truth to Victoria herself, admittedly she didn't know what to expect once she found out. She shivered at the thought, knowing firsthand how unpredictable she could be when it came to her children. All things considered, staying put was truly her only choice … until a thought suddenly dawned on her. She searched her purse and quickly found it – Charlotte's phone, the one she confiscated from the scene to use as leverage against Lyman. It was already coming in handy in more ways than one…

Meanwhile, David scurried up to the property in hot pursuit, careful not to be seen as he circled the grounds. He stopped just outside the courtyard as he caught sight of Victoria walking towards the open French doors with an infant in her arms. Sensing someone else coming, he crouched low enough to stay out of sight but close enough to listen in.

"Alright, enough of that," her son ushered over, taking the infant. He passed the child to a tall, sandy-haired man before returning to accost her in close proximity. "Claremont assured me an escape would be impossible. So you want to use your last few minutes of freedom to explain just how you got out?"

"With the help of someone I trust," Victoria challenged boldly. "And try as you may, Daniel- but you won't get them to bring me back there," she informed, reading his intent. "The doctors approved the terms of my release."

Daniel folded his arms. "Well, I suppose that's light work for a district attorney," he implied behind a heavy glare. "I can only guess Louise called in a favor to her brother after Charlotte set her free. A fact she nearly paid for with her life."

"What are you talking about—what brother?" Victoria asked. Still unaware of any connection between Louise and Charlotte, it only spurred her to more questions. "And why won't you let me see Charlotte?" she demanded. "It's not enough that you've sanctioned me from my grandchildren—"

"For your information, Charlotte despises you," Daniel interjected before she could breach new topics. "You think she didn't know where you were all this time? And now that she knows the truth about what you did to Amanda, you can expect that won't change any time soon."

At the mention of 'Amanda', David flinched outside and the hairs on his neck instinctively rose. He had done enough research to recall no correlation between Amanda's death in prison and to Victoria. Further, the picture he had kept of the Grayson family seemed to imply a kindred relationship. Had he been deceived? His instincts got the better of him, and though it was dangerous he couldn't help sneaking a closer look at Victoria, peering over the hedge. Suddenly, as he stared at her with interest he felt the slow trigger of a distant memory shake loose in his mind…

 _"I've sent Daniel to his grandmother's for the weekend so I can finally put an end to it," Victoria shared tenderly, gripping his hands as they faced each other along an empty beach._

 _"Wow," his reply came next. "This is really happening then?" he reaffirmed._

 _"Yes," she insisted._

 _"Come over after," he pled sincerely. "You can finally meet Amanda. More importantly, she can finally meet you…"_

Just as quickly as the memory returned it dissipated, and David clasped his forehead in angst, wishing he could pull the rest from wherever it was buried. But regardless, it was enough to make him weary of the woman standing only a few feet away, one he now realized he must have once trusted implicitly years before her evident betrayal. He continued watching her, listening to the end of their conversation.

"You can poison Charlotte against me all you want," Victoria was scolding her son. "But you have no idea what it is to lose a child to an enemy—and I pray you never have to," she further emphasized. "The pain is unbearable. And it's why I don't regret the choices I've made, regardless of what that woman has led you to believe."

Daniel leaned in to address her curt reference to Emily. "That _woman_ is the only reason you were spared these past months," he revealed. "If I had it my way, you'd be rotting in prison for the rest of your life," he spat condescendingly, adding. "Just like Dad."

Victoria sneered in response, despite being inwardly heartbroken at the state of their relationship. Regardless of how much he clearly loathed her, she still deeply loved her son and sincerely wished he would someday come to his senses. But in his eyes all she saw was anger and contempt, and by her own perception, both were a result of his love for Emily.

"But as it stands," he continued, breaking her trance. "If Claremont won't take you back… then I'll just have to call the authorities." He stormed off in warning, leaving Victoria alone to digest just how serious he was. Determined not to find out, she walked through the doors and out onto the dais, catching her breath as she tried to think of what to do.

The answer would ultimately elude her as David crept closer and waited for that vulnerable moment when her back was finally turned. While she gazed into the distance he suddenly lurched forward to grab her from behind, cupping her mouth so she didn't cry out. It worked—her scream was thinly muffled as he turned her to face him in his arms. But what her voice could not speak, her eyes attested to in wide reaction. Either her vision was deceiving her or she had just been seized by a ghost – a man she knew with every part of her being as David Clarke.

 **SCENE**

"Five minutes."

Aiden nodded as the guard stepped aside and allowed him his turn to make an outside phone call. He discreetly rolled up his sleeve, peering at a tattoo on his forearm that was really a disguised contact number. He dialed carefully, leaning against the wall to shield both the guard and anyone else from overhearing his conversation.

"This is Mathis," he reported once his contact answered.

"You have the bounty we discussed?" a voice prompted in a thick Russian accent.

Aiden cast a sidelong glance towards the back of the phone line, where Conrad was waiting his turn. "Not without great cost," Aiden recalled the measures it had taken just to get there. "But yes, I have him. Now it's your turn to make good on your promise."

There was a pause and then his contact began rattling off details. "As predicted, the woman you call 'Niko' is now living overseas with limited contact to the outside world. But, for my associate it's no trouble to locate—he's a master at deciphering hidden identity."

"That's all I want," Aiden persisted, keeping his voice low. "I'll give you Conrad; all I ask is Niko's location once we make the exchange."

"Consider it done," his contact replied, adding surprise. "It takes a humble man not to seek even his own freedom in return?"

Aiden shifted against the wall. "Not necessary," he affirmed. "The information is for someone on the outside."

"Hmm. You must trust them very much." Again his contact seemed impressed by his sacrifice. "I would be willing to _personally_ assure your safe escape with one final request to our transaction?"

Curious, Aiden prompted him. "And that would be?"

"Bring us David Clarke."

Aiden could barely believe his ears, forced to snap back into reality by the guard's prodding. "One minute left!" he shouted, nudging him.

But Aiden held on, desperate to understand. "What—what are you talking about, that man's been dead for years—"

"On the contrary," his contact drawled smoothly. "I told you my associate was a master at deciphering identity – and he is certain that David lives behind the prison walls."

Aiden was still flabbergasted, rushing to get answers. "I don't understand how that can be possible—even if it is, how am I supposed to find him?!"

"You're a resourceful man," his contact praised him, clearly impressed by his success with Conrad. "Something tells me you'll figure it out. We have a deal then? The bounty we discussed for your friend's location… and your freedom."

"—alright that's it, time's UP!" the guard prompted Aiden before he could affirmatively respond.

He was forced to end the call, leaving the terms stated as ultimately the final agreement. He stepped aside to allow the next inmate their turn, all the while surveying his surroundings with a new outlook. Not only was the challenge a great feat, but it was one he could have never imagined pursuing on his own. Despite what he was certain Emily believed, there was now the possibility of an unfathomable truth—her father was still alive.

 **SCENE**

"This can't be real," Victoria gasped, wriggling in her restraints after waking in a backseat. She recognized the car as the one she had just been in with Louise, but David now sat in the driver's seat, watching her from the rear view mirror. He turned to face her after hearing her stir, inspecting the ropes on her wrist.

"I'm sorry about those," he apologized first. "But you kept trying to break away," he explained. He stared at her with a peculiar blend of fear and intrigue, forcing her to bear witness to his presence. "The woman that was with you," he continued briskly, glancing around. "She's gone—I couldn't risk losing you too."

Victoria batted her eyes in prolonged confusion. "Louise… you came with _her_?" she guessed. "How?" she breathed, shaking her head in baffled alarm. "How are you here… how are you _alive_?"

With that he turned away and started the ignition, implying the answers would not come as easily. "I asked her to follow you," he said honestly, addressing the simplest of the questions posed. He glanced towards the Manor as they drove off, still struggling with the memories that were buried away. "You're Victoria Grayson," he stated.

Something in the way he worded it felt foreign. "Of course I am," she affirmed curiously. "David—what's happened to you?" she demanded of his reflection.

"You need to stop calling me that," he instructed, only leading her deeper down the path of disillusion. "People believe David Clarke is dead and it needs to stay that way," he added.

"But why—" Victoria attempted.

"Because as far as I know, he is," he snapped over his shoulder. At last he braved for a partial explanation. "Ten years ago I woke up in a cell—badly beaten, barely able to see. They told me my name was Schmerkovsky and that's who I've been ever since…" He looked away, and for the first time Victoria beheld that he was plagued by embarrassment. "But the longer I was in there I realized I used to be someone else."

It triggered her immensely. "You mean… you don't have any memory of what happened to you?" she probed. There was something darkly sinister about the way she posed her question, and it sent a chill up David's spine. He was certain there had to be more to it.

"Since I've been back I've done some research," he countered bravely. "I know I had a daughter, Amanda. She's dead." He watched for a visible reaction but Victoria merely looked away.

"Yes. I'm afraid that's true," she confirmed stoically.

David continued to study her reflection. "The news reports also said I had another child—one I never met." It sparked her to face him again and he treaded on carefully. "A child by the wife of the man that betrayed me… you?"

At that Victoria's countenance softened, falling into submission. "Yes, David. We have a child together," she confirmed, incited by the mere ability to speak the words aloud. A hopeful smile spread across her face as further realization hit her. "I named her Charlotte, after your aunt. She's … she's the light of my life, David. For years she was all I had left of you."

Again David read her expression, sensing that she was intentionally hinting to their relationship. Though he was in no way prepared to reciprocate he could not deny the value she represented. He slowly combined the facts he knew so far. "Is she the one you went to see today?"

"Yes. But I was unsuccessful," Victoria admitted. Her run-in with Daniel still weighed heavily on her heart, and she quickly ascertained that David's sudden appearance was unintentionally a rescue. She leaned forward in spite of her restraint. "Please – take me to her. She has to know you're alive."

For a man who was lost and confused, David still responded with conviction. "Not yet. Not until I figure out who I once was," he insisted, focused on the road. "I was hoping you could help me."

Victoria breathed a grand sigh of relief, invigorated by the task that lay in front of her. Despite being bound and jarred by his presence, it was unimaginable that it came with the one thing she always wanted between them – a fresh start. Her heart raced with excitement as she uttered a willing reply.

"I would like nothing more."

 **SCENE**

"I don't understand how she could have just _disappeared_ —"

"Nolan, just _keep_ looking!" Daniel fired back to the complaints of Emily's best friend and his most recent confidant. As much as their relationship had reached new levels in recent times, it had little impact on his rising temper after returning to the backyard dais to find his mother gone without a trace. He paced in the computer study over Nolan's shoulder, desperate to locate her and fix his mistake. But despite trying, there was no way to track her without a device and nearly three hours had already passed.

"Alright, there is something I can try but you have to promise you'll be calm when I tell you this," Nolan offered, queuing up a digital monitoring system. Daniel came around to look. "I installed an invisible monitoring device in different parts of the house—I didn't tell you and Emily at the time but it was just a backup to protect the baby in case," he hesitated sheepishly. "Anything like _this_ happened."

But Daniel did not overreact; instead he leaned in with optimism. "It's fine—did you have one on the outside terrace?"

"Not quite where Victoria was standing," Nolan deferred in concentration. "But I can try geo-locating the satellite to pick up the other angles…" He trailed off to deliver the final caveat. "Only problem is, I have to reboot the system first."

"Fine, just do it," Daniel approved, pinching the bridge of his nose as he felt time running out. As if to validate his concerns, the front door slammed shut a moment later, prompting both of them to exchange knowing looks of failure. "I'll take care of Emily just keep at it—let me know if anything turns up," Daniel sighed in defeat, slowly trudging out of the room.

He trailed into the foyer to face the music, meeting her almost halfway through. If not for his guilt he likely would have observed her countenance but he did not address it, chalking it up to tensions being high the last they spoke. "Just you, then?" he chided, slipping his hands in his pockets. "No Jack?"

Emily rolled her eyes as she removed her blazer and tossed it at the foot of the stairwell, headed for the nursery. "Daniel, don't start…" she warned him.

He followed her anyway, still bitter. "Guess I'll tell the maid not to make up the guest room," he continued, reaching out before she went through the doors. "Speaking of guests—Charlotte's nanny dropped off Declan Jr earlier today," he informed.

It caught her attention, and she peered in a moment later to notice. He and Summer were fast asleep, with Declan occupying a second crib in the corner of the room. "I don't understand, I contacted her this morning—she said she would care for him until Charlotte recovers?" she asked, shutting the door.

"Yeah, well that must have been before Charlotte's husband-of-the-year Lyman cut off her salary," Daniel explained. "Apparently he's been severing ties ever since the accident—he hasn't even made an appearance at the hospital. At least the nanny had the sense to show up here after he fired her – Nolan's been watching both of them all day."

Emily shook her head, walking around him with purpose. "Is he still here?"

"Yeah, he's ah… working on an update to the security system," Daniel dodged but Emily was otherwise focused anyway.

"I'll get in contact with the nanny to have her pay reinstated," she intended. Her irritation was still muted as if something hung over it but within moments she was jolting around, suddenly furious. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

He leaned in, challenging her with folded arms. "Are you actually saying you would have listened?"

"Are you honestly still on that?" she retorted, assuming it was a dig at their earlier scuffle. "I take a moment to console a friend and automatically you question my intentions—is this seriously what you're upset about—?" she stammered, incredulous.

"This has _nothing_ to do with Jack and you know it," Daniel emphasized slowly, appreciating the opportunity to have it out. "You've been avoiding the subject for the past twenty-four hours but don't act like this whole thing with Charlotte isn't a direct result of you two _plotting_ together for the past week!"

"My _sister_ came to me for help, Daniel!" Emily argued, raising her voice. "I told you I tried to talk her out of it—what else was I supposed to do?"

"Oh so that's your excuse?" Daniel made light of her argument. "You find out she's making deals with an accomplice to murder," he paused to think, reflecting on Louise's track record. "Twice attempted, I might add, and your reaction is to _talk_ to her? Emily, that woman Louise is certified _insane!_ "

"Only because Charlotte had her committed—" Emily fought back, her anger rising. "I had no way of knowing she would try to lock her up with Victoria!"

Daniel was close to exploding, his reply only more stoked by what was brewing unbeknownst to her. "Well maybe if you hadn't insisted on committing her in the first place that would have never happened!" he exploded.

Emily stood back, shaking her head. "Unbelievable," she sighed. "You _supported_ me on that, Daniel. You agreed it was both exactly what she deserved while still not putting our family and my identity at risk by going through the system—" she suddenly cut herself short, realizing the conversation had spiraled into nonsense. "You know what, I don't even know why I'm standing here defending this," she muttered, starting back down the stairwell.

Frustrated, Daniel followed, realizing he was being unfair but too frantic and emotional to stop it. "Emily, the point I'm making is, the more lies we keep protecting the longer this cycle just continues!" he insisted, unknowingly purging what weighed on his soul.

Emily half turned at the bottom of the steps. "We're not protecting lies; we're protecting our _family,_ Daniel! Your mother _belongs_ in an institution—"

"What, because she knows who you are?" he established dryly, watching her flinch. But it was too late to retract and his culpability was getting the better of him. "Face the facts; you put her there to get revenge for what she did to Amanda and what she did to you when you were a little girl! But she's not insane Emily, she never was!" He was yelling now, desperate to justify his point as if it would save him from confessing her escape.

The words hung dankly in the air, having never been spoken before. But rather than provoke Emily they seemed to only enlighten her, shocked he was daring her with it. "Well I guess it was only a matter of time before you went back to defending her," she bit sarcastically, assuming it to be a show of his true colors. "I'm surprised you made it this long."

Daniel pushed past the insult before she could storm away. "Yeah, that's easy for you to say," he reminded her. "You don't have to condemn your own mother everyday just to prove your loyalty."

At last Emily snapped, whipping around to face him as she unleashed what had been pent up inside since the moment she walked in the door. "You know what, Daniel your right… because my mother is dead."

 **SCENE**

Louise jumped at the knock on the door of her old room at the South Fork, assuming Lyman had already arrived to pick her up. She was rushing around in a hurry, gathering what she could to hopefully leave town before the remnants of her dirty deeds once again made their way back to find her. "Coming!" she shouted anxiously, checking to make sure everything was in order.

But to her chagrin when she peered through the peephole it was Victoria waiting on the other side. Having already announced her presence, she sighed, lowering her head as she undid the locks.

"Victoria," she answered uneasily, looking around for her unsightly companion. "Oh my lucky stars, thank heavens you're alright!" she feigned, pulling her into an embrace. "Please forgive me for abandoning you but I didn't know what else to do—"

"It's quite alright, my dear," Victoria assured without resentment, and instead coddled her in a motherly fashion. She brought her hands up to cup her chin. "I'm sure your encounter with David was most unsettling, but I'm here to assure you—you're safe. You can trust him."

Begging the opposite, Louise pulled slightly at Victoria's hand before catching the name she had given him. "S-sorry, did you say David?" she repeated warily.

Victoria nodded. "You mustn't repeat that—he's quite fragile right now. After what he's been through we can't be certain how he'll react," she offered in a warning tone, before softening considerably. As Louise observed there was an inner joy that radiated from her, as if she had just discovered a hidden treasure. "He'll need our help and for the time being, our discretion. That shouldn't be a problem considering we both seek the same," she supplemented. "But it's true—David Clarke is returned."

With that she moved from the walkway, allowing David to enter from where he was presumably waiting in the hall. His eyes locked onto Louise with clarity. "Victoria tells me you're a trusted friend," he said with emphasis. "I truly appreciate your assistance." He paused meaningfully, extending his hand as if to remind her of it the massive leverage he had over her.

"Of course," she answered shakily, doing her best to mask it for Victoria's sake. She faked a wide grin and gestured for him to come inside further. "Make yourself at home—bathroom's over on the left if you want to wash up."

Conscious that his state left much to be desired, David nodded appreciatively but held a glare in her direction until he made it down the hall. Once he was out of sight, Louise leaned in close to whisper to Victoria. "Forgive me– but if he's who you say he is, doesn't that mean—"

"Charlotte is his daughter? Yes," Victoria narrated elusively, making no mention of Amanda or any other facts Louise was aware of. "And that's all he needs to know for now. He said he's not ready to face her just yet, and besides," she took a step away in thought. "My own attempts to visit her were thwarted by Daniel this afternoon."

Louise twisted her hands anxiously. "Then if it's all the same to you, Victoria—perhaps it's best that I go?" She glanced over at the bathroom, rushing to get her approval before he came out. "You're more than welcome to the room and I can wire you whatever you need, but honestly darlin'… won't I just be in the way?"

Victoria nodded with a measure of understanding. "I know this is quite the burden to bear, and I don't blame you for wanting to get home. I'm sure you have someone waiting for you," she added, watching her intently. Daniel's hint to her distant connection was still fresh in mind, though she had yet to discover what it meant.

Again Louise fidgeted, but didn't let on. "Just looking forward to enjoying my freedom, that's all," she muttered uneasily.

"I promise – this will be the final thing I ask of you," Victoria insisted, reaching out to plead by taking her hand. "The only way to get to Charlotte is to have her come to me. And the only way to accomplish that is to let her know I have something she values."

Louise narrowed her eyes, predicting her scheme. "But I thought you said David wasn't ready to meet her yet?"

With a certainty that gave her chills, Victoria answered. "I'm not going to use David. I'm going to use my grandchild."

 **SCENE**

"Got everything?"

Emily set down her suitcase as Nolan walked her to the door the following morning. "Yeah, that's it. I'm just flying out to L.A. for the services and to help Jack go through her things so… should only be a few days," she resolved, casting a quick glance back at the top of the stairwell. She thought it was too quick for Nolan to see but he took notice, shrugging in response.

"I'll make sure he's at least sober by noon," he promised, sensing she was thinking about Daniel. A little over twelve hours had passed since their fight, and as with most disagreements it left a palpable disquiet in the air.

This one had been especially uncomfortable, concluded by Emily's harrowing news that her mother had passed away. By the time Daniel realized it was what had been weighing on her, it was too late to repair. They went their separate ways—Emily to pack for her flight, while Daniel self-medicated with a bottle of gin in the pool house. He claimed he was helping Nolan with the security system but she was fairly certain he had passed out there all night.

"Thanks," she mumbled, wishing things were better between them as she left. "Um, I put a few extra bottles of formula in the fridge for Summer," she diverted, running through her mental list instead. "Declan's nanny should be by soon to pick him up. I had her pay reinstated but if there's any trouble I left a check in the study. I also asked her not to have any further contact with Lyman."

Nolan agreed wholeheartedly. "After dumping his family like that, I don't blame you."

"He's still going to get what's coming to him," Emily avowed, realizing it would have to wait until she returned. "Also, Charlotte's doctor has my number just in case there's an update while I'm gone… but it sounds like she's going to pull through," she sighed, happy there was at least one positive thing to reflect upon.

"Thank God," Nolan nodded. He gazed wistfully at Emily, addressing the one thing she was avoiding. "Em… I'm so sorry about Kara," he consoled genuinely, and she could tell just how deeply he meant it. "Really—I wish I could be there with you."

Emily made a shrug of her lips, shaking away moisture forming in her eyes. He was already helping enough by sticking around, especially when she feared that Daniel was falling off of the wagon. "Yeah," she acknowledged, instead of spilling what was on her heart. She smiled up at his offer appreciatively. "Me too."

She reached in for a warm hug that he wasn't expecting, and then just as quickly grabbed her suitcase to head out. Nolan suddenly felt helpless, with so many elements he could not control. Daniel clearly had not told her about Victoria's escape, but with things so tense he could scarcely blame him for the timing. Not to mention how obvious it was that Emily needed him by her side but refused to let him accompany her, embittered by their exchange. In spite of all the secrets swirling around, it was one thing Nolan could not leave unacknowledged.

"Ems?" he called her back. He followed her out to the car, gazing back at the house concernedly. "You sure you want to do this alone?"

Emily flung her bag into the backseat determinedly. "I won't be alone; Jack's meeting me there," she reminded him.

"No, I know that but I mean—" he stopped short, allowing her to figure the rest. "It's just… I _know_ Daniel wishes things went different when you spoke last night."

Emily nodded, reserving her thoughts behind an unaffected shrug. "But they didn't," she told him softly. When his expression still read concern, she reached out. "Look, Daniel and I have gotten through worse. But there's more to this… there's a lot beneath the surface."

Nolan shifted uncomfortably; well aware that Emily was not the only one who had kept a secret. Part of him debated telling her but it felt wrong to do so when she was already dealing with so much. Especially when he had promised Daniel he would do all he could to help get the situation under control first.

"I guess I just, hope it all works out," was all he could offer, and somehow it still paled in comparison. But Emily accepted it nonetheless, tapping him with reassurance as she got in.

"It will," she promised, giving him a glimmer of hope. "I'll call you when I land."

 **MONTAGE**

 _ **For most of the dearly departed, all that remains is a legacy…**_

David emerged from the shower, rubbing a small circle in the fogged up mirror so he could look upon his reflection. It was daunting to do the smallest of things in his newfound journey to understanding whom he was, and yet liberating all at the same time. When he stared back there was no connection that went off, no subtle hint as to where he would find all the memories that he had lost. But for the first time he had purpose, and he could at least say he was on the right track. He knew the woman Victoria that he had come across was a key to his past and as he stared into the cold, blank familiarity of his own expression he could not help but wonder – could he trust her?

 _ **The actions they take in this lifetime shape not only their future, but that of generations to come…**_

It was late when the woman's footsteps tapped softly on the terrace pavement, and neither Nolan nor Daniel stirred as she padded into Grayson Manor through the back door and headed straight for the nursery. She exited out the same way just a few moments later, shrouded by the darkness of night until she reached the car on the street. The driver door opened to reveal the accomplice waiting to take the precious cargo from her arms.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Louise hissed, reaching out to assist.

At last the woman pulled down the hood masking her face. It was Victoria.

 _ **For those close to us, we seek to bring their legacy honor. We protect it to the best of our ability, even if we lose our way…**_

(Opening scene)

Emily stared down at the urn she had been carrying up the hill, weighing heavily in her hands but even more on her heart. It felt surreal to hold the last remnants of the one person she wished she had more time with, while still the one person she at one time feared the most. At last she gathered the strength to pay her respects to the woman that gave her life.

"Goodbye, Kara," she whispered aloud, removing the lid to begin sprinkling the ashes. And though the name was fitting, it lacked the honor she wanted to impart to the occasion, forcing her to rephrase.

"Goodbye… mother."

 _ **But just as we cannot predict where ashes will scatter in the wind…**_

Charlotte awoke with a start; her mind plagued by the series of events that befell her lost consciousness. Emily's words rang in her ears, pleading for her to stop her mission, insisting that there was more to the story. Slowly all the truths came drifting back but in spite of the facts, all she could remember was the certainty of Louise's betrayal, combined with the overwhelming pervasion of smoke and fumes. The memories culminated all in one and then suddenly dissipated; leaving the one thing she truly cared about – her son.

"Declan!" she breathed, unable to speak above a whisper as she glanced frantically around her room in a surge of intuition.

But she found her prayers answered. By her side was Declan's nanny, holding him on her lap. The vision was a sight for sore eyes and served only to renew Charlotte's vigor as she reached out to him—suddenly realizing he was more important than anything else she had set out to accomplish.

 _ **Our legacy can often fall into the hands where we least expect it…**_

"No," Victoria admitted to Louise, stepping into the moonlight just enough so that she could see the infant. "I'm not sure it's going to work. But it's the only option I have left."

Louise gaped in realization. "Victoria—" she breathed. "What have you done? This isn't Charlotte's _son!"_

"Declan was already gone when I got there," Victoria explained, pausing to admire the child's face. "So I had to improvise." Denied the invitation ever to meet her, it was her first time looking at Daniel and Emily's daughter: Summer Grayson.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Apologies again for my long hiatus! It seems these chapters take more and more of my time and I have less and less to spend as my schedule has gotten quite busy. But I truly appreciate you all hanging in for the ride and I hope I did not disappoint with this latest installment. Whew! I know it was a lot too, hopefully you're able to keep up! But to answer any hanging questions… YES, Charlotte is fine (thanks to David AND Jack) and YES, Victoria is out of Claremont (help us all!), and YES, unfortunately Emily's mother has passed on :(** **I know that was unexpected and the opening was a bit deceiving with where we left off, but it was something I had planned in the story for some time that I felt needed to be addressed. As much as I thought Kara's story had potential on the show, with David returned it would crowd things in S4. So hopefully you will see the value of Emily being able to deal with the loss, while still getting closure on her character (for those of you who worry about things like that lol). In addition, it's the one factor that could pull our heroine from her happy home while as you can see… A LOT IS GOING ON! So buckle up for Emily to be the last one to find out all the happenings and lastly, YES stay tuned for the Demily relationship to be severely tested =/** **I know it's hard to read but I promise it's not the end… to quote the finale from one of my favorite new shows .. "we're just getting started." (Shoutout to anyone who knows where that's from! Inspiration for one of the tougher scenes in this chapter)**

 **Thanks everyone again and please leave a review to let me know what you thought! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	46. Chapter 45: Meteor

**Chapter 45: Meteor**

 _ **When a meteor hits, destruction is inevitable. No matter what we do to prepare, the consequences cannot be predicted. Some occur without warning, a sudden impact propelling us into action…**_

Daniel padded softly into the nursery at dawn, smiling as he assumed the silence meant his daughter was fast asleep. But one look down into her bassinet and the color from his face drained—it was unmistakably empty. Rattled with fear he sprinted into the hallway, frantically hoping there was some misunderstanding—perhaps Emily had prearranged a sitter and he merely forgot? But it was no use. There were no messages left and the house was emptied, leaving him with only one person he could think of to ask for help.

 _ **Others, we may see at a distance, but only if we're looking…**_

After a quick change of shifts, the head nurse did a check of Charlotte's room, noting her levels were slightly elevated. She peered close and realized she was in fact struggling to breathe, and immediately called out for the doctor. Within minutes, he and several nurses came rushing in to her aid. When it became clear that the usual exercises would not have success they had no choice but to intubate.

 _ **But ultimately the danger lies in the ones that plow straight for us – gaining speed as we stand helpless in their path...**_

The sun still had yet to rise on the west coast, where Emily sat wide awake in Jack's hotel suite, perusing Kara's personal items on the coffee table. He had long gone to bed, and while she intended to leave hours before and return to her own room, she couldn't tear herself away from the sea of memories. One photo in particular held her entranced, a rare picture of both of her parents that she had never seen before. It was clear that Kara had a special attachment to her first family, a secret that she likely nurtured along with many others that went with her to the grave. It left Emily deep in thought, reflecting on just how closely she was destined to follow in her footsteps… and how many other secrets were left to be revealed.

 _ **And before we know it, the ground upon which we stand … suddenly crumbles beneath us.**_

"I don't understand how the security system can be completely offline?!"

In spite of his elevated tone, Daniel was doing a marked job of keeping calm as he paced behind Nolan's tech hub in the pool house, desperately banking on it as the only lead to find his daughter. His clothing and hair were disheveled and he needed to shave but he was completely focused, paying attention while Nolan explained for the second time.

" _Because,_ Daniel," he tried again, challenged to be patient in the circumstances. "We rebooted it two nights ago when your _mother_ made her first appearance." He turned back to the computer, unable to resist a dry comment as he vigorously tapped away. "Something that can't possibly be a coincidence now that Summer is missing!"

Daniel felt himself cracking, running his hands through his hair as he slumped onto the floor behind him. "Tell me this isn't happening, Nolan," he gasped, slowly coming apart. "How could I have let this happen, my God, Emily's going to kill me—"

At the sound of his voice shaking, Nolan turned to offer support. "Hey–" he reached over to clasp his shoulder. Although the same look of fear was in his eyes, there was still determination. "We're going to find her alright? The sensors I installed above the crib still have a feed accessible from my server— maybe if I can get home to pull it we won't need the security system." He looked to Daniel for affirmation.

Slowly but surely, Daniel began nodding, pulling himself together. "Ok," he said in short. "Alright, yeah, let's do that," he leapt back to his feet. "I just don't know how I'm going to tell her any of this…"

Nolan shifted in suggestion. "Yeah I know… but Daniel, telling Emily isn't your only priority," he prompted him seriously. "You need to call the police."

"No," Daniel insisted, the first firm conviction he had expressed since finding out. Nolan sighed in protest but he held firm. "Not yet— if this _is_ my mother we're talking about, there's no way she would hurt her own granddaughter."

He was already bolting for the door when Nolan stood to persist. "And how can you even be sure of that?" he argued. "What if she sent one of her hands for hire who doesn't have as much regard for 'family ties' –is that a chance you're willing to take?" he yanked him back by the shoulder.

"I have to!" Daniel barked angrily, startling him. He lowered his voice, steadying himself. "Look, I know her angle, alright? This is all payback for me and Emily putting her away last year. I call the cops and it'll only make things worse." He sighed anxiously, evaluating his options. "I need to find her."

He stormed in the opposite direction and Nolan whirled to call out to him. "And once you do?"

Daniel leered in the doorway, a darkened look in his eyes. "As soon as I know my daughter is safe," he predicted. "I'm going to make my mother's life such a living hell—she's going to wish she went back to Claremont when she had the chance."

With that he darted off, leaving Nolan to resume his search with a nervous pit forming in his stomach. "Fine, then," he whispered, recognizing the familiar path he was headed down. "No police it is."

 **SCENE**

"Up late?"

Emily's eyes fluttered open, sensing a voice was coming from above her. She looked up to see Jack standing beside the couch, where she was sprawled out amidst a sea of photos. She sat up quickly, realizing she had inadvertently fallen asleep while going through them into the wee hours of morning.

"Ah, yeah I must've dozed off," she explained, adjusting her sweater. "Sorry," she apologized awkwardly, suddenly feeling sheepish. It was odd enough to wake up without Daniel by her side, let alone in a room that was not hers. She shuddered to think how easily he would misinterpret her lapse in judgment.

"It's all right," Jack replied, handing her a cup of coffee. His understanding countenance relaxed her and he kept a respectful distance, sitting in the chair across from the table. "I figured you'd want to soak up as much time with Kara as you could," he offered, glancing at the photos.

Emily nodded. "Thank you for letting me go through all of these," she busied herself with straightening up. "Even after she came back to the Hamptons, I struggled with thinking of her as a mother; the way I thought of my father... it was always just so hard." She reflected, picking up the one keepsake that stood out among the rest. "But it's nice to know she kept a photo of him all these years. It's like she never let go of her family."

Jack followed her gaze to the picture, sympathizing. "You know that first summer when I lost my dad?" he reminded her. "I went through sort of the same thing. I mean, I always knew how much he loved me and Dec but, I couldn't help wondering whether he thought about our mother, too." He paused in acknowledgement. "Granted, at the time I thought we had the _same_ mother but, still… we were a family."

Emily exhaled with a smirk. "It was nice of Stevie to fly out for the services yesterday," she recalled, studying the picture again. "Both of our parents held secrets," she assessed, drawing a parallel between their respective mothers. "Maybe it's for the best that Kara never knew mine?"

"I think if she had known you… she would have still been proud," Jack softly disagreed. Emily afforded a tucked smile in return, and was quiet for a few moments.

When the silence went on noticeably, at last Emily took it as a cue to leave. "I should get going," she sighed. Jack rose to walk her out, assuming she was headed back to her room a few doors down. "Thanks again for accompanying me – this would have been hard to do alone." She recalled the connection that allowed her to attend. "Even harder to explain," she added.

Jack nodded graciously, surprised at how easy it was for him to feel tenderness for her. Just a few days ago he was hoping to never see her or Daniel again, and that fast things had changed. "Don't mention it," he insisted, forgiving her in his own discreet way. He glanced down at the stack of photos. "And please, keep everything – she was your mother after all."

Emily ducked her chin in appreciation and their eyes met briefly before she turned to leave. When she did, Stevie was just walking up. "Emily," she addressed her. There was a visible note of surprise as she observed her coming from Jack's room. He emerged a second later. "Jack, I was just on my way to see you."

"Stevie—hi," Jack was somewhat surprised albeit calm. "We were just talking about you."

"Oh," Stevie replied in short. "Well, I just wanted to let you know you're welcome to stay at my place in LA as long as you like," she offered with a skeptical gaze over to Emily. "That's if you're not too comfortable here already?"

Sensing her misread of the situation, Jack quickly stepped in. "Ah, thanks but now that the services are over, I think we're both anxious to get back to our families," he clarified.

"That's right; you're a new mother," Stevie prodded Emily. "I'm surprised you were able to make this trip. No separation anxiety?"

Emily opened her mouth to answer but Jack quickly cut in. "Mom?" he scolded indirectly.

Stevie rushed to defense. "Oh, you know what I mean—I'm sure Daniel is just looking forward to you coming back," she insisted, leaning on their working relationship. "I know ever since his last case he's been hoping to devote more time to his family," she hinted.

This time Emily was able to respond. "Yes, he has," she asserted with a show of confidence. "I'm anxious to do the same… I'll see you around, Jack," she bid him farewell, reserving her last for the other. "Take care, Stevie."

"You too, dear," Stevie wished her off, following her with her eyes until Emily made it down the hall. Once she was out of sight, she turned back to her son, only to find him sternly staring back.

"What was that all about?" he questioned, folding his arms.

"What?" she shrugged innocently, stepping into his room.

Jack rolled his eyes. "You practically gave Emily the third degree about leaving her family behind. Was that really necessary?" He studied her with interest. "Especially when it's not exactly a subject you have freedom of speech on…"

Stevie absorbed it without offense. "Have you considered that might be why I _can_ ask—from experience?"

"Not compared to Emily," Jack maintained. "You don't know what she's been through—"

"And what about what you'vebeen through, Jack?" Stevie wisely countered. "Hours after your bar goes up in flames, you take off with her to pay your respects to a woman who wasn't even your mother-in-law," she reminded, fully aware of the truth. "Not to mention while still mourning the death of your _own_ wife – both events which I'm sure Emily was somehow involved in."

"Emily is family," Jack found himself defending her. "She needed me here."

Stevie shook her head, relying on intuition. "She needed her _husband,_ " she corrected. "Try not to get too caught up in their affairs, ok?" She watched Jack beg indifference and then leaned in to rest her hands on his shoulders. "Please, just – let me be a mother, for once. Alright? Trust me."

Though it irked him to hear her say it so casually after years of never owning it, Jack could not help but acquiesce. He drew upon his chat with Emily to concede with a brief word. "Fine."

 **SCENE**

Louise paced anxiously in the suite while waiting for Victoria to return, jiggling the tender infant in her arms. Though her maternal instincts were inclined, they did nothing to dispel the uneasiness that what Victoria had done was terribly wrong. And now she too was an accomplice, which seemed to be her sentence for the past few days. The guilt was beginning to mount and was slowly overtaking her instincts for survival.

At last Victoria came in, dressed incognito with her arms full of bags. "How is she?" she asked at once, heaping them onto the counter.

"Positively precious," Louise snapped, placing her into Victoria's extended arms. "Meanwhile I'm beside myself, seconds shy of flying off the handle!" she pleaded with sincerity. "Victoria, have you lost your mind? We cannot keep this child here!"

"This _child_ is my granddaughter," Victoria coolly set her straight, staring into Summer's innocent brown eyes. She glanced towards the bedroom. "And please keep your voice down—I don't wish to disturb David."

"And when exactly were you plannin' to tell him?" Louise bounced into another question. "How does this even help you to see Charlotte? You think Daniel's gonna take kindly to a ransom note that says ' _your_ daughter for _mine_ '?!" She was frantic now, drawing Victoria's attention.

Victoria placed Summer in her carrier before addressing the questions. "I may be vindictive, Louise, but I'm not cruel," she assured her first. "I'm only keeping her here to teach Daniel a lesson. Once he understands what it's like to be prevented from seeing one's child, I'm certain he'll have a change of heart. It appears to be the only way to get through to him."

Louise swallowed, still unsettled by the whole thing. "And what about David?" she pressed.

"David needs time to process his identity, and I need to strategize a way to return him to the life he left behind," she determined, seething with control. "Starting with his family. Once Daniel allows me safe visitation with Charlotte – I'm going to see to it that she's reunited with her father."

Louise folded her arms, unaware that there was a glaring omission to Victoria's reference of family. "Won't that make you out to be the saint," she read carefully instead.

Assuming she was feeling overlooked, Victoria took her by the hand. "Please don't think this to be a slight at you," she offered. "But I can't keep relying on your kindness. I need to take David where he'll be safe. My hope is that Charlotte will join us, but that's not to say I don't welcome your company..." She delicately alluded to her point. "It's just I wouldn't want to put you in any sort of danger."

Even though it _was_ a slight, Louise found herself welcoming it. "No, of course," she edged away, more preoccupied with steering clear of Charlotte. "It's best I be getting along anyway."

Victoria nodded, ever pleased for things to go her way. "I knew you would understand." She looked down at Summer, and begged one last request. "I must ask you to look after her while I secure funds for us and to repay you for your trouble. But once I return, you're more than free to go." She smiled promisingly. "David and I can take it from here."

Louise restrained herself, feeling a bitter retort rise to the surface. After all she had done for her, it was confirmed – Victoria was content still to use her as she saw fit and discard her in the aftermath. Nothing had changed, except maybe her own perception for being fooled twice. But rather than show her hand, she forced a complacent nod.

"Certainly, Victoria," she vowed. "I'll await your return."

 **SCENE**

 _"Mommy… It's too deep!"_

 _The child was drifting into the ocean, her mother's strong arms suddenly enveloped around her. "Shh, Amanda," she insisted, palming her daughter's blonde locks as they treaded deeper into the water. "We're gonna play one more game, honey… one more game."_

 _"I don't wanna!" the child's soft pleas sent a current rippling through Emily, soon realizing they were taken from her own memory._

 _"This time we're gonna pretend we're sleeping underwater, okay?" her mother begged, while she began wriggling in her arms. "One… two…" she forced, gripping her tightly._

 _"No!" she pled again, when suddenly the sound of her father's voice could be heard in the distance._

 _"KARA—!"_

Emily shook awake with a breath, and gathered her bearings gradually. She was seated by the gate in the airport and a glance down at her hand explained what had triggered the memory – the photo of her mother and father. She shook the thought away and slipped it back into her pocket, then began a scan of the area. Zoning in on a monitor with updated statuses on flights, she walked over to check and sure enough, several had been delayed. Confirming hers was one of them; she sighed irritably and dug out her phone.

She hesitated to call Daniel again, worried that there would still be residual coolness or worse, that he would be indifferent. Instead she tried Nolan, but after four rings there was also no response. _Haven't heard back,_ she tapped out a text in frustration. _How is he?_

While waiting for his reply, Emily noticed she had a missed voicemail from Charlotte's doctor. She listened with trepidation as the doctor informed her of an episode requiring them to administer a breathing tube the night before. The doctor went on to enumerate her symptoms of faintness and shortness of breath, recommending a transfer to a specialty center in the city.

At once, she was on the line to return the call. "Hello, this is Emily Grayson. Yes, I'm sorry for not returning your message sooner – but, please do whatever you think is best for Charlotte's recovery. I'm out of town but my husband should be able to handle any paperwork involved," she paused with intrigue as the doctor countered in reply.

"Oh, he hasn't returned your call either?" she answered, partially alarmed. A part of her feared that he had fallen off the wagon a lot harder than Nolan wanted to admit, which likely accounted for why he wasn't responding.

"That's alright, I'm flying back this afternoon," she assured, glancing back up at the flight status board. Perhaps she had to take more drastic measures to get home than she thought. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

 **SCENE**

Conrad heaved to lift his last set on the weight bench, panting as he sat up. "So when exactly is this escape happening?" he inquired of Aiden, who had been spotting him.

"Soon," Aiden answered vaguely. His mind had been so preoccupied with the revelation about David Clarke in the past few days that it left him less than enthusiastic about his promise to Conrad. His fellow inmate gave him an expectant glare as they switched spots on the bench. "The terms have altered slightly," he elaborated. "But not to worry – it won't make a difference to you."

Conrad rolled his eyes as he took Aiden's place, spotting him from behind. "You really expect me to believe you want nothing in return for this?"

Aiden braced to lift the heavy weight over his head and tried not to smirk as he replied. "Believe me," he sighed between bench presses. "Your compliance is plenty."

While he rested, a pensive look came over Conrad. He reached over to add another weight to each side, unable to resist further inquiry. "Forgive me for being skeptical, but seeing as you perpetuated _several_ aliases in recent years," he paused to enumerate, adding a weighted disc for each one. "Proxy to Takeda Industries… board member of Grayson Global… international spy… federal official?" At last he added a final one, prompting him to begin the next set. "And let's not forget your clever extortion scheme that landed me here in the first place?"

Aiden grimaced beneath the heavier weight but lifted it over his head nonetheless. "Consider this penance for my trouble," he breathed in argument.

Conrad snickered. "Oh, I'm not convinced that's your angle. You've always been one step ahead of what was coming next… and something tells me you still are. So," he leered, flattening his hands where they were resting for balance to push down on the weight instead. "Did you also happen to know the truth about Emily Thorne?"

Aiden exhaled nimbly, buckling as the weight bore down on his chest. "What truth—" he sputtered in ignorance. The barbell was dangerously close to cutting off his airflow.

"Oh, come now – don't pretend you don't know?" Conrad enjoyed watching him squirm. "Your entry into her circle of ex-lovers and friends can't be a coincidence. I can only assume you were one of _many_ accomplices she must have contracted to take my family down…" He pushed the bar against Aiden's windpipe and watched him struggle without lifting a finger. "So what's to stop you now?"

By now Aiden was turning red, and despite his attempt to push back with all his might, Conrad relentlessly forced him down. Just when it seemed completely hopeless, Mason Treadwell suddenly intervened. "If you don't mind," he insisted sharply, and at last Conrad moved aside. It freed Aiden to lift the barbell and rescue himself from suffocating.

Once he had caught his breath, Aiden quickly leapt to retaliate but Mason maintained his stance between the two. "Now now, gentleman—let's not cause a scene," he separated them with arms raised, glancing back and forth. They both looked ready to go at each other's throats but Mason reminded them of their surroundings with a nod at the guard patrolling the yard. "Why not save it for a riveting page in my book, hm?" he suggested.

Aiden ignored him, threatening Conrad with a pointed finger instead. "Like I told you before – if I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already."

"Not so easy behind bars," Conrad mocked him. "With no wily co-conspirators to pitch relief!"

"My, my," Mason interjected, impressed with Conrad's retort. "You're sounding a lot more like your old self… though I'm not sure I would poke that particular bee's nest," he warned.

Aiden laughed at Conrad's insult as if to prove the point. "Conspirators?" he taunted. "You mean your son, Daniel? Or your ex-wife, Stevie? Believe me, they pled my case in court – I volunteered to take a guilty plea." He sneered wildly, hoping it made him realize just how intentional his presence there was. "Face it Conrad – you're the last person to find out the truth about everything. If there's anyone that's been played the most, it's you."

With that he stormed off, leaving Conrad and Mason alone. The former sighed in grievance, realizing it was also a validation of Mason's claim about Emily. He hated to admit he had been right but there was no point debating it.

Mason capitalized on the moment, making sure to rub it in before he too left the vicinity. "Hate to admit it," he added, tapping Conrad condescendingly. "But… he's right."

 **SCENE**

Hours had passed before Daniel finally got the call from Nolan he was waiting for, taking it as he sped down the highway. "Talk to me," he barked into the speakerphone.

"Well the good news is, I was able to access the nursery monitor from the server and it's definitely your mother that swiped her," Nolan confirmed drably on the other line. "She stays mostly covered but it's her."

"That's the _good_ news?" Daniel fired back.

Nolan reviewed the footage over again at his kitchen counter. "Only because the bad news is there's no way to track where she went," he delivered, shaking his head. "I've zoomed in from every angle and accessed every camera on the premises but none of them show me anything. No car, no license plate…no clue," he couldn't escape a dry remark. "Don't suppose she left a note on the fridge?"

Daniel sighed audibly. "I've been to every inn and motel outside the Hamptons, no one's seen her… I don't get it, she can't have gone far she doesn't have any money or any help."

"Didn't she allude to Lady Cray-Cray _Louise_ being behind her grand escape from Claremont?" Nolan recalled. "If that's true then her and Thelma could be almost anywhere by now," he deduced, not making it any better. It was time to admit the inevitable. "Daniel—you can't put this off any longer, it's time to call it in," he insisted. His phone alerted and he stopped to check it, growing even more exasperated when he returned. "And that's the third message I've gotten from Emily; she needs to know what happened. I can't keep putting her off—"

"Alright, just hold on," Daniel begged him, changing lanes to get off on the next exit. "Let me go down to the station report my mother as missing first."

Nolan stammered in disbelief. "Ah—Daniel? Don't you have the wrong missing person?"

Daniel tensed his grip on the steering wheel, desperate for a last ditch effort. "I can't risk her skipping town or we might never find her _or_ the baby." He fought back emotion as he spoke, but it still translated to Nolan on the other line. "Emily may hate me for it but she'll never forgive me if I let her get away."

As much as it pained him to continue restrained, Nolan squeezed his eyes closed in agreement. "Fine. Just— _hurry!_ " he insisted. He was certain one of the messages Emily sent had made mention of a flight scheduling change. "We're running out of time here."

Though he could not see it, Daniel's expression was stone as if driving towards a death sentence. "I know."

 **SCENE**

Margaux had just exited LeMarchal headquarters to meet her driver at the curb when a town car pulled over and the rear window rolled down. "Margaux!" she heard a familiar voice call out.

She instructed her driver to wait as she went over to inspect, shocked to see who was waiting in the backseat. " _Victoria?"_ She gaped at once, leaning in. Victoria beckoned for her to get inside and Margaux slid in. "I can't believe it," she stared for a long moment before embracing her.  
"You're back?!"

"Oh, Margaux," Victoria sighed warmly before pulling away to nod in the affirmative. "I'm sorry I left without warning but the circumstances were beyond my control," she broke for a pause, hintingly. "And they still are. I'm afraid I must ask for your discretion...and, I'm embarrassed to say, your help."

"Of course," Margaux gave it without thinking, still processing her reappearance. "But where have you been? I feared the worst." She sat erect to convey the seriousness. "I didn't forget what you told me about Daniel and Emily – I even had a friend investigate. I was certain there was a connection."

Victoria absorbed it with a pernicious grin. "I appreciate your concern. And though I can't go into the details of my whereabouts just yet, I can say your instincts were not far from the truth." While Margaux perked up at the hint, Victoria quickly glossed over it. "Fortunate for me, I haven't come back alone."

Margaux shifted her interest. "You met someone?"

"Let's just say I ran into someone from my past," Victoria carefully worded her answer. She searched Margaux's expression, testing just how far she could trust her. "Before I go any further, I must disclose that his background is very delicate. Some would even call it earth-shattering… were it to find its way into the media, that is?"

Understanding, Margaux reached over to take her by the hand. "Victoria, you can trust me. I would never break a confidence. Not even for a story."

"That's just it, Margaux," Victoria alluded. "I have every intention of going public. But I want it to be on my terms." She watched Margaux cock an eyebrow and delivered the rest. "It's the only thing I'm willing to offer in exchange for any assistance you can provide?"

Although she was surprised to find herself in a deal Margaux agreed nonetheless. "Anything you need," she generously replied, chafing at the bit. "Now tell me, who did you come back with?"

 **SCENE**

"David?"

Louise muttered the name in response to a noise from the bedroom, and turned the corner only to have him startle her with his presence. "Oh, ah, sorry—I know Victoria said not to call you that," she stammered.

"Where is she?" David ignored her fumbling to ask. There was tension in the air with just their company. Both of them knew where they stood with the other, and it was hard to pretend otherwise.

"Taking care of more permanent arrangements," Louise answered, turning flippant. "Which means I'll finally be free of _ours,_ " she added suggestively.

David tossed aside a hand towel to address her more directly. "I kept my word – I haven't said anything to Victoria," he promised. Louise nodded, almost thankfully. "Even though I realize now it was my daughter's life that you endangered," he persisted, edging closer.

She went on the defensive, standing in his path before he reached the next room. "I _told_ you that was an accident—" she began, interrupted by a wail in the background. She flinched, watching David's expression convey he had heard it as well.

"What was that?" he demanded, furrowing his brow. She froze, until the wails only got louder.

Louise sighed and led him in with a grumble. " _That_ is the sound of your grandchild," she was forced to admit. She lifted Summer into her arms, soothing her with a shushing noise.

David came up beside her to look. "Charlotte's child?" he verified.

Though Louise knew it was a lie, she played along. "Yes," she answered nervously. "Victoria's looking after her until she's well." She hoped David would pull away but he remained entranced, never once taking his eyes away.

"May I?" he offered.

Louise turned hesitantly to hand her over, sensing it was dangerous but at a loss for what else to do. "Careful," she brooded, delicately placing Summer in his hands.

"She barely looks over a month," he observed, surprising himself. _How do you know that,_ he thought inwardly, assuming his instincts from the past were responsible. There was something so familiar about holding a baby girl with Summer's eyes, something that touched him on such a linear level. And yet, for all the emotion it awoke, what tugged at his uncertainty was a small detail he recalled reading.

"I thought Charlotte had a son?" he vocalized it, looking up at Louise.

"Oh?" she feigned wonder. Summer began wailing and she reached out to take her back, hoping it would rescue her from answering. "Here – she needs to be fed."

David handed her over but continued pursuit. "I did my research – Charlotte gave birth over a year ago. This isn't her child," he insisted.

"Don't be ridiculous," Louise affected a simple laugh, straightening her dress. It gave David a brief glimpse of an inscription under her onesie, _Summer Clarke Grayson._ "Whatever you read must have printed a mistake," she pressed, dodging him to go get a bottle.

David only took a moment to process his thoughts before following behind. "What's going on," he pressed. "What is Victoria up to?"

Louise continued to avoid him, focusing her efforts on the baby in procrastination. "Guess you'll have to ask her," she shrugged, eventually placing Summer down once she had quieted.

"Alright, enough," David persisted, turning her to face him sternly. "I've been giving you the benefit of the doubt that the fire was an accident but I also know you fled the scene." He released her, confident that what he knew was enough to call her to attention. "And you were about to leave town if Victoria hadn't caught up with you. Now, I promised I would protect you for helping me but you need to be straight with me." He gestured to the infant. "Whose child is that and what is Victoria doing with her?"

At last Louise gave in. "Fine," she conceded, dropping her hands. "That _is_ Victoria's grandchild – but from her son Daniel," she confessed, finding a measure of relief in being able to tell the truth. It spilled out of her like water. "Daniel wouldn't let her see Charlotte so she kidnapped her right out of his home. She's using her as blackmail until he does."

David's face paled with shock at the atrocity. "And then?" he demanded further.

Louise shrugged. "I guess she's going to give her back?" He leaned in with intensity but she was genuine. "Honestly I don't know! She said something about finding a safe place for you and Charlotte but she wouldn't tell me the rest," she pled, betraying some of her underlying spite. "She practically cast me to the side."

Realizing he had pulled at the threads of their relationship, David ceased questioning and gazed over at the tender infant while a thought brewed. "Victoria told you all of this and you agreed to help her," he verified, squinting in her direction. "Even though she's turning her back on you? And even after all you've already done?"

Hearing it aloud only discouraged Louise and she slumped into a nearby chair. "I don't have much choice to rectify the things I've done," she explained sheepishly.

With a glow of determination, David raised his chin in response. "But you do," he countered with an idea. "Starting right now."

 **SCENE**

Emily felt her phone vibrate as she made her way down the stairwell of a private jet and answered it upon reaching the tarmac. "Finally," she sighed with concern, seeing it was Nolan. "I just landed – what took you so long?"

"Ah, there was sort of an emergency," Nolan replied, stopping short up the walk to the Manor. "I'm sorry—did you just say you were _getting off_ the plane?"

"That's why I was trying to call you—my flight got delayed so I took a private charter." She reached out to take her bag from the attendant and dragged it behind her, hastening her pace. "I kept getting this feeling I needed to get back sooner."

Nolan winced with agreement, fumbling with the door to the pool house. "Your instincts are uh... right on target as usual," he began apprehensively.

"I know," Emily affirmed before he could explain.

"Wait—you do?" Nolan wrinkled his brow in surprise.

"About Charlotte?" Emily presumed. "Her doctor called me this morning—she was having breathing issues last night and they had to intubate. They're transferring her into a specialized center to help her recuperate." She stopped at the curb, hailing a taxi. "Listen, I know it's a lot to ask but is there any way you can hang around the Manor for just a few more hours? I think I'm going to head straight there since I'm already in the city."

It was a diversion from what he expected, but a relief. "Ah, sure I can um, hold the fort down," Nolan stammered uneasily.

Figuring his hesitancy came from exhaustion, Emily added. "I'm sorry—I know you're probably tired of playing babysitter and aching to get back home," she assumed, settling into the backseat of a car and briefly instructing the driver. She returned her attention to Nolan. "It's just I can't get a hold of Daniel and someone needs to be there with Charlotte." Her curiosity got the better of her. "I'm guessing he's not there… did he say anything before he left this morning?"

Nolan delayed to give a truthful yet discreet answer. "He um, he had a pretty rough start to his day," was all he could come up with, biting his lip at the understatement.

"Of course he did," Emily failed to notice. "He was hungover," she assumed, shaking her head. "Well, I'm glad you were there to look after Summer. I hope she didn't give you too much trouble?"

It was paining Nolan not to confess every detail and a nagging at his conscience pushed him to let loose. But for all his guilt, there was still hope that they could just as quickly get her back, enhanced as he logged into the computer to see the security system was back online.

"Nolan?" Emily prodded him in the extended silence. "Everything's ok with Summer right?"

"Summer is an angel!" Nolan quickly assured her before she got too concerned. He needed to end the call and fast if he was going to follow the only lead they had. "Ah—Ems, I have to go but I'll let Daniel know you're back if I hear from him, alright?"

"Thanks, Nolan," Emily agreed and ended the call with a sigh. It was obvious something was up with Daniel and whether he was avoiding her out of embarrassment or because he was still sore about their fight remained to be seen. She leaned her head back on the seat to rest, and tried to focus on Charlotte instead of their unsavory rift.

Meanwhile, Nolan immediately sped to get a hold of Daniel, knowing that Emily's change of plans had only bought them a small window of time. "Hey—" he rushed after getting an answer. "Where are you?!"

"Just outside the police station," Daniel's reply was dejected as he paced along the steps. "No sign of my mother and they can't take an official report on her until it's been 48 hours. I'm freaking out, Nolan," his voice began to crack again. His hand was raised to his brow, stressing his hairline.

"I hate to make things worse but Emily's plane just landed," Nolan delivered, while typing commands on his keyboard at a furious pace.

"She's back _already_?" Daniel gaped. It was all he needed to push him over the edge. "That's it I'm calling it—I have to report what happened to the police."

"Wait—" Nolan interrupted, shocked he was even advising him to do anything else. "She said they were transferring Charlotte to a center in the city and she was going there first, so it buys you some time."

Daniel was already pacing back up to the building. "What good will that do? I don't even have a lead where my mother is!"

Anxious to offer something of value, Nolan responded. "I might," he revealed, nodding at his screen. "I got the security system back online. The footage from last night shows her leaving by herself but I went back to the other day when she first reappeared—there was someone lurking around the property." He leaned in close, zooming in on a still of the intruder. "It's not a full visual but I can at least get a partial. If I can hack into the federal database I can cross check it for facial recognition—find out who it is."

It was enough to halt Daniel in his tracks. "And then what?"

Nolan tapped away at work. "Best case scenario – I get a last known address. Maybe she's not working with Louise after all. And if this guy was already casing the house, chances are he helped her plot the whole kidnapping…" He sighed in conclusion, hoping it was enough to subsist. "It might take a little time but right now it's our only option."

Torn between whether to play the hunch or continue the course, Daniel hung back a moment, placing his hand on the police station doors. Finally he retracted it, turning around to bolt down the steps. "Alright, do it," he gave him the go ahead. "Tell me when you have something."

"Got it," Nolan affirmed, suddenly curious. "And what are you gonna do?"

"You said Emily was going to the center in the city to be with Charlotte?" Daniel confirmed first. "Well, I'm going there to meet her. Even if this plan works – I have to tell her the truth."

He hung up before Nolan could dissuade him, insistent that it was not only the right thing to do but the only thing. The layers of guilt had piled on him long enough and though he knew it would hit her like a meteor when she found out, he couldn't keep it a secret a moment longer.

His phone rang not a minute later, and assuming it was Nolan trying to talk him out of it he started to ignore the call. But the caller ID registered _Unknown._

"Hello?" he answered it feverishly, hoping it was his mother. On the contrary, an automated response sounded instead.

" _You have a collect call from: Riker's Island Correctional Facility."_

 **SCENE**

Victoria returned to the hotel room with pep in her step, impelled by the seeming turn of events in her favor. Margaux had agreed to her terms, leaving only one loose end to tie up – ensuring Daniel would comply. "Louise?" she called out, removing her sunglasses to scan the room. "My meeting was successful. As soon as I get in contact with my son, you're free to go—" she stopped mid-announcement, sensing that the room was empty.

Her first thought was to check the carrier for Summer but it was noticeably gone. " _Louise?_ " Victoria repeated anxiously as she dashed through the common area. The room was completely still, and suddenly a fearsome insight occurred to her.

"David?" she whirled around in a panic, checking the bedroom next. But it too was empty, and with it all her plans were slowly crumbling before her eyes.

In her haste she had overlooked a note sitting on the table, which she finally observed at her last turn through the room. Gingerly, she reached over to pick it up and as she began reading her countenance slowly fell…

 **SCENE**

Emily was sitting at Charlotte's side when Daniel arrived at the doorway of her room. It was clear from afar her condition was critical, and he winced at the sight of all the tubes and contraptions helping her breathe. After absorbing it with sympathy, his eyes trailed next over to Emily. She hadn't noticed he was there yet, instead was only speaking softly to her sister.

He wanted to wait, wanted to savor the last few moments before she was sure to be angered and brokenhearted. But as always, her instincts were too keen. Or perhaps his presence was just that familiar that she knew when he was there. Whatever the case, she turned at once and to his surprise her face brightened upon seeing him. "Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," Daniel echoed. He went over to kiss her on the cheek out of habit, and suddenly realized how much he missed seeing her face. "You're back," he appraised nervously, sinking into the open seat beside her.

"I wanted to be here for her," she explained, lifting her brow with optimism. "But the doctor thinks she's already making progress. She'll have more round-the-clock care here and they might be able to take her off the ventilator by tomorrow morning."

"That's good news," Daniel agreed, grateful to have at least one burden somewhat lifted. His thoughts went to Emily's trip next. "How'd it go?"

"Quicker than I thought it would," Emily replied in short. She assumed he was deflecting the fact he hadn't returned any of her calls.

But in his expression was genuine interest. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," he owned it without recourse, resting a hand on her knee. She glanced down at the unexpected show of contrition. "I should've been by your side… I should've handled everything differently."

With his honest admission, Emily was prepared to forget everything she held against him. She attempted to, squeezing his hand in response. "We've been torn in different directions lately. I missed you," she volunteered, and leaned in to hug him close. Perhaps the rift was not as deep as she thought. "And Summer," she added sweetly. "Saying goodbye to my mother made me realize how much I missed my own family."

Daniel swallowed the jagged lump in his throat, tensing over her shoulder. She could not have chosen more indicative words under the circumstances. "Yeah, Em, that's just the thing," he felt his confession beginning and slowly pulled away to say it to her face.

She noticed the change as soon as they separated. "Daniel what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"It's about Summer," was all he could mouth for the moment, watching the fright fill her eyes.

"Is she ok?" Emily demanded. Her pulse was rising at a furious pace.

But once again a phone call interrupted Daniel's train of thought. This time he looked down with relief to see it was from the Southampton Police Station. "Yeah, this is Daniel Grayson," he answered when prompted. "Thank _God—_ yes, we've been looking for her," he sighed next, but it only worried Emily more. He stood and she rose to her feet to mirror him. "Emily's here too we'll be right down."

Emily was beside herself as he ended the call. "What's going on?" she hissed.

Daniel's face said it all. "I have so much to tell you, I honestly don't know where to start," he began, though the truth was now doused with hope. But he had to nonetheless, starting with the first shock wave. "Just before you left, my mother got out of Claremont."

"What?!" Emily was dumbfounded. "Was that them that just called?"

"No," he clarified eerily. "That was the police."

Emily narrowed her eyes with discernment as she braced for the rest. "Daniel, what did your mother do?"

 **SCENE**

Entering in unison, Daniel and Emily made quite the scene as they burst into the holding room at the police station, where a uniformed worker was cradling their child.

"Summer!" Emily broke ahead to reach her first. But she was held back by Officer Hunter who had led them in.

"Hold on there for a second, Mrs. Grayson—we have to follow protocol," he insisted, gently taking her by the arm.

"I want to see my daughter!" Emily resisted, breaking away from him.

"I _know_ you want to see her and we're going to let you," Officer Hunter insisted, cautioning to another officer that was following closely behind Daniel. He gestured and the officer began ushering him towards a separate room. "We just need you to fill out some paperwork first and we have a few questions."

"Questions—what are you talking about?" Daniel protested as the officer pulled him away.

Though Emily was a blur of mingling emotions her anger quickly channeled to Officer Hunter. "This is ridiculous—where are you taking him?!" she demanded.

" _Mrs. Grayson,_ " Ben emphasized to get her attention. "Your daughter was brought in under extenuating circumstances," he leaned in to explain, calming her down. "Now when this happens it's important that we speak to both parents separately," he paused to give another nod to the officer with Daniel. Once they were gone from sight he released her. "Do you understand?"

With her arms unconfined Emily quickly realized it was a ploy to get Daniel out of the room. "No I don't," she spat, glancing over at the worker attending to her child. "Who's this?"

"She's from Social Services," Ben explained. He led Emily to her and shut the door behind them. "We know you were out of town when your daughter went missing but there's a few things we need to verify. The person who came forward said she was abandoned at a nearby inn," he shared apprehensively. "No one around and no signs of foul play… in cases like these, the first thing we have to rule out is parental neglect."

Emily turned her nose up in disgust. "I don't care what they said—she was kidnapped right out of her crib," she avowed. "Daniel was there the whole time."

"Really?" Ben countered with interest. "Any reason he wouldn't have heard a noise or sensed that there had been a break-in?"

Remembering the state Daniel was in at the time, Emily recoiled. But her determination was set and her eyes locked onto Summer, refocusing. "I'm not answering another question until you give her to me!" she commanded.

Ben gave the worker a look of approval and she complied, placing her into Emily's needing arms. "Just give us a minute," he advised, motioning for her to wait outside. Alone with just Emily, he returned to careful interrogation. "Look, I know this is all a lot to take in but this procedure is only necessary because of the nature of how it happened."

Emily could barely take her eyes off her daughter long enough to contradict. "Daniel told you how it happened! This is all his mother's doing – she kidnapped our child! You should be pulling _her_ in for questions – not me _or_ my husband," she snapped.

"With all due respect, as much as I would like to give merit to Daniel's story," Ben argued. "That's all it is at this point—a story." He answered her furrowed brow with further explanation. "Your husband never filed a report, and none of the information he's given us is backed up by any evidence."

Though it surprised her, Emily dismissed it with a shake of her head. "He was probably too anxious to find her," she presumed, wishing she had more time to discuss the details with him on the way over. "The evidence is in our home security system – we can get you whatever you need."

"That would be helpful," Ben nodded. "Though for the record, your husband _could_ have chosen to report that when he came in earlier today to inquire about his mother…" he trailed off, watching it have visible impact. "But he didn't. He had every opportunity to put his daughter's welfare first but he chose to incriminate Victoria instead… even though he was last seen _in_ her company leaving the hospital."

Finally a smidge of doubt appeared in Emily's eyes. "Daniel left with Victoria?" she repeated. It was a detail he had conveniently left out when recounting her escape and reappearance.

Ben affirmed it with a nod. "He personally assured me that he would see Victoria home. Hardly what you might consider a hostile encounter?" he challenged. "But more importantly, Victoria Grayson is not the person who came forward with your missing infant," he informed, pointing softly down at Summer.

The lines in Emily's face tightened with intrigue. "Then who did?"

"We're holding him here in custody," Ben delivered with purpose. "We were hoping you might be able to tell us?"

 **SCENE**

Nolan scanned the waiting area, stopping once he noticed Daniel slumped forward with his head in his palm. He rushed over with his laptop in tow to take the seat beside him. "Hey, what's going on," he inquired in surprise. "I brought everything as fast as I could—I thought you said it was good news?"

"It is," Daniel relented, not intending to overshadow it. He lifted his head hopefully. "They found Summer. But it wasn't my mother that brought her in. And whoever did is trying to make me out to be a neglectful parent," he informed helplessly. "Which means either my mother got sloppy, or this is what she had planned all along?"

"Hm," Nolan let out a half-chuckle. "Well, we all make mistakes… even the criminally _insane._ "

Daniel bit his lip, suppressing pent up anger. "This is a little too clever even for her," he took a guess. "They just let me out of questioning."

Nolan arched his head back to reflect. "Please tell me you left out the time you got drunk and woke up to find your daughter missing?" he said in jest, despite knowing it was the truth. He shook his head ruefully. "Well, lucky for you this footage should get you off the hook," he gestured, popping open his laptop. "I took the liberty of dropping off a flash drive with the partial of our unknown trespasser on my way in."

"Still unknown?" Daniel inquired, glancing over.

"Unfortunately, yes," Nolan admitted with a regretful shrug. "I can't make out his face and believe it or not, there are some databases even _I_ can't hack—I was hoping Southampton PD could. I left a trail of digital breadcrumbs on the drive," he revealed, typing a few commands. "So as soon as they access it – I'll be right behind them."

Daniel clapped him on the back appreciatively. "Thanks for your help through all of this," he took a moment to acknowledge. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Though the gesture endeared him, Nolan took it awkwardly. "Unfortunately, you may get an answer to that question fairly soon," he hinted guiltily as he looked up. "I'm in the doghouse for the rest of the summer. Ems was ah, pretty heated when she called."

It was meant to be lighthearted, but Daniel knew it was more severe. "Yeah, I expected as much," he agreed.

"No, I don't think you quite grasp it," Nolan was forced to enlighten him. "She told me to focus on this unknown person and hold back the footage on Victoria so she can have her to herself." He took his eyes off the screen briefly to impress the magnitude. "This is _bad,_ Daniel. I think Em is definitely headed for some old habits. I'm talking first-summer-in-the-Hamptons-revenge vibes… maybe worse?"

Nolan's way of wording things never ceased to amplify the dramatics. Coincidentally, just then Emily emerged from the interrogation room alongside Officer Hunter. As Daniel watched, she reluctantly placed Summer back in the arms of the uniformed worker standing outside and began following Officer Hunter down the corridor towards another room. Her eyes trailed briefly to where Daniel was waiting but she looked away without making contact.

"You think there's any coming back from this?" Nolan observed the cool interaction.

Daniel wanted to be optimistic, but deep inside he feared Nolan was right. "I don't know," he answered honestly. "I wish there was... but I honestly don't know."

 **SCENE**

The third knock at Lyman's apartment door forced him to put his client on hold and get up to answer it. "What the devil-?" he began, thrusting the door open to see his sister on the other side.

"Sorry darlin', nothin' can fix the devil," Louise shot back, shoving a cell phone into his hand as she brushed past him. "But lucky for you, the Lord delivers."

"Lulu, what are you doin' here? Is this Charlotte's phone?" Lyman reacted all at once, examining what she had given him. "I thought you said you were stayin' away?"

"Oh, trust me I am," Louise affirmed proudly with a snip. "It's just when it dawned on me that I was an absolute _fool_ for ever helping Victoria, I decided I'm done helping you too. I'm startin' fresh honey, and that means taking care of _myself._ " She couldn't help adding with spite. "Seeing how you and Mama did such a swell job screwin' me up."

Lyman humored her with an amused grin. "Well, if there's one thing they teach you in law, it's accountability," he scolded her. "Mama and I tried to help you. Face it baby girl—you ran from that institution right on back into trouble."

Louise edged in close. "My mistakes aside, I was never insane and you know it!" She folded her arms to challenge his wit. "And as I recall, you had more than just Mama's help signing those papers? You know, it says a lot about a man if his wife can turn him against his family overnight… I bet you're regrettin' that now, aren't you?"

"My marriage to Charlotte was mutually beneficial," Lyman retorted, holding up the phone as proof. "I try not to live my life with regrets and now that I have the photos? I don't regret a thing."

Louise snickered at his arrogance while he walked a few paces off to destroy it. "You haven't even been to see that girl once, have you?" she seethed.

"You're one to talk after putting her there in the first place!" he whirled around to fire back. It suddenly gave him motivation to make another point. "Something you'd do well to remember the next time you come crawlin' to your big brother attorney for a favor!" Her face reddened with anger but he stood his ground. "I can't always bail you out of everything, Lou. Call it an accident if you like, but we both know it's not your first, now is it?"

"Ugh!" Louise huffed, contented to leave. "I may need help," she clarified on her way to the door, aching to slam it in his face. "But at least now I know where _not_ to look." With one last distasteful look she took off down the hall. "You and mama are as good as dead to me!"

 **SCENE**

 _"LeMarchal Media?"_

Margaux was so deep in thought at her desk that she didn't even check the caller ID before answering. "Ben?" she identified upon hearing his voice. A quick glance at the time told her something was amiss. "I'm so sorry; did I forget to return a call?"

"Hey," Ben whispered, hanging in the corridor while another officer prepped the lineup. Emily was just inside the second holding room, affording him a few short minutes until he had to walk her in. "No—you didn't miss anything. It's been a hectic day. I just wanted to tell you I got some information I think you'll want to know…" He trailed off, gazing into the distance as if to confirm. "In fact, I know you will."

"Well, I can't wait to hear all about it," Margaux agreed, tilting her head to make sure no one was lurking just outside her office. "Though I'm almost certain it can't trump what _I_ happened across today," she hinted, walking over to swing the door shut. "I owe you an apology for sending you on witch hunt these past few weeks. Once you find out what Victoria's been up to all this time, I can guarantee you won't believe it."

Realizing there was a common denominator to their revelations, Ben perked up with interest. Just ahead, the door to the lineup wedged open and he knew he would have to save it for afterwards.

"Something tells me you're right."

 **SCENE**

"Bring them out."

The command coincided with the creak of a swinging door as Emily faced the lineup window. It had been more like a never ending nightmare than just a trying day, and though the fear for her daughter's life had only been momentary, it was frightening. Still, Emily mustered the strength to proceed; drawing up energies from the part of her she knew was inherited from her mother. The woman she had just flown across the country to mourn was also a fighter, and in a strange way she sought to honor her by not giving up.

"Now, Emily, just to be clear," Ben debriefed her as they walked out. "This is more of a formality since you never caught a glimpse of the man who came forward with your daughter. But the Chief received footage from your property's surveillance, showing someone with a similar description lurking on your property. Just take a moment—tell us if you recognize him."

Emily took a breath and then stepped forward, expecting to see one of Victoria's loyal henchmen. But after a quick glance at the men in custody it was clear there was no semblance—until suddenly her gaze fell upon the one in dead center. There was something tragically familiar.

"Number three," she whispered to Ben.

Keen to her instincts, Ben addressed the lineup at once. "Number three, step forward," he instructed.

Emily mirrored him as he did, also taking a step closer to stare intently. When she did, any shadow of a doubt instantly erased from her mind. She felt every muscle in her body go numb; forgetting why she was there, what she was looking for, even why she had been so angrily determined moments prior. Every conviction fleeted out of her in one breathy sigh and she felt the tears welling in the corner of her eyes.

Ben looked up at the sound of her sniffling, worried that she was cowering in fear. "There's no reason to be intimidated, all right?" he assured her. "He can't see you."

"I know," Emily whispered hoarsely, even though it had truly just dawned on her. The rupture of emotion she was feeling was one-sided, and while it served to rock her world, the man before her had no idea. He was completely oblivious.

Another minute passed and Ben was now certain there had to be some connection. "Are you ready to make an I.D., Mrs. Grayson?" he prodded her. "Do you recognize him?"

Although she was overwhelmed, Emily still had not completely lost touch with her conscious instincts. Not only that, if she answered in the affirmative, what did that mean for her daughter? How was it possible that she had been taken by the one person in the world Emily trusted with her entire heart?

"No," she finally answered, and her heart sank with the decision. "It's not him."

Ben furrowed his brow. "Just take your time," he urged, wondering what had caused her to suddenly retract.

Sensing it, Emily backed away to convince him. "I'm sure," she insisted and wiped her eyes. It was unbearable to keep looking and she had to turn away. "I don't recognize anyone."

Forced to accept it, Ben signaled for the lineup to be dismissed, but not before Emily took one last glance back. Despite everything it implied and every word of her denial, her heart would not allow her to betray him. For as impossible as it seemed to grasp, there was no mistaking it. The man she was staring at was her father, David Clarke – and he was alive.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Thank you for all your patience dear readers! So sorry to delay again in posting—hopefully the next few months will slow down so I can put more chapters up as we dive into Summer. Speaking of which – how did you enjoy the suspense of her disappearance and rescue?! I was really excited to construct this whole plot, having planned it for some time. I always imagined that Emily would find out at the last minute and be enraged, only to be shocked that the one person who technically "saved" her was not an accomplice of Victoria's but the LAST person she would suspect – her own father! I'm so excited to elaborate further on the impact of this Meteor and the many others scattered through the chapter. Hope you enjoyed the payoff too and please tell me your thoughts – I eagerly anticipate them! More to come, including what happens next with David, how his relationship with Victoria continues to evolve, and how Emily handles all of it, including the impact it has on her relationship with Daniel. (Keep tissues ready!) As always, your support is outstanding and I can't believe we are almost at 2 full years of this story. You guys are the best and make me so thrilled to keep writing. MUCH MUCH thanks to you for everything! ~Love & Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	47. Chapter 46: Repercussions

**A/N: Greetings again faithful readers! First off I just want to apologize if no one got the notification for the previous chapter – apparently there was a glitch and FFNet did not send the usual email. So if you haven't already read "Meteor", you get bonus 2 chapters this time! Please check it out, and if you** _ **have**_ **already caught up, then read on! Disclaimer: The "Repercussions" in this installment may seem a little severe but I promise it won't be permanent. :) Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 46: Repercussions**

 _ **Every action has a consequence. Whether intentional or unwarranted, the repercussions of our choices can seldom be avoided… forcing us to face up to our mistakes and accept what comes next, even if it's the last thing we would have ever expected…**_

Emily panted with each brisk step through the parking lot, steadying the weight of Summer's carrier in her right hand until she finally reached her vehicle. She stopped momentarily, desperately trying to catch her breath before surging again with urgency. She was lightheaded and her vision blurred from tears but she powered through, hands shaking as she fastened Summer's carrier into the rear seat. The sound of her daughter's unsettled wails heightened and pained her to hear but she had to keep moving. "Shh, it's alright sweetheart," she tried calming her in a raspy voice. "Shh, shh, we're going home," she soothed regardless, finally managing to secure her in.

With the motion of closing the rear door shut, her eyes caught sight of Daniel running after her. She hurried to get into the driver's seat in spite of it, but was unable to start the engine before he arrived at her side. "Emily!" he accosted her, reaching his arm through the open window to stop her from leaving. "Em, what's going on?!" he demanded.

"Just leave me alone, Daniel," she warned him sharply, pushing his hand away to start the car. She knew her swift departure from the station had to have alarmed him, and frankly she could not even remember how she navigated from Summer's release to walking through the doors without once looking his way. But it didn't matter. All that filled her mind in that moment was safely getting her daughter and trying to fathom what she had seen in the lineup, and how it could possibly be real.

"Emily, just wait a minute," Daniel pressed her regardless.

"I said, leave me alone!" she shouted again, fending him off.

He remained insistent. "You can't just take off without telling me what happened?!" he begged.

"Our daughter was kidnapped that's what happened—" Emily argued, speaking above the cries that rang out from the backseat. She looked back to soothe her again, but Summer was screaming at the top of her lungs. "She's hungry, and scared, and she's been surrounded by nothing but strangers," she enforced with an angered look. "I need to take her home."

"We _will_ take her home, but right now you need to tell me what you _saw_ ," Daniel pled, growing fearful the more he studied her expression. "Alright, who was it? Is it someone we know?" he searched her eyes.

Emily contemplated for a moment but her adrenaline was pumping too hard for her to calm down. "I can't talk about this with you," she convinced herself, shaking her head determinedly towards her lap. When she looked up it was only to shift gears and pull away. "And I can't be around you right now. Not after everything," she implied.

Suddenly catching on, Daniel reached in to try stopping her but the car was already moving. "Wait Emily, what are you saying—" he yelled out, keeping in step with the vehicle until she shifted into drive. "Emily, _stop!"_ he implored at last, but she refused to look his way and sped off without hesitation.

He fell back a step to watch her drive out of the lot in disbelief, feeling disoriented and lost at what had just transpired. It was only then he noticed Nolan rushing to catch up to him, clutching his laptop in hand. "Daniel!" he called out, slowing down within a few feet. He stared at the empty space helplessly. "What happened?"

"She just took off without saying why!" Daniel answered, all but completely dumbfounded. He shook his head in distress, looking to Nolan for answers. "What's gotten into her? She was shaking like she'd just seen a ghost?"

Panting after the run over, Nolan held up his laptop in response. "That's because she did," he replied windily, putting his hand up in gesture until he was able to finish. "The digital trail I put on the police database," he began.

"It picked up something?" Daniel assumed.

"No," Nolan shook his head wearily. "There wasn't enough for a facial recognition. But they ran prints on all the suspects and one of them turned a match." He averted focus towards the direction Emily had left in. "It's probably the reason Emily just ran off—she's freaking out!"

" _Why?!_ " Daniel forced desperately, ready to shake the truth out of him.

"Because," Nolan continued, still finding his breath amidst the words to explain it to him. "You're never going to believe who it is."

 **SCENE**

Victoria adjusted her shades as she paced the busy sidewalk to LeMarchal Headquarters, hoping no one would notice her. She could not be sure where David had gone, but by the wording of Louise's letter, she feared the worst. Her only hope was to visit Margaux yet again, in hopes of making an amendment to their deal. Her livelihood would be dashed to pieces without it.

No sooner had she turned the corner into the building, when she caught sight of an armed officer less than twenty feet ahead of her. Her instincts were to freeze and double back the way she came, but upon turning she saw two other officers approach her from behind.

"Victoria Grayson," the former apprehended, and she felt a sinking in the pit of her stomach.

"Yes?" she admitted nervously. This was it – David's return, Louise's betrayal and her foiled plan were all about to collapse on her at once. Silently, she swore to herself that if she was being arrested, she would not go down without bringing one of her accomplices with her. "What's going on?" she feigned innocently, looking back and forth between them. "What is all this?"

"Mrs. Grayson," the rear officer approached, and Victoria braced herself to hear him read her Miranda rights. But although he secured a grip onto her arm, he did nothing of the sort. Instead he merely urged her to follow them out. "We need you to come with us."

 **SCENE**

Nolan burst into Grayson Manor with his laptop in tow, headed towards the path to the pool house.

"Emily!" he called out, to no response. He looked back over his shoulder to address Daniel, who entered just behind him. "I'm gonna connect to the main hub, see if I can find out what the police are doing with David, and if they've decided to go public yet," he summarized. But he had barely made it through to the parlor when Emily suddenly crossed his path.

"They haven't and he's still in custody," she snapped vehemently, standing in his way. "So don't bother, you can turn around and go home," she ordered.

" _Ems!_ " he pleaded with excitement brimming in his eyes. He seized her by the arms, flabbergast with emotion. "Aren't you beside yourself—this is, this is _unimaginable,_ your father's _alive_!"

"I _know,_ Nolan," she emphasized, and the tears returned to her eyes. But rather than give in to the emotions, she loosely pulled out of his grip with a saddened look. "I saw him," she whispered.

"Did he—" Nolan began eagerly, but she stopped his momentum.

"We were separated by the glass, he couldn't see me," she anticipated his question. Her expression changed from forlorn to firm as she stared both him and Daniel down. "And right now I don't want to see either of you," she sentenced them, marching back upstairs with a bottle in hand.

While Nolan froze in shock at her adverse reaction, Daniel motioned for him to wait while he pursued her up to their bedroom. "Emily, you can't shut us out – _come on,_ " he insisted, trailing right on her heels. "We need to talk about this!"

She spun around suddenly, guarding the upstairs. "We needed to talk about this before my father became a suspect!" she barked. "Or when your _mother_ escaped from Claremont," she leered, taking a step back down with each phrase. "You brought her into _our_ home, Daniel, where she later took _our_ child! Explain to me how that happened—!"

Her frightful accusations damned him with every word, but Daniel fought to make her understand. "Emily, you have every right to be furious with me," he acknowledged. "I want answers too, but you have to know I would have never allowed _any_ of this to happen—"

"If not for what?" she cut him short, recalling the past week with sarcasm. "Let me guess, if I hadn't agreed to help Charlotte? Hm? Is that what sent you over the edge?" she dared. "Were you too busy passed out to hear your mother breaking in during the night?"

"Em—" he protested.

"Or maybe it was my mother's funeral?" she continued taunting. "Are you gonna tell me I should've stayed behind? Maybe _that_ would have prevented Summer from disappearing right from under your eyes—"

"Alright, enough Emily," Daniel tried to reconcile. "We were both dealing with things out of our control, this isn't fair—"

"No, it isn't!" Emily jumped to defense, this time interrupted by Nolan in the foyer.

"Listen, maybe I should just go," he begged off towards the front door.

"Nolan, wait," Emily interrupted, with such an intense look that he didn't dare move. She returned her gaze to Daniel in suggestion. "I think you should go with him," she added reluctantly.

Daniel sank back in disbelief. "What?" his expression softened, almost patronizing her. "Are you serious?"

Emily kept her arms folded, tightening her grip to strengthen her stance. "You said it yourself; we both had our judgment tested and look what it led to. Maybe we should take some time to figure things out… alone?"

Though it was presented as a question, the confidence in Emily's tone made it resonate like a statement. Daniel could only shake his head incredulously, unable to process how fractured they had quickly become. "I don't believe this," he sighed, taking a step back.

Emily draped her head down to consider, but the hesitation was all Daniel needed. He turned away before she looked up; the mere suggestion serving as ammunition to leave. As she watched, he retreated back down the stairwell to precede Nolan at the door, swinging it open. For a moment he paused, and Emily tensed in anticipation as he looked back.

"You would do this now," he asked in a confirming tone. "Even after finding out that your father is still alive?"

Though a part of her ached to tell him she was being foolish and beg him to come back, it was the one thing that held her ground. "How can I face the family I thought I lost," she explained. "When I can't even look after the family I have?"

 **SCENE**

Despite the hurried approach to bring Victoria down to the station, she arrived to find herself quickly escorted into the Chief's quarters where he made an elaborate introduction, preparing her for what she was about to see. Next, they ushered her into an interrogation room and signaled another guard to enter. To her surprise, rather than leaving her to be questioned by the department, the officer led in a baffled and disoriented David Clarke.

"David!" she sighed anxiously, rising from her seat. She studied his eyes at once, for it was all she had to subsist on for direction. Would they continue the charade or own up to their previous interaction?

She got her answer from the affirmative nod David gave the detective, who addressed them next. "Chief Alvarez is allowing you this visit as a courtesy," he instructed, leaving out the door he came in. "You got five minutes."

Alone at last, Victoria concentrated on David's expression. For the first time, she detected an inkling of danger behind his eyes. "For a moment I thought you had turned me in?" she eased in, helplessly reading him.

"I considered it," he admitted just as sternly. They were matched in apprehension, both clearly uncertain of the other's motives. At last, David softened. "But I wanted to give you a chance to explain yourself."

Victoria seized the chance. "David, I was desperate," she explained. "I know you must think it was foolish. But I didn't have any other choice – I needed to see my daughter."

"Louise told me it was your granddaughter," David inserted skeptically.

"No, David _our_ daughter—Charlotte," Victoria clarified. "From the moment I returned, Daniel has kept me from seeing her. I couldn't take it any longer," she explained. "I was going to return Summer to him as soon as he agreed to let me see Charlotte." Her voice grew raspier as she pled on the verge of sobs. But David remained calm, listening intently until she finally gave way for him to speak.

"The fear of losing a child must be something that stays with you forever," he hypothesized, straining to remember. "Despite the emptiness I've been living with, it's the one thing that feels familiar to me. It's the reason I came to you," he elaborated. "Victoria, I asked for your help so I could figure out who I was and learn more about _my_ little girl – about Amanda." His expression suddenly grew suspicious. "But now I'm starting to wonder if you ever intended to do that?"

Victoria shifted in her seat. "Of course I do David, I'm just … I'm afraid you won't like what you find," she worded it carefully.

David eyed her with interest. "And why is that?" he prodded. "I know Amanda died while I was in prison. But she had a family – why didn't you lead me to them first? Why go after your son instead?"

Sensing she was at risk of losing David's trust altogether, Victoria needed to reassure him with something quickly. "Because David the truth is, the woman that Daniel married…" she faltered, debating just how much honesty she could afford. Finally she answered in favor of swaying him. "She's been tormenting me for the past year. She's determined to destroy me and I knew neither of us would be safe."

David hunched forward, gesturing to their surroundings. "You're talking to a fugitive who had his memory nearly beaten out of him," he summarized, giving her the first glimpse into his personal pain. "Safety is the least of my concerns – if I'm going to have a second chance at life on the outside I need to know where I belong," he added with emphasis. "And who I can trust."

It was Victoria's turn to lean in. "You can trust me, David," she insisted, placing her hands atop his. He flinched noticeably, but she only squeezed harder. "I know that might be hard for you to believe right now, and I admit in my past I've made mistakes," she defended, gazing into his eyes. "But all I want is to procure the life we were meant to have together – just you, me and _our_ daughter," she paused to imagine. "You don't remember, but it was once the only hope we had to look forward to."

David rested his gaze on her, still unsure of what to believe. Unbeknownst to her he was starting to recollect fragments of their relationship, beginning with the memory that came to him the day he followed her to Grayson Manor. But there was still a void of certainty, and his instincts told him there was more to their affair than plans to simply run away. He could feel the answers within reach but he needed more time to sort them out.

Just then the detective returned, joined by an agent. "Mr. Clarke, I'm sorry to interrupt," he advised. "This is Agent Stiegel with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; he's here to officially take your story." He then turned to Victoria. "Ma'am, I'll have to ask you to leave—"

"No," David interjected, to Victoria's surprise. She stopped mid-rise and followed his admonition. "I'd like her to stay if you don't mind? Whatever you need to know, I can say in front of her," he insisted, and his words translated the trust Victoria had been looking for. Her upper lip curled into a smile and they both faced the agent with a shared look of unity.

The agent conferred with the detective before focusing on David again. "Are you sure?" he verified. "This investigation could take some time."

David drew a breath before speaking. "I just want to tell the truth."

 **SCENE**

Two evenings had passed by Nolan's next visit to Grayson Manor, which was met with a foul look from Emily upon answering the door. She wedged herself in the opening without inviting him in. "It's 5 a.m.," she scolded irritably.

"Do you know where your children are?" he made a pitiable attempt at a joke. "Ok, ok, sorry—that one was in poor taste," he quickly apologized. Emily started to close the door but he reached in to extend a coffee as a peace offering. "Something to take the edge off today's early morning feeding?"

Emily took the cup from him, but didn't budge. "Thanks," she forced, shutting the door again.

" _Ems,_ " Nolan insisted, preventing her for the second time. She reappeared, charging him with an expectant look. "Come on, it's been an eternity," he pleaded entry.

"Nolan, it's been two days," she reminded curtly. Sensing he wasn't giving up anytime soon; she finally huffed and moved aside to let him in.

Nolan strolled through, placing each step carefully as he made his way into the familiar residence. "Technically longer, if you count your sabbatical to the west coast," he reminded. "Just one of an _infinite_ amount of things we have to catch up on…" he hinted cleverly.

Emily secured the door and then promptly walked past him. "Well I'm catching up on time with my daughter at the moment. So if you're here to get clothes for Daniel, grab them and let yourself out."

Nolan frowned at her dismissal, following her turned back into the lower level nursery. "Actually, I came to check on _you_ ," he confessed, dancing around the subject. "Daniel, is ah, settling in at my place just fine."

"Good," Emily replied, lifting Summer onto her shoulder. She stroked her back softly and shot a glare in his direction. "You two belong with each other."

At last Nolan couldn't stand the coolness. "Emily, he feels _terrible_ —" he dove in uncomfortably.

"He should feel terrible," she snapped in a whisper. "His conniving mother nearly got away with our child!" Even as she safeguarded her daughter warmly in her arms, the fear of losing her was still fresh.

Nolan sighed, trying to be patient. "Did you at least turn over the footage of Victoria to the police?" he changed topic.

"No," Emily answered, and her gaze suggested she had something else planned. "They've got their hands full as it is," she deflected instead.

A moment passed before she realized Nolan was watching her, clearly concerned with how she was dealing with her father's miraculous and yet mysterious return. Slowly she softened to share more information. "I spoke with Officer Hunter yesterday. They believe my father's story about finding Summer, but they're holding him in custody."

"Yeah, I ah, took a peek in the database," Nolan affirmed sheepishly. "It looks like now that Washington's involved, he won't be getting released anytime soon."

Emily nodded. "His name may be cleared, but technically he's still an escaped inmate. They're not going to rest until they understand how he survived and why he was posing as someone named 'Schmerkovsky'," she fumbled with the pseudo name, shifting Summer in her arms. She started for the kitchen to get a bottle. "Or whoever he was pretending to be."

Nolan followed her in, sliding onto a stool. "So is that what he's been doing all this time?" he guessed pensively. "Putting on a pretense until he could stage his escape?"

"I don't know," Emily replied wistfully. She reached over to switch on the news, but there was no update other than the same headline from the police since the first day, stating he was alive. "I'm waiting just like everyone else."

"Yeah, for now," Nolan assumed. "But what about once they release him? I mean," he hesitated, suddenly realizing she lacked the enthusiasm he expected. "You're going to be there the moment he gets out, right?" he guessed.

Emily remained still while feeding her daughter, as if she had already entertained the idea. "I can't think about leaving her again, Nolan," she admitted, glancing down. "Believe me; I want to see him more than anything, I just… I can't let her out of my sight."

It was hard not to sympathize, especially as Nolan bore witness to the most protective and nurturing side of her he had ever seen. But as much as he understood her determination, he knew it came from a place that was still ultimately, a weakness. "Ems, you have to stop blaming yourself," he suddenly urged her, reading her exterior.

"Blaming _myself?_ " she challenged with surprise.

"Yeah, that's exactly what you're doing," he persisted. "You say you're angry with me and Daniel, but deep down you're holding your _self_ accountable for being 3,000 miles away when everything happened." She snorted in response, but he only pressed even harder. "But you can't go through life thinking that if you can control every situation, no harm will ever come to the people you love!"

"Watch it, Nolan," she reprimanded, but he was already too confident in argument.

"Emily, this is your _father_ we're talking about!" Nolan expressed at last. "Are you really saying if it comes down to trusting me or Daniel with Summer, you're not even going to make an _attempt_ to see him?"

"This isn't just about you two!" Emily finally lobbed back, curbing her tone so as not to disturb the baby. "Have you forgotten Victoria is the culprit in all of this? And despite what I told the police – that _was_ my father on the tape. He was _working_ with her!"

"Oh, so now it's _David_ you don't trust," Nolan contended, slowly standing. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe he realized Victoria's evil plan and that's what made him come forward?" He glanced at the steady images of the police station on the news. "Maybe he's down there diming her out as we speak?"

"Or maybe she's already poisoned me to him? He obviously didn't know Summer was his own granddaughter when he brought her in," Emily countered, revealing how much thought she had already given the topic. "Think about it, Nolan. So far we know he came to Grayson Manor, saw Victoria and they disappeared together. After everything she's done to him, how can he even trust her?!"

Her emotions were finally coming out, and Nolan gave her a moment to digest before calming her. "All great questions," he assessed, leaning in to emphasize. "For _David._ " He drew back, deciding his departure would impel her more than anything else. "Face it, Ems – if you ever want the answers, you have to get them from him," he stopped to softly gaze at Summer. "And you're gonna have to learn to trust again."

 **SCENE**

Daniel tensed as he waited in the counselor's room at Ryker's Correctional, having been there multiple times before but never with so much weighing on him. He was fortunate to remember the credentials needed for a private visit with Aiden, as his mind was currently a blur. The anguish of two full days spent away from his family showed on his face, drawing notice as Aiden sat down before him.

"Thank you for coming," Aiden addressed him, trying to be delicate. "I apologize for the vagueness of my call … I certainly hope I haven't disturbed you otherwise?"

Daniel swallowed, well aware that his appearance spoke volumes. "You said it was urgent so I came," he stated plainly. "It's been a long week."

Aiden stabbed at a guess. "Give her time," he implied, and Daniel narrowed his eyes at the keen observation. "Whatever Emily's angry about, she'll simmer down… especially once she finds out what I'm about to tell you." He instinctively glanced around, even though he knew their conversation could not legally be recorded. "I've come across something unbelievable but I have it on good authority as being true—David Clarke is still alive."

Aiden waited for Daniel to react with shock, but his expression remained unchanged. "I'm not sure that information is going to have the desired effect you think it will," he countered uncomfortably. "Emily already knows—so does the whole world."

He watched Aiden's brow wrinkle in disbelief. "You mean it's already in the media?" he confirmed nervously. Being in prison, his access was limited. "How?"

"It's a long story," Daniel alluded, shifting in his seat. "But the gist of it is he escaped and the police have been holding him in custody. Emily has yet to make contact, but she identified him while we were there for...another reason," he trailed off, not in the mood to explain the circumstances. Instead he focused on how Aiden had come across the information. "I'm guessing you found out shortly before he escaped?"

"Shortly after actually," Aiden leaned forward to explain. "In my efforts to locate a target of my own, I connected with an underground organization in Russia – a conglomerate of headhunters and vigilantes for hire."

Daniel furrowed his brow. "Yeah, that sounds like you," he had to admit. The more he thought about it, he had a pretty good idea of who the target was. "Let me guess – you needed their help to find Niko?"

"And they did," Aiden validated with a nod. "They even agreed to disclose her location – in exchange for Conrad."

In spite of his exhaustion, something clicked in Daniel's perception. "That's why you pleaded guilty," he suddenly realized, putting it all together. "Getting locked up here gave you access to my father—you planned all of this?"

"Your damn right I did!" Aiden sneered, just in case Daniel planned on judging him for it. "And I was on the verge of turning him over to the Russians when I discovered the other bounty at the top of their list was David!"

Daniel shook his head, less worried about Aiden's plan than curious about David. "I don't understand—how did they know? And what would they want with a man everyone thinks is dead?"

"The only thing my source would tell me was that years ago, the organization sought to hire David as a contractor following the downing of Flight 197. They wanted to use his money laundering skills to their own benefit, and even faked his death to get him out," he replied.

Daniel replayed the events he knew as fact in his head, readjusting as he realized David's supposed death by stabbing had to have been compromised. "But the Initiative arranged his murder, are you saying Gordon Murphy was in on this?" he posed.

"Possibly," Aiden guessed, entertaining it. "From what I understand, the Initiative was an enemy of this organization, perhaps they paid him off to flub the job… or he did it of his own volition. Either way, once David was turned over they quickly realized he wasn't the money laundering terrorist the world believed."

Daniel could not resist a dry comment. "Just goes to show how crooked the justice system is. An underground bounty organization could tell David was innocent but not the Supreme Court," he grumbled.

"So speaks the law student," Aiden reminded him slyly, moving on. "The Russians determined he was useless to them, but they didn't spare him altogether. They sent him back – beaten and broken, with a new identity."

"Schmerkovsky," Daniel deduced, recalling the news bit. "And what about my father?"

"My guess is they never knew Conrad was the brains of the operation," Aiden connected. "Up until his conviction six months ago," he introduced, shifting with concern. "When I was brought up to speed they were looking to recruit him, that is, until he started fueling rumors that David was among the living. Now the Russians want to neutralize them both to cover their trail."

Daniel pondered seriously. "So David's still not off the hook," he assumed, already concocting a plan. He rose partially from the table. "Then I need to find a way to warn him—once the FBI concludes their investigation he's gonna need protection—"

"Daniel, wait," Aiden advised, urging him to stay put. "Before you do that, keep in mind they let him go after vigorous torture," he reminded, waiting for a nod before finishing. "I've seen the effects of what an ordeal like that can have on a person. This may not be the same David that Emily remembers—you can't expect he'll want to trust you or anyone else."

But Daniel remained insistent. "Then I'll make him understand," he promised, heading back towards the door.

Seeing it was no use advising him, Aiden called him back for something else. "Daniel! In regards to your own father," he began. "He hasn't been cooperating. And I was told that if that happened – the Russians would intervene and he would be eliminated."

Aiden waited, assuming the severity in his words would translate into some inkling of concern. But Daniel did not even flinch, responding without once breaking stride towards the door.

"Then this week is finally looking up."

 **SCENE**

Emily assumed the knock at her door to be another unsolicited visit from Nolan, so she wore a tired expression as she answered, only to find Jack waiting on the other side. "Jack," she gasped in surprise.

"Wow," he matched her response, focusing on the new outlay of the foyer. "You really changed the place?" he observed.

"That's right, it's ah, been a while since you've seen it," Emily recalled. The exchange prompted her to open the door a bit wider, reluctantly letting him walk through. "Come in," she offered.

Jack wandered in slowly, taking in the renovated look before he gazed back over to Emily. "Sorry for not calling first, is it a bad time?" he asked thoughtfully.

"No," Emily managed a shrug. "I just put Summer down for a nap." Her eyes averted over expectantly, guessing why he was there.

"So is it true?" he affirmed, and Emily braced herself to explain what Victoria had done. But the question that followed saved her the trouble. "Is it really David?" He stared at her eagerly, reserving his emotion out of respect. "It's all over the news—and all around my precinct."

Emily soon realized he was the first person to find out that she had no uneasiness towards. "It's true," she answered, rewarding him with an honest reply. "I saw him with my own eyes," she added, leading them into the common area.

"Did he recognize you?" Jack followed, too anxious to sit down.

"He couldn't see me—we were separated," she continued, folding her arms as she sank into the soft chair by the window. Thinking about her father had a trancelike effect on her, and almost felt surreal after two days of seclusion. It was starting to make her feel guilty, and she felt the need to explain. "And by now the police are… keeping him pretty guarded," she added.

Jack almost had to laugh. "I'm sure that won't stop you," he guessed, sitting beside the coffee table. He watched Emily for a sign of agreement, but when she didn't reciprocate he wondered if it was making her uncomfortable. "Listen, I wasn't planning on staying long," he began. "I just had to come by when I heard; I figured you'd be ecstatic."

"Thank you," Emily managed, trying to disguise her conflict. "I am, it's just been hard to digest, you know?" She forced a smile, but it quickly retracted. "Even once the police get everything sorted out, things are sure to be… complicated, at the least."

Jack understood with a nod. "Because you're 'Emily' now instead of 'Amanda'? Or because you married Daniel – the son of the man who betrayed him?" he ventured, trying to lighten things with a grin.

Emily absorbed it with a half-chuckle. "Or because Daniel'ssister is also _my_ sister—and his daughter," she added softly, shaking her head. There was no denying the circumstances were convoluted, but even that wasn't the worst of it.

"Speaking of Charlotte," Jack inserted. "I stopped by the hospital on my way over, but they said she got transferred?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I meant to tell you," Emily recalled. So much had happened that she had simply not found the time. "They moved her into the city to a center that specializes in respiratory conditions. She'll have a smoother recovery there. It's going to be a lot of back and forth but, I think it's for the best."

Jack nodded. "I heard she doesn't have a place to stay when she gets out?"

It stirred Emily to scowl. "The whole situation with Lyman really complicated things," she recalled irritably. "But I'll make sure her and Declan are taken care of. The sitter's been really great about looking after him."

"Yeah, about that," Jack addressed it and Emily observed as he dug around in his pocket for something. "Listen, I've been thinking with Charlotte and my nephew needing someplace to stay… it's just me and Carl in that big house, Em," he started in. "And you and Daniel have your hands full with a newborn, and now David."

Emily concentrated with interest. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, it's time for me to stop wallowing in grief and start helping my family out," he decided, and reached over to slide something onto the table. Emily looked down – it was the check for the bar. "So I decided I won't be rebuilding the _Stowaway_ after all _._ I'm gonna ask Charlotte and Dec to come stay with us for a while instead."

"Jack, you don't have to do that—" she protested.

"I want to," Jack insisted, with a determined look that showed how much it was true. "Carl misses his cousin," he offered lightly, drawing more serious as he went on. "And she may have been a little lost when she started but Charlotte was just trying to do right by Amanda. I honestly feel bad for ignoring her all this time."

As much as Emily did not want him to be overwhelmed with additional burdens, she sensed that perhaps he needed it. It might even be therapeutic, considering all he had been through.

"Jack, sometimes I think you're too kind for your own good," Emily praised him indirectly, the edge of her mouth curling up. It was her way of accepting his decision, though not without terms. "But I insist you keep this—" she pressed, pushing the check towards him. "I owe you."

"No," he answered resolutely. "You and Daniel don't owe me anything." It occurred to him that Daniel did not appear to be home, nor had Emily really made mention of his whereabouts. And while it was odd, he did not want to overstay the boundary. "Some things just happened because they were meant to," he wisely counseled. "It was time for me to move on anyway."

He stood to leave, and Emily knew he was essentially forgiving her for everything that had happened – not just to his bar but in the past year. If she could not be sure, he only solidified it with his next words.

"Listen, I know nothing can replace your mother but this whole thing with David…" he trailed off, beaming with optimism. "It may be hard for you to accept, but it's real. You need to go for it."

Emily followed him to the door to see him out, wondering if he had picked up on her adversity to seeing him just yet. "I lost him once, Jack," she explained. "I guess I'm just scared of losing him again?"

Jack well understood the feeling, having already dealt with grief from Amanda's death the first time. Admittedly, it had been torturous losing her again but for the first time he realized he did not regret it. "And I get that," he affirmed sincerely. "Believe me I do. But, when you lose one parent only to gain another," he reflected with a shrug. "I don't know, I guess you gotta start believing that miracles are possible."

While Emily thought it over, Jack used it as his cue to go. "I'll see ya around," he bid farewell.

 **SCENE**

"Margaux?"

Ben wandered into Margaux's large office, wondering if he had gotten the time wrong when he did not immediately see her. But a quick check of his watch confirmed he had it right. "Margaux?" he repeated again.

"There you are. Shut the door!" her reply seemed to come out of nowhere. He turned to see her emerge from the private bathroom, only to pin him against the door she had just commanded him to shut.

"Hey—" he protested, interrupted by her lips planted onto his. Her hands were wild, grabbing onto the back of his neck and exploring down his uniform as she fumbled to take it off. "Ah," he gasped, recognizing one of her spirited trysts. As much as his instincts ached to indulge, he couldn't control his curiosity. "Margaux, what's going on?" he whispered, setting her back.

"This," she answered, stopping only to reach onto her desk. When she returned it was with the cover of _Voulez,_ with a stock photo of David Clarke superimposed on the front. "Thanks to your intel, the July issue has completely changed direction _,_ " she emphasized, showing him. "LeMarchal media has been granted exclusive rights to any articles detailing David Clarke's return, including the press conference this evening." She tossed it aside, celebrating with more kisses along his neckline. "Which means we don't have much time…"

Ben reacted physically to her aggressive advances but a part of him was still uncertain. "Wait a minute," he interrupted again, causing her to sigh this time. "What intel are you talking about? All I told you was that David was identified and had been complicit with investigation on a separate charge. Everything else is either confidential, or already public?"

"Yes, but _we_ released it first," she explained, helping him to understand the nuances of journalism. "After you confirmed the information I received from Victoria, it gave me the head start to push to press—LeMarchal owns the story. Every other news outlet is a second source." She weighed it pensively. "And Victoria has assured me a personal account of her time with him that no one else will have."

"Do you think maybe you should hold off on publishing that?" Ben inserted, more forcefully pulling her away this time. His uniform shirt was now completely undone and he needed her full attention.

Margaux stood back in surprise. "You can't be serious?" she challenged, resting a hand at her hip. "Ben, this is the story we've been waiting for!"

"Yeah, I get that," Ben rushed to defend. But he could not ignore the nagging in the back of his mind after everything Emily shared in confidence. "It's just… I just think there's more to the story than Victoria's telling you. I mean, isn't it slanted to take everything from her perspective anyway?" he attempted.

"We _won't_ be," Margaux assured behind a smile. She leaned in close again, coaxing him. "I told you—LeMarchal is going to be there at the press conference tonight. The police are releasing him just before, no?" He nodded, uneasily confirming the bit of info he now wished he had kept quiet. "Then David will set the record straight himself," she was confident.

Margaux hung back, waiting to see if it was enough to dissuade his concerns. When she saw Ben fixated in deep thought, she finally sighed. "What is it now?"

"The separate charge that brought David in," he began, careful to share only what she could be unbiased towards. "It was for kidnapping."

"You're kidding," Margaux could scarcely believe it. "Of who?"

Ben replied, choosing his words. "One of Victoria's grandchildren."

Margaux folded her arms. "That's absurd – why would he do that? Does Victoria know?"

"She was never questioned," Ben replied again. "The child was returned and the charges were ultimately dismissed, but… well, I have my suspicions as to how the whole thing came about," he hinted in part, taking a step closer to Margaux. He held her by the arms, pleading with his expression. "My instincts are hardly ever wrong. Something's not right here and whatever it is, I think Victoria knows about it. In fact, she may have even coerced him. Whatever deal she made with you, it's to keep her secret safe."

Margaux read the fire in his eyes, and finally consented. "All right," she retracted, trusting him. "If you feel that strongly about it, I'll speak to Victoria. Let her know I've decided to only take the firsthand account from David himself. Would that make you happy?" she offered.

"Yes," Ben affirmed gratefully.

"Done," Margaux assured, and ever so swiftly slipped off her dress, letting it fall to the ground. Ben eyed her suggestively, and she could see he was at last eased to reciprocate her advances. "Now—how much time do you have before you have to get back?"

 **SCENE**

Daniel kept a firm grip on the steering wheel as he sped back to the Hamptons, all the while making multiple attempts to reach Stevie from the road. At long last she answered her phone. "Stevie, thank God—listen, I need your help with something!"

"Daniel, where have you been?" Stevie's response was agitated, conveying how overwhelmed she was at the office. "I've been trying to reach you since Emily's mother passed, we're swamped here—yes, just leave it on my desk," she interrupted herself, speaking to an intern who came by to drop off a stack of documents.

"Yeah, yeah I know," Daniel rushed, trying to avert the subject. "I've been caught up for a few days; trying to look into this whole David Clarke thing—"

"Yes, we were all very shocked to hear of it," Stevie plowed on. "Personally I hope he makes out alright. I'd hate to see all that work spent clearing his name go down the drain. The government tends to get suspicious when dead men turn up alive – even innocent ones."

Recognizing the need to be delicate, Daniel thought about his next plea. "That's exactly why I called. I found some information that I need to get through to David."

Still distracted, Stevie tried to listen. "What information—where is this coming from?"

Given the sensitivity, Daniel tried to answer around it. "I can't get into that," he alluded. "You just have to trust me, it's important I let him know. Is there any way we can get someone from the firm in there—anyone who can speak to him directly?"

"Daniel, I'm afraid that's just not going to be possible," Stevie declined, still balancing the mayhem on her desk. "We're already inundated as it is, and based on what my contact at the station is telling me, Mr. Clarke has already declined right to counsel."

"He did?" Daniel retorted, genuinely surprised. Perhaps Aiden was right—this wasn't the logical, trusting man that he knew from Emily's recanting.

Stevie's next reply added mild comfort. "Yes, but that's not entirely unordinary for someone in his position," she predicted. "My guess is, he's been through a horrible ordeal and he just wants to tell the truth – his truth."

Daniel's foreknowledge worried him towards the end of her statement. If David spoke with too much candor he was likely to be silenced by his Russian affiliates. "But wasn't it you that said justice isn't always about truth—it's about perception?" he contended.

"Well, the perception is that he was wrongfully accused," Stevie agreed. "So in this case, if the truth corroborates, he comes out triumphant." She faded off, guessing at his aim. "Listen, I know how much Amanda's case meant to you, and what happened to her was terrible. I know you want answers for both her _and_ her father. But it looks like you're going to have to wait until the press conference this evening, like everyone else."

"Press conference?" Daniel verified. He cursed himself for not staying more up to date with current developments.

"Yes, it's tonight, following David's release. If it's that important you should think about attending," she averted her attention to the stack of documents on her desk. "And then afterwards, think about showing up to work, if you're still planning on pursuing law as a career." She left him with the practically mother-like reprimand. "I have to go now; I'll see you in the office."

Daniel hung up, ignoring her warning as a focal point finally became clear amidst the jumbled past few days. Tonight was the only opportunity he had to warn David before he would be free to walk the streets, and open to certain danger. And he was more determined than ever to atone for his mistakes to Emily by intercepting any threats against her father's life.

 **SCENE**

With the slightest nod of his chin, Aiden gave an indirect signal to the patrol guard and continued marching single file with the other inmates back from the prison yard. Per the instructions he had received, the guard on duty had been planted by his contact to facilitate Conrad's exchange, and the time had arrived. He watched carefully for the return signal, which came ever so discreetly. At his confirmation, Aiden slowed pace to allow the others to pass him and fell in stride behind Conrad.

"When I give you the word, break off to the left and follow my lead," he whispered over his shoulder.

Conrad acknowledged it with a slight turn, but continued walking straight ahead. A sinister look crossed his face and he appeared to momentarily catch eyes with Mason Treadwell, who was coming up on his right.

"Well its back to my cell and on to pen the final chapter," Mason commented, peering over suspiciously. "I wonder how the story will end?"

Conrad sneered knowingly at the hint, and Aiden curiously looked on. But Mason quickened his pace, falling in line just ahead of him. Ignoring it to follow suit with the plan, Aiden suddenly shoved Conrad forward through the march. "You have some kind of problem walking straight?" he belted angrily.

As Conrad whipped around to square off, Aiden gave him a nod and he broke left, allowing the others to move around. They sparred back and forth and the guard immediately rushed over to address the commotion. "Hey!" he shouted. " _Keep moving_!"

Though the command impelled the others to speed up, Conrad and Aiden remained behind, just as the last few inmates emptied into the building. It was exactly the window needed to cover their disappearance, and the guard jumped between them to break up the fight. They played along, using the ruckus as a distraction until the guard finally whisked them in the opposite direction.

"I'm taking these two to solitary!" he informed the secondary guard, forcing them away. Once they were several yards down the hall, the guard suddenly detoured to a hidden path to the outside and let down the act. "Well done, Mathis," he turned to praise him, revealing a thick Russian accent. He gestured to Conrad in reference. "You kept your end of the agreement."

While Conrad looked on attentively, Aiden merely absorbed it with pride. "As promised," he regarded.

The guard suddenly produced a walkie-talkie. "Copy, this is Igor," he hailed into the receiver. "The bounty is en route, tell Krovnaya to prepare for interception."

Aiden stepped forward, trying to listen in for more details on his unknown contact. It was the first mention of an organizational name he had heard and he quietly committed _Krovnaya_ to memory. But in his eagerness to gather intel, he failed to notice Conrad had making his way around the other side of the guard.

" _Da,_ " the other party signaled the affirmative, and Igor released the receiver. He stepped aside to allow them through and then suddenly lurched forward in pain.

"Arrghh!" he cried out, and Aiden flinched to look over. Igor sank to the floor, his hand clutching a bloody wound at his side. He sprawled out with a thump as Conrad stood over him, holding a smeared knife in hand.

" _What the hell are you doing?!_ " Aiden exclaimed furiously. "This was our way out!"

"And so it may be," Conrad coolly assured, edging back towards the exit. He eyed Igor perniciously, revealing he had given his actions much thought. "But I know better than to follow any lead where I'm the bounty—you think I didn't realize this elaborate escape was just a coup to have me killed?"

Igor continued sputtering in pain as Conrad foiled the plot aloud, and attempted to reach for his walkie-talkie. Aiden glanced down and back up between them, anxiously deciding what to do.

Conrad seized his indecision with an ultimatum. "Now you can either try to stop me," he warned, threatening with the pointed knife. "Or," Conrad leered, watching Igor struggle to speak into the receiver. "You can stay here and find out how your Russian friends respond when you fail to deliver?"

Ordinarily Aiden would have taken Conrad on, dismantled the knife and rendered him unconscious in seconds. But clever man that he was, by killing one of _Krovnaya's_ agents Conrad had derailed the deal and forced adverse consequences. If Aiden did not comply he would forfeit Niko's location as promised, and possibly be eliminated himself.

"Go!" he barked in reply, giving him the out to take off. Conrad snickered at getting his way and darted out, while Aiden stomped on Igor's hand to prevent him from calling it in. As his instincts told him there was nothing he could do other than allow him to be found, he snatched the receiver and then reached across the wall to pull the prison alarm.

With that he took off running into the darkness, securing his escape in a pant while he tried to concoct a story to cover their grisly detour. He and Conrad were now fugitives to the system, but if he wasn't careful _Krovnaya_ would put a bounty on both their heads – and they would swiftly disappear before anyone knew they were gone.

 **SCENE**

It was early evening when Emily peeked into Charlotte's room, brightening as she saw her both sitting up in bed and with the breathing tubes removed. "You're awake," she beamed softly, balancing Summer's carrier over her right arm as she entered.

Charlotte glanced over, and despite the angst that often came with seeing Emily, the sight of her niece was warming enough to look past it. "Hey," she managed a whisper.

Knowing it would be some time before her voice returned; Emily discouraged her from speaking with a gesture. "It's ok, you don't have to talk if it hurts," she said kindly, sitting down. She faced Summer's carrier so Charlotte could see. "We just wanted to see your face. I'm so glad you're feeling better."

Charlotte agreed with a nod, placing her lips together in a thin line. She gazed downward and Emily knew there was much between them that needed to be said, but also knew the majority of it would have to wait. She glanced over at the television, which was turned off per her instructions to the nurse. She wanted to be the first to tell her the news, in her own way.

"Listen, I know you probably think that I'm angry with you for everything," Emily began, addressing one thing at a time. "But the truth is, I'm not. I know you were just looking for justice for Jack and for Amanda…" she trailed off thoughtfully. "And maybe, subconsciously… that's why I wanted to help you? I just wanted to avoid you getting hurt in the process."

Again Charlotte looked down into her lap, accepting her responsibility in the turned outcome. But Emily reached over to hold her hand, forcing her to look up before she became too despondent.

"Hey," she begged with a tender look. "I haven't exactly set the example when it comes to that lesson," she admitted. "I've been stubborn and unyielding in the past, and it's cost me. A lot," she added, reflecting on more recent losses. "But I understand the need to make things right. It's in our blood, Charlotte. We're Clarkes—and we'd do anything to protect the people we love."

A hint of comradery peaked in Charlotte's eyes at the sisterly reference, and she was motivated to squeeze Emily's hand in agreement. Her eyes trailed over to Summer, reflecting on their next generation of loved ones and how fitting a description it was of their shared endeavors. There was so much more at stake now than before. It proved a perfect segue way to Emily's next words.

"That being said," she introduced. "Jack wanted me to let you know that you and Declan have a home to go to when you're ready. He's moving past the incident with the _Stowaway_ and he wants to start a new life." She smiled to add warmth to the extension. "And he wants you to share it with him and Carl."

Charlotte shifted slightly, and Emily could tell it was guilt making her somewhat uncomfortable with the idea.

"He's your family, Charlotte," she reminded. "And Amanda was just as much a sister to you as I am… a better one, in fact." She sighed heavily, realizing she had finally arrived at the last and most important thing she had to tell her. "Which brings me to the main reason why I came here, and why it's taken me so long to visit."

She removed her hand to concentrate and Charlotte searched her eyes anxiously, wondering what she was about to say.

"I know in the past I haven't been honest with you," Emily openly admitted. "And there's so much that's happened over the past few days, I don't even know where to begin." She paused, wisely discerning it would be too overwhelming to share it all. "But there's one thing you need to know—the most important thing I've ever had to tell anyone, especially you."

By now Charlotte was fully intrigued, spurred on by how Emily's voice quivered towards the end of her sentence. "Yes?" she forced from her throat in a raspy whisper.

Emily struggled to continue, feeling tears well up at the corners of her eyes. Though Charlotte would mark the third conversation she was forced to have about it, the emotion seemed fresh, as if it was her first time accepting it. Perhaps it was because she was getting closer each time to facing the reality—she had to see him again. Nothing, not even her self-doubt as a mother nor her distrust of Victoria, could keep her away.

"Our father," she answered, closing her eyes in summation of her thoughts. She stopped to wipe the tears from her face and then opened them, determined to focus as she finished.

"Charlotte, he's alive."

 **SCENE**

If nothing else, the press conference that night was a national spectacle, as photographers and news outlets covered the steps to the police station, all desperate to get the first look at the story of the year. Among the frontrunners were representatives for LeMarchal Media and Margaux herself, making a special attempt to be present at a public event when ordinarily she would oversee from headquarters. But she, like a few hundred others, was anxious to be present for the first moments and beamed with excitement when the doors opened and Chief Alvarez finally came out.

Slowly the crowd's noise level settled. Among the many attendees were Nolan and later Daniel, who pushed his way towards the front to join him. "Did he come out yet?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"Not yet," Nolan shook his head no, scanning the crowd. "And no sign of Ems, either," he informed, while still keeping a lookout. "I tried to convince her but she insisted on staying with the baby—"

"It's alright," Daniel cut him off apprehensively. He too surveyed the crowd, but not to look for Emily. Instead he kept a keen eye for anyone that looked suspicious, rooting out any validity to Aiden's warning. "It may be for the best. I got some intel on David today and if what I heard is right, he may be in a lot of danger."

Nolan perked visibly at the mention of danger. "From who?" he probed, but would not have the chance to get an answer. The Chief finally approached the podium before an array of microphones and addressed the crowd.

 _"Ladies and gentleman, we appreciate your patience while Mr. Clarke has been cooperating with the FBI. Given the circumstances surrounding his return, it is the Department's decision that he be released as a free man,"_ Chief Alvarez paused respectfully. _"He's requested this conference so he can make a public statement, as I'm sure many of you are curious. Even so, we ask that you respect his privacy during this time and please, save your questions for the end."_

Daniel and Nolan exchanged nervous looks as the Chief stepped away from the podium, and in another section of the crowd Margaux observed with a grin as Ben and another officer opened the station doors. There was a low hush of anticipation while everyone watched from afar, and at last David emerged, squinting from the bright lights and camera flashes.

With everyone's attention facing forward, it made it easy for one more straggler to approach the edge of the crowd unnoticed. Emily slowly made her way through the back, acting on impulse in a last minute decision to be there. Still keeping her vow not to let Summer out of her sight, she cradled her baby girl in a front carrier on her chest, shielding her face from the flashing lights. Most were pointed towards the stage and Emily stood on tiptoe to watch, taking in the final moments of David's stride to the podium. Finally, he spoke and her heart soared with validation – a voice she could never forget.

"Thank you for coming," he addressed the crowd tentatively, barely able to make out distinct faces. "I-I prayed for this moment, this freedom, and today… my prayers were answered," he stumbled on, trying to find the words. "I never imagined seeing this kind of support from a public who condemned me, and a family who I thought had forgotten about me…"

The frightened cadence in his tone made Emily tremble, urging her to go to him in support. "I never forgot about you," she whispered aloud to herself, clutching Summer close as she tried to make her way through the crowd. If she could just get to him, she could show him the family that he still had, could prove to him that he would never again be alone.

But before she could get through, he startled the entire crowd with an alarming admission. "Above all else because… I don't remember much about the life I left behind," he continued.

Emily stopped short to listen, while several feet ahead Daniel and Nolan exchanged looks of shock. The entire crowd murmured and then quieted again to pay attention as he finished.

"The people who spared my life," he recalled timidly. "Did so with a price: I'm ashamed to say the torture I experienced robbed me of most of my memory," he paused with embarrassment. "The fact is, if not for the testimony of others, I wouldn't even know who I was."

There was another still moment and then all at once, reporters began to barrage him with questions. "Mr. Clarke, what happened during your imprisonment?" "What did they do to you?" "Do you know who was responsible?"

Graciously, David waved the questions down and allowed the police chief to quiet the crowd. Meanwhile, Emily tensed with worry as she digested what it meant. Could this be true? Had her father truly forgotten everything from the life they shared? And who was responsible?

As if in reply, David finally leaned in to complete his statement. "I won't comment on my attackers. I'll only say that in spite of all I've been through, there was one person they couldn't wipe from my mind," he announced. "A person I could never erase from my heart. And I would count it as a blessing if she would come forward here today, to stand by my side."

Instinctively Emily drew forward in response, and if she could she would have floated onto the stage. Her heart was already there with him, certain that it was her he meant and that somehow he knew his beloved daughter was still out there and would never abandon him.

But to her instant shock and dismay, David turned instead and extended his arm behind him. The station doors opened and Victoria came walking through, proud and pompous as ever. Immediately, Emily halted her approach as her heart sank with despair.

"Victoria," David introduced, taking her by the hand. "Would you please join me?"

She accepted the invitation to take the place next to him and the crowd only erupted with more questions, mostly to Victoria and the many public statements she had made concerning him in the past. But to Emily it might as well have been white noise as she slowly backed away, unable to bear witness to the unimaginable treachery before her. It was then that Summer finally stirred in her arms, letting out an audible cry.

A few bystanders looked over, including Daniel who recognized the familiar wails. "Is that Ems?" Nolan whispered aside to him.

Even from the podium, Victoria appeared to momentarily trace the noise in the crowd, wondering the same thing. But before long the questions continued and she quickly ignored it to provide a statement. "David has been through a horrific experience that's taken a toll on him both mentally and physically," she explained in short. "We ask for privacy at this moment so David can readjust and gradually resume his life with loved ones… and family."

By the word 'family', Emily had already turned her back on the stage and was fleeing through the crowd. If not for the angry fire that Victoria's voice ignited in her she would have long given way to tears but all she could think about was making a swift retreat, regretting the decision to ever come.

As if in tune with her mother's unease, Summer broke into a full on cry by the time Emily reached the perimeter. She shushed her anxiously, hoping both to soothe her and prevent the others from seeing she was there.

"Shh baby girl," she comforted. "It's alright… it's alright." Even as she spoke the words, she lacked faith in them. With a final glance back at Victoria next to her father, she knew the reunion she had hoped for was still far from within reach. Her last words of assurance before leaving to take Summer home said as much in admission.

"She got to him first."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: So there you have it! The Revengeverse is once again upside-down, with our poor heroine at the dead center of it all. My apologies for a non-Demily-friendly chapter, it's so hard to have our leading couple go through all of this but it is necessary for what's to come ahead. I hope you stay tuned for the payoff that's forthcoming, and still are interested in how events unfold. Fortunately in the 'real' world, our favorite couple has MUCH to celebrate! Special congratulations to Emily VanCamp & Joshua Bowman on their engagement! AND just in time for the unofficial start of summer, aka Memorial Day kickoff weekend in the Hamptons! I rushed to get this chapter up just so you could all enjoy. I also promise to keep Josh & Ems union intact as Emily and Daniel Grayson too – fear not, it's not over until the red sharpie comes out :) In the meantime, please enjoy your weekends, let me know your feedback and I look forward to hearing all your reviews! ~Love and Revenge~ MothToANewFlame**


	48. Chapter 47: Damage

**Chapter 47: Damage**

 _ **It's been said that obsession is a way for damaged people to hurt themselves even more…**_

Charlotte rose at dawn to soothe another restless night with a glass of water. She fumbled in the dark, finding her way through Jack's house. After two weeks of post-recovery it still did not quite feel like home, but as Declan and Carl slept soundly down the hall in their rooms, it was hard not to rationalize the decision was for the best. Even on nights like these when Jack was working late, it left Charlotte in a peaceful state. But it was her own thoughts that plagued her, leading her to slowly wander into the living room to stare at photos on the mantle. Amanda's picture resonated, along with the persistent guilt that she would never see her again.

 _ **And that it's a sign of weakness to allow our enemies to see how much pain they have inflected.**_

Conrad peered close in the mirror of a dinky, small bathroom and inspected his wounds. There was a small cut at his temple and slight bruising from a run-in with a hand by the docks before narrowly securing passage aboard a freight liner. Never in a million years would he have expected to be imprisoned for the past seven months, only to escape and stow aboard a cargo ship in the past week. But the cost seemed trivial as he reflected on how it all led to his eventual freedom. He straightened the uniform he had stolen from the man he ambushed and finally emerged. He was ready to blend in and desperate to start a new life free of pursuit – that is, if he could prevent Aiden from finding him.

 _ **But the greatest vulnerability comes from believing we are too broken to love…**_

Nolan retrieved his car keys from the foyer, pausing to glance over at Daniel, asleep on the couch. He sighed at the remnants of what had become an evening ritual for the other, up late studying police coverage of David's reunion tour with Victoria until he eventually passed out. Their latest sojourn had taken them to Washington at the site of Amanda's grave, and he expected Daniel was just as incensed and disturbed by the visit as was Emily, who he was on his way to see. It was painful to leave him behind while he went to see the other, and despite his own misfortunes in love, Nolan still held out hope that perhaps things would change for them soon.

 _ **Because all of us are damaged, but the greatest tragedy is letting it define our existence…**_

Emily slowed her stride down the halls of a familiar law office, glancing at the sign beside the first door. _Weinstein Group Divorce Consultation,_ it read. She came to a full stop and adjusted the glasses on her nose, an accessory that complimented her ponytail coif and crisp white suit. Her ensemble was an appropriate reflection of what brewed beneath the surface – determination, a quality that never faltered regardless of what obstacle came her way. Before she left Grayson Manor that morning she had decided this would not be the first exception. With full certainty she gripped the door handle firmly, raised her head high, and walked in.

 **END MONTAGE**

"Based on these projections, I think it's safe to say we can expect full support of the working class, and even double the increase from the woman's vote in the next polls—"

Lyman ceased speaking mid-presentation, as the door to his conference room suddenly opened. He and roughly ten others immediately looked up, focusing on the unexpected visitor. "Ah, excuse me," Lyman addressed, quickly recognizing the intruder. "Mrs. Grayson? I'm afraid this is a private meeting."

Emily came forward, undeterred by his remarks and still sporting her smart attire from earlier that morning. "Well, when you refused my calls for two weeks and didn't respond to any of my emails," she countered, businesslike. "I assumed you preferred a conversation in-person?"

Lyman grinned, and tried to turn on his Southern charm. "For that I do apologize, but with all due respect, if this is in regards to your charitable organization, I've been more than generous—"

"I'm not here for compensation," Emily cut him short, clutching the shoulder strap of her bag. "And if I were, trust me; the damages would far outweigh your estimation. I need to discuss the terms of your legal separation and _divorce_."

With that, the committee gathered let out a murmur of surprise. Again, Lyman tried to deflect, feigning innocence.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," he attempted to convince the others. "Charlotte and I couldn't be happier!" He met eyes with Emily, slowly sensing she was not backing down. He grew more serious of his response. "Mrs. Grayson, this is not a good time, as I said I'm in the middle of a presentation for the next hour."

"By all means," Emily pretended to concede, eyeing an empty seat at the far end of the table. "I'll just wait here." She settled in without his permission, producing a tablet from her shoulder bag.

Lyman shifted uncomfortably, intending for her to stand outside. But with his committee audience staring impatiently, he was pressured to allow it. "Very well then," he went on uneasily. He faced the monitor, gesturing to the next slide. "As I was saying, these projections are extremely favorable…"

While he babbled on, Emily focused on her tablet and secured access to the Bluetooth connection in the room. Unbeknownst to Lyman, she seamlessly overrode the server and when he turned his back to the screen to gather his notes, an unexpected image suddenly appeared behind him.

"Mr. Ellis!" one of the committee members gasped, followed by several other whispers of shock in the room.

"What is it—" Lyman furrowed his brow curiously and at last turned to look. Instantly his face crumpled with humiliation. There on full display were the incriminating photos taken by Charlotte of him and his financial consultant for all to see. "What the—!" Lyman exclaimed, whirling around to face the others and spying Emily with a vicious smile at the other end.

"This is completely inappropriate—"

"What's the meaning of this—"

"Sir, what does this mean for your campaign—"

The responses came in rapid fire, distracting Lyman from accosting her right away. "Ah, ah, everyone this meeting is uh, adjourned," he dismissed them frightfully as the photos continued to flash onscreen. They only worsened each with more and more compromising positions until Lyman finally got up to physically clear the room. "Please, I promise I can explain – just give me a moment—" he pled, ushering them out.

With the room emptied, it left solely Emily behind. She watched Lyman with a muted grin as he closed the door and angrily whirled about to face her. "Ready to discuss my terms," she posed calmly, checking her watch. "Or did you still need the hour?"

Lyman approached her with angst. "Is this your idea of a joke?!" he asked vehemently, pointing at the screen.

Emily stopped the slide show and then stood. "No, Mr. Ellis," she informed with purpose. "Consider this a preview of the onslaught that will ensue if you contest any of the conditions outlined in this contract." She reached over to slide a fresh document across the table to where he stood. "Sign and initial where it's marked or those pictures will be the least of your concerns," she finished coyly.

Irritably, Lyman snatched up the document, realizing he was beaten. "And what am I supposed to tell my committee," he dared, unable to see it as a fair trade.

Emily shrugged. "Well, you can either trust them with your secret," she implied, glancing at the screen. "Or you can take the cautious way out and announce your decision to drop out of politics? But I imagine either option will lead to you eventually being disbarred once Charlotte presses charges for a countless list of other offenses…"

Lyman glared at her remark, but one look at her expression told him she was serious. Though it pained him to do so, at last he grunted and searched for a pen, scribbling his signature angrily. Emily glimmered triumphantly while he complied.

"Charlie's a lot smarter than I gave her credit for," Lyman grumbled when done, angrily shoving the papers over. "I should have known she'd have another copy of those photos," he guessed in defeat.

Emily merely absorbed it with grace, folding the document neatly back into her shoulder bag. "I can neither confirm nor deny that allegation," she replied airily, brushing past him to head for the exit.

Lyman called out to her just as she was a pace shy of walking out. "I hear her father's alive and well," he added, drawing her to stop short. "The victim of some elaborate cover-up?" he guessed, shrugging with wonder. "I suppose it was foolish of me to think I stood a chance with a _Clarke_."

Emily held her tongue at the irony. She adjusted her eyeglasses, exuding a sophisticated air before calmly walking out and whispering under her breath.

"More than you know."

 **SCENE**

"You were right."

Victoria looked up from where she stood a few paces out from Amanda Clarke's headstone, quietly recalling her last experience at the scene. It had only been months since she met Emily there under false pretense, only to wake up bludgeoned and restrained at Claremont psychiatric. But the grisly details had elongated her time there, making moments like these when David stared at her for response, all the more surreal.

"Right about what?" she replied at last, walking over with interest.

David sighed down at the morbid reminder of his loss. "I shouldn't have come here," he admitted solemnly. Something about being there on the cemetery grounds and seeing her name was triggering a sea of memories. "I thought it would give me something to hold onto," he confessed. "Some way to reconcile all the things I … seem to have lost."

Victoria drew close, forcing sympathy in his moment of need. "And?" she probed, curious if the experience was bringing anything back to mind.

David shook his head solemnly. "If anything, it only makes me feel more alone," he resolved, rubbing his forehead in acceptance. He flinched suddenly, hearing the shutter of a camera nearby and they both turned their attention to where several photographers had once again found their location. "Though it's clear that's the furthest thing from the truth," David added gruffly, not enjoying the audience.

Victoria leaned in as a shield, ushering him away from the site. "In time they'll let you be," she hoped. "But I assure you, you're not alone. I have no intention of leaving your side," she promised, taking hold of his hand. "And you still have a living child you deserve to finally meet."

Recognizing the familiar topic, David sighed at last. "Charlotte," he presumed, sensing the coercion coming. For the past two weeks, Victoria had consistently made mention of her.

Victoria followed his assumption with an emphatic nod. "She's home finally, resting," she elaborated. "I spoke to her this morning and discovered she's been staying with Jack Porter." With that she glanced towards Amanda's grave, hoping it would sway him. "He was Amanda's husband."

"That's right," David recalled from previous discussion. "She and Jack had a son?"

"Yes, as does Charlotte," Victoria explained, more hopeful that it would brighten his chances of agreement. "David, you have an entire family waiting to know you, if you'll just let them. Please," she tempted with a smile. "Let me take you to begin the life you deserve."

David eyed her closely, still sensing an uncertain agenda beneath the surface. He had yet to uncover what it was, but knew from his time with her there was an unspoken reserve about going back to the Hamptons—which made her offer stand out all the more. "You would do that for me," he confirmed. "Even in spite of your wish never to return?"

Victoria nodded, masking her assertiveness with the reassurance of her smile. "I want to do whatever I can to make you happy."

 **SCENE**

By the time Emily returned to Grayson Manor it was late afternoon. Nolan had just finished feeding Summer when she entered the kitchen and eagerly swept her up in arms. "Ah, there's my sweetheart," she coddled, hugging her close and swaying. "I missed you all morning."

Nolan looked on affectionately, giving her the once over. "You sure you want to do that in _all white_?" he appraised of her crisp business suit. "I know you like to live on the edge but, I just fed her lunch…"

Emily tossed a towel over her shoulder to appease him. "Any update on my father?" she switched gears, heading for the downstairs nursery.

"Still in DC with Victoria," Nolan replied glumly, following her through the house. "Completely surrounded by paparazzi I might add," he continued, pulling up the live feed from his phone. "Which I'm guessing means you still don't want to contact him?"

Emily placed Summer down and busied herself in her bureau, pulling out a change of clothes. "He doesn't know he is, Nolan," she reminded solemnly, stacking her items into a little pile. "Much less who _I_ am. What would that accomplish?"

Nolan respected it with a break of silence, reflecting on the current state of things. Since David's press conference it was clear that Emily's desire to see him was slowly deflating, especially after his declaration that Victoria was the only one he wanted by his side. But he knew his friend well, and was certain that for all her attempts to cope without emotion, she was burning up inside.

"With all due respect Ems," he pressed gently. "He hasn't _seen_ you yet. I mean, how do you know that wouldn't trigger something?" Emily glared at his argument, but did not dissuade it. Nolan pushed further. "After all, he did _save_ his granddaughter—"

"—who he might have helped Victoria kidnap in the first place," Emily inserted, less optimistic. "There's no way to prove that was done out of instinct—"

"— _except_ the fact that we _know_ Victoria's been filling his head with lies," Nolan flipped it right back, stepping in closer. "Which, if so, he may be desperate for someone to rescue him with the truth; I can't believe you're not doing anything about this!" His frustrations started to mount. "The least you can do is go to the police about what she did," he forced in a soft whisper.

Emily closed one of the bureau drawers just as swiftly and shot a look in reply. "And then what—have her turn right around and implicate _him_? Victoria will do anything to save her own skin, even if it means letting him take the blame!" Rather than continue arguing, she shook her head to clear it, and finished packing the small bag with Summer's things. "No, before I do anything I need access to him alone. And right now Victoria isn't leaving his side."

Nolan shrunk back, frustrated that it was the one thing they could not intercept. The sound of the front door interrupted his thought process, and he curiously looked at Emily. "Expecting someone?" he guessed.

"That's Daniel," Emily replied, surprising him. While his expression changed to hopeful, she reached over to lift Summer back into her arms and brushed past, taking the small bag with her.

Daniel lingered in the foyer, wistfully glancing at the large family canvas on the wall while he waited for Emily. When she finally approached there was an unmistakable tension, coupled with a subtle air of longing as she passed Summer into his arms.

"She's eaten," Emily avoided it, focusing on their daughter. She adjusted her outfit and helped the diaper bag onto his free arm, preoccupying herself. "She needs to go down for a nap soon."

But Daniel would not go so easily. He nodded to the instruction, holding Summer close while still persisting. "Em, can we talk?"

At last Emily caught his eyes, and Daniel sensed just the slightest note of shame. "I told you I'm not ready—" she begged off.

"It's been two weeks," he interjected, prepared for it. "I'm respecting what you asked but come on, how long is this going to go on?"

"Daniel, I'm _trying—_ " she argued, feeling strongly that her decision to let him take Summer alone was enough.

"You're _avoiding_ me, is what you're doing," he argued just as strongly. He couldn't help but glimpse her business attire. "And obviously staying occupied," he appraised. His instincts were always keen to when Emily had a new plan.

"I was taking care of an errand for Charlotte," she informed, with a spark of defiance. "And the rest of my time I've spent focused on my father, if that's alright with you?"

Daniel cooled the argument with a gesture. "I'm not accusing you of anything," he clarified, changing his expression to one of plea. "Em, we've barely spoken since he came back. Let me help you through what you're feeling right now…"

Emily appeared to consider it, pausing momentarily before meeting his eyes with conviction. "You already are," she asserted, glancing at Summer. "By making sure she's safe… for now that's all I'm ready to trust you with." She enforced her stance by taking a breath and standing back.

Daniel took the hint, and declined to push any further. "I'll bring her back tonight," he accepted it ruefully, and the concern was evident in his expression as he left, wondering if this was merely the ending phase of their rift, or the beginning of their family's dissent.

For Emily's sake, Nolan remained out of sight during the exchange, but he came up afterwards. "Unsupervised visits with Daddy," he surmised, eyeing Daniel's exit. "How very… _gracious_ of you, I suppose?"

Emily ignored his mocking. "I was telling the truth, Nolan," she insisted. "I _am_ trying."

"But just not listening?" Nolan reminded her. "Daniel's _more_ than willing to help. Not to mention he's spent each waking moment at my place following David's every move—even into the wee hours of morning," he offered emphatically. It was becoming habitual now for him to plead his case while Emily kept a cool distance.

"I know," she acknowledged, silencing him. "And it's not that I don't appreciate it, I _do._ It's just—"

"You need to be in control," Nolan finished, preceding her. "Trust me, I get it," he resolved, backing towards the kitchen sourly. It never ceased to amaze him how easily Emily returned to old habits. "This isn't my first revenge rodeo," he added slyly.

Emily followed after him. "Good," she retorted, using it to leverage a request. "Because I need your help to track someone."

Nolan made a big show of turning in surprise. "Oh, and you're trusting _me_ to do it?" he exaggerated snidely. "Wow, big day for you."

Emily overstepped his remarks, expecting them as a result of his divided loyalty. She rested her palms on the counter, sliding her tablet across in explanation. "These photos were sent to me by an undisclosed recipient last week," she explained. "I used them as leverage over Lyman this morning— he agreed to step down from the ballot and give Charlotte a divorce."

Pleasantly surprised, Nolan eased off his scolding to inspect. "Nice work," he admittedly genuinely. "I should've known you were all done up for a morning takedown."

Emily nodded, hoping he would understand that she _was_ gradually coming around. "I can't identify the sender, but I have my suspicions." She leaned back to conclude the assignment. "I'd like you to confirm for sure."

Recognizing it was a small sign of progress, Nolan gradually came around. "Well, if it means things are getting back to normal around here," he affirmed, dragging one of the photos into the editor app and digitally placing two red lines to form an 'X' over Lyman's face. He looked up at her afterwards. "Consider it done."

Emily thanked him with a kindred look that cemented their comradery. "Find out who's trying to help us – and why."

 **SCENE**

Aiden struggled to push all concerns to the back of his mind as he concentrated on the road in front of him and increased speed. After a nearly foiled escape from Ryker's Correctional he had lost his tail on Conrad, and after informing _Krovnaya_ they reacted by adjusting his assignment. He shuddered to think who would be taking over his place, but he had to maintain focus on his mission. It was his last chance at meeting their terms and finally getting Niko's location in exchange.

As the moment for action grew nearer with each second, he tightened his grip on the wheel and zeroed in on the checkpoint ahead – the entrance to The Riverhead, a high-end residence in center city, New York. It was currently swarmed with paparazzi who awaited the arrival of the most publicized figure on the news at the moment: David Clarke. To them, he represented a symbol of justice for the wrongly accused. But per the instructions he had received from _Krovnaya,_ he had just become Aiden's next target.

With calculated precision, Aiden bore down on the gas pedal as he spied David exiting the car on the traffic side, not ten feet from where Victoria stood on the sidewalk. Impelled by her intuition, she suddenly looked back to watch him cross and noticed the car speeding in his direction.

"DAVID!" she exclaimed in a bloodcurdling scream.

David was a moment too slow to truly heed her warning. He looked up at the last second and Aiden continued at a furious pace headed right for him – only to swerve at the last minute and veer out of his way.

The sound of screeching tires and David's unsuspecting jolt drew the attention of the entire crowd around them, and Victoria rushed over at once to his aid. "David—are you alright?!" she begged, unable to fathom how narrowly he seemed to escape death yet again.

"I'm fine," he whispered, shaking slightly in shock. His senses were disoriented but he could have sworn he glimpsed a tattoo on the driver's arm. Before he could say any more they were quickly enveloped by a police escort, making their entrance to Riverhead congested to say the least. Paparazzi only continued to swarm until finally several attendants came over to usher them to safety.

Meanwhile, Aiden sped away without recourse, having completed his mission exactly to his intent.

 **SCENE**

"Here you are – one last signature and you can become Charlotte Clarke again."

At Emily's coercion Charlotte scribbled on the final page of the document she had brought over. "I can't thank you enough for taking care of this after it blew up in my face," she replied sincerely, peering up at her sister. "I should've listened to you."

Emily overstepped her admission, not interested in making her pay any more than she already had. "I'm just sorry things couldn't go according to plan," she offered instead.

It elicited a shrug from Charlotte. "In a way, this was always the plan," she admitted, gazing down at Declan Jr and Carl playing at their feet. The sight of the boys warmed them both, as did the coziness of Jack's furnished home. It was quiet and serene, even with TV blaring in the background to entertain the children.

"I know I took a chance with Lyman," Charlotte elaborated. "But I never really considered abandoning who I was. I just wanted to put things right."

Emily returned the papers to her bag, matter-of-factly. "Well now you have," she closed the subject, and stooped down to pick up her nephew. After a moment of coddling, the need to be reflective became contagious. "I should have been honest with you from the beginning," she returned sincerely.

For the first time since reconnecting, Charlotte wore an expression of true understanding. She nodded to convey that it was now just history between them, and got up from the table. "Well, while we're being honest," she transitioned, moving into the next room. "My mother reached out to me this morning."

Emily furrowed her brow, placing Declan back into the play area with Carl so she could follow. "And?" she probed with interest.

Charlotte turned to face her. "She's back in New York with David … and she wants to bring him to finally meet me." She studied Emily's countenance, expecting uneasiness to follow.

But instead Emily brightened, sensing it as an opportunity. "You should," she encouraged. "He deserves to see his daughter."

"I'm not his only daughter," Charlotte reminded in an even tone. Again she waited for Emily to react more fully.

At last Emily sighed, letting her inner thoughts flow. "Well, I'm sure Victoria has led him to believe as much, taking him to Amanda's grave—" she added bitterly.

"I know," Charlotte acknowledged, immediately returning to her side. "And it's the reason I'm going to tell her not to come." She rushed to insert before Emily could argue. "Look, I've given it a lot of thought and I'll never be able to forgive her for what she did to Amanda. Or _you,_ " she added adamantly. "She kidnapped your _daughter_! And if David is her puppet that's not the father I want."

As much as Emily agreed, it was hard not to see things differently on the other side of the spectrum. It was the same argument she had made to Nolan, and yet she felt Charlotte deserved more. "I know how you feel," she sympathized first. "He's not the father I remember either… but right now all he has is Victoria to tell him anything. This could be our only way to get to him alone."

For a moment Charlotte seemed to absorb it, but her countenance quickly changed. She motioned to the television behind Emily, where a news break was suddenly flashing onscreen. "I don't think that's going to happen any time soon," she deduced from it, and at last Emily turned to watch, scowling as she read the bottom line.

 _"This just in, police are doubling security for recently exonerated public figure David Clarke—he was nearly struck by a vehicle today, in what appeared to be an attack on his life…"_

 **SCENE**

Nolan stood at the entrance to the Southampton Beach Club, surveying the inside from a distance until his glance fell on one particular patron at the end of the bar. With a conclusive chuckle he sauntered over, quietly slipping into the next seat at the counter.

"Well, well if it isn't little Arson Annie?" he announced his presence, startling the unsuspecting woman to his left. She looked up from beneath a large-brimmed summer hat but despite her clear intent to be incognito, there was no mistaking – it was Louise.

"Ugh, how did you find me?" she lamented, shrinking away in surprise.

Nolan reached out gently to stop her from running off. "Ah, newsflash Lady Ellis," he reprimanded. "You're not as discreet as you think. If not for the ridiculously obvious cyber trail you left from your IP," he began; eyeing the tablet she had open on her lap. His eyes trailed next to the array of auburn tresses peeking from under her hat. "There's always your _fire_ _engine_ red mane," he described, finding it ironic. "Hm, fitting."

"Look, I don't want any trouble," Louise begged, albeit somewhat tipsily. "I sent those pictures to help Charlotte."

"And they did," Nolan affirmed with a cavalier nod. His expression changed to one of interest. "But I'm here to figure out why you didn't just skip the attempted murder in the first place?"

She tensed slightly; waiting to make sure the bartender was out of earshot. "It was an accident," she explained in a low voice. Her eyes pleaded insistently for him to understand. "I–I immediately regretted it. But I just couldn't go back to that place."

To Nolan, it still held little value. "Because Claremont was so much worse than a little hard time in _prison_?" he taunted sarcastically. "'Cuz ah, hate to break it to you but, that's where you're headed once the police find out."

"Fine, then take me in!" she finally charged back, startling him. Her outburst elicited a few looks and she lowered her voice once again, leaning in to explain. "Look, you don't know me alright? Before I started trading secrets with Victoria, I was just a simple girl from Savannah. Now, I'm not even half of the person I used to be." She pulled away then, staring off into space. "If this is the fate I'm meant to have then… so be it."

Nolan absorbed her partial confession and realized there was more to her than met the eye. Her presence there now appeared to be more of a depressed refuge spurred on by guilt rather than a private hideout. Sympathizing, he softened his approach. "Fate can be a hard thing to figure out," he offered thoughtfully. "Whereas, _damage—_ like the kind you seem to have experienced—could be a good thing. Often times it leads to a change of heart?"

He waited to see if it struck a chord, but she stayed mellow. "Yes, well for some of us it's too late," she reflected. "You're right – I should've tried to help that girl instead of running off. I wanted to when David came around asking who was inside but, I just got frightened—"

"Uh, wait back up a sec," Nolan swiftly interrupted her. " _David?_ I thought Jack pulled her out."

Louise shook her head no. "Jack would've recognized me," she pointed out. "I didn't realize who David was at the time but it was him who saved her… turns out he's an actual good person," she paused, thinking back to their last interaction. "He even helped me to break free from Victoria—that is, right before he went back to playing her paramour, hmph!"

While Louise took a long gulp of her drink, Nolan tried desperately to piece together everything she was saying. "So _David_ is the one who saved Charlotte?" A thought occurred to him he simply had to pursue. "What about Emily and Daniel's daughter – did he help Victoria take her?"

Louise shook her head adamantly, swallowing the last from her glass. "David had no idea about that," she informed. "As soon as he discovered what she had done, he asked for my help to return the baby – he wouldn't rest until she was safe." She shook her head, still mystified by it all. "I just don't understand why he insists on protecting Victoria now?"

Content to find answers in the bottom of another glass, Louise signaled the bartender for another round but Nolan interceded. "Ah, something tells me David has more up his sleeve than we think," he guessed. Yet having it confirmed that he was instrumental in saving Charlotte's life and Summer's return was enough for the time being.

"But until then–" he begged Louise's attention. "Don't you think it's time you started fighting for the right side?"

 **SCENE**

"You know, if you think you can mend fences by bringing in an adorable infant…"

Margaux began her disclaimer from behind her desk at LeMarchal Headquarters, only to relax into a broad smile after lifting Summer Grayson into her arms. Instead of finishing with a hardnosed retort, she giggled instead. "You may be on to something."

Daniel grinned from across the room, relieved he had made the decision to keep his appointment with Margaux. Having Summer with him was already softening the air, and he desperately needed their meeting to go well.

"I just wanted to bury the hatchet," he explained, taking the seat before her. "It's obvious you've been sour at me ever since I declined your offer last year."

Margaux enjoyed playing with Summer a little longer before addressing him. "Your career choice wasn't the only reason I kept a professional distance," she admitted discreetly, finally returning her to her father. "But lucky for you I was talked off my stance," she alluded coyly, sorting through papers on her desk.

Daniel secured her back into her carrier and took advantage of the distraction. "I gather you and Officer _Hunter_ had a little pillow talk?" he inserted. Shocked, Margaux snapped up immediately, and Daniel made an unimpressed face. "Come on – I'm not that out of the loop. I've known since the Memorial kickoff you two were together."

It irked Margaux to have details of her personal life repeated back to her, and she couldn't resist retaliating. "Mm, well the rumor mill works both ways," she settled back into her seat. "I hear Emily put you out of the house after your daughter went missing?" she posed, glancing down at Summer.

Daniel scowled in return, sensitive for the same reasons. So far they had handled the kidnapping incident without any leakage to the press, which only confirmed Margaux had heard it from Ben. It spoke volumes to their relationship that she had not ran with that morsel either, but regardless it was to his advantage.

"Relentless as always," he commended her investigative skills. Their gazes deadlocked in fair acknowledgment of each other's prowess until he finally motioned for her to look at the proposal on her desk. "Now that we know neither of us is backing down – what do you say we discuss what I came here for?"

Margaux lifted it into view – it was the property deed to the beach house. "Am I to assume this is some sort of retaliation towards Emily? I imagine she'll be incensed to find out you're selling the coveted property next door."

"Actually, it's the opposite," Daniel answered cautiously. "You see, I'm not selling the house – I want to give it to David Clarke."

Margaux cocked an eyebrow, skeptically. "That's quite the gesture."

Daniel braced himself for a careful explanation. "Emily knew Amanda better than anyone," he began. "And she would have wanted this for him. I just want to help her to do that."

Still unsure, Margaux swiveled back and forth in her chair. "Well, I certainly understand the interest with David's return being so publicized…" she paused to fold her arms. "I'm just not sure why you need my help to do it?"

"I understand you own the rights to David's first public interview," Daniel affirmed, receiving her nod. "What other setting would be better to have it, than in the home that was taken from him? Not only is it the perfect place, but it might even endear him to a more open account," he added cleverly.

"Or perhaps endear Emily more to _you_?" Margaux saw through to his endgame.

Daniel ignored it with persistence. "Come on, Margaux – would you really consider passing up this opportunity, just because something good might come out of it for me?" He preyed on her sentimentality. "I'd hate to think we're too far gone from wanting happiness for each other."

Any hesitancy on Margaux's part was easily dissolved by his choice words. Now more than ever, she had a renewed appreciation for what it was to have happiness. And while she had held off from making it public, perhaps it was the next step to cement her relationship with Ben.

She put the thought aside to answer Daniel's request first. "Not at all," she replied confidently, leaning forward. "I think we can reach an agreement."

 **SCENE**

Aiden waited until he had reached the edge of town before locating a safe house to hide out in, and finally making the dreaded call to _Krovnaya._ Once connected, he began by delivering the news they were waiting to hear.

"The mission was a failure," he informed, adding desperation to his tone. "I tried to get to David but he jumped out of the way. He was heavily guarded; it'll be twice as risky now."

His new contact, Viktor, was less than understanding. "Thanks to your inability to follow through," he chided him.

"Hey—you were the ones who pushed me to go after him instead of Conrad!" Aiden fired back angrily. "Now I've lost leads on them both."

"We've put our own intelligence on tracking down Conrad – David is your priority. You claim to be an assassin?" Viktor tested his integrity.

Aiden grimaced, wishing he had never divulged so much in return for information that it appeared was never coming. "Yes?" he confirmed hurriedly.

"Then stay on target. Conrad we need alive – David is better off dead."

Aiden accepted the harsh reality with a thud, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Despite his attempts to get around it, there seemed to be no way to avoid what they were asking. With his prolonged silence, his contact questioned him again. "Are you declining the assignment?"

He took a nervous breath. "No…" he collected himself. "No, I'm just saying it's going to take some time."

"For your sake it better not take too long. We can always dispatch a replacement for you."

With that Viktor terminated the call, leaving the threat as incentive for Aiden to complete the job. But for his sake, it was only a ghastly reminder that he was walking a dangerously fine line. Being at the helm was perhaps the only thing that kept David safe, but would not be for long if he were replaced. And either solution meant sudden death for them both.

His options were quickly dwindling and though it was against every instinct he had, he knew there was only one other alternative… returning to the Hamptons.

 **SCENE**

Emily was in such a meditative trance when Daniel returned to Grayson Manor that evening, she did not even hear as he traversed the steps to the upstairs. He was halfway through their bedroom when she finally turned from where she stood in place on the balcony, startled to see him behind her.

"Sorry," Daniel whispered, noting their first instance in close quarters for quite some time. "I called up but you didn't answer." When she didn't turn him away he remained in place to study her, missing the familiar sight of her wistful gazes at the precipice of their room, missing the room itself. He looked around to assure nothing had changed but it was the same, leave for his notable absence.

"Summer?" Emily's instincts were first check on their daughter.

"Asleep in her crib," Daniel answered, adding with emphasis. "I checked."

With that assurance Emily let out a small breath and returned her gaze back over the ocean. Daniel relaxed and habitually joined her side. "You alright?" he verified, taking a step closer.

Emily answered without turning. "Someone tried to attack my father today."

Daniel gaped in shock. "What?" Of course, the one afternoon he had other matters to attend to, there had been a development. He took another step to fill the space next to her and let her continue.

"The police don't have any leads," she explained. "I asked Nolan to hack the database and the only description my father gave was that the assailant had tattoos on his arm, nothing else."

Daniel narrowed his eyes, somewhat triggered by the description. But he quickly moved on in support. "I don't understand; who would come after him?"

"I don't know," Emily replied, helplessly glancing below. "Maybe the same people who wanted to make sure the world thought he was dead?" she guessed, shrugging as she fought to stay still. Her instincts finally impelled her to turn briskly back towards the bedroom. "They've amped security ever since; there's no way I'll get through. And if not that, then there's Victoria at his side 24/7—"

"Forget about her," Daniel called after her, following her in. "I know you think she's filling him with lies—"

At last Emily doubled back to face him with a sharp look. "You're saying she isn't?"

Daniel faced his palms up in protest. "I'm not defending her, I'm just asking you to give _David_ credit for being a little wiser than you think. Maybe he just needs the right setting to get his bearings—"

"He just came back from Amanda's grave," Emily countered wryly. "He's seen photos of her and believed it was his daughter, I think I'm giving him the amount of credit due—" she cut herself short, marching into their bedroom even though she had no real purpose other than pacing worriedly.

Sensing it, Daniel caught her midstride, forcing her to look at him. "But he _still_ doesn't have the full story," he reminded her. "He hardly has anything to go on except what's given him—" It struck a familiar chord. "—something we share in common."

Recognizing the subtle dig, Emily sighed in his arms. "Daniel, what do you want from me?" she asked calmly. It was the softest she had been since their separation but he could not be sure if she was truly wearing down or merely exhausted.

He straightened his stance, seizing the opportunity. "I want you to tell me you forgive me," he stated. "Em, we both made mistakes. I should've been there for you – I should've told you the _moment_ my mother reappeared, and I didn't. I'm _sorry._ But how long can we stay apart like this…" he suddenly reached out to caress her face.

"Please," she resisted at last, catching his hand. "I can't."

"I know you're scared," Daniel acknowledged, recognizing her familiar ways. "Just give us a chance to start over. You need me here with you to get through this," he asserted, wishing sometimes he could simply will her to accept that she was human. "You can't do it alone. I know you don't want to admit it but… you need your family to help you through this. _All_ of us."

Emily pressed her lips inwards and bit down, looking away. It was hard not to admit he was right, but there had been so much angst and fear between them, that part of her was hesitant to risk it all again. Yet at the same time she knew she had to give in along the way somewhere. If not for her father, then at least for Daniel – she could not shut out the men in her life forever, especially the ones she loved most.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked again, hoping Daniel would not ask for it all at once.

Ever insightful, he knew better than to press her comfort levels. Just one small request was all he needed. "Tomorrow night—meet me at the beach house," he pled.

It troubled her slightly to think of it. Although she had met Charlotte there briefly at the beginning of summer, neither of them had actually been inside since Amanda's passing. "I don't know Daniel…" she started.

"I know, I know it's been ages, but trust me," he insisted, nodding at her with certainty and kissing the back of her hand. "I'll take care of everything. You'll see… you won't regret it."

 **SCENE**

" _Entre vu!"_

Margaux pushed the door open to the beach house with a grand gesture of welcoming, standing back so that both David and Victoria could walk through. It had been a long day's journey for them from Washington and the exhaustion shown on their faces on the ride over. But one step into the restored cottage, and it seemed to change both their countenances. Seeing things going according to plan, Margaux signaled the perimeter of security from the porch, and from a distance Ben gave the all-clear to get the patrol cars to back off. Fortunate for her, their personal connection came as a benefit when a private moment for the two was needed, as was the case now.

While David entered slowly with a mystified appraisal of his surroundings, Victoria hung back and waited for Margaux. "I don't understand," she whispered under her breath. "How did you get the deed to this house? Emily would never sell to you."

Though she had long valued Victoria's friendship, Margaux was beginning to question her unending aversion to Emily. How could she be so sure? "She didn't," she agreed fairly. "But the deed to this house was not left in Emily's name…"

Her sentence trailed off and served as an introduction to Daniel, who they could now see was standing in the living area. "Hello, Mother," he saluted her briskly, masking his contempt with a superficial glaze.

"Daniel," Victoria gasped, inadvertently clueing David in that it was her son. She glanced at him worriedly before glaring back at Margaux. "I thought I was clear that we're not comfortable with visitors – what is he doing here?"

But before Margaux could respond Daniel was quick to interject. "As much as I can sympathize with what it's like to have an _unexpected_ visitor in the house," he dug at Victoria perniciously, stepping between her and David. "This isn't about you." He then turned and handed over a folded document to David, extending his other hand. "I came here to personally make amends with Mr. Clarke."

Margaux stepped in to escort her back towards the door. "Perhaps we should give them a moment?"

Victoria raised a baffled eyebrow. "You knew about this?" she dared her.

"This may come as a shock to you, Victoria," Margaux challenged. "But there are some agreements that I make without your permission. And if you'll indulge me, I'd like to discuss the terms of our own—" she stopped to glance at David. "Specifically the exclusive interview you promised once David returned?"

Upon her words, all eyes went to David in anticipation of how he would react to both the house and an interview that Victoria had promised without his permission. But his countenance remained calm, even agreeable. "It's alright," he replied, nodding kindly to Victoria's fearful expression. "Like I said I've got nothing to hide… I just wish there was more I remembered that I could share."

Daniel interceded, lightly guiding him by the arm. "Well, sir, it's our hope that being here where you used to live will help you to do just that," he paused intentionally to look at his mother. "To help you call to mind the truth," he emphasized, glaring at her. "That is, _everything_ from your past."

When he returned his gaze David he was slightly unnerved, but ultimately appreciative. "Thank you, son," he looked at the deed in his hand. "That means a lot." With a final glance at Victoria, he gestured his comfort. "It's alright – I think I can take it from here."

"Why don't we let David enjoy this moment alone?" Margaux added in suggestion, ushering Victoria out without a chance for her to protest. Daniel watched as his mother was forced to leave, finally earning the first phase of comeuppance that was long overdue.

With them eventually escorted by the police off premises, it finally left Daniel alone with David. At last he felt he could speak in honesty to the man he had yet to call his father-in-law.

"Sir, as I was saying," Daniel faced him, suddenly filled with grave solemnity. "I must apologize to you on behalf of my father's actions – what he did defies words and reparations need to be made. I was hoping this house could be the first step towards making things right—"

"No—no, please," David suddenly interrupted him, surprising him with a mirrored look of contrition. "It's me that should be apologizing."

Daniel's brow wrinkled, unsuspecting. "Whatever for?"

"You're Victoria's son—you live at the Manor just down the beach?" David reaffirmed, following with a nod. "Then there's something that you need to know, before you go any further: the truth about what really happened when your baby girl went missing."

 **SCENE**

The sun was setting as Nolan made his way through the conservatory, entering Grayson Manor from the rear to find Emily slipping on her heels in the Grand Room.

"Hm, you look spiffy?" he commented. Her snug fitted black dress was reminiscent of the fashion that marked her first summer in the Hamptons, and her hair was down, styled around her shoulders. When she looked up to acknowledge he realized she was even wearing lipstick. "I didn't realize I was reporting for baby duty so you could have a night on the town?" he had to pry.

"I'm not," Emily met his inquisitive look. "And I wouldn't do that to you," she absolved him of the thought firmly.

Nolan shrugged. "Not that you don't deserve it," he clarified his intent was not to be judgmental. His hands rested in his pockets as he casually took the seat that once belonged to Victoria, stationed at the head of the room. "It's just, don't you think an _au pair_ might be a worthy investment with your increasingly busy schedule?" he hinted.

Emily secured the strap on her left heel. "You know I won't leave my daughter with a stranger," she reminded him, standing at last. "But I don't intend to make a habit of this. Daniel just asked me to meet him at the beach house to talk."

"Alone?" Nolan verified, suddenly changing tune. "Say no more," he agreed, sliding out of the posh seat to follow Emily into the main hall. "Sounds like a reconciliation is in the works…"

With a quick peek on Summer, Emily secured the door and took her purse from the table. "It's just a talk," she repeated, but her tone was less dismissive than normal.

"Uh-huh, and that's just a _killer_ LBD," Nolan shot back, grinning as she walked away. She hit him with a glare and he finally backed off. "Ok, ok, mums the word – but before you run off to go make nice with baby daddy? I wanted to let you know your hunch was right."

Emily turned back midstride to the front door. "So it was Louise that sent the photos?"

He ducked his chin in acknowledgment. "And get this—she said _David_ is the one who saved Charlie, _and_ he convinced her to go rogue on Victoria. It was his idea to bring Summer in – he had no idea what Victoria was up to!" He stalled his excitement, waiting for Emily's reaction.

Despite her previous uneasiness, the affirmation had the desired effect. It washed over her like a wave of calm, returning a light to her eyes that Nolan had not seen in weeks. Rather than speak, she merely digested it and he finally couldn't wait.

"Ems, do you realize what this means?" Nolan reasoned, edging closer. "Not only is Louise in our corner but—"

"Victoria may not have the control over my father she thinks she has," Emily concluded, still ultimately puzzled albeit relieved. "So then why stay with her?"

"Maybe he's more in the know than he's letting on? _Maybe_ this whole 'amnesia' thing is just a pretense so he can plot his own revengenda?" Nolan was full of possibilities but each lacked certainty. "Whatever the reason, _that_ is a discussion for another day… when you finally get your moment with him," he surmised. It was clear that she was finally coming around to the notion.

"But for now, you've got a date with the other leading man in your life," Nolan smirked, switching gears as he walked Emily to the door. "So trot on over and ah, feel free to stay the night." He stepped back, adding a suggestive smile. "I think Danny's earned it."

Emily could not help rolling her eyes, ever conservative by nature. "I'll be home before late," she assured him, but Nolan knew better.

He trailed away, swinging the door shut behind her. "I won't wait up."

 **SCENE**

"So you _knew_ your mother was behind the kidnapping?"

As heavy as David's question was, after nearly twenty minutes of discussion it came more casually than expected. Daniel nodded in response and met the unsure gaze of a man who was clearly tortured by a past he did not understand and a family he was slowly coming to learn about, though much had yet to be revealed.

"My mother has been the cause of more loathsome acts in the past few years than anyone could imagine," Daniel elaborated, facing the truth for himself. "Thanks to my father's connections and her own conniving she's gotten away with most of it – but not anymore. I refuse to let her try to convince you she's been in your corner all these years."

David absorbed it, confirming the concerns already brewing beneath the surface. "I trusted Victoria against my better judgment," he admitted. "I protected her because she was the only living person who seemed to remember who I was. I thought she could help me… I never expected she would do what she did."

Realizing David's knowledge of his mother's wiles was limited to the incident with Summer, Daniel jumped to elaborate. "All things being said, I never feared that my daughter was in any danger. My mother simply retaliates when she doesn't get her way," he admitted with an irritable grunt. "But it pales in comparison to what she's truly capable of. If you knew the things she did to your daughter," he had to sigh at the overwhelming truth. "You'd never believe it."

"Amanda?" David was all ears, resting his hands on the table between them. "What do you mean?"

Realizing it was not as simple to answer, Daniel averted it altogether. "Let's just say there's a lot you don't know about what happened to Amanda while you were locked away." He stopped himself there, not wishing to get ahead. "I'm afraid it's ah, not for me to share."

"It's just as well," David replied conclusively. He grimaced, blaming himself for the gaping holes in his memory. "I fear I may never recover what I lost with Amanda. It's not enough that I was kept from her but… who she was, how she turned out… it's all so foreign to me when I can barely remember half of my life." He shook his head. "All those years I was in prison – I don't have a single memory of her reaching out to me."

Again Daniel felt a sinking feeling, knowing better that his memory was actually correct. But the deeper they treaded it was more necessary than ever to get him face-to-face with the only person that could give him answers. "Mr. Clarke—" he began.

"Please, son," he insisted. "Call me David." Daniel smiled at the kind gesture and he went on. "You've been more than helpful to me – and it's nice to know someone I can say I've met for the first time… not someone I've simply forgotten."

Deeply understanding, Daniel nodded and leaned in with an offer. "What if I told you there was someone who could give you all the answers you're looking for – someone who remembers more about you than anyone else? Would you want them to be here to help you through this?"

"Of course," David shrugged, languidly gazing around his house. "I'm just not sure that person exists," he then sighed in defeat. "Excuse me, for a moment," he asked and got up from the table, presumably to walk around for a bit.

Seizing the opportunity, Daniel took out his phone to call Emily, praying that she was close to arrival. This was the moment she had been waiting for, and clearly the one thing that was keeping David from finding out the truth. "Em," he panted when she answered. "Are you on your way?"

"I'm walking up the back porch," she responded, and Daniel looked up to see she was in fact on the other of side of the house. He inwardly cursed himself for not anticipating she would come in the back way. "You fixed up the place?" she observed, seeing the lights on from the outside.

He jumped up to meet her in but was a few steps short of being intercepted. Emily walked through the sheers and before she could get to him, David returned from his stroll about the house, crossing directly into her path.

For a solid moment they both froze, Emily more notably losing her breath upon standing mere inches from the man she thought she would never see again. Her father's face was all the more clear and undeniable in person, his presence bringing immediate tears to the corners of her eyes.

As if in harmony with her emotional trance, David too stared back with intrigue and while there was no visible reaction he could not ignore a strange stirring in his heart. There was something about the woman that stood before him, something he ought to have known from just her eyes. He noticed the glassiness from her tears and his own face contorted; wondering what was behind her misted expression.

"Hello," was all he could manage, and he said it rapidly, extending his hand.

"Mr. Clarke," Daniel rushed to make the introduction, coming up from behind. It was not exactly the reunion he had planned but he was relieved it was finally happening. "Ah, David," he quickly corrected, eager to just say it. "I'd like to introduce you… to my wife."

He nodded to Emily, prompting for her to finish the rest but she still could not catch her breath. Her eyes could barely shake free from their lock onto David's to glance over at Daniel, read his meaning and then look back again. He was hoping for her to say it, to declare who she was, to seize this most prized moment he had created for her. And yet under the extreme pressure, she could not fight her instincts. The most she could do was overcome her shock to finally reach out and shake his open hand but there were still no words.

Awkwardly, David attempted to find them for her. "Pleasure to meet you," he offered, still sensing something intriguing in her face. "Mrs. Grayson, I presume?"

From the corner of her eye she could see Daniel's insistent expression, urging her to correct him with the words that might possibly set his memory free. _I'm Amanda Clarke;_ she heard them in her head, loud and clear. But when her mouth finally opened to respond, they fell short of the task.

"Emily," she answered instead. The awareness of her identity was all that remained when the shock finally subsided and she said it again, shoring it up with confidence. "Please, call me Emily."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Welcome again readers! First off I have to thank all the new followers on the story who have reached out to me in recent weeks – it's truly so heartwarming to have your added support and know you're enjoying this ride! I apologize for my short hiatus but I was on vacation, still brewing away with ideas for this exciting last season. Sorry to say it is dwindling down slowly but surely but there's still more in tow! So on that note, what did you think so far? David and Amanda – reunited! But are they? It was always my dream to have them get that final scene together when his house was returned and I couldn't help but include Daniel as an instrument in this version. I know it precedes the way the reunion played out on the show but stay tuned for more on why Emily chose not to identify herself, and what's to come once Victoria inevitably finds out. As always there's more drama and revenge coming, but I hope you're enjoying thus far! And hang in there for Demily, things are slowly progressing! I threw in a special takedown to kick off this chapter to make up for the lag :) :) As always your FEEDBACK and REVIEWS are hugely appreciated! Leave me your thoughts, I can't wait to read! Catch you all very soon ~ Love and Reve8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	49. Chapter 48: Contact

**Chapter 48: Contact**

 _ **Contact is essential to the start of every connection. It allows bonds to form, gives us purpose, and provides the reassurance needed to help us feel safe…**_

"Daddy, the water is _freezing!"_

A young Amanda Clarke looked up incredulously at her father wading ankle deep into the frigid ocean waves as if he couldn't feel a thing. "Hey, you want to know a trick?" he asked her warmly. "You plant your feet in the sand and you stand still through the whole first wave."

Ever the picture of an adoring child, Amanda agreed in preparation. "Okay," she replied.

"Then the next wave's gonna feel warmer," David continued, staring down with a sweet expression. "And then the one after that's gonna feel warmer still. Finally, you're barely gonna notice the cold at all." Though nervous, his young daughter gave him a trusting look before edging near to where he stood. He smiled back, catching sight of the next wave. "You ready?" he asked.

She nodded with excitement. "Yeah!"

"Okay… here it comes!" he held her hand tightly, and they both braced for the rush of cool, sudsy impact. Amanda bore down just like her father had cautioned and held his hand tight, exclaiming as the wave crashed around her feet.

"Aaah!" her delighted cry filled the summer air, mixing in with her father's warm laugh.

… _**But once contact is lost, the strongest bonds are tested. To survive, they can either be resurrected by the memories left behind; or reconstructed by a will to start over again.**_

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

The vision of her younger self slowly dissipated, leaving Emily alone with the fragments of her thoughts along the dimly lit shoreline. It was nearly dawn, a fact she scarcely noticed after spending the night in solitude, reflecting on memories of her father that came drifting in like the rolling waves. They came and went in similar fashion and the hours passed, eventually heralding the arrival of another day.

Along with the sun's promise to rise onto the horizon came Daniel, walking down the hilly beach to where she was seated. Conscious that his wife was ever oblivious to the elements, he removed his jacket and tenderly placed it around her shoulders to shield her from the ocean breeze.

"Sun's nearly up," he observed after a quiet moment. It amazed him how she could remain so deep in concentration, yet after years of learning her habits he had come to expect it. Her unflinching gaze remained on the sea. "You been out here all night?" he finally prodded.

At last Emily spoke, turning slightly. "I went home first," she began.

Daniel nodded, knowing her well. He gave her credit for hanging around as long as she had with David before begging off with an excuse. But if his guess was right, her return was more than likely intercepted. "Did you tell Nolan?" he estimated.

"He insisted I go back," Emily confirmed seamlessly, adding a shrug. "I made it this far."

With understanding, Daniel glanced back to survey the distance to David's house. She was at least halfway. "Listen, Em," he started, bravely shouldering responsibility. "I'm sorry for springing him on you like that – I just couldn't wait. I thought it was the perfect opportunity for you to finally get a moment alone together."

Emily turned gradually to face him, but surprisingly her expression was wrought with appreciation, not anger. "You don't have to apologize, Daniel. I know you were looking out for me," she believed sincerely. Her gaze turned pensive. "Seeing him there… in that house… it was like something out of a dream."

Daniel patiently gave her time to reflect but could not resist asking. "So why didn't you tell him?"

Emily's hopeful look quickly vanished and she focused again on the ocean. "He didn't recognize me," she admitted. "It just felt like it wasn't the right time."

"Are you sure about that?" Daniel countered, furrowing his brow. "'Cuz from where I was standing, it looked like there was a connection. Even after you left he kept asking questions," he trailed off, resurging with a defense. "We both know what he's been through. Maybe you just need another pass at him once he's had time for his memory to recover?"

It was Emily's turn to look back fondly towards the beach house. "That's the one place in the world that could help," she supposed fairly, drawing serious. "If it doesn't come back to him there, it never will."

Daniel had to admit she was probably right. It had certainly been the trigger for _her_ memories in the not-so-distant past. "At least now he has a safe place to try," he offered, more importantly. "I hate to bring it up but he's still not in the clear… hopefully with him being close we can anticipate any further attacks on his life."

Emily was prompted to her usual level of interest. "You said you had more to tell me about that?" she alluded, recalling a conversation they had regrettably never finished.

"I do. But first—I want you to level with me," Daniel bargained. "What's the real reason you couldn't tell him, Em? Come on, it's obvious you don't want the effects of his time with my mother to sink in. You could have undone that with a word. Why didn't you?"

She considered before replying. "I'm just not ready," was all she could stand to admit. "I thought I was… it was actually the last thing on my mind before I left," she recalled solemnly, eyeing his intrigued brow. "That and making things right with you."

"I guess this was a setback to that," Daniel assumed.

"Yes," Emily answered without thinking, immediately correcting herself. "I mean, no," she retracted just after. Could she honestly say she still harbored resentment towards Daniel? Especially considering the lengths he went to just to make her happy? That alone touched Emily's heart, but she could not overcome the disquieting effect of having her reunion somewhat deflated. "I don't know," she finally admitted.

Daniel ignored her halfhearted answer. "I think I do," he boldly presumed. "You're afraid of what happens when he finds out who you really are – and still doesn't remember you." Though his guess was not completely wrong, Emily refrained from giving him the full satisfaction. "But I'm telling you," he went on in protest. "If there's anything that's been keeping him going, it's his love for his daughter. As soon as I mentioned the past you shared with my mother, he was all ears."

To that Emily returned a suspicious glare. "What did you tell him?" she probed.

"Nothing specific," Daniel sloughed it off. "Just that he shouldn't trust her… the good news is I think he's starting to see it for himself."

"Well, that's an improvement," Emily sighed, finally getting the nerve to stand. One mention of Victoria was all it took to help her regain focus. There was only so much time to waste daydreaming by the ocean waves. "Still, until he recovers," she projected, forming a plan. "Perhaps it's best to help him from a distance."

Daniel remained puzzled, unable to believe that Emily was actually considering giving him space instead of marching back that very moment to tell him the truth. "Are you sure—" he questioned, but the words were barely out of his mouth when Emily suddenly reached over to extend a hand.

"We should go," she suggested intently. "You can finish telling me the rest when we get home."

He raised an eyebrow in amazement. "Is this an invitation for me to come back to the Manor?" he verified before accepting.

"Isn't that what you came here for?" Emily redirected, gesturing again with her hand. While the extension was more abrasive than inviting, once again Daniel had to remind himself that she was under stress. But her eyes were sincere and though the semblance of pain still shone through, there was still a faint sense of vulnerability. Knowing better than to turn it down, he seized it.

"Alright," he agreed, slipping his hand into hers. It was a soft step towards reconciliation and maybe even a way to distract him from prying. But it was something. His mouth curled upwards in regard and he shifted in closer. "Let's go home."

 **SCENE**

Victoria paced her suite at the Riverhead as far as the room's phone would allow, impatiently waiting to be connected to LeMarchal headquarters. "This is Victoria Grayson, I need to speak with Margaux immediately—" She stopped and quickly continued upon response. "Then put me through to her mobile!"

At long last the call finally went through and Margaux answered. "Victoria," she said coolly, taking the call on her morning walk into the office. "I take it your accommodations for the past few days have been satisfactory?"

"Hardly," Victoria complained in a heralding tone. "It isn't enough being displaced from David's side; do you intend to sequester me here indefinitely?"

Margaux smiled at her dramatic wording. "Nonsense," she assuaged calmly. "You've being given the same consideration I give all my clients. The situation is simply delicate in that David needs time to recuperate. So I've postponed the interview until after the holiday – surely you understand?"

"Undoubtedly, but to what purpose does it serve keeping me here until then?" Victoria pressed. "Without the funds we discussed in our agreement I have no per diem, nor any access to the outside world!"

Margaux entered LeMarchal headquarters with a scowl. "You know Victoria, for someone who failed to deliver on the _original_ promise of our agreement; you're beginning to sound ungrateful. You led me to believe the length of your entire disappearance was spent in company with David, which his deposition with police failed to corroborate. And you still have yet to share any details about where you truly were, making it increasingly hard to trust you," she alluded carefully.

Sensing her faith waning, Victoria changed tone. "I understand your concern," she acknowledged, still maintaining discretion. "And I assure you I will make good on my promise, but my utmost priority was in protecting David, and it still is. He needs me with him in this critical hour."

"Then there's nothing to prevent him from seeing you, should he wish," Margaux retorted cleverly. "You're more than welcome to entertain visitors at your suite," she informed. "And you've been given unlimited access to room service and amenities."

Ever insistent, Victoria sidestepped it. "And what about transportation?"

Margaux stepped into the elevator with a sigh. "Not part of our agreement," she held firm, recalling the explicit conversation she had with Daniel. Just as he predicted, his mother would try to get to David at whatever cost and it only added weight to her suspicions. Something about her story was amiss… and yet her persistence was intriguing.

"Please, Margaux," Victoria in turn began to beg. "I fail to understand this adverse treatment, especially when you know firsthand what a horrid ordeal I've been through this past year."

At last she hit a nerve and Margaux hesitated at the implication. It wasn't often that she thought of her father and despite Pascal's deeds, she could not simply forget his memory, nor the way it forced her to commiserate with Victoria. And while she had promised Daniel her assistance that did not mean she could not make allowances as she saw fit – especially if they only confirmed her emerging theories.

" _Tres bien,_ " Margaux uttered a complicit reply. "I'll see what I can arrange," was all she promised, hurrying to get off the phone.

"Thank you, my dear," Victoria followed up richly. "I sincerely appreciate it."

"I must go," Margaux quickly dispensed, ending the call as she stepped off the elevator to her floor. Thinking carefully, she reached out to the only person she could trust with the task. _I need a favor;_ she tapped in a quick text to Ben.

Meanwhile, the timing was perfect for the call to conclude as Victoria heard a knock at her door. Certain that the results could not turn around quite that fast, she answered it curiously only to find the last person she expected waiting on the other side. And though her visitor's expression was less than enthusiastic, she still gasped with excitement upon sight.

"Charlotte!"

 **SCENE**

Jack studied the interior lobby of the Riverhead, appraising within seconds that it was a luxury hotel that far outweighed his pockets for even a one-night stay. Just standing in such an establishment was awkward, but somehow his brief visits to the Hamptons seemed to always land him where he felt like a fish out of water. It made the half-hour he spent waiting all the more tiresome until he was finally relaxed by a familiar face.

"Porter, isn't it?" a brisk voice called out from the doorway.

Jack looked up and immediately recognized the officer in full uniform. "Hey—yeah, Jack," he insisted, leaving his seat in the waiting area to come shake hands. "You're Ben, right?"

Ben nodded in return. "Good to see you, it's been a while." As was his habit, he gave a quick glance at both Jack and the surroundings. "You here on holiday or to make another heroic rescue?" he joked.

Jack shook his head bashfully. "Actually I drove down with Charlotte so she could pay someone a visit," he alluded plainly. "It'll be a while before I get any real vacation time _,_ " he added with less vigor.

"That's right, you're at Chief Greenville's precinct," Ben recalled from their last meeting. "I heard he can be a real stickler?"

Gradually Jack relaxed into agreement. "Yeah, I'm slowly finding that out," he had to admit. "I worked three double shifts in the past week."

Ben jumped at the opportunity. "You should think about transferring down here," he offered, echoing the last conversation they had. "I'm telling you, Chief Alvarez is a lot more reasonable. He's got a lot of respect for single fathers who need a flexible schedule. Not that things don't get busy," he clarified, not intending to downplay their workload. "We had our hands full with David Clarke's return a few weeks ago… come to think of it, I'm surprised that didn't bring you back in town sooner?" he suddenly realized the connection.

"Ah, yeah," Jack subtly tried to avoid it. "Well, it's been a long, hard road moving on from Amanda's loss…" he inserted, adhering to the actual truth as best he could. "In all honesty, I haven't really been able to process it."

"Certainly, I understand," Ben tried to show compassion. "But you've gotta be anxious to meet him, right? And for him to meet his grandson?"

Again Jack fumbled his way out of it, resting his hands in his pockets. "Well right now it's complicated… the boys are with my grandmother," he answered first, gesturing to the upstairs. "Charlotte wanted the setting just right for her first time meeting him, and I want to respect that. He is, after all, her father too," he deferred.

"Blood before marriage," Ben assessed, agreeing it was fair. "I suppose you're right." His gaze trailed in the same direction towards the upstairs. "I take it she wanted to square things with her mother first?" he guessed.

"Yeah," Jack shrugged.

Ben sensed there was more to it than that but ultimately deduced that was all he was going to get. "Well, then I guess I can wish her all the best in person," he concluded. "Turns out I'm headed there too. It's good to see you again, Jack," he extended for a last handshake. "You take care of yourself."

Jack accepted it with a nod; reserving his curiosity for once Ben had set off towards the elevators. Despite how uneasy it was to uphold the farce of being married to Amanda now that David was returned, he was more interested in why Ben was on his way to see Victoria.

 **SCENE**

"Did you honestly think you would get away with this?"

In spite of the initial relief of seeing her daughter well recovered from life-threatening injury, Victoria soon found herself in a disquieted position on the couch while Charlotte paced before her in a rant.

"Please Charlotte, allow me to explain," Victoria tried to interrupted her scolding.

"Explain what?" she alleged, shaking her head with contempt. "It's obvious you're taking advantage of his condition and the fact that he doesn't remember how you betrayed him!"

"Bite your tongue," Victoria finally impressed her defense, rising to meet her daughter eye-to-eye. "It was Conrad's decision to frame David, _not_ mine! I was faced with an unimaginable choice, and I chose the life of my children. But not a day went by that I didn't hate myself for what happened, nor regret having to make the hardest decision of my life!"

"Well you certainly forgave yourself for it," Charlotte slung back assertively. "Apparently that's your mantra; I still remember when I came to you once, after feeling guilty for getting back at someone." She edged in close to remind her. "Do you know what you said to me? You said to make sure I forgave myself _first_ …" She trailed into a disdainful scoff. "Spoken like an expert at the art of self-preservation, huh Mom?"

Victoria shook her head slowly, abhorred by her blatant accusations. "You dare to question my motives, when if not for my actions you would have never been protected all these years," she surmised.

Charlotte sneered. "Protected by whom? My criminal father?" She turned down her nose. "Emily was right; you'll stop at nothing to shift the blame. Just admit it— the reason you clung to David was to keep him from finding out the truth."

At last her angle became clear and Victoria seethed in recognition. "So this is all Emily's convictions, then?" she deduced, glowering angrily. "The master of deception herself has the audacity to criticize—" A sigh from Charlotte forced her to cut short her scathing reply. "Listen to me Charlotte, I don't know what lies she's fed you but Emily is not the martyr you think her to be!"

"No, just my _sister_ is all!" Charlotte forced back brazenly, surprising her. "Yes, Mother, I know who she is! I've known for some time now."

Victoria reacted with a baffled shake of her head. "And yet you defend her nonetheless? Have you any idea what that woman has done to target our family?"

Charlotte retorted with insight. "Seems to me, none of that would have happened if not for you & Dad's decision to target _hers_ ," she insisted. "She was just a child when they took David away. She would have done anything just to have him in her life again.. _._ " Growing more resolute with every word, Charlotte gathered herself confidently to make her exit. "And I'm here to let you know, I'm going to see to it that she finally gets the chance."

Though intended as an end to their discussion, her swift departure was interrupted by a staunch reply. "Then plan to be sorely disappointed," Victoria predicted to her turned back.

Charlotte grimaced, forcing herself to turn about. "And why is that?"

"Because despite what you think, I know Emily a lot better than you," Victoria dangled the wiser, taking a step forward. "And all I see is a woman intent on using a façade to get what she wants." She seized the doubt forming in Charlotte's eyes. "It's the only reason she continues to hide behind the guise of 'Emily Thorne' when she's had plenty of chances to reveal her true identity. Face it, darling – Emily is no more 'Amanda Clarke' now than you are 'Charlotte Grayson'."

As inciting as it was to hear, Charlotte hesitated to validate her claims. "Just because she's chosen not to declare it to the world doesn't mean she'll keep it from David," she rebutted. "She told me the truth, why keep it from him?"

"Because unlike you," Victoria was prepared with supposition. "David's single surviving memory of her is the innocent girl he left behind – not the strategic manipulator you've come to know and clearly admire," she added with a hint of pity. But as unsettling as it was, it only added weight to her case. "So for all intents and purposes – Amanda Clarke truly no longer exists."

 **SCENE**

Though it was just his second day back at the Manor, Emily had already become so accustomed to the warmth of Daniel in their bed that the sudden emptiness was enough to stir her. She awoke to the shadow of his form looming overhead, retrieving his phone from the nightstand.

"I thought mysterious exits were _my_ trademark?" she whispered, softly gripping his hand with catlike reflexes. Her eyes slowly fluttered wide open.

"Usually, yes," Daniel cracked a grin in reply. He leaned in to plant a kiss on her forehead as she released him and rolled over. "But not when half my things are still at Nolan's," he reminded her gracefully.

Remembering, Emily propped herself up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes to watch Daniel walk to the doorway. Though things were still slightly brisk they were slowly becoming solvent, and just sharing the same bed felt worlds more comforting. But she knew their reunion still lacked the final solidifying factor and as always, Daniel was graciously patient in spite of her reserve.

"Hey," she called him back, suddenly feeling the urge to address it. Yet when he turned the words simply evaded her, none of them seeming adequate. "It's good to have you home," she settled for instead, adding a sincere smile.

"Yeah," Daniel met her just as evenly, careful not to overdo it. "It's good to be back." His eyes quickly darted down the hall, hearing a wail in the distance. "I think your daughter's awake," he acknowledged the timely distraction with a half-grin and then continued on his way. "I've got some errands to run and then I'm meeting Charlotte in the city… I'll see you later on."

Emily nodded as he left and shrank at her inability to engender more affection. She knew he was probably growing tired of small talk and cordial smiles, and frankly so was she. As always her own impulses were a mystery even to her, despite being consciously aware that she had moved past their rift. So what was getting in the way of full-fledged forgiveness?

She put off pondering the answer and tended to her daughter instead, spending a few sweet moments together before getting ready and migrating downstairs. The sun was shining and it gave her the thought to take Summer for a late morning stroll. Perhaps then she could sort out the confusion in her mind over Daniel and the tension in her heart after seeing her father. With intent, she crossed the foyer with Summer in tow and opened the front door to start outside— only to come face-to-face with David.

"Ah," Emily's gasp caught in her throat, realizing she had caught him poised to knock. "M-Mr. Clarke," she fumbled for what to call him.

"I'm so sorry—I see you're on your way out," he immediately apologized. There was something so mesmerizing about her stare, something he mirrored as he looked back, without even knowing it. "It's just you ran off so quickly the other night – I didn't get a chance to thank you personally."

Still unsettled, Emily forced herself to calm down so she could focus. "Thank me?" she repeated.

"For my house," David elaborated, turning in the general direction. "Your husband said it was your idea too? I didn't mean to intrude, it's just I knew you lived right down the beach," he went on to explain. Shying away from the admission that it wasn't his first time there, he tore his eyes away long enough to glance down at Summer and then back up again. "It was truly kind of you, and I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it."

"Well, we…" Emily found herself stumbling again for words, for anything short of completely losing her breath. Finally, her skills at eloquence kicked in. "We owe you everything for saving our daughter," she explained seamlessly, following his gaze back to Summer. It suddenly dawned on her they were just lingering on the stoop aimlessly.

But David appeared not to notice, gazing fondly at the infant. Still when he looked up with a sudden question, it jarred her to hear it. "Do you mind if I ask; did you name her after Amanda?"

Emily flinched visibly. "I'm sorry?"

"Her name—Summer _Clarke_ Grayson," David quickly affirmed. "I noticed it was stitched into her outfit the day I brought her in."

It was almost unbearable for Emily to hear him say, and made their quiet interlude in the doorway all the more awkward. "Yes," she finally agreed, forgetting it was still a fair answer. After all, by her own illusion she was best friends with Amanda. "Yes, of course—your daughter and I were very close," she elaborated.

David nodded warmly and wondered if he was somehow making her uncomfortable. Taking it as a cue, he decided to beg off. "So I've heard," he stated in short. "Well, I suppose I should get going…"

Though it was a struggle merely to chat, it was even harder for Emily to fathom letting him walk away so quickly. "Mr. Clarke?" she pled before he could leave. As hard as it was, she would simply have to power through it. He turned with interest, and when a kind light flickered into his eyes it gave Emily the courage to brave on with a smile.

"Would you like to come in for a bit?"

 **SCENE**

Nolan slowed his stride up to the outside dais of the beach club so he could finish out his phone conversation with Daniel. He took his time with each step, delaying in order to get all the details before his appointment with Louise.

"I still can't believe Ems didn't tell him who she really was," he sighed in exasperation, expecting Daniel felt the same. "It was the perfect moment—there has to be something else holding her back besides not being 'ready'," he supposed wisely.

"Well, for now that's all she's giving me," Daniel replied wryly, ironically taking the call from Nolan's residence as he packed up his things.

"Hm, still," Nolan attempted to look on the bright side. "The mere fact that you're relocating from Casa Nolan back to the homestead is a good sign," he hinted, catching sight of Louise several feet off. "Especially now that I have my own agenda these days…"

Daniel understood with few words. "Listen, I really appreciate all your help these past few weeks," he thanked him sincerely. "Not only letting me crash but being there for Em and Summer – I don't know what we would've done without you."

Though it touched him to hear, Nolan did his best not to get too mushy in return. "Anytime," he offered lightly. "But something tells me my work still isn't done. With David's pursuers still at large, isn't it a little soon to celebrate?"

"Hard to say," Daniel acknowledged, tossing the last of his things into a box. "David still doesn't have a clear memory of what happened to him and the background Aiden gave me was limited. But, if the people that faked his death are the same ones after him now, one thing's for sure – they'll be persistent."

"Then we'll be ready," Nolan reaffirmed supportively. At last he made eye contact with Louise on the pool lounge and she gestured for him to come over. "Let me know if you need my tech skills for anything," he extended before signing off.

"I'll keep you posted once we have a plan," Daniel agreed. "Or at least a way to flesh out his assailant–talk to you later."

With Daniel's call ended, Nolan quickly browsed his contacts to make yet another just as he reached Louise's side. "Morning Lucy," he greeted.

Louise propped up on her elbows to face him, adjusting her sunglasses. "Why, Ethel you look like your hangover is as wicked as mine," she observed his tightened demeanor. He held up a finger in reply, waiting through several rings as his call eventually went to voicemail.

"Leaving a message," he begged off and turned aside. "Yo, Ems … ah, been trying to reach you since yesterday…" he trailed off, searching for words that would not completely overwhelm her. "I'm sure you just need a minute but with everything that's going on, just, call me back."

Hoping it was not too overbearing, he spun around to give Louise full attention. "Now are you sure you're not from the South?" she retorted, having overheard him. "'Cause you take care of your friends like family."

Nolan smirked, comforted somewhat by her keen observation. "Well, my friends _are_ my family," he answered and signaled a waiter for a cocktail to catch up with the one Louise had started.

Louise let out a half snort and shifted from her sunbathing position to face him more directly. "Hmm, is that true for all your friends, or just Emily?" she impressed cleverly. "I mean, let's be honest here – _she's_ the brains behind these last few rendezvous of ours. So what's next? I've already told you everything I know about Victoria and the kidnapping."

"And while that's been more than invaluable," Nolan inserted before she got discouraged. "That's _not_ why I wanted to meet up today," he insisted.

"Then what is it, sugar?" Louise challenged, setting her drink down abruptly. "Since outside of helping people with their plottin' and plannin', I don't seem to serve much purpose here," she digressed.

Sensing he had been treating Louise more like a recruit instead of a friend, Nolan recoiled a bit. "See, that's where you're wrong," an idea slowly came to mind. "Because I asked you here to help me with something that falls right up your alley."

Louise raised a thoughtful eyebrow. "Namely?"

Nolan couldn't help a glance at her scanty designer apparel. "What if I told you we could use our 1-percenter advantage to bury some skeletons from the past _and_ reinvent our images all in the same night?" he posed.

"I'd say… I'm intrigued," Louise had to admit. "How so?"

With her clear interest, Nolan had already begun tapping out a text to start the ball rolling. "By giving the Hamptons the one thing it can't seem to get enough of," he divulged with a wicked grin. With perfect timing his cocktail arrived and he lifted it to toast their joint operation.

"Fireworks."

 **SCENE**

Emily paused before leaving the kitchen with a tray of tea for her and David, hearing an alert go off on her phone. She checked it and realized there were several missed calls and a voicemail from Nolan, followed by his most recent text. _Thinking of hosting an event with Louise for the 4_ _th_ _,_ it read. _Let me know if you're in._

Emily's thoughts were quick to brew on the premise, but she set it aside to focus. Her very own father, whom she had long believed to be dead, was waiting for her in the parlor, no less. With an adjusted grasp on reality and determination to be discreet, she once again started into the other room.

"Thank you for keeping an eye on her," she appraised kindly, setting the tray down on the coffee table. David had offered to hold Summer while she fixed the refreshments. The sight of them together was so touching that she delayed for words. "Sorry, it's just been a while since I had someone for tea," she explained her hesitancy upon sitting down. "You're good with her."

David absorbed it with a grin. "Thankfully the few memories I do have include my early years of being a father," he shared, reminiscing. "I still remember the feeling of holding Amanda in my arms."

As tender as his recollection was, it was just as painful for Emily to hear him say it without any registration of it being her. But rather than let it deter his development, she patiently listened. "She was very dear to me," Emily spoke with deep reverence. "I considered it an honor to name my daughter after her legacy." Her voice lowered to just under her breath. "And _yours_."

David jiggled Summer a few moments longer and then finally returned her to her carrier. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you come to meet?" he posed to Emily, sipping his tea.

"Unfortunately our paths crossed in juvenile detention," she admitted, choosing her words carefully. "She was my cellmate. We both endured trials that led us there… but we emerged with an even stronger resolve. After our release we promised to continue looking out for each other."

A solemn look came over David's brow and Emily realized by her phrasing it could imply that she failed Amanda in that regard. "But when my studies brought me to the Hamptons," she continued. "I never expected Amanda would … follow me here. And despite finding happiness with Jack," she told grimly, sipping her tea. "Her curiosity led her into the treacherous path of the Graysons."

"All except for Daniel," David countered, speaking from a profound, albeit brief perception. "He seems to be an amazing young man?"

" _He_ is," it warmed Emily to admit. It was too easy to speak generally about the Graysons as a whole, not realizing that she herself was one, as was her husband. She was urged to clarify. "But I'm sure the authorities informed you of how Conrad schemed the downfall that put you in prison," she ventured. "Not to mention the impact it had on Amanda?"

"Yes, I know," David confirmed. Yet learning of those details still had no effect on the other questions he fervently wanted answers to. "Daniel also warned me not to trust his mother, Victoria," David relayed, searching Emily's eyes. "He said you would know best how to explain why."

Emily averted her gaze to Summer. "My reservations with Victoria go back further than this most recent incident," she explained, caressing her daughter's face tenderly. She was not yet ready to give him full detail but the sternness that filled her voice conveyed the depths of hatred. "This may be hard for you to hear but, she's never shown anything but contempt towards Amanda." At that she poised her chin, staring darkly into David's eyes. "She led her down a harmful path of disillusion since the day she was taken from you. For years she had her brainwashed to believe you were guilty."

He digested it slowly, heaving a grand sigh at the revelation. "No wonder I have no memory of Amanda while I was in prison," he began to connect the dots. "I thought it was just another part of my life lost at the hands of my torturers…"

On the word _torturers_ , Emily furrowed her brow with interest. "That must have been terrible for you," she commented, desperately wanting to explore any fragments he could recall of the people that harmed him.

But he moved past it quickly. "It's something I'm glad to have forgotten," he inferred. "Just like I once assumed that Amanda had forgotten me… But now I understand why she never reached out," David finished, growing silent. There was an awkward space as he sought to gather his words, and suddenly he set his cup down and stood to his feet. "I should get going," he declared.

Emily recognized that the memories were jarring an emotional reaction and immediately rose to defense. "Mr. Clarke–" she interjected. "Amanda eventually came to believe in your innocence—and once she did, she dedicated her life to proving it," she blurted in a pant.

David gave a submissive nod. "Yes, I'm certain my exoneration is much to her credit," he admitted. His gaze remained forlorn, as if something weighed heavily on his mind. "It's just after reading about her feud with Conrad and her eventual death in prison… it sounds like her dedication is unfortunately what killed her. Right now that's hard for me to deal with."

He turned to leave but Emily was intent on stopping him. "I understand what you're going through," she breathed desperately, coming around to stand in his path. "But believe me—Amanda's legacy is still alive. And there is _so_ much more about her that you deserve to know."

Emily ceased speaking to stare into his eyes yet again, praying for some sort of connection. Perhaps if he gave her even just a hint of what she was looking for, she might tell him right there on the spot. But there was an empty luster in his gaze, as if he did not even know why he was searching. She attributed it to the overwhelming burden of putting his life back together while uncovering so much pain in what was left behind. But she could not let it stop her completely.

"In fact," Emily offered in a fluster. "I'm hosting an event tomorrow night." In a panic, her mind went to Nolan's invitation, hoping to parlay it to her advantage. "For the 4th of July?" she described aptly. "Some of the people that knew Amanda will be there – perhaps after meeting them you could find out more about who your daughter truly was?"

As apprehensive as he seemed, his eyes quickly softened at her offer.

"I think I would like that."

 **SCENE**

"What's with all the boxes?"

Daniel glanced over at his vehicle parked on the curb, not expecting Charlotte to observe the contents of his back seat as they met for lunch at an outdoor café. "Ah, long story," he brushed over it loosely. He reached in for a long overdue hug from his younger sister. "Part of the reason I've been so out of touch these past weeks—I was hoping you'd forgive me for that, by the way?"

Charlotte shrugged it off as they found a table. "Don't be silly," she waved him down, taking the seat across from him. "Emily filled me in when she brought the divorce papers." She shook her head slow and deliberate in support. "I still can't believe what Mom did to you two."

"Hmm, I can," Daniel countered, reviewing the menu.

"No, you're right," Charlotte quickly reconsidered, leaning in close. "It's only proof of how low she'll stoop just to get what she wants. I told her as much this morning."

Daniel snapped up in surprise. "You went by to see her?" he probed.

"I know," she replied, expecting his chagrin. "Trust me, it wasn't a pleasant visit. But I needed her to know that now that David is free and back in his home where he belongs, her control over him – or any of us for that matter – is _over_." She gave her brother and admiring look. "I think what you and Emily are doing for him is amazing, and I'm here to let you know you have my full support. In fact," she paused, lifting a bag into view from the side of the table. "I brought this in hopes that it would help?"

Daniel peeked over and could see it was Emily's Infinity Box, prompting him to recall it had been last in her possession. It soon occurred to him the kind of transparency Charlotte was expecting. "Ah, as much as I'm sure David would appreciate that," he began hesitantly. "I don't think Emily's quite at that point yet…"

Charlotte wrinkled her brow. "What do you mean?" Her mother's admonition swiftly came to mind. "Wait – are you saying Emily hasn't told him who she is?"

He affirmed it with a nod, and it was his turn to expect her chagrin. "Look, that's not to say that she won't soon but, for now she just isn't ready." He stopped to read the disappointment on her face. "I know, I thought she would be. The setting was right, the moment was there, but when it came down to it… she let him believe she was just Emily Grayson."

After mulling it over, Charlotte finally inserted her opinion. "That's because she _is,_ " she concluded, meeting his glance sternly. "Think about it, Daniel—as long as Emily continues to hide behind the alias she created, she can never admit the truth." It was a topic they had discussed at the start of summer and seemed inevitable to always resurface. "It kept her from being honest with me for years, and now it's sure to taint her relationship with her father—and _mine._ "

"Wait, Charlotte what are you talking about," Daniel rebutted fairly. "Emily's decision doesn't have to affect your relationship with David at all, he _knows_ who you are." He recalled a detail that Nolan had extracted more recently from Louise. "He's the one who saved your life—"

Charlotte overstepped it with momentum. "And the first thing he'll ask me about is my sister," she reminded, projecting the conversation. "What kind of relationship did we have, and how close we were … and then what?" She looked to her brother for answers he could not provide. "Face it, Daniel. As long as Emily insists on keeping her identity a secret – she forces everyone around her to perpetrate her lies!"

Daniel took an exasperated breath, placing his hands at the bridge of his nose. "So what are you saying, you won't even consider _seeing_ David until she comes clean?" he articulated. He found it odd for her to take such a strong stance so quickly, especially when he had been under the impression that her relationship with Emily was on repair. "What is this, part of the 'new Charlotte' now," he challenged her. "You hold everyone to a standard and when they fall short, you just cut them off?"

"I'm not cutting her off," she insisted. And though her vengeful approach had long been expunged, there was still determination left in its place. "I just hate it when Mom is right," she alluded, slightly confusing him. She shifted to reach out with a sympathetic glance. "Daniel, we spent our entire childhood growing up with parents who nearly _ruined_ us with their lies. I finally have a chance at knowing my biological father and I _don't_ want to start off our relationship that way."

"Char, our parents were terrible people," Daniel argued. "Alright? But we're not them. Not me, and certainly not you," he emphasized sincerely, taking her hand.

She glanced down at the Infinity Box in response, resolving to leave it there with him. "Are you sure about that?" she pressed him to reconsider, gently pulling her hand away. "Because when I leave here, I'm going back to my son. A son that I know, someday, is going to ask me about his father, and I'm going to have to tell him the truth… and it'll be the hardest thing I'll ever do."

Charlotte faced her brother austerely to conclude her point. "And one day you'll have to do the same with Summer," she transitioned with an eerie reminder. "Only she'll want to know about her mother. Are you going to allow her to believe she's the real Emily Thorne?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Or are you prepared to tell her the truth?"

 **SCENE**

Emily thrust the door open to Grayson Manor with a warm greeting. "You made it," she sighed at the sight of her best friend, dressed to the nines in all the right hues of red, white and blue.

"To _my_ party? Of course," Nolan chided sarcastically as he sauntered through. "Wouldn't miss it."

"Thank you for letting me steal the reins at the last minute," Emily quickly acknowledged, showing him over to where the event coordinator was setting up. "I just needed another pass at my father, and this was the only excuse I could think of."

Nolan shrugged, more obliged to help out under the circumstances. "Well, the Manor _is_ the best venue for summer soirees," he acknowledged, making a broad scan of the decorated interior. He returned his gaze to Emily, noting her fitted red dress. "And it does seem to have the effect of bringing you out into your element," he detected.

Emily paid it little attention, more concerned with evaluating the guest list. "I'm hoping it will bring out a little more than just the Hamptons' elite," she advised, turning it so he could see. "These are all the people that RSVP'd within the past few hours, regardless of the short notice. Any stand out to you?"

He peered over to look, but came up empty. "Rich no-namers with nothing better to do?" he guessed.

Emily swiped the list aside, drawing his attention to a news article in its place. "This is the official announcement I ran in the Times this morning," she explained, zooming in on a brief line at the end. Nolan read it closely. _David Clarke is rumored to be in attendance._ "And these are the names that confirmed attendance shortly thereafter," she showed him next.

He read them aloud. "Sloan Fellworth, Todd Harkin, Oliver Queen… So wait—you think they're only coming because of David?" he caught on, clamoring in surprise. "Ems, you're _using_ him as bait?!" he suddenly realized.

"It's the only choice I have!" she retorted in a coarse whisper, glancing around to make sure no one overheard. "Until we find the people who are after him, my father is still in danger. I spoke with him at length yesterday and he still doesn't remember anything. We need to get ahead of the next attempt on his life."

Nolan sighed at the implication. "Isn't there any other way?" he pled. "Not to sound all cringey, but this is not exactly what I had in mind when I pushed for fireworks…"

Emily assured him with a confident stare. "Trust me, if there was any other way I would do it," she insisted. "I talked to Daniel about it and he agreed the longer we wait, the longer my father stays at risk. We have to eliminate the danger before it comes."

As if on cue, Daniel traversed the stairwell at that moment, decked in his navy blazer to compliment the party scheme. "Nolan," he greeted the other, reserving a sidelong glance for Emily. "Em, can I see you in the study for a moment?" he asked, starting in that direction.

"Here, just keep an eye out for when guests start to arrive," she instructed Nolan, handing over her tablet.

Nolan complied, reaching out just as he remembered one last thing. "Ah, Ems," he called her back. "By the way, not sure if you realized but this whole event was meant to be a collab for me and uh, _Louise_ ," he reminded her. "Sort of a joint 'coming-out' party for our new image?"

Emily accepted it gracefully. "Then by all means, let her share the spotlight," she submitted, slipping away to follow Daniel. "I knew it wouldn't be long before I was replaced."

Though her accompanying grin implied she was kidding, Nolan was quick to allay her fears. "Ah, it's just a plug to help her get back into the social circle," he assured, stepping away. "Gentlemen prefer _blondes."_

Emily caught his last word just as she set foot into the study and then turned to close the sliding doors behind her. "Everything alright?" she prompted Daniel, approaching him at the desk.

"Listen, I know I agreed to have this party but that doesn't mean I don't have reserves," he enlightened, cutting through the palpable tension. "That being said, what's your plan in the event this whole charade works?"

"If my father's attacker shows…" Emily stared off pensively. "Then we need to detain him," she concluded with shocking ease. "Figuring out who it is isn't enough, Daniel – we need to neutralize the threat."

"Fair enough," Daniel agreed. "But you realize you brought this to our home turf?" he reminded her. "Under the circumstances, I just thought you'd be more concerned about keeping danger far away—especially with Summer just upstairs?"

"I know," Emily admitted it was an unusual move. "And don't worry—I've already taken precautions to make sure she's safe." She assured, taking an intimate step closer into his personal space. "That's why I'm glad you're home. Dealing with our enemies together is the surest way to protect our family— permanently."

Daniel raised his brow. " _Our_ enemies?" he repeated. He reached out with a caring gesture. "Look I understand you want to help your father, but before you start assimilating hisproblems shouldn't you tell him who you are?"

"I can protect him better if he doesn't know," Emily insisted sharply, pulling away with recourse.

"Fine, then but just know your choice doesn't come without cost," Daniel continued regardless, and it brought her back to attention. "Don't expect Charlotte to be here tonight. Yesterday when we met up, she insisted on not meeting David until you come clean," he forewarned.

Emily pinched her mouth taut, emboldening under the pressure. She could no more force her sister than Daniel could force her. "That's her decision," she held firm.

Daniel nodded. "As is yours not to tell David," he reminded, looking down to gather his thoughts. "I just think you might be getting ahead of yourself. Having him close by is an advantage, but you can't expect him to not notice when you start fighting his battles," he advised wisely. "And once he does… he's going to wonder why."

Emily pushed the warning aside, too focused on the event at hand. "And when the time comes, I'll give him answers," she promised, making her way back towards the party. "But until then, I need to do this my way."

Her response was not surprising, having heard it so many times before. But unlike the other instances, this time there was an artifact in Daniel's possession that could grant him understanding. Ensuring she was gone, he removed the Infinity Box that Charlotte had given him from where it was stashed behind the desk. It was only after looking inside that he finally came up with a theory on the real reason Emily had been holding back – and why she could simply not bring herself to face her true identity.

 **SCENE**

"Here's to new friendships," Nolan lifted his glass to Louise at his side. "That is, friendships forged on _forgiveness_ , since this was meant to be _our_ joint venture," he toasted sheepishly, surveying the nearby guests. "I promise next time we'll kick things off with our own flare."

With a few hours into the party, Grayson Manor was filled with guests and it appeared to be a success. But Nolan was ever conscious of the last minute change, and hoped Louise would not mind.

"Oh darlin', please," Louise brushed it off, merely happy to be in attendance. "I could care less about being co-host, I'm just relieved Emily was willing to bury things and invite me here," she fawned. At the mention, her gaze fell on the former who made small talk with a few unfamiliar faces nearby. "Besides, what palace is more worthy than this one?"

Nolan shrugged, recalling it was not her first time on premises. "Well, I was rather excited for you to see Casa Nolan," he countered, linking his arm through hers to take a turn about the room. "But then again, the night is still young," he added, hinting with a smug grin.

Louise flirted back with a warm smile. "Is that an after-party invitation I spy? This night just gets better as it goes!"

"With things going so well, I think it's time for a selfie," Nolan suggested, and she agreed with a laugh while they posed. Perhaps it was the buzz in the air or the trendy music in the background, but neither could deny they were genuinely enjoying themselves. "And… posted," Nolan declared after a few quick swipes to his phone. "How long do you think it will take for #LoLan to trend?"

"Mm, about as long as it'll take me to get back from the little girls' room," Louise joked, handing him her empty glass. "Excuse me, Ethel," she chuckled and disappeared in the other direction while Nolan grinned and watched her walk off.

"You two seem to be having a good time," Emily's voice greeted him from behind. When he stiffened slightly she gestured for him to relax. "Don't, I'm glad," she insisted. "At least someone is."

Nolan sympathized, watching her scan the room. "He might still show up," he encouraged, certain she was on the lookout for David. "What about your eleventh hour RSVP's – any of them worth looking into?"

Emily shook her head no. "Nothing of interest… Just a few desperate socialites trying to climb the ladder," she appraised with a sigh. Daniel had only made a few brief appearances after emerging from the study and true to his insight neither Charlotte nor Jack had showed either. It was just as well, since without David and no leads, the outlook for her master plan was looking bleak. "Maybe Daniel was right," she started to admit. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea—"

Hearing her cut herself short, Nolan immediately looked up and followed her gaze to the conservatory. "What—what do you see?" he probed, trying to make out who she had her sights fixed upon.

She placed a hand on his shoulder in appeasement. "Someone I never expected to," she replied, and swiftly took off in the other direction.

Nolan had a mind to follow, but also knew better than to tail her when she had broken off without explanation. Saving him the trouble, Louise returned a moment later and he quickly forgot. "Alright, sugar," she proposed breezily, inviting him to the dancefloor. "Whaddaya say you and I give these birds something to tweet about?"

 **SCENE**

Despite oversleeping from a late afternoon nap, David was fully dressed and ready to head over to the Manor when he saw a police car pull up in front of his house. He came out onto the porch to investigate, and was immediately surprised to see Victoria exit the rear driver side.

"Thank you for bringing me," she whispered to Officer Hunter at the wheel. "I promise I'll only be a moment."

"Yeah, sure take your time," he obliged, watching her saunter around the front of the car to meet David at the porch steps. His instincts remained keen while he trusted Margaux's admonition that it would likely be a brief visit. When he received her message the day before to help out with a favor, his last thought was that it would be chauffeuring Victoria around. And as much as he resisted the idea, just like Margaux he was curious what it would lead to.

True to expectation, Victoria's visit did not appear well-received. David met her at the top of the steps with an uncomfortable look that urged her not to come any further. "Victoria," he greeted briskly. "What are you doing here?"

"I see you're on your way out," Victoria approached him with a fleeting look, reading the apprehension on his face. "So I promise not to keep you. I assume you've already spoken at length with Daniel and Emily?"

Though he found it a curious question, David replied with a nod. "Yes," he edged in carefully. "Why do you ask?"

Victoria sneered with expectation. "Because I know my son and I know his wife," she began, refusing to call both of them her children. "And if my guess is correct, their first thoughts were to talk to you about Amanda." She paused to search his eyes. "Am I right?"

David conveyed it by his expression. "You seem to have left out much of your interaction with her since we reconnected," he relayed. "I wonder why that is?"

Sensing he still did not know the entire truth, Victoria exhaled with satisfaction. The presumption she shared with Charlotte about Emily had been correct. Even so, the window for opportunity would be brief. "I knew you would have questions," she addressed. "And no doubt you think me responsible for many things in the past – things you can't remember for yourself. But my only wish is to let you know that there's more to the story—you've only heard one side."

With that she suddenly reached forward, producing a small photo from her purse. David hesitated before eventually accepting, and then studied it closely. It appeared to be an older photo of Victoria holding an infant child.

"The day they took you, I was pregnant with Charlotte," she shared tenderly, nodding to the picture in reference. "She's the reason why I considered very carefully every choice I made. I regretted many of them, but I had to protect our daughter. Charlotte has been light of my life and once you meet her," she hinted, hoping to extract if it had already happened. "I'm certain you'll understand why."

He remained quietly pensive, struggling with the conflict that the picture stirred up. Though his loyalty was unflinching to a distant memory of Amanda, all along it was forcing him to ignore his other child. And though he had no connection to her, the photo itself was proof that she was real. He glanced up at Victoria and wondered if her presence was merely to remind him of that fact, or distract him of the former.

"David, Charlotte is the one _truly_ responsible for your exoneration," Victoria went on, upon catching his glance. "She elicited the confession from Conrad that cleared your name. Even if you're unwilling to see me right now, at least visit the daughter you still have who loves you," she pled. With that she stepped back down onto the walkway, with a final look. "And when you do— ask her about who her sister Amanda truly was."

With that Victoria returned to Officer Hunter's vehicle, surprising him at how swift her visit had been. Courteous to the least, Ben nodded in David's direction and then pulled away. Meanwhile David remained perplexed at the top of the porch step and as he contemplated the meaning behind Victoria's final words his gaze drifted to Grayson Manor. The silhouette was familiar, though he could not be sure if it was from memory or merely his third night being there.

He stared for quite some time, and only flinched when a sudden burst of light rippled into the sky before exploding into bright falling lines. Something about the sound and brilliant color of the fireworks triggered a faint recollection and he steadied himself on the post nearest to the porch steps to grasp it. But instead of shaking the memory free, he was distracted by the imprint beneath his fingers. At once he glanced down to make it out, and immediately felt a strange sensation deep in his heart.

 **SCENE**

Party guests had all filtered out by the time Emily found Daniel in the study, his blazer removed and hands bridged beneath his chin in very deep thought. He appeared indifferent to the noise of crackling in the distance, as the event staff set off the last few fireworks on the beach. But he was alert enough to observe her presence, questioning it almost instantly. "You disappeared for most of the night," he commented, wondering at the hint of intrigue in her expression.

Emily cocked her head to the side. "I could say the same about you," she countered. Their stand down was short-lived as she came around and plopped across from him in the windowsill. "When my father didn't show, I followed a lead instead," she explained with a shrug.

"That's funny," Daniel observed. "Because I've been doing the same thing—" he watched her look up with interest and revealed what was hidden under the shadow of his hands. It was a newspaper clipping on Lyman and Louise Ellis, with their picture encircled in red. "—and I think I realize now why you're not ready to tell David the truth."

Emily lifted the clipping into view, glaring back curiously. "This isn't mine," she replied right away.

"No, it's not," Daniel agreed fairly, reaching into the bottom drawer next. He took out the source where he had pulled it from – her Infinity Box. "But this is," he reasoned. "Charlotte must have added the clipping to the top of the stack not long after she stole it from you."

Sighing, Emily took the box from him and tossed the clipping inside without even looking. "This again? Did you spend your entire visit yesterday dredging up the past?" she asked defensively, sensing it was why Charlotte had returned her most prized possession. "We've been through this—her mission is _done._ She wouldn't have given this back if it wasn't."

"Yeah, _hers_ is," Daniel shifted to make his point. "But yours isn't. She may have added Louise and Lyman Ellis to the 'list of takedowns'," he asserted, mimicking quotes with his fingers. "But you're the one who finished off Lyman the other day. And I'm sure it's no coincidence that Louise was here tonight?"

"That's where you're wrong," she corrected him, growing exasperated. "Nolan invited Louise as _his_ friend, and after what she's done to redeem herself, I've decided to move past everything else." At that she stood, anxious to return the Infinity Box to her own safekeeping. "I already told you what this party was for, but if you can't trust me—"

"My _trust_ inyou is the reason I know I'm right," Daniel asserted, matching her stance. He gestured to the box in her hand. "Fine, maybe Louise dodged the red Sharpie but she's the exception—there are _plenty_ of others." He shook his head woefully, wishing sometimes that she would give him credit for knowing better. "You keep forgetting I've read those journals," he reminded her. "You chose to take down your enemies but your father wanted you to _forgive_. So, maybe a part of you wonders how he'll react when he discovers you didn't listen?"

Stunned at how speedily Daniel had just read her, Emily turned away and started back into the hall. "I think it's safe to say any knowledge of his enemies would be foreign to him at this point," was all she could think to reply.

"Did you test that theory already?" Daniel pressed, following her to the foot of the stairwell. "Or did you skip over that when he came by for tea?"

Her back still turned, Emily sucked at her teeth. "Look, I don't want argue about this again," she pled sincerely, clutching the box in her hands. "We're just getting back to a good place."

Though Daniel was almost positive he had her cornered, he attempted to soften. "I know," he conceded, coming up behind to placing his hands on either of her arms. "Neither do I – I just… I know you never expected your father to come back, and now that he's here—it just seems like you're afraid of what he'll think of your choices. But he still deserves to know," he refused to sugar-coat it. "Whether he approves or not."

It jarred Emily to think of what it would be like for him to respond adversely, and Daniel rushed to overstep it. "You know, years ago I had to do the same thing," he reset the discussion, turning her around to face him. "And even though I started off falling in love with Emily Thorne, don't think for a second I don't know who I really married." He rested a hand on the Infinity Box, tapping the symbol on the top. "At the end of the day, you're still _Amanda Clarke_."

With his eyes transfixed so intently, implying both mild disappointment and undying support in only the way he could, Daniel had brought Emily nearly to tears. His words were ever poignant, penetrating a part of her that she seldom showed to anyone, but saved exclusively for the love of her life. In that moment she could have cursed herself for ever putting him out of the house, and the thought of her selfish instincts instantly repulsed her. But as always, Daniel had proven himself able to do the one thing she often fell short of, showing true forgiveness.

As if to seal the act, he leaned in to kiss her softly and Emily knew tonight their reconciliation would be complete. But first, there was something urgent she needed to take care of.

"You're right," Emily acknowledged, bowing slightly. "I do need to tell him – whether he accepts it or not. First thing in the morning, I will," she promised upon looking up.

Daniel was surprised at her fast turnaround. Tomorrow was even sooner than he expected but he did not want to discourage the change of heart. "I can be by your side if you want me there," he offered.

Emily reached out forwardly, squeezing his hand in suggestion. "Right now I want you… upstairs," she insisted, feeling the heat return between them. Her gaze traced the outline of his lips and trailed downward, falling onto the box in her hands. She suddenly had the perfect excuse to delay just a few moments longer. "I'll be right up; I just need to put this somewhere safe."

Daniel agreed without a hint of protest and returned a seductive grin. Emily held his glance longingly until he was halfway up the stairwell and at last she turned to tie the one remaining loose end left before joining him in bed.

 **MONTAGE**

"You ready, Jack?"

Charlotte called out to her driving companion from the passenger side of his car, shaking his attention from where he stood gazing into the night from the _Stowaway_ porch. The view of the sky had been forever altered by the fire damage, but despite the change Jack still felt a sense of nostalgia from where he stood.

"Sorry," he quickly apologized, lifting the last box of salvaged items from where it rested by his feet. He came over to add it to the others in the backseat and then paused again to look up. "Just wanted to see the fireworks one last time from my old home by the docks."

Charlotte nodded in understanding. "You know they shoot fireworks up by our new home too," she added with a smirk.

Jack chuckled and finally got in. "Alright, alright," he obliged. Her lack of sentimentality was not unusual but was still enough to peak his interest. Their visit had been decidedly brief and outside of going to see Victoria once, he was surprised she was already itching to go back. "You sure you don't want to make any other stops before we get on the road?" he verified.

"Nope," she answered confidently. "I miss the boys, can't wait to see them," she thought adoringly of her son and nephew. "Besides," she added with a note of disdain. "Nothing ever seems to change in the Hamptons."

 **SCENE**

David awoke at the abrupt noise of sputtering firecrackers, shooting off in a more startling rapid fire than the steady stream from earlier that evening. He looked around and realized he had dozed off on the porch swing, still dressed in his clothes for the party – that had clearly come and gone. He waited to place his last waking moments and they slowly came back: Victoria's random visit and then the jarring response following his discovery of the carving on the post. His first instinct was to go back over and inspect it, when he realized he had something in his hand.

Taking a closer look, again David was reminded of his youngest daughter Charlotte by the photo in his palm. An epiphany came to him as he realized he was holding a symbol of love for one child, whilst gazing at the carving that represented the memory of another. Feeling pressured to make a choice, he glanced back and forth between them both and then off into the distance. Having decided that it was time to choose which to pursue, he stood and last and retreated back into his home for the night—clutching the photo close and leaving the carving behind.

 **SCENE**

In near perfect symmetry, the Infinity symbol was all Emily could stare at as she walked with her head down all the way out to the pool house, glancing back only once to ensure she had not been followed. Once inside, she set the box down, secured the door and then turned about to address the pitch black room.

"I sent the staff home," she announced in a low tone. "You should be safe here for tonight."

A voice returned, though the face was still obscured by darkness. "It's not my safety I'm worried about," it rang rich with familiarity. "It's your father's."

Not one to speak to an unseen audience, Emily took several paces deeper into the room until she could see a silhouette in a sliver of moonlight. Though spotted from far away at the party, she wanted the satisfaction of confirming her suspicions up close.

"Daniel relayed to me everything you told him." She folded her arms with purpose, emitting an air of certainty and prowess that only she could. "But seeing that this is my father we're talking about, I think I deserve to hear all the details first hand. How did he end up a target, and who's after him?"

At last Aiden stepped into the light, and met her forward gaze. "As disconcerting as it may seem," he admitted with worry. "I am."

Emily narrowed her eyes in disbelief, but maintained focus. "Well then," she prompted him. "Start talking."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: SO sorry for the slight delay again, dear readers! As you may have guessed the goal was to have this chapter up in time for the 4** **th** **, but alas summer in the Revengeverse is running a little behind summer in the real world, lol. I do hope you enjoyed though and are happy to see the developments with both Demily and David :) As more of these continue, I will forewarn that we are slowly dwindling down to the end, but I have at least 3-4 chapters in store, if not a few more. I know, it's hard to believe it's almost over but I do want to keep my promise to have an abbreviated season that still has a satisfying end. So stay tuned, and MANY MANY thanks for all your kind and candid reviews, they make my day! (And I mean make it better! Always!) Please feel free to review this chapter also and let me know your thoughts – love you all! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	50. Chapter 49: Intel

**Chapter 49: Intel**

 _ **If knowledge is power, Intel is the first step to gaining control. Even the most revered figures have been dethroned and forever scourged by one small detail leaked to the media. In a conquest of revenge, survival depends upon extraction of such secrets, securing the perfect moment to lash out against one's enemies…**_

"Good evening – if you're just joining us, we've been exploring one of the most controversial stories of our time. David Clarke, despite enduring false imprisonment and an onslaught of torture that left his memory impaired, has been kind enough to sit down and share with us what he can recall from his personal account..."

As the interviewer turned to face where David was seated on his living room couch, Emily watched from just beyond where the set was roped off. Her hand was slightly clutched at her chin and she glanced over to Daniel nervously as they exchanged the same unspoken concerns. In contrast, Margaux beamed from a few feet away by the producer's chair. Lastly, Victoria stood out from them all, hovering nearby with a conflicted expression and inhaling a deep breath as David spoke.

"Before we continue," David used an insistent tone. "I feel it's important to state that while my memory has yet to recover – my time here in the Hamptons has educated me on many of the missing pieces. And based on what I've learned, it's clear there was a conspiracy at the time of my arrest."

The interviewer nodded in expectation. "You're referring to Conrad Grayson – the man now convicted of the crimes you were formerly imprisoned for?"

"I know he was responsible, yes," David agreed and then suddenly glanced off camera, appearing to concentrate on something specific. "But I believe there were others that held a stake in my demise… and still do to this day."

Emily tensed, whispering to Daniel. "He's diverting," she said fearfully.

"Wait," he urged under his breath. He followed David's gaze, wondering if it was his mother he was locked onto. "Let's just see what he says."

Meanwhile the interviewer cocked her head in surprise and gave a quick look to the producer, who urged her to continue. "Well, Mr. Clarke, this _is_ your opportunity to set the record straight. I'm sure the millions watching are now curious whom you are referring to?"

"The person I speak of is here," David revealed boldly. Again his eyes darted off set and the crew all began to shift in anticipation. "Perhaps _she_ should be the one to tell you."

By narrowing down the gender of the mysterious person, it only parted the waters. Several crew members stepped aside for the attention to fall on Victoria, whose grim expression begged for a reprieve.

David merely went on, continuing his incrimination. "The world knows her as just another Grayson," he informed the interviewer, slowly standing to his feet. "But since I've returned, I can finally say I see her _true_ colors."

 _ **But the most brutal attack is the one that lies in waiting the longest— the one you never see coming.**_

Margaux motioned for the cameraman to adjust the frame, and he zoomed in on David as they all waited in eager anticipation for him to call Victoria out. But in a shocking turn of events, he suddenly extended a hand in Emily's direction.

"Emily—" he accosted, jolting her in surprise. "Why don't you tell the world who you really are?"

 **36 HOURS EARLIER**

Daniel stopped suddenly at the entrance to the dining room, taking in the sight of Aiden at the long table reading the morning paper while sipping his coffee. He glanced next at Emily, who sat at the head of the table giving Summer a bottle. "Are you sure it's safe for him to be out in the open?" he asked her directly.

Both Aiden and Emily looked up in unison, the latter speaking on his behalf. "He's been staying here for a week now," she replied breezily, and somehow the tension in the room relaxed with her approval. "The maintenance staff had to have seen him when they were cleaning the pool, and they haven't said a word."

Daniel accepted it with a sigh, coming over to take his usual seat at the other end. "They probably assume you want your _affair_ kept a secret," he grumbled back in jest.

Aiden chuckled while Emily dodged it with a simple eye-roll. It had been six days since she had cornered Aiden after the Fourth of July party; alerting Daniel to his presence the following morning. After drilling him about his escape, they both insisted he hide out in the pool house while he worked to research the organization that was after David. But few details had surfaced to date and if they were going to make any headway, they needed his full assistance as an ally.

"The staff can think what they want," Emily argued back at the perception. "But even Ryker's has yet to issue an official wanted ad. After my father's escape I'm sure they want to avoid any bad press," she supposed, dwelling on it thoughtfully. "Which we can use to our advantage."

"Clearly," Daniel supplemented, watching Aiden dig into the breakfast spread. "It's just the concept of harboring a fugitive takes some getting used to," he emphasized, opening the thick portfolio where he kept his study materials. "Especially when I'm prepping for a law exam," he added.

"Trust me, I'm the one that's adapting here," Aiden finally chimed in, expecting Daniel's aversion to his presence. As much as their friendship had grown, he knew his actions in the past year had been unsettling to them both. But rather than discuss it outright, he stroked his clean-shaven face and straightened the collar on the dress shirt he was borrowing, as if symbolizing his progress. His gaze trailed over to Emily who was back to feeding Summer.

"If there's anything that takes getting used to, it's seeing you two all… domesticated," Aiden countered, pausing to catch eyes with Daniel. "But I promise I'm going to do everything I can to keep your family portrait protected. It's why I took the assignment on David – I knew I could help ensure his safety."

Daniel could not ignore his reserves. "Is that also why you insisted Emily not mention a word to David about who she is?" he brought the topic up again. He recalled with anxiety how close she had been to telling her father the truth when Aiden's return had suddenly derailed her.

"I'll say it again – the less he knows, the less chance of him giving _Krovnaya_ a secondary target," Aiden defended firmly. With a nod at Emily, he reminded Daniel that she was also at stake. "Besides, my near miss at him may have amped up security, but it's died down ever since you moved him just next door," he lobbed back.

"The beach house is still the safest place for him to be," Emily backed it in support of her husband. She caught Daniel's thankful glance before shifting the discussion. "At any rate, my father is going to be in the public eye; his interview is tomorrow night." She zeroed in on Aiden. "What do we know about _Krovnaya_ so far?"

Aiden folded his hands to give her the rundown. "None of my old connections have ever heard of them, which means the network must be completely underground," he relayed, forming a conclusion. "I'm almost positive they're a subgroup of _Bratva_."

"Russian mafia," Emily defined for Daniel. "When we trained in Japan with Takeda, a number of our targets were _Bratva_ affiliates."

"As was my contact—he's the one who assured me _they_ could find Niko when no one else could," Aiden elaborated, connecting how he came to reach out to them. "Only the _Bratva_ have that level of power. They've been trading on the black market for years, everything from government secrets to illegal corporations…"

"To high profile terrorists," Daniel guessed, slowly grasping it all.

Emily affirmed it with a nod. "Especially those convicted for money laundering during the 90's when the Russian mafia posed the largest threat to US security… it makes sense now why my father would have been priceless to them," she resolved, turning back to Aiden. "If _Krovnaya_ is that heavy into the trade, how do we know they haven't already dispatched another agent to pick up where you failed?"

"It's difficult to say for sure," Aiden admitted before elevating his chin confidently. "But David's not the only target." He redirected over to Daniel. " _Your_ father is worth even more alive and he's currently off the grid. Suffice to say, their resources are more likely to be interested in finding _him_."

"About that," Emily lifted Summer onto her shoulder, offering her opinion on the way to the nursery. "I understand why you needed Conrad to escape, but I still think it's dangerous for him to be on the loose."

"He's not _entirely_ at large," Aiden clarified loud enough for her to hear, focusing on Daniel once she was out of the room. "I know you found my strategy to be unnerving, but I did take precautions." He reached into his pocket to show Daniel a very sophisticated, very small tracking device. "I placed one of these into Conrad's arm during a fight we staged just before our escape. _Krovnaya_ thinks I lost a lead on him, but in actuality I've been using the software on the computer in the pool house to track it – just in case they decide to cut me loose."

"Or eliminate you outright," Daniel reminded him harshly. Aiden glared and Daniel attempted to be more optimistic as he peered at the prototype. "Clever," he observed. "Is that the same kind of device you built into Amanda's necklace last year?"

The pure mention of her was crushing and Aiden immediately shrank back in reminiscing. "Yes it was," he nodded, staring at the reminder in his palm. He closed his fist slowly as the painful memories returned; memories that he had yet to dwell upon until that moment.

Daniel immediately regretted dredging up the past. "Well, as long as you've got a tail on my father you have leverage," he distracted him. "You've got something they want."

Just then Emily returned, missing the awkward interlude. "What they _want_ is a man who has no recollection of their existence," she continued in thought about her father, standing poised between them both. "Aiden, can you convince them it's pointless to pursue?"

He shook away the lingering memories to reply. "They never seemed to consider it before," he reasoned. "But then again, they've never been able to verify how much David actually remembers."

"Then that settles it," Emily quickly conceived a plan. "We'll use the interview to sell them on his memory being _permanently_ erased. They need to see a picture of a broken man who poses no threat, and just wants to get back to normal life."

"And how do we make sure of that?" Daniel countered. "Since his last visit, he hasn't made any contact. He didn't even reach out to explain his absence at the party," he reminded her. Emily sighed apprehensively, having spent the past week wondering at his distance. And though she didn't want to force the issue, she had to admit it was strange.

"Daniel's right," Aiden supported it, lifting the daily paper as evidence. "Instead he's been photographed at city hall, requesting public records. He's trying to piece things together, not fade into the background—"

"He just wants answers," Emily discredited them both forcefully. She rested her hands on the table with precise thought. "So we'll find a way to give them to him, but at the same time warn him not to share with the public. He can't speak a word of it in his interview."

Both Daniel and Aiden studied her with skepticism. "And whom exactly do you trust with that task," Aiden prompted with interest. " _You?_ "

Emily shook her head, already hatching a more reliable solution. "Spending time with me is only going to make my father more curious about Amanda," she began, brushing aside the sarcastic look that Daniel gave her. "But he does need to hear it from someone who knew him _before_ he was imprisoned," she narrowed it down. "…someone who's still around nowto fill in the gaps."

Daniel furrowed his brow and braced himself to ask. "And that would be?"

 **SCENE**

"David?"

Nolan's greeting came with astonishment as he set his eyes on the one man that had always believed in him. He shook away the initial effects of their first interaction and broke into a smile. "Please," he fumbled nervously at the doorway. "Come in."

"You're Nolan Ross," David affirmed first, shaking his hand. Something in his reply was strangely familiar, as if he already knew it to be the case. But he quickly shifted his attention towards the grandness of his home, timidly stepping into the foyer. "Thank you for inviting me over – this is quite a place you have."

"All thanks to you," Nolan had to acknowledge, leading him to sit in the common area off the kitchen. He fought to repress the emotions, but it was hard not to get sentimental when David had been like a father to him. "I know your memory is still hazy, but you once helped me to get on my feet when no one else would. I just wanted you to see how far your acts of kindness truly went," he offered sincerely.

Though David was unaware the invite had also come at Emily's prodding, he still carried himself with caution. But Nolan merely sat down in an opposing chair and offered him something to drink. "No, thanks I'm fine," he declined, eyeing him closely. "Is that the only reason you invited me here?"

"Well, that and," Nolan gingerly delved into the topic. "I assumed you would have questions about Amanda?"

David watched him with interest. "So you _did_ know her?" he presumed.

His wording caught Nolan's attention but he swept over it, preparing the rehearsed explanation. "Before your unfortunate experience," he alluded carefully. "I often came to visit you in prison. On one occasion you asked that I make sure Amanda was taken care of, if something ever happened to you." He reached into a file that David only just noticed had been sitting on the table and handed him a bank statement. "After your supposed death, she stood to inherit the proceeds from your Nolcorp shares – I gave her every penny."

David studied the document while Nolan looked on intently. Emily's meticulous plan appeared to be working, and though there was a residual look of concern across David's brow, it at least absolved Nolan from any blame. "That's quite a relief. When I heard about her lifestyle," he finally disclosed, handing the paper back. "I worried that she fell on hard times at my expense?"

Nolan shook his head. "Everything that you intended for her protection came to be," he assured. "But no one could have predicted she would use her earnings to go after the Graysons… nor that they would be onto her from the moment she returned."

David stewed on it at length. "Yes, I'm aware of how powerful their family is," he attested, once again surprising Nolan with his depth of certainty. For someone who had lost much of his memory he exuded more conviction than expected. "It seems Conrad went to great measures to destroy my little girl," he further speculated.

"Well, _Victoria_ too can be relentless _,_ " Nolan redirected his focus. His curiosity couldn't help prodding. "As I'm sure you're beginning to figure out?"

David nodded, but not with the same degree of contempt. He brightened at the mention, testing a theory. "More recently she's been sharing her perspective on the matter," he explained, looking for verification in Nolan's gaze. "She says there's more to the story than I'm aware of?"

Nolan recoiled irritably. "Of course she does," he expected, rolling his eyes.

"You're not fond of her either," David deduced from his expression, nodding with understanding. "Yes, I'm aware she can make it difficult at times to trust… but unfortunately Victoria is still the mother of the only living child I have," he introduced, supplementing his defense. "And as much as I want answers for Amanda, more lately I've been coming to grips with the fact that I need to start building a relationship with my other daughter."

His reasoning helped Nolan relax a little. "Of course," he empathized, wondering. "Have you tried to reach out to her yet?"

"Not with enough effort," David admitted, looking downward. "Though something tells me she doesn't want to be found…"

As he trailed off, Nolan opened his mouth to offer assistance when suddenly they were interrupted by a soft voice coming up from the back patio. "Hey roomie, you up for a morning swim—" the familiar drawl of Louise's southern accent echoed into the room, followed by her presence a moment later. She stopped short upon seeing them, and Nolan jumped anxiously to his feet. "Oh my, you have company," she observed.

"Louise—" Nolan stammered, reminding her with a firm look. "Ah, I thought we said _lunch_?"

Louise was a statue in her trendy beach attire and hat, her eyes locked onto David's. "S-sorry," she fumbled to Nolan finally. "I ah, thought I'd come early and lounge by the pool…" But she could no more convince him with David's presence there. "I didn't realize you two knew each other."

At that David rose, piping in on his behalf. "It's alright – Nolan was just helping me fill in the gaps," he explained. "He's been a good friend," he appraised to Nolan's surprise and then turned to Louise. The softness in his eyes insisted that he still held no resentment towards her. "And if he's a new acquaintance of yours, then it's good to see you making better choices."

Louise ducked her head in agreement, though her instinct was still to feel uneasy in his company. "Um, Nolan," she asked. "Would you mind giving us just a minute?"

Though Nolan was anxious to continue with their discussion, the tension between the others was enough to persuade him. "Sure," he conceded and stepped out, aiming on giving Emily an update.

Louise watched him go and then slowly approached David. "Listen, I just wanted to say how much I appreciated your advice during that whole situation with Victoria," she pled sincerely, dropping her head. "It felt good to do the right thing after my horrible mistake towards Charlotte… I promise I'm trying to turn my life around now."

"I believe you," David nodded genuinely, expecting her friendship with Nolan had to be somehow connected. He gazed into her wistful eyes, and knew his kindred feelings towards Louise had slowly evolved into a fatherly type of consideration. She had started out as just a troubled girl and an easy mark, but it was warming to see her trying to do better. Even the vague semblance touched his heart, making him miss the connection with his own daughter all the more.

"You helped me that day just as much as I helped you," David reminded her. She was integral in his decision to return Victoria's granddaughter to the authorities, and he recognized he might someday need her help again.

"Even that wasn't enough," Louise insisted. She decided it was worth sharing the other steps she had been taking. "I tried to make atonement for my actions by giving your daughter back the evidence she needed to get a divorce," she added. "It was the least I could do."

But David's brow suddenly furrowed. "Divorce?" he repeated, suddenly realizing why his attempts to reach out might have been in vain. "Charlotte's married?"

"Yes, well she _was_ anyway," Louise enlightened him with an innocent look. "To my brother, Lyman—didn't you know?"

 **SCENE**

Margaux was breezing through the finishing details for the David Clarke interview with her assistant when she took note of Daniel lurking at her office door. Expecting he would show his face soon, she dismissed her assistant with a word and gestured for him to come in. "Here to check up on things, I presume?" she ventured knowingly.

Daniel grinned at her perception and surveyed her desk for any indicators of what she had planned. "Well, oversight of David's interview _was_ a stipulation of our agreement," he reasoned, taking a seat. "Considering that it's scheduled for tomorrow night, I'm surprised I haven't heard from you all week?"

" _Limited_ oversight," Margaux corrected him with a smirk. "And I simply assumed David was keeping you abreast of the details," she defended fairly. "Especially when the setting is the hefty piece of real estate you so _gallantly_ deeded back over to him?"

There was a note of curiosity in Margaux's argument and Daniel sensed that David wasn't the only one she had questions for. Despite her cooperation, she was still a journalist and his continued interest in David had to stand out. "He deserved it," he reminded her pointedly.

"Ah," Margaux nodded, leaning back in her chair. "And was Emily just as impressed with your act of kindness as you expected?"

Daniel recalled she was vaguely aware of their temporary separation. "What can I say," he debated how to carefully word the truth. "It gives her comfort to know Amanda's father is being well taken care of."

Margaux digested his shrewd reply. "I'm glad to hear that. I assumed you both were in better spirits when I heard about your Fourth of July celebration," she shifted topic. "I regret I could not attend, but I had work affairs to balance... along with arranging transportation for your determined mother."

Daniel's brow wrinkled in annoyance. "Carting her all over the Hamptons was specifically left out of our agreement," he prodded. "I thought you were gonna let me know if she tried to stretch the boundaries?"

"I decided to allow one excursion," Margaux asserted confidently, leaning forward onto her desk. "I was curious where she would go, so I asked someone I trust to escort her. Not surprisingly, she went to see David."

It was enough to rile him. "What happened?" he demanded.

Margaux shrugged. "Not much really," she recalled from what Ben had passed along. "But I have to admit, your insistence upon keeping them separated is what intrigues me most," she divulged and cocked her head to the side, studying him. "I have honored your requests for the most part but what is it about Victoria that incites you so?"

"She's my mother, isn't that enough?" Daniel alleged defiantly. He sighed and got up to take a turn about the room while thinking of how to explain it. "Besides manipulating people to get what she wants, she's… just given my family a hard time lately, that's all."

Margaux held her chin sternly, watching him from her seat. "Yes, I heard the speculation about her involvement in your daughter's disappearance," she acknowledged. "But this is more—there's something else driving you to keep her at arm's length," she paused to speculate. "Something she knows perhaps?"

Realizing she was treading close, Daniel came back over to talk her down. "Look, I just don't want her falling back in with David, alright?" he pressed. "Everyone knows my father screwed him over years ago, but what they don't know is my mother wasn't exactly an innocent bystander."

While it was not a shocking revelation, it humbled Margaux to admit she had not taken it into consideration before. But in spite of it, she could not change what was already agreed upon.

"I'm sorry to say she will get a chance to revisit that role tomorrow night," Margaux informed, expecting his chagrin. "I apologize, Daniel. But Victoria is still my client and _she_ delivered the consent for David's firsthand account first. I have to honor that by allowing her to be present."

Daniel heaved a sigh, as his entire objective was to push for the opposite. "Can't you just send her compensation for giving you the story and then close her off from the set?"

"That would be a breach of LeMarchal contract," Margaux remained resolute, motioning for him to remember. "It hasn't been that long since you've been in the business, has it? You know I would never do that to a reliable source, regardless of _who_ they are."

"Oh, so now she's reliable?" Daniel argued. "She disappeared for months – you and I both know she wasn't with David that whole time!"

"True as that may be," Margaux strengthened her stance. "I would prefer to let the record speak for itself, rather than risk losing the story altogether."

At last Daniel began to grasp what was going on. As much as Margaux shared his distrust in Victoria, she was keen to the effect she had on David. Her presence, be it for the negative or positive, was a tactic to draw out the truth regarding his past, perhaps even stimulating him to remember. With distaste, Daniel was forced to recall Margaux's commitment to quality journalism and determination to get better ratings – though she was feebly unaware it could mean certain death.

"Fine," Daniel acquiesced. "But if she gets to be there so do I – and Emily too," he bargained with a brisk edge. "You said it yourself; our hefty piece of real estate is the reason why you're even getting this opportunity. We're going to be there to watch it live."

Margaux consented with a nod. "Very well then, I look forward to seeing you," she met his terms, returning the same competitive edge. "By the attendance alone, it seems we're in for quite a show?"

 **SCENE**

"So, what did he do after Louise told him?"

Nolan kept pace with Emily's stride through the Manor, cringing at her final question about his meeting with David. "Sorry to say he made himself pretty scarce," he confessed. "As soon as I came back he excused himself, presumably to go looking for one Charlotte _Ellis._ " He braced for disappointment but Emily was oddly calm. "And you're ok with that?" he dared.

"Actually, I think it worked out in our favor," Emily appraised. She led him out to the pool terrace, stopping midway to the shallow end and gazed in the direction of her old house. "If he's gone off to find Charlotte, it'll keep him occupied for at least the remainder of the day," she ventured. "That gives us a window to get into the beach house."

Nolan furrowed his brow in confusion as Emily began walking again, this time headed for the pool house. "And _why_ exactly do we need to invade his home?" he pried at his first hearing of the idea.

"To prep for the interview, and to report back to the people that are after him," she answered seamlessly, parading through the rear door. "Finding it empty means the contractor will be forced to wait until he returns."

Still puzzled, Nolan followed her in earnest. "I'm sorry—did I _miss_ something? Do we _know_ the contractor looking for David—" his fair question was cut short as they entered the control room, and he looked up to see Aiden spin halfway around in the desk chair.

"That would be _me,_ " he announced upon sight. He lifted his eyebrows to indicate the figurative meaning in his response while allowing Nolan a moment to digest.

" _Aiden?!"_ Nolan gave the desired reaction, both shocked and relieved to see their friend. He looked over at Emily in affirmation before rushing to give him a welcoming hug. She stood back to watch, anticipating the reveal would answer all his questions. "Wait, but—how did you escape," he gaped. "And are you _really_ the one tailing David?"

"Yes and no," Aiden explained in part.

Emily edged forward to moderate. "Aiden's been working with the organization after my father. He took the assignment to help protect him, and so far he's succeeded." She faced him appreciatively. "I asked him to lay low until we could be certain no one was on his tail. But if not for him, my father might not have made it this far."

Nolan shook his head incredulously at the connecting pieces. "So did you know… all this time that he was alive?" he wondered of Aiden.

"Not exactly," Aiden corrected him, conscious that there were still more details to be shared. "I sort of happened upon the information after pursuing someone else…"

"We'll fill you in on the rest," Emily brushed past it. "But for now we need to focus on making sure that interview goes smoothly. You've already played a part in that by keeping my father's concerns at bay," she thanked Nolan, turning to Aiden next. "It's time for the next step – the house is clear."

While Aiden nodded and began to prepare his things, Nolan drew in towards Emily with concern. "And you're sure this will work—putting on a pretense that he remembers nothing?" he half-heartedly contested. "Because, if you ask me, something tells me he's starting to get some memories back…"

Aiden looked up with interest but Emily's countenance remained certain. "The mere fact he's moved on from asking about Amanda to finding Charlotte is a step in the right direction—she represents his new life, not his past," she pointed out. "Let's give Jack a heads up that he's on his way, and let him know to stick to the basics."

"Got it," Nolan took the instructions, ducking out to make the call.

Meanwhile, Aiden took his place next to Emily. "I'll head over now to make the call to _Krovnaya,_ " he advised. "Does that take care of everything?"

"Almost," Emily disclosed, still deep in thought. "I spoke to Daniel. Margaux agreed to let us come to the interview, which means we can intercept if he starts to go off track," she paused as a dark look crossed her eyes. "But there's one other person we need to stop from derailing it."

 **SCENE**

Aiden treaded up the porch and used Emily's spare key to enter the familiar old beach house, shaking away the flutter of longing as he slipped inside. The last time he had been there was associated with deeply painful memories, worse than anything he had endured even after months of incarceration. _If only you could have saved her,_ he thought, crouching down by the spot on the floor where Amanda had slipped away in his arms. He clenched his fist in consternation, forcing himself to move past it.

Bravely, he recalled his purpose there and took out his phone to contact _Krovnaya._ The tracking device had been disabled for the past week and with a breath he reactivated it, knowing it would transmit his location."This is Mathis," he advised when Viktor answered. "I've located the target – David's staying at his old place in the Hamptons." He took in a wide glance of the room to add depth to his story. "But at present he's not here – the house is empty."

Viktor's patience was thin on the other line. "When do you expect his return?"

"My sources tell me he's giving an interview tomorrow evening," he answered, coming over to inspect the kitchen table where a few items were spread out. Of particular interest was what appeared to be a photo of Victoria and an infant, likely Charlotte. He looked around and then palmed it before continuing with Viktor. "That should be my opportunity – though I'm not sure it will be necessary."

As expected, Viktor questioned Aiden's shift in assignment. "And why is that?" his thick accent drawled.

"I've had practice at this for years," Aiden responded with prepared choice words. He continued to comb through David's house as he spoke. "And from what I can see, he's not a threat. The man has nothing—no pictures from his former life, no sign of any investigation into whom he used to be…" He went on backing up each statement as he spoke it, swiping not only the photo but also a biographical book from the countertop. He stashed it and any remaining artifacts into his bag to add to the case. "He has absolutely no recollection of his ordeal."

There was a pause before Viktor finally replied. "You seem very confident in the matter," he offered. "I suppose his interview will serve as testimony to that fact."

Sensing him coming around, Aiden followed up earnestly. "I expect it will."

"We'll test your theory soon enough," Viktor conveyed. "But in the event you're wrong, we've decided to enlist supplemental assistance."

The call disconnected and instantly the hair on the back of Aiden's neck stood up, sensing a presence behind him. He whirled about reflexively, only to confirm his suspicion by spotting a figure on the porch from the corner of his eye. He dropped the phone to his side and ran out to pursue, barely catching a glimpse before they had gone. But his instincts were still sharp – someone had been tailing him and was now unbelievably close.

 **SCENE**

"Did you see what he looked like?" Emily delved into interrogation immediately, storming out of the nursery while Aiden followed her through the house.

"Barely," he relayed, drawing on memory tactics they had been taught by Takeda. "He vanished before I could get a good look, but there was something familiar about his build…" he trailed off in recollection and looked upwards into the house. It was only then that he realized there were cameras just above them. "Did you always have these?" he asked.

Emily had little patience, more concerned with who was putting their plans at risk. "I had them installed the day of the 4th of July party," she explained in a huff. "I couldn't take any chances with my daughter's safety – especially when I thought a trained assassin might be coming here," she stopped to glare at him. "Which it sounds like might actually happen after all?"

"No harm will come to you or your family, do you understand me?" Aiden rushed to assure her. He placed his hands together in a penitent gesture. "I just need you to bring up the footage from that night," he pled.

Emily folded her arms. "You think the perp was there?"

Aiden relaxed his stance to give her a serious look. "I'm almost positive he was," he affirmed. "Now I've deactivated my device so that _Krovnaya_ isn't able to track me here, but this guy had a lead for him to be at David's house at that exact moment. If he's hunting him down, I need to take him out."

Just then the doorbell rang, and Emily glanced beyond him in expectation. "Fine," she rushed in solution. "You can access the surveillance from the mainframe in the pool house, but I need you to stay out of sight for a while," she instructed firmly.

"Of course," Aiden accepted it, though he found her request somewhat curious. He stepped out of her way nonetheless and started down the path out of the house with his bag in tow. "Emily," it reminded him, and he called her back for a brief moment. "I had to remove some things from the house," he informed grievously. "Daniel and Nolan are right – your father _has_ been looking into his past."

Emily lingered on the disappointing news, knowing it would make it all the more challenging to convey the opposite in the interview. But the doorbell rang again, giving her little time to decide. "We'll deal with that later," she urged him. "Just keep out of sight."

While Aiden complied, Emily gathered composure and finally made it to the door, taking a deep breath before swinging it open to answer. She plastered on a contrived smile first, serving up her best attempt at feigned interest with an air of regality.

"Victoria," she greeted her raven-haired nemesis. "Thank you for coming."

 **SCENE**

"Charlotte should be back soon, she took the boys to the park."

Jack masked his uneasiness by being hospitable, despite how awkward it was to offer a seat in his living room to a man he had believed dead for nearly twenty years. Fortunately, Nolan's warning call came with enough lead time for him to prepare, but it had the opposing effect on Charlotte. She was firmly resolved to stay away and had asked Jack to cover for her, once again putting him between someone he cared about and another person he had to lie for. The irony was unnerving, as it was a staple of his relationship with Emily that had now transcended to her family alike.

"You have to forgive me," David interrupted his thoughts with an apology. He followed Jack to sit down. "I didn't think to search under Ellis when I went looking for her. It never occurred to me that she might be married."

Jack tried to act normal, resting his hands on his knees. "Yeah well, she just put in to change it back to Clarke," he led with implication. "Things didn't exactly work out."

"I see," David absorbed it, taking in the sights around him with a long, forlorn gaze. "Is that what made her move in with you?" he wondered.

"Ah, that and her son's father was my brother—" Jack explained, reaching over to hand him a framed photo for reference. "Declan. They were together only a short time before she found out she was expecting. Ever since he passed away… she's always been family to me." He looked on as David studied the picture, feeling some measure of relief at least that full account was true.

"Of course," David sympathized. "I'm so sorry for your loss. You must be grateful to have each other after both losing someone so close?" he trailed off and solemnness cast upon his face.

"Yeah," Jack affirmed sheepishly. It was hard to quantify the similarities in their respective losses, when each had fallen in love with the other's sibling – or so they believed. But as much as it tied them together, he knew when it came to Amanda it was the one thing that separated them.

David's next question only highlighted Jack's embarrassment to that fact. "Did you keep any other pictures of them?" he asked sincerely.

"Ah yeah," Jack obliged, still troubled by the whole thing. He took out the wedding album and gingerly handed it over, bracing himself to see if David would suspect anything. Sure enough, he focused closely on the pages with the bridal party, and Jack feared he was studying Amanda's face without recognition. "You must be anxious to meet your grandson," he rushed to insert. "Grandson _s_ , I mean," he suddenly corrected in upholding the illusion.

But David appeared entranced by the photo. "I don't mind waiting," he whispered, suddenly lifting his head with interest. "Unless I'm taking up your time?"

"Ah, no," Jack tried to beg off, but the discomfort was too much to bear. "Actually, I just—well I have to head into work soon," he found himself fibbing, despite having plenty of time before his next shift. But it was overwhelming—having David there in his house, believing that his daughter had been his wife, all the while not knowing she was actually the girl next door. It sickened Jack to think of what turmoil David was going through when just about anyone, himself included, could clear it up by speaking one word of the truth.

David begged off humbly. "I understand," he muttered in a low whisper, returning the album. "Perhaps you could just let Charlotte know I stopped by. This is where I'm staying," he reached into his pocket to hand him an address, ending his request with a kind look. "Maybe she'd be more comfortable talking there. I'm actually giving my first interview and, uh… well, I'd like to have my family nearby."

Jack stared hard at the paper for countless seconds before finally mustering the strength to face David again. He desired to confess the truth so badly, but knew it would only have dire consequences that no one was prepared for. Rather than spring them without warning, he resolved to acquiesce.

"I'll be sure to let her know."

 **SCENE**

"You can imagine my shock to receive your invitation," Victoria attested, beginning the stroll into her old residence. Emily stepped aside to let her walk by, and her tone carried with resonance as she entered the main room. "But then again, I do have a grandchild that lives here," she couldn't resist adding.

Despite how intentionally cutting the comment was meant to be, the poignancy was deflated as Emily strode ahead and settled into the seat Victoria had been going for – her signature woven chair. "A grandchild you're not even going to _think_ about going near," she reminded coolly; glad she had kept the artifact if only to enjoy a moment of taunting. She gestured for Victoria to take a seat on the couch instead.

Victoria absorbed it irritably, but by the time she took a step back to sit down her countenance had already changed. "Relax, Emily," she said with condescend. "I would never hurt my blood. After all, Summer is a Grayson… and as much as it repulses me to admit," she paused briefly to scan her surroundings. "So are you. We're family—for now at least."

Emily glowered, expecting nothing less in retort. She was taking a heavy gamble inviting the lion into the den, and the match was already nothing short of a fierce standoff. But considering what was at stake, she was willing to endure it.

"My thoughts exactly," she returned in kind. "And _family_ protects each other… which is why I invited you here today," she alluded openly, lowering her gaze to meet Victoria's eyes. "I'm well aware that your actions of late have been with the intent of getting close to my father. And despite my aversion to your relationship it behooves me to ask that if you truly care about him: you'll continue to keep his past a secret – including my identity."

Victoria sneered at confirmation of what she had long suspected. "So after everything you've done," she asserted bitterly. "All the lies and manipulation; the _gross_ deception—" she alleged with precision on each word, only to bring it to a flat crescendo. "You still refuse to own up to the truth. Hm, why am I not surprised?"

"Regardless of what you think," Emily refused to entertain any of it. "I don't want my father in any further danger than he already is. There are people who would use that information to his detriment," she forced instead.

"The people who tortured him," Victoria supposed, showing her first inkling of interest. "What do you know about them?"

"Nothing I need to share with you," Emily snapped, elevating her chin. "But never mind that. I'm asking you not to indulge his interest in the past – something that should come easy, considering your part in it," she sniped. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"On the contrary," Victoria agreed, still in pursuit. "I merely wish you would stop this _charade_ about doing it for David's protection," she challenged. Emily opened her mouth to persist but Victoria clamored on, standing to impress her point. "Admit it, Emily. You finally considered what would happen when you told him all the death you caused in his name, and you're _ashamed_ for him to know the truth!"

"Victoria, you don't know what you're talking about—" Emily met her stance in protest.

"Your plan was perfect," Victoria held firm with accusation. "Save for one little detail… your father is _alive,_ " she exerted with proud triumph. "And now you must live with the repercussions of what you've done!"

"And so will you," Emily fired back, taking a step closer. "Don't think for a second this means I won't make sure of it," she threatened.

"Then _tell_ him," Victoria taunted, stepping back to assess her with a scathing glance. "Or stay hidden in this pathetic identity! Either way, it will be tremendous fun to watch."

"And when the time comes, I'll be sure you have a front row seat," Emily lobbed back with purpose. "But until then, I'm asking you to do the one thing you failed at miserably – and that's protect the man you _claim_ to love," she challenged vehemently. Her gaze flickered from one evil eye to the other. "Conrad's not here for you to hide behind anymore, so you can either right the wrongs you committed, or show yourself to be the same _coward_ you tricked my father into loving years ago!"

Emily's final allegation dared Victoria to retort, but she held her tongue, pondering instead on the level of passion in the other's voice. Emily's weaknesses were slowly making themselves manifest and the clever wall she had built around her emotions was eroding. While it was satisfying to see her in such distress, it was also a testimony to one thing—her concerns were genuine. And as much as Victoria loathed her, she would not allow her hatred to endanger David's life, especially if it might be the difference between being part of it.

In the time it took Victoria to ponder, Emily had relaxed. "Now will you promise not to say anything?" she posed again, calmer.

"Not a word," Victoria uttered in a suspiciously soft tone.

Emily merely took the win. "Thank you, Victoria," she replied dismissively, returning to her seat. "I'm sure you know the way out."

Victoria stared viciously as she watched Emily return to what had once been her chair. Yet it did not diminish her prideful steps to the door, knowing she still had something of value. In symmetry, Emily stewed on the same premise as Victoria left, also invigorated by the knowledge that she held. She turned mid-thought at the sound of Aiden coming up the walk, entering the room just shy of Victoria's exit.

"Was that her royal wickedness?" he posed in disbelief.

Emily cocked her head thoughtfully. "In the flesh… since Victoria's going to be present at the interview I had to ensure she didn't ruin anything," she answered, glancing up at him.

Aiden's gaze was still concentrated in the direction of her departure. "I'm sure you did. I've got half a mind to strangle her myself," he restrained the urge. It was all the more difficult after just leaving the original scene of the crime.

Sensing as much, Emily rose to calm him by diversion. "That's why I asked you to stay away," she redirected, folding her arms. "So what did you find?"

At last Aiden drew attention to the printout he had walked up with, showing her. "This," he identified, pointing at the corner of a still shot from the party. "Oliver Queen."

Emily squinted, vaguely remembering. "He was one of my late RSVP's," she recalled, realizing she had dismissed him as a suspect after a brief conversation. "I got the impression he was just another wealthy playboy looking for a good time?"

"Or looking for David—which means I need to look for _him_ ," Aiden suggested, showing the printed page underneath with a better photo and last known location. "But by the looks of it this chap is far out of his league in the Hamptons. He's originally from Starling City – a place that happens to be crawling with _Bratva_ affiliates."

Emily handed the printout back, presuming his next move. "Then that's where you're headed."

 **SCENE**

The next day came and despite no critical update from Aiden's trip up north, the time had finally come for the interview. The sun was just setting when the LeMarchal crew arrived at David's beach house, including Margaux at the helm, directing the press. Emily and Daniel decided to walk over, using the time to allay their apprehension as they treaded up the beach.

"Well, this is it," Daniel began, taking Emily's hand as they neared within feet of the house. He looked over to verify she was ready. "You're sure it's what you want?"

"You know I want my father to know the truth," Emily digressed, convincing herself. "But this is for the best. Aiden is still tracking down the tail that was on him but _Krovnaya_ will be tuned in regardless. They showed my father mercy before," she drew upon it with certainty. "Once they see that he's not a threat – perhaps they will again."

Daniel gave her a trusting look, but even he could sense she had doubts. "And if they don't?" he tugged at them carefully.

Emily shrugged. "Then we stay and fight," she maintained, never once considering anything else. "Whatever it takes—I will go after everyone in that crooked organization until the last one doesn't even _think_ about coming near David Clarke."

Daniel could not help a wide grin at her tenacity. "I guess after all your takedowns," he chuckled. "Taking on the entire Russian mafia is a walk in the park?"

It soothed Emily to be lighthearted about it, even for a moment. "Well, you are on your way to becoming an attorney," she returned in kind, squeezing his arm. "Not a bad way to break into the profession?"

He exhaled at the light joke, and almost in unison they both became serious again. "Everyone's rooting for you," he felt obligated to insert. It was somewhat overstated, considering that both Jack and Charlotte still resented her for keeping the truth quiet. But he knew deep down that despite their distance, it did not mean they loved her any less. The same could be said of him for understanding her choice. For the first time Daniel felt he was truly coming into his role of husband, allowing Emily to make the decisions that were ultimately up to her. He knew at times she would be wrong and on occasion he would have to stop her for her own good. But as time had taught them, more often than not it was lending support that mattered most.

"Thank you," Emily replied, as if reading his thoughts. He looked up and she was gazing at the house again. "This is the most important thing – knowing he's home, and he's _safe._ It's worth more than anything I could have ever done to avenge him," she soon realized, unknowingly accrediting Daniel as a better son-in-law than she had been a daughter. "It's what he truly deserves – to move on, and be happy."

Daniel nodded graciously and they both shared an endearing look at the thought, complementing it with a shared kiss. They were slowly getting back to a good place, and perhaps it was the summer night or the familiar sounds of the ocean that only further drew up the heat between them.

Yet as warming as the moment was, it was just as fleeting. A patrol car pulled up and Victoria stepped out, serving them an unsavory glare before being escorted inside by Officer Hunter.

Emily exchanged another look with Daniel, and this time it read joint contention. "But I suppose it's safe to say that's still a ways off," she concluded her earlier statement.

He agreed with a knowing look as they prepared to go in. "Shall we?"

 **SCENE**

Emily had her eyes on Victoria when David made his entrance onto the set, and it only took a sharp look to convey how crucial it was for her to stick to the plan. But as David came over to greet her, Emily discreetly walked over to join Daniel a few feet off.

"They look rather friendly," he whispered under his breath. "Think we can trust my mother to go along with this?"

Emily glanced back, somewhat undecided. But the more she surveyed their interaction; it was clear how desperate Victoria was to hold her father's interest. In return, David seemed curiously content, possibly pleased to have Victoria there. At one point he even smiled at something she said.

"I think so," Emily concluded, restraining her discomfort. David had barely acknowledged her own presence and only briefly looked up with a nod before the crew began ushering him to his seat. It was painful to watch, and a part of her could not stop wondering why he was being so distant. But ever dedicated to the plan, she could not afford to let it be a distraction.

Daniel noted the concern in her eyes, but he too was confined by the circumstances. "They're starting," he observed, and took her by the hand. Victoria remained a moment longer with David before joining them in the roped off area, smirking in their direction.

Oblivious to it all, Margaux took the chair beside the producer to make the final announcement. "Alright everyone—quiet on the set!" And with every final detail in place, at last it began.

"Good evening," the interviewer delved right in, facing the camera. "If you're just joining us, we've been exploring one of the most controversial stories of our time. David Clarke, despite enduring false imprisonment and an onslaught of torture that left his memory impaired, has been kind enough to sit down and share with us what he can recall from his personal account..."

"Before we continue," David suddenly interrupted. "I feel it's important to state that while my memory has yet to recover – my time here in the Hamptons has educated me on many of the missing pieces. And based on what I've learned, it's clear there was a conspiracy at the time of my arrest…"

Emily immediately tensed in response, whispering to Daniel. "He's diverting," she said fearfully. She nudged for him to get Margaux's attention.

But Daniel held up a finger in restraint. "Wait," he urged under his breath, trying to catch what David was saying. The interviewer asked him a question about Conrad and he agreed, alluding to someone else being involved beside him. He gave Emily a hopeful look, anticipating what he might say next. "Let's just see what he says," he delayed. Emily sucked in a fateful breath and waited for his response.

"The person I speak of is here," David was saying. "Perhaps _she_ should be the one to tell you."

Upon hearing it was a female, Emily immediately glanced over to Victoria, concluding she had broken their agreement to tell him about the past. "What have you done," she hissed. But Victoria returned an innocent look, as unsuspecting as her wily demeanor could manage.

"This is obviously _your_ doing!" she suspected, snapping her attention back to David.

As both women watched he stood, continuing his incrimination. "The world knows her as just another Grayson," he said to the interviewer. "But since I've returned, I can finally say I see her _true_ colors." At last he concentrated his gaze. "Emily—" he accosted, jolting both her and the entire room in surprise. "Why don't you tell the world who you really are?"

Emily was speechless, stunned into submission. "Wh-what?" she gasped, glancing around in shock as the entire interview suddenly shifted onto her. She stared into her father's eyes like a wounded animal. "What are you talking about?"

Fearing David had somehow come to know of and was about to reveal Emily's identity, Daniel dashed over to Margaux. "Cut the feed," he demanded, reaching over to get the cameraman's attention. "This wasn't part of our agreement—turn that camera off—"

"Forget it; this is exactly what the public wants to hear!" Margaux ignored him with all eyes on the confrontation before them. Daniel tried to persist, but Officer Hunter blocked his attempt, coming to Margaux's aid.

"Mr. Grayson, I suggest you step away from her," he warned, urging him with a meaningful look to back off. Margaux still had the final say and Daniel was dangerously close to getting physical in his attempt to stop her. With no choice but to let it go, Daniel stepped aside and was forced to just watch.

"I did my research," David fixated onto Emily. But instead of sounding anxious to expose, his tone was surprisingly hurt. "Nolan Ross said he gave Amanda the money she was due to inherit—" he argued, producing several folded statements from his pockets and thrusting it into her hands. "But I pulled her bank records. The money suddenly disappeared right around the time you were released from juvie." He stared her down with accusation. "I looked into your history. You went from a second-rate foster home to traveling abroad and studying at Ivy League schools… while Amanda was forced to degrade herself as a stripper!"

Emily glanced down at the statement incredulously, shocked that her father had went to such lengths to look into the anomaly. Perhaps she had underestimated that he would accept one forged document without looking into the rest. All her concern for his discretion suddenly was dashed to pieces as she suddenly realized something even worse was at stake – he hadn't figured out she was Amanda. He thought she had _defrauded_ her!

"Mr. Clarke, what you're insinuating couldn't be further from the truth—" she began shakily, but he was full of momentum, edging closer.

"Last week you told me you promised to protect her," he reminded cleverly. "That she followed you here to the Hamptons? But I think it's just the opposite," he alleged, peering into Emily's eyes. "I think you stole her money and she came here looking for you. And then you threw her to the Graysons like a sheep to the wolves!"

On his final claim, he glared over at Victoria, removing any doubt that she would be getting off scot-free in his tirade. But his attention quickly returned to Emily, who was too flabbergasted to speak.

"Your first attempt to silence her wasn't enough, was it?" David continued guessing. "I saw the photos; you were there on her wedding day when she was first presumed dead. And later, when she was arrested for Conrad's murder – you were at the opera with her." He suddenly paused, looking around at his house in conclusion. "That's why you both went to all this trouble isn't it," he supposed, including Daniel in the accusation. "Giving me this house – naming your daughter in her memory… all of it just to withstand living with your _guilt_!"

Despite all being outrageous, the intensity to which he spoke each accusation distressed Emily into silence. Not only could she not fathom being on the other side of such deep rooted anger from her father, but she could not conceive how he could be so clearly misled. She bottled her frustration, resorting to just shaking her head. The entire plan had collapsed on live television, with everyone watching. There was nothing she could do to refute it, except the one thing she had wanted to avoid the most.

"None of what you're saying is true," Daniel inserted before Emily could respond. He begged the producer with a pleading expression and approached David, void of emotion but simply trying to clear the air. "Please, Mr. Clarke if you'll just let us explain—"

"I've heard enough," David cut him short and left the area in frame. "This interview's over," he announced, and with some measure of finality it was his word that had the final say. The producer finally agreed to cut the feed and a collective sigh emitted from the entire room, though the tension still hung fresh in the air. David gave Emily and Daniel one final look of contempt before storming off to his back porch.

 **SCENE**

"Well, how's that for retribution?"

If there was one thing that could make the ordeal any worse, it was the sound of his mother's voice. Daniel winced upon hearing it, but somehow kept his self-control as she crept from behind and sat down next to him on the porch step. "Mother," he warned. "I strongly caution you to watch what you say…"

"Oh, I don't think that matters much now," Victoria resolved. "This colossal debacle took no prisoners, with scarcely a word from _me_." Her reply came with acceptance; mere minutes after David's showdown had dismissed everyone from his house, including her. The crew was finally straggling out, with Margaux bringing up the rear and she slowed down upon passing them both on the steps.

"Daniel, I know what you must be thinking—" Margaux begged kindly, but he would not hear it.

"No, you really don't," he brushed her off. "So why don't you just save yourself the trouble, and go bask in the triumph of your media spectacle," he raised his brow to call out her intent. "It's all you wanted after all, isn't it?"

Margaux wanted to argue in good conscience, but could tell by his expression that it would be a worthless battle. Her gaze trailed over to Victoria and for the first time both mother and son shared something in common, even if it was just equally dirty looks. "Your payment has been disbursed," she informed, rather poetically. It still felt good to remind her that she was only recently independent. "I take it you'll no longer require transportation?"

Victoria seethed at her aptitude to lord it over her, but Daniel quickly replied on her behalf. "I'll make sure she gets home," he interjected. "Goodnight, Margaux."

With that she left and Victoria turned in surprise, wondering if he had done it merely to rush Margaux off, or out of genuine concern. "Did you mean that?" she asked once the others had gone.

"Yeah," Daniel relented and stood up, headed towards the car. "Emily may have been publicly humiliated, but it wasn't on your account."

Victoria rose in affirmation. "It wasn't," she insisted to his credit. "I swear to you, Daniel I did what she asked – I didn't say anything."

"Trust me, she knows. It's the only reason she's in there and not out _here_ reaming you out," he informed, saving a glance for the house. Emily was the last one inside and he was going to ensure the moment she wanted alone with David was not interrupted. "But I wouldn't want you to think this was a victory for you," his tone changed to condemnatory when he faced Victoria again.

Her brow wrinkled in disillusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you enjoyed watching David light into Emily," he presumed. "But what you don't realize is that by doing so, he only put himself in harm's way. The whole reason she wanted this interview to go off without a hitch is because he's in more danger now than ever before."

Daniel tried to leave it on that note as he walked away, but his ever persistent mother pulled him back in desperation. "Please Daniel, if you know, you have to tell me—what happened to David? And who are the people who want him dead?"

 **SCENE**

Emily remained inside the beach house in ignorance to David's request for everyone to leave. Instead she watched him through the sheers while he stood on the back porch, using the time to sort out her thoughts, memories, and feelings. They all seemed to flood in once; likely triggered by standing in the place she once called home. She stared down at her feet in recollection and as tears formed at the corners of her eyes, she knew this was one time she would not run from the truth.

The opportunity would come sooner than later as David soon returned inside, stopping in his tracks when he saw her standing there. "I thought I asked everyone to leave," he said briskly.

"Amanda was like a sister to me," Emily spoke with boldness, sidestepping his wishes now that they were alone. "And I loved her until the very end," she insisted. "It's just the person I loved and the one you think you know… they're not the same."

David became slightly defensive, edging a step closer. "Don't try to tell me about who my daughter was," he demanded. "I thought about her every day in that prison. Even when I was abducted, tortured… she was the one thing they couldn't erase. I knew her better than anyone and I loved her more than my own life," he drifted off in thought, searching for a word to describe his unconditional devotion. "Infinity," he mumbled.

Emily's entire face contorted with incredulity. "You remember?" she exhaled in a whisper.

David broke his trance to look back. "What?"

Though Emily's approach had started as one of sincere pleading, it suddenly shifted to one of disappointment. "How could you say you knew her better than anyone," she felt herself brimming with anger as she took a step in his direction. "When she's been right here all along?"

"What are you talking about?" David questioned again, studying her eyes.

"They said you'd been remembering things," Emily recalled, shaking her head in disbelief. "But I didn't want to believe it… I couldn't accept that if that were really true, you could still look at me and not know who I am." Her arms were spread open now, daring him to take a closer look. "Infinity times infinity?" she repeated with a note of scorn, and shook her head again. "You taught me to be strong, but you're a coward!"

She was barely inches away from him now, ready to charge and wanting to pummel his chest with her fists. David absorbed it in disarray, catching her wrists in restraint as her words took form and slowly reached his heart.

"How long have you known?!" Emily was now crying in frustration.

At last David seized a closer look, and in holding back her hands he caught a glimpse of the tattoo on her wrist. It stood out and called to his senses like a shockwave, sending him flashing back to the carving on the porch post, to a memory of a carving a wooden box in his cell, and finally back beyond where the sea of memories once stopped. He was digging into a patch of wet sand that Amanda dumped on the porch as a little girl and saying how much he loved her. _Infinity times infinity,_ he could hear his own voice now.

All at once he shuddered, as the one phrase unlocked thousands of others, pieces that he could always feel but in more recent times could never see. He had blocked them out, willed himself to forget to spare the pain and now they were all coming back, riddling him with remembrance.

"Amanda?" he realized, suddenly seeing his little girl in Emily Grayson's eyes. They were reddened, flush with resentment and broken with despair but they were _her_ eyes – his _daughter._ "Why? Why would you lie," he stepped close, instantly recognizing her deceit. "Why would you hide from me in plain sight—" he begged.

"Because I did everything for you!" she wailed, gaining strength to stand her ground. "I avenged your enemies, one by one, even though you asked me to forgive! Because the one person I couldn't forgive – was myself."

Again David was consumed by memories, in particular the journals he now recalled writing to her. She was quoting them directly, reminding him of his final admonition that she do what he could not. And it seemed she was admitting to it, but also fearful of not living up to his request. The entire outburst filled him with remorse and at last he saw his daughter for who she had become: a product of a tortured life spent only in his behalf, desperately wishing she could have him back but ultimately still abandoned in the process.

"Amanda," was all he could say aloud, intent on reassuring her. Her father was here and thankfully, his daughter had survived. "Amanda, I'm so sorry," he repeated with grown intensity, cupping her face tenderly and pulled her into a warm embrace. "I'm here now… I'm here," he shouldered her head to his heart. "Thank God you're alive!"

At last Emily surrendered to her emotions and all the pain and resentment dissolved as if it had never existed. "Dad!" she gasped inaudibly, squeezing her arms around her father. She held him tight like a little girl all over again, except now she was simply relieved that the elemental moment was actually real. The truth was finally out and as the age old saying promised, it had set her free.

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: Whew! That was one of the hardest scenes I've ever had to write, as it was so important to convey the power of their reunion. But I knew it was a moment we had all been waiting for and I wanted to do it the justice it deserved (that was painfully interrupted on the show!) Here you can imagine it given the proper time needed to truly sink in, while perhaps hearing the show's theme in the background (if you haven't heard already, I suggest listening to Loneliness by IZLER, from the Revenge soundtrack!) So with that we head into the final quarter and I can confidently say there are 3 full chapters left, with maybe 1 epilogue to follow. I promised this would be an abbreviated season and I don't want to exceed that, sorry! That being said, I did include a few nods in here for fun! A little progress with Demily, Aiden's return, and if you are a DC fan, you may have noted a nod to that universe. (Since Emily is often said to have resemblance to Batman, I wanted to pull in a character from the DC verse for a future storyline. So let me know if you caught that :) In the meantime, I do hope you enjoyed! Please hit me with your REVIEW, and I love you all for still reading and sharing such kind responses in your time! Can't believe this story has hit over 100K views and almost 400 reviews, it's been an awesome couple of years writing and it's still not over! But I'm just SO SO grateful to you all for the support. Thank you so much! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame**


	51. Chapter 50: Ambush

**A/N: Sorry for my hiatus, busy summer (just like the Graysons! Lol) After posting "Intel" a few folks seemed a little concerned about the nod to the DC Universe and I just wanted to assure you that by no means is it intended to overshadow the story. I can only urge you to have faith and keep reading! It will make more sense as you go on… also the chapter title is slightly out of the show's "episode" order, but works better in this alternate storyline as a precursor to "Atonement". But if you've trusted me this far, you might as well keep hanging in! So sit back and enjoy! :)**

 **Chapter 50: Ambush**

 _ **Concealed in the shadows…**_

Aiden's senses tingled as he approached the dark alleyway, cautious that his research to unearth Oliver Queen's hidden lair came with a great deal of risk. And though he had been trained impeccably on staying aware of his surroundings, the unfamiliar territory came at a disadvantage. It was the very reason why it took him by surprise when a figure suddenly overcame him from the darkness, snatching him out of sight…

 _ **Pursued without letup…**_

Heavy footsteps rattled on the weathered finish of David's porch, slowing their pace to prevent from being heard. But as quickly as they creaked along the boards they quickly stopped, as did the moving figure to which they belonged. Finding the house empty, they retraced back down the steps and scaled the hill, searching along the beach for where he could have gone…

 _ **A carefully planned ambush never ceases to surprise and alarm…**_

Aiden gasped a deep breath as he awoke, feeling the after effects of some kind of sedative. He was restrained in an abandoned warehouse, and immediately his eyes began darting around for any option of escape.

"Where am I?" he gasped, sensing a presence nearby. " _Who's there?!"_

But before he could formulate a plan, a shallow vessel of water was suddenly thrust before his face. "Drink," a disguised voice instructed him briskly. When Aiden hesitated, the vessel was brought closer with purpose. "Unless you want to pass out again – you're dehydrated from the tranquilizer serum."

Aiden grunted in reply. "I suppose I have _you_ to thank for that," he accused. Despite the dizziness that was starting to set in, his trained senses were still keen. And though his assailant was hooded and wore a dark mask, there was no denying it was his target. "Mr. Queen," he presumed.

Unaccustomed to being identified so quickly, his assailant tensed and stepped back while Aiden watched with interest. At last he lowered his hood, confirming Aiden was right. "Surely an assassin such as your self understands the need for discretion," Oliver explained, setting down the vessel that Aiden still refused to drink from. He faced him more directly, and his eyes were skeptical. "Especially when I'm being pursued by one of _Bratva's_ mercenaries?"

Aiden perked up at the mention, fully alert. "That's not what I am," he insisted forcefully. "I took this assignment to protect a target at all costs from the people that want him dead." He studied him in surprise. "I assumed you were one of them?"

"Quite the opposite," Oliver cracked a secretive grin. "It seems a common interest has brought us into each other's crosshairs," he deduced informatively. "I came to the Hamptons to find the organization responsible for capturing your target: known better to their affiliates as _Krovnaya._ "

Aiden shifted, slowly understanding. "So you were tracking David to locate them," he concluded. "What for?"

"That's need-to-know," Oliver eyed Aiden inconclusively as he paced back and forth. "But I take it their whereabouts are just as valuable to you as they are to me?"

"Undoubtedly," Aiden agreed. "They've placed a bounty on David Clarke's head ever since his escape. I'll die first before I let them get to him," he swore.

Something in his conviction stood out to Oliver, and he made a quick assessment of his subject's character. "What if I told you I would help you protect David," he suddenly proposed. "If you promise to let me handle the agents from _Krovnaya_ once we locate them?"

"On the condition that your intent is to take them down," Aiden added reservedly. Oliver clearly had secrets beneath his grim exterior, but the semblance was familiar. He nodded slightly in reply, adding one caveat before fully agreeing. "There's just one thing— this isn't my mission to commandeer. I came on someone else's behalf and they'll want to know every fine detail before accepting your assistance."

Oliver had anticipated the counter proposition. "Yes, I can relate to the strong bond within family ties… so I imagined you would want to verify first with David's daughter," he predicted, alarming Aiden with his acute awareness of privileged information. "Better known as, _Emily Grayson._ "

… _**But even the most closely watched target can always manage to escape our grasp.**_

The footsteps that made their way down to the grainy beach were softer, more vigilant than those that stalked David's presence up at the beach house. Instead, these were the careful steps of someone dear to his heart, allowing enough space for him to frolic in the rolling sea, but staying close enough to call out without raising her voice.

"The ocean must be happy to have you back in her arms," Emily's voice was crisp to David's ears, even amidst the crashing waves.

He turned and smiled at the sight of her. "Amanda," he sighed, and his greeting was fresh with every vivid memory that had been restored. "Here to join me?" he presumed.

Emily leveled a gaze out onto the sea, but her jaw was clenched in restraint. "Actually I was hoping you considered my offer," she reminded him kindly. After all that had transpired, she had spent the past few days pressing him to leave town. "I told you, it's not safe for you to be here."

David appeared not to notice as he waded back to shore. "Didn't you see the morning paper?" he reminded instead. "I asked LeMarchal Media to print a retraction, recanting most of what I said in the interview. I told Margaux I was horribly mistaken."

Emily held up a rolled up copy of the Times. "I saw it," she affirmed. "And while it was noble of you to do … it doesn't matter. _Krovnaya_ will still see you as a threat." Her voice was ripe with fear. "Dad, they know where you live now and they'll be coming after you." Her eyes flickered over to his house and then back down the coastline. "If you insist on not leaving, at least stay with us at the Manor—"

"No," David stood his ground. But his expression was soft, almost penitent as he emerged from the water and accepted the towel Emily held outstretched. He dried off swiftly, wrapping it around his waist. "I already feel bad enough you had to send your daughter away," he confessed. "I won't put you and Daniel into harm's way too."

" _I_ chose to have Summer stay with Charlotte so she would be safe while I focused on a plan of defense," Emily alluded to her decision with full accountability. "Daniel and I can take care of ourselves. And I _can_ protect you from whatever is coming, trust me – you have no idea what I'm capable of."

David took her word without protest, cracking a grin. Though it was initially hard to fathom his little girl grown up into the brave warrior that stood before him, after spending the past few days together he had quickly begun to admire her undying devotion. Beneath the hardened layers his innocent child was still there, and though it often felt like their roles had shifted he could not shake a tendency towards their original dynamic.

"I suppose you're right," he acknowledged. "But it's not up to you to protect me, Amanda. You're still my daughter – and I'm your father," he jogged her memory. "And this is my life to lead. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, but I didn't ask you to do those things. I asked you to forgive."

Emily gazed at the ocean, anticipating the debate would resurface. "And I'm trying," she conceded. "Believe me after Summer was born, I understood why more than ever I needed to let go of vengeance," she supported, reaching out with insistence. "But I will never give up fighting for the people I love."

David clutched her extended hand. "I understand that," he assured, finding a common ground. "The need to protect your family never goes away," he related with advanced wisdom. "But I've been fighting too, a battle for freedom— something I've been without long enough. Now that I have it, I won't give it up." He stared down Emily's contrary look with resolution. "Even if it means facing danger head-on, I'm not leaving my home ever again."

Emily sympathized, knowing exactly how he felt. In so many ways they were similar, right down to their stubborn wills. It was challenging to deal with, but it gave her a glimpse into what it must be like for Daniel every day. "Then we're both staying," she gave in to the stalemate, attempting a lighthearted smirk. "Well since neither of us intend on backing down, the least we can do is have a meal together… so, breakfast?"

David chuckled and her offer finally had the intended effect. "Alright," he took his turn at acceptance, nodding downward. "But by the time I get cleaned up and changed, it might be lunch?"

"Take as long as you need," Emily beamed happily, savoring the opportunity nonetheless. "You know where to find me."

He gave a satisfied nod, following it with a fatherly embrace and a kiss on her forehead before walking up the beach. She watched him go for a few minutes, using the time to reminisce. Since his memory had returned there was less of a sting with each goodbye, knowing that she was sure to see him again. But as pleasant as it was to think about, her determination to keep it that way was ever renewed.

Once she spied her father was safely inside the beach house, she took steps up the hill slightly east of the porch. As she advanced closer her endpoint came into view – the watchman stationed not far from the house that had been tracking David's whereabouts since that morning.

"It's good to see the two of you reunited," Jack observed warmly. His mere presence affirmed that agreement to her father's terms still came with Emily's standard of precautions. And as it happened, his occupation gave them a fair advantage.

"Thank you for coming back with me," she replied under her breath. She turned, grimly facing the house. "Don't let him out of your sight."

"I won't, I promise," Jack replied without hesitation. "I knew when that interview went haywire, you would need my help. But I'm proud of you for telling him the truth," he went on to add sincerely. "And so is Charlotte."

It elicited a muted look of relief from Emily. "It was hard to leave Summer behind with her but I didn't have a choice," she trailed, unable to spend too much time thinking about her relationship with her sister. The visit had given her a sense of hope but she needed to focus. "Since my father refuses to leave we're just going to have to keep an eye on him… at least until I get word from Aiden."

At the mention of her unsavory ally, Jack tensed noticeably. "And you're sure you want to rely on him again?" he prompted.

Emily met his gaze sympathetically. He was still sensitive to Amanda's loss and as they stood in the shadow of where it happened, she could hardly blame him. "I know he doesn't have the best track record," she acknowledged. "But Aiden has nothing to lose," she forced him to see. "He won't hold back – even if it means putting his life on the line."

"Good," Jack accepted it gruffly. "'Cuz he may need to," he predicted. Though his reply was rich with foreshadowing, Emily resisted the urge to talk him down, allowing him the understandable unrest. "In the meantime I'll stay close," he diverted, nodding towards David's house. "Anything suspicious happens; you'll be the first to know."

Emily hung back, wishing she could repay Jack more fully for all his kindnesses over the years. More than anything she wanted to absolve him from grief but it was the one thing she knew firsthand was beyond her power. "Thank you again for doing this, Jack," she reiterated, intending to make it up to him somehow. "I promise when this is all over—" she began.

But he stopped her with a word. "Don't," he insisted. "Let's just make sure it ends here."

 **SCENE**

Nolan strolled casually onto the back patio of Grayson Manor observing an elaborate breakfast spread set for three. He glanced around curiously before taking the empty seat and serving himself. Within minutes Emily came walking up from the beach at last, her phone dropped at her side.

"How is it that the one person I _need_ to stay here, refuses," she greeted him mid-thought. "And yet somehow this house continues to fill with unexpected guests?"

Nolan shrunk back, taking the comment slightly personal. "If you're referring to my stint in the pool house, _technically_ last night was an exception," he explained. "After staying up all night tracking Aiden I needed to crash, and seeing as he hasn't been home in days I figured it would be a wash on your guest inventory," he implied snippily.

"Not you," Emily relieved him, setting her phone down on the table with a sigh. "That was Aiden—he couldn't give me much over the phone other than his tracker got disabled, but he's on his way back. He said he's bringing company."

"Hopefully not the Russian mob," Nolan joked dryly, turning up his brow. "Unless it's our would-be assassin, bound and willing to talk?" he guessed to Emily's unamused look.

"Wishful thinking, at this point," Emily adjusted pensively. "My father's walking a dangerous line staying out in the open."

"At least Jack agreed to be your eagle eye," Nolan recalled her mention from the previous day. "Has he reported any activity?"

"No, but I don't expect he will," she informed. "My father agreed to come by for lunch today."

Nolan brightened, certain she was more comforted to have him under her own surveillance. "Maybe I'll entertain Jack if he has the afternoon off," he deliberated, quickly changing tune off her firm look. "Or I can go make up the sofa bed for Aiden's mystery guest?" he quipped instead.

"No one's staying here until I find out what's going on," Emily asserted, surveying the outside terrace in concentration. "Unlike Victoria, I don't believe in turning my house into a fortress when danger lurks on the horizon. I'd rather empty it just in case it turns into a battlefield."

"Hopefully that eviction notice doesn't apply to me too," Daniel's voice carried from the house just beyond them.

Emily turned just as he joined them on the patio. "Hey," she greeted uneasily. The warmth that came from seeing him was all the more conflicted by the sense that trouble was brewing. "No, of course not," she assured tenderly, greeting him with a hug. "I know better than to talk you out of staying."

"Ironically, today you might have been successful," Daniel gave a burdened expression as he held her within the embrace. "I completely forgot my exam was scheduled for this morning," he lamented, shaking his head. "As if I needed any more stress."

Emily's face showed she had forgotten too. "I'm so sorry," she owned up to it. "I know you asked me to remind you. Just with everything going on, and Summer not being here…"

"No, I know," Daniel brushed past it before she could admit to what they both had been feeling. It ached noticeably to have their daughter not there. "My routine's thrown off too. But needless to say if I ever want a shot at restoring my career, I have to go."

"Daniel, are you sure it's not better to reschedule?" Emily countered wisely. "The media storm from my father's interview still hasn't died down; you're going to be fighting off reporters—"

"Nothing I can't handle," Daniel insisted. "I can't wait another six months for the next exam. Besides, as long as no one tips them off, the paparazzi won't even know I'm there," he paused to check his watch, conscious of the time. "Can I trust you not to start any wars while I'm gone?"

When Emily hesitated, Nolan piped in from the breakfast table. "I'll vouch for that," he offered, earning a swift glare from Emily. "David's coming by, so you can at least count on a cease-fire until lunch," Nolan directed to Daniel.

"Good," Daniel sincerely appreciated it. He gave Emily a stern look before leaning in to kiss her goodbye. "I'll take it from there," he added mindfully, and though his tone was serious it still conveyed his utmost affection. "I love you," he further impressed.

"I love you too," Emily could not withhold the return sentiment, and resolved to let him win this one. "Be careful," she wished as he left.

With Daniel gone, Emily at last took a seat while sizing up the other. "Thanks for that, Nolan," she chided sarcastically. "Any other recommendations you'd like to make while my father's life hangs in the balance?"

"Hey, this could have all been avoided had you told David the truth from the beginning like I _told_ you to," Nolan reminded her. "Instead of waiting for him to grill you on live TV…" he trailed off, sympathy gradually returning. He glanced over at the newspaper on the table. "Still, his retraction was pretty thorough – that should at least stop the public from thinking you and Daniel defrauded him for millions?"

"That's not the point," Emily sighed. "Our image is nothing compared to the fact that interview showcased just how much my father _does_ remember. That's just the excuse _Krovnaya_ needed to continue with their plan to take him out!"

Nolan nodded vigorously, realizing why it was such an urgent concern. "You're right, I get it," he agreed. "So what's the contingency plan—regardless of what you said to Daniel, I know you have one," he read her expression.

"Pending that Aiden's intel is useful," Emily divulged, confirming his assumption. "My guess is _Krovnaya_ will shift their interests to the people around my father instead of taking a direct approach." She sighed thoughtfully. "And while we still need to be cautious, my father didn't exactly portray friendly terms with me and Daniel. Whereas there _was_ someone who emerged somewhat unscathed…"

"Victoria," Nolan deduced. "He did go rather light on her in his accusations," he recalled uneasily.

"And the producers attested to her presence at the interview," Emily took it as a good thing. She turned to the article in the Times, showing him. "It just so happens they included the photo of her with my father at the press conference in the article. And while I find her pretense of loyalty sickening," she admitted, offering a profound insight. "It does put her into the spotlight?"

Nolan ran his tongue along the underside of his lip, finally catching on. "You think _Krovnaya_ might use Victoria to get to David?"

Emily shrugged. "Who better? As far as they know his eldest daughter is dead, and his youngest is off the grid," she relayed with conviction. "Meanwhile Victoria resides happily in the Hamptons, right in plain sight."

Nolan took a stab at the next train of thought. "So how do we put a tail on Victoria without letting her know she's 'Clarke-bait'?" he probed.

Emily was prepared with an answer. "We go to an expert."

 **SCENE**

Despite being sure that no one knew of his scheduled exam, Daniel was surprised to find himself overtaken by reporters upon arriving at the Institute. He tried feebly to escape them as he departed from his car and pushed past a growing crowd of press to get inside the doors.

 _"Mr. Grayson! Mr. Grayson, are the allegations made by David Clarke true? Was this part of the conspiracy your father was convicted of? Did you and your father conspire to steal the Clarke's fortune? What do you have to say about the retraction that was printed – did you pay off Mr. Clarke for his silence?"_

The questions came at him left and right and he raised his arm to deflect them without comment, pushing to get by. "Let me through!" he insisted, hoping just to get inside.

But the crowd merely followed him in, almost trampling each other as he made his way through the lobby and to the elevators. At long last, he finally got support by way of police enforcement and an officer pushed through to make way. "Alright, stand back—give Mr. Grayson some space," he heard a familiar voice instruct. It was Ben.

"Well, well," Daniel sized him up. He might have cleared a path but it was still fresh off their last encounter. "Lucky finding you here," he muttered.

"Not luck – I got a tip you might be here today," Ben informed just as coolly. He held an arm out to shield Daniel from the last few reporters that pushed through, and cleared them back far enough to give him some space. "I showed up to help."

Daniel shook his head irritably, just as the bell sounded for an open elevator. "Let me guess, the same tip came from the one responsible for all of this," he sniped, walking towards the open doors. "You can drop the hero act, Officer Hunter— tell Margaux, she's not slick. If it wasn't for her rigged interview, I wouldn't be fighting off the media hounds in the first place."

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Ben shot right back, nodding towards the open elevator Daniel was about to go into. He followed his gaze only to see Margaux standing there, waiting for him.

"You've got to be kidding me," Daniel sighed, but Ben still had one more thing to add.

"Besides the media isn't out here for that," Ben advised, pausing to acknowledge a signal that radioed on his shoulder. "Copy that," he replied, and turned his attention back. "Word just leaked from Riker's correctional – your father's on the loose. Conrad escaped."

Daniel's face wrinkled in visible distress just as the elevator doors closed. Despite already being aware his father was out, it was the leakage to the press that held the most weight, something he quickly realized would have repercussions. "'Cuz that's just what this day needed," he sighed under his breath, casting it aside temporarily to address Margaux. "You couldn't have planned this any better," he chided.

"I'm sorry Daniel, I needed to speak with you," she insisted contritely. "And I knew you wouldn't see me any other way."

"Damn right," he affirmed, reaching over to hit his floor. He returned to his place and immediately took out his phone to text the breaking news to Emily. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I printed David's retraction this morning—" she began to protest but Daniel would hear none of it.

"Oh yeah, clearly that helped," he cut her short, referencing the mob he just escaped. He stopped typing the message long enough to stare her down sharply. "Let me guess, you already want another exclusive? What's next – you gonna set me up in an interview with _my_ father this time?" he predicted.

Pursuant of his undivided attention, Margaux suddenly reached over and pulled the red button to stop the elevator. "Enough!" she heaved.

"—the _hell_ are you doing—" Daniel demanded, and attempted to push her aside.

"I need you to hear me out!" Margaux maintained, standing in his way.

"I don't have time for this–" Daniel blew past her anyway, desperate to get the elevator moving again. "I'm taking a state exam in five minutes—"

" _Press that, and the whole world finds out your wife's little secret_!" Margaux shouted abruptly, stopping him just shy of his finger hovering over the button. He froze suspiciously and looked back in shock as Margaux seized the moment.

She sighed in counter stance, approaching him with a deliberate step. "And I'm guessing Emily doesn't want that," she challenged, cocking an eyebrow. "Or should I say… Amanda?"

 **SCENE**

"You know I demand a rematch, I _swear_ you cheated that last round!"

Nolan rolled his eyes at Louise's ever-so-innocent claims, following at close distance as she flounced in her short skirt back into the beach club. "Honey, I may have cheated many a thing in my time— death, for one, on definitely more than one occasion," he admitted. "But the one game I can't fake proclivity at is tennis. So believe me, if I won?" he swore with a smile. "It's fair and square."

His conviction was enough to cheer Louise's pout into a grin. "Mm-hmm, so sayeth the smooth talker but I know when I've been hustled," she maintained, twisting her racket in her hand flirtatiously. "I'll get the drinks this time but next game— winner buys."

Nolan nodded in reserve, stopping in his tracks. "Or – you could let _me_ cover the tab this time and uh, take me up on a favor instead?"

Finding it curious, Louise agreed. "I daresay you're on," she afforded him a smile. "What do you need?"

He discreetly motioned for her to move out of earshot of other club patrons. "Essentially, your piercing eyes and perfect ears," he flattered her. "There's ah, someone I need you to keep tabs on," he further explained to the odd look she gave him. One nod in the direction of the bar and Louise quickly recognized Nolan's intended – Victoria was sitting by herself with a downcast look and a drink.

"Oh no," Louise immediately rebuffed him, trying to step away. "No, no, you're not serious–"

Nolan gently restrained her with a pleading look. "Louise, I _promise_ you are perfectly safe," he insisted, pressing past the determination in her eyes. "But as you recall, you do owe Emily one. And she's cashing in."

Louise let out a harried sigh. "I don't understand, she hates that woman," she reasoned. "And so do I— what does she want with her? Hasn't she got enough on her plate with David Clarke's accusations from the other night?"

"Exactly," Nolan used it to spring board into a believable excuse. "She thinks Victoria put David up to those lies before he retracted them, and seeing as how Amanda was a _very_ close friend," he paused, trying not to overly hint at the double meaning. "She needs someone to find out what Victoria's angle is—someone who's got more experience at dealing with the Ice Queen than most."

"Hah," Louise scoffed at the idea, still trying to pull away. "And it's exactly what got me in the doghouse!"

Nolan continued to press. "So make amends," he persisted. "Besides, Victoria got off for stealing Summer scot-free, thanks to _your_ silence. That woman has nothing over you that you don't have ten times over her." He paused to rest his case, hoping it was beginning to hold weight by the look in Louise's eyes. "Please," he folded his hands together, mimicking a prayer.

"Ugh, fine!" Louise finally caved against her better judgment. She turned on her heel and took apprehensive steps toward Victoria, gaining confidence as she got closer. Raising her racket to twirl over her shoulder, she combated her nerves to finally approach Victoria's side. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the fallen Queen herself?" she greeted.

Victoria looked up with contempt. "Fancy running into you here—I expected you had left town," she appraised.

"And I expected David to skin you alive in his interview," Louise returned cleverly, raising her brow. "Funny how he seemed to completely omit _you_ in the list of people that wronged him when we both know just how instrumental you were..." she dangled the known secret, feigning sympathy. "For someone who should be celebratin', you sure look like death warmed over."

Victoria ignored her pithy observations. "Ms. Ellis, I've put up with quite the range of your emotional outbursts and off-color remarks," she leered back, looking down her nose. "But the one thing I refuse to accept from you is pity. Especially when it's the only reason I drew close to you last year."

Louise tried to keep her cool but couldn't help wondering at the statement. "Just what are you talkin' about?" she asked, leaning on the bar for support.

"Oh, isn't it obvious?" Victoria maintained a superior air. "I felt sorry for you that day we met in the park. I saw a sad little girl who was tragically lacking in maternal affection, and I took it upon myself to reach out to you," she degraded in a soft monotone. "And how did you repay me?"

"How dare you," Louise retorted, on the brink of tears. "I _helped_ you," she recalled with fresh emotion. "I did everything you asked, even when you arranged for that poor girl's death – I kept my mouth shut. I came back for you in that institution when I owed you nothing—I even covered for you to the police, when you didn't deserve it!"

" _Don't_ paint yourself out to be a saint, Louise," Victoria reprimanded her firmly. "Your transgressions of the past far outweighed anything I asked, not to mention you nearly _killed_ my youngest child after one of your angered fits," she reminded, staring her down. "And your collusion with David foiled my only standing chance at any relationship with my grandchild, so if you think you can absolve all of that by your sad attempt at pity, you are sorely mistaken."

Louise absorbed her words like a child being scolded for misbehavior, but mustered enough courage to respond before walking away. "I may be mistaken," she acknowledged. "But you want to know the difference between us? I'm not sitting here by myself, all alone," she levied, eyeing Victoria's seat with a pathetic look.

Victoria turned back slowly, gazing into the distance where she had already spied Louise's accomplice. "You think the occasional tennis match with yesterday's billionaire means you're not alone?" she challenged. "My dear child, when are you going to see your so-called friends are no different than anyone else? They're using you," she alleged, staring more directly in Nolan's direction. "And once they have what they want, rest assured, you'll be just as solitary as I am."

It was a small triumph to at least get Victoria admit to her situation, even if was only accomplished by yet another insult slung Louise's way. She did her best to ignore it, straightening up with an off glance that suddenly stopped on the TV above. Seeing the news report, she couldn't ignore one last chance at twisting the knife in Victoria's side.

"Well cheer up," Louise retracted in a sly tone, nodding for her to look up as well. As she did, Victoria's countenance dropped with genuine fear at the undeniable headline: _Conrad Grayson – Escaped from Riker's Correctional._

The opportunity was irresistible and Louise seized it without hesitation. "If what they say is true, you might not be alone for long."

 **SCENE**

"Thanks Nolan," Emily exhaled into her phone with mild disappointment, and sauntered through the Manor onto the back patio. "It was worth a try, even if Victoria saw it coming. Just have Louise stay nearby for now – I'll be in touch when I have something to report."

She ended the conversation swiftly and came over to where her father was waiting, presumably having overheard. "Victoria saw the route coming," she informed. "Still Louise is going to keep an eye on her."

"She shouldn't bother, Victoria's smart," David deduced, examining his daughter as she sat down. "Besides I don't like the idea of forcing her into her company. Victoria's had a bad influence on her in the past."

"She's not the first," Emily hinted back, drawing a stern look out of him. "Dad, less than two weeks ago you and Victoria were seen publicly together. If _Krovnaya_ was watching, which we can assume they were, it would be fair play to use her to get to you."

David rebuffed it firmly. "And that's where they would be wrong," he assured. His countenance grew serious, chartering uncomfortable waters. There were still things that had went undiscussed between them and now finally seemed to be the appropriate time. "Amanda, I… I want you to know after I gave that interview, once it all came back I realized the truth. About whom I could trust?"

Emily shifted uncomfortably. They had danced around the topic for days but that didn't mean it had not regularly crossed her mind. "Yes, I wondered why you didn't mention her," she said of Victoria.

"I had my reasons," David alluded. "Some of which I attribute to simply not remembering how sinister she truly is. But regardless, I don't think it's wise to use her as bait. Victoria needs to be left out of this."

Emily fought the urge to openly express her incredulity at what appeared to be a defense of her arch nemesis. "Why?" she managed to exhale through clenched teeth.

David glanced down into his lap, raising his head again sheepishly to answer. "Amanda, there's something I have to tell you—" he began.

But they were suddenly interrupted by Jack, who came running from around the side of the Manor, alarming them both. "I'm sorry," he apologized, conscious he was meant to stay out of sight. "But I had to tell you the news!"

"Jack," David rose to his feet in surprise. "What are you doing here?" His glance fell on Emily, who was alarmed but did not share the same level of shock. She stood also, anticipating his report had to be serious.

"What is it, Jack," she rushed, leaving the explanation for later.

"Conrad's on the loose," Jack finally gasped, holding up his police radio. "I know we all knew this but it just hit the airwaves, and it's made its way to the headlines."

Instantly relieved it was not worse, Emily reached out with a soothing gesture to them both. "It's fine, we'll be safe," she assured, more directly to her father. "Aiden should be here within the hour, he set up a way to track his location."

"Well, you might want to tell Aiden to be discreet," Jack continued nonetheless, this time inciting her to more serious concern. He held up his phone, sharing visual testimony to what he was about to say next. "Because the news release just announced _him_ as at large, too."

 **SCENE**

"So, who told you?" Daniel sighed, stepping away from the elevator controls to fold his arms impatiently. Margaux's threat had bought her some time, but not much. "Let me guess, my mother," he suspected.

"No," she replied firmly, raising an eyebrow. "But it shocks me that she already knows. Especially considering her hatred for Emily," she added thoughtfully. "Which I can see now makes sense." She shook her head at the deceit that seemed prevalent within Daniel's family, and drove at him with interest. "And yet somehow she's kept her tongue still?"

"Yeah, well she's full of surprises," Daniel brushed over, adamant on getting to the source. "If not her, then who?"

It was Margaux's turn to fold her arms, taking on an airy stance. "Her father," she declared. "Who happens to also be your _sister's_ father… which makes this whole thing very strange…"

"Yeah, strange indeed," Daniel fired back, bypassing the awkward connection. "I don't believe David would betray her like that," he maintained.

"I would not have published it otherwise," Margaux swore, softening. "But his intent was not to betray, it was obviously to protect. He pled with such sincerity—" she recalled fondly. "I couldn't refuse him."

Daniel had no room for sympathy. "Oh, like I pled for you to stop the interview when it got out of hand?" he reminded her instead. His expression grew dark as he drew close with brimming anger. "Do you have any idea how much danger David is in now? The people that abducted him from prison—they're after him. Mostly because they know he's a lot keener than when he first got out, which would have never happened if not for you!" He damned her with a vicious look, adding. "And with my father on the loose, who knows what's next!"

"I _know,_ " Margaux pled back sincerely. "I realize my mistake and I want to help you. Please, Daniel" she insisted.

"You have the audacity to beg?" he cut her short.

Margaux forced back with an innocent expression. "I had no way of knowing who your wife was—"

"And you had no problem letting David throttle her before you did," he argued in return. He paused to reflect, taking a contemplative step back. "You know, for years you've tried to convince me you were nothing but supportive of my happiness… but now I wonder." She met his stare with intrigue as he alluded to something deeper. "You come here on the basis of mercy, meanwhile you threaten everything my wife has fought to protect. Was any of your support ever real?" he questioned. "Or was it all just to get ahead?"

Margaux heaved at his accusations, though she could not deny she deserved it. "It was real, Daniel," she claimed nonetheless, glancing away with embarrassment. "Just at the time, it was for the wrong reasons… I care about you—" she found herself admitting, surprising him with her fervor. "I always have."

Daniel could do no more than shake his head, strictly conveying only disappointment. "If you truly cared none of this would have ever happened," he countered, deciding on that note it was time for the conversation to end. He reached out to the elevator controls and reselected his floor, once again putting it in transit.

"I promise, I will make it right," Margaux prevailed, edging close to show her sincere intent. "I won't stop until the world believes the truth about David – and no one will ever know Emily's secret."

Though it served little comfort to Daniel after narrowly seeing through her, he was glad to hear it just the same. "What's that, client privilege," he tested dryly, just as they arrived to his floor. He turned to face her before stepping out. "Are you doing it for her, or for David?"

"I'm doing it for both of them," Margaux vowed. "And because I owe it to _you_."

Daniel looked back briefly as he walked out, only partially trusting her. But as long as she was willing, it was something he would hold her to. "Tell me about it."

 **SCENE**

The sun was setting by the time Aiden arrived, and Emily had spent most of the afternoon explaining Jack's reappearance to her father before having to leave him in his oversight. She slipped away to the pool house and stopped dead in her tracks upon entering. Aiden was waiting patiently for her in an armed stance, but it was the companion at his side that called Emily to attention. Much to her surprise, it was none other than the very man he had left to track, Oliver Queen.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Emily demanded, rushing in to stand him down.

Aiden held out his palms in assurance. "Before you overreact, he's here as an ally," he explained, drawing only more intensity from Emily's stare. "It's not what we thought—he's been working as an undercover affiliate with the Bratva. He's here to help us."

"And how can we be sure of that?" Emily accosted nonetheless, piercing Oliver with distrusting eyes.

"Because I considerate an honor, Mrs. Grayson," Oliver finally stepped forward. His stance was non-threatening, and even denoted he somewhat expected her hesitancy. "From one vigilante to another," he added.

Emily glared, immediately deducing that he was more informed than she preferred. "Who are you?" she posed.

"Someone not unlike yourself," Oliver volunteered. "Some time ago, I set down a path to right a series of wrongs… similar in many ways to your quest to clear your father's name." He paused, further alerting Emily to his advanced knowledge about her. "In order to accomplish that, I had to become someone else… I had to become _something_ else."

Emily absorbed his words, beginning to walk around him cautiously. "All you've told me so far is that you also have a hidden identity," she appraised, completing her circle by facing him dead on. "But that still doesn't explain why you know so much about _mine_?"

Oliver made no protest to her interrogation, but merely continued to explain. "As a member of the Bratva, I was afforded top secret intelligence," he went on. "I followed one of those leads straight to _Krovnaya –_ the subgroup that emerged the same year your father was declared dead in prison. I studied his case, and why he was a target in their operation. Gradually it became clear to me that he was innocent." He stopped to prompt her with a raise of his brow. "But before I could seek justice on David's enemies, they started falling left and right. I couldn't help but notice it coincided with your arrival in the Hamptons. You're his daughter, aren't you?"

Though uncharacteristic of her protective nature, Emily was forced to validate his pinpointed claim. "Yes," she admitted. "And I'll do anything to protect my father," she added with warning, right in his face. "Even if it means eliminating the people that want him dead."

Aiden watched them interact, anticipating Oliver's reaction to her bold decree. But he remained still as stone, even casually accepting of her boldness. "Fortunately you won't have to," Oliver replied with ease. He released his hands from where they were crossed behind his back. "You see over the years, _Krovnaya_ has incurred severe unrest from the other members of the Bratva. They're seen to be anarchists – unpredictable, and therefore dangerous. Their rebellion against the brotherhood has branded them, making every member a target themselves."

Aiden interjected, rising with shock to the new information. "Are you saying _Krovnaya_ is now being hunted by the entire Russian mob?"

Oliver affirmed it with a nod in his direction. "Hence why I insisted your discretion on the phone," he revealed, also enlightening Emily. "You, like many others are now on their list and they're more than willing to eliminate every liability."

While Aiden digested, Emily seized the opening. "So what does that mean for my father?" she focused.

"Absolution," Oliver imparted with optimism. "Bratva has no interest in theirmost wanted, so it's a pardon for David if they eliminate _Krovnaya_ first." With a shift in tone, he delivered the bad news. "The only caveat is no one knows their whereabouts—which means our only chance at luring them into Bratva's line of sight is to offer what they're asking for..."

As Oliver averted his gaze back to Emily in suggestion, she was quick to shoot it down. "No," she maintained. "I'm not taking a risk with my father's life, there has to be another way."

"I assure you," Oliver insisted, with the first hint of defiance. "There isn't. Their location is kept _surgically_ undisclosed – they operate with refined technology that renders them virtually obsolete. Even my best tech expert can't find them."

Emily took it as a challenge. "You give them a lot of credit," she observed, sensing Oliver had a great deal of confidence in whomever he had working for him. She answered his proud nod with a glare. "I wonder if _my_ tech expert would have more success?"

Aiden reached out before she could compete. "Emily, we don't have time to put this to the test," he persuaded her. "You're forgetting your father isn't the only one these people are after, and with multiple targets they're sure to double their attempts at success."

"Let them," Emily refuted irritably. "You think I give a damn if they take down Conrad?"

" _Conrad_ isn't their only objective," he reminded her, and she sighed in recollection that Aiden was also now a target. "And while I would gladly die for your father's cause, it would be a waste if we can't eliminate the problem from the root first. _Krovnaya_ needs to fall, it's just that simple."

Few as his words were, they were enough to have the desired effect. Emily took them into consideration, sighing heavily as she returned to address Oliver again. "Can you guarantee that my father will be protected," she pressed for assurance. "And that when this is all said and done, he won't live the rest of his life looking over his shoulder?"

With certainty, Oliver delivered a firm guarantee. "Trust me," he asserted. "If all goes to plan, you will _never_ have to worry for his safety again."

Emily accepted the truce quietly, while Aiden watched her close until he could deduce her comfort with proceeding. "Lucky for you, she likes to deal in absolutes," he piped in on Emily's behalf. "I believe we have a deal," he extended his hand to Oliver, denoting their joint agreement. At last Emily followed suit, more reluctantly at first and then gradually more certain.

"Alright, Mr. Queen," she charged him with her trust. "What do you need us to do?"

 **SCENE**

Louise cursed under her breath as she reached the doors to the beach club spa, loathing herself for heeding Nolan's admonition to follow Victoria downstairs to the sauna. Stalking someone, especially the likes of _her,_ not only made her feel desperate but also questioned just what was at stake. She made a mental note to demand an explanation from Nolan once she left but for now she continued playing the part, stoking up her sassiness as she entered inside.

"Getting that skin all nice and smooth for your beloved ex?" Louise poked at Victoria intentionally, using a bobby pin to secure her hair off her face.

Victoria ignored the jab and merely rested her head back. "Oh, Louise," she sighed without facing her. "When are you going to come to realize that you are just a pawn in Emily's game?"

Louise was rattled, and slightly taken off guard. "And why would I believe any claim you ever made about Emily?" she challenged.

"Because despite what you think," Victoria replied. "I know her much better than you do." When Louise huffed in retort, she finally snatched the warm towel from her neck and shifted to face her. "You don't believe me? Fine. Feel free to test it out yourself. Do you really think Nolan's relationship with her is just a coincidence?"

"Hah," Louise gawked amusedly. "You mean their _friendship?_ That's right; you wouldn't understand what it means to have real friends." Despite feeling certain in her argument, she was unable to brush it off so easily when Victoria suddenly leaned closer.

"I hate to break it to you, Louise," Victoria finally divulged, having held off long enough. "But Emily and Nolan are _opportunists_ ," she led in viciously. "They are no more your friends than the girl David believed to be Amanda Clarke is dead—"

"How _dare_ you!" Louise sparked in outrage. "When you schemed to have her killed—"

"That _girl_ was not Amanda Clarke!" Victoria suddenly belted at the top of her lungs. She stared Louise down with intent, and for once, spoke the absolute truth. " _Emily Thorne is_!"

Her brazen response shocked Louise long enough to buy her time to explain. "Wha—what?" she stammered.

"She has been parading the Hamptons claiming to be Emily Thorne, when all along she is actually _David's_ daughter," Victoria seethed. "She's deceived everyone she's ever come into contact with, including _you,_ my dear child. All so she can take her _pathetic_ run at vengeance for whomever she sees fit."

It gave Victoria a rush to finally oust her to someone, especially after taking care to hold back for an interview that ultimately went haywire anyway. But her estrangement from both David and her children was finally coming to a head and vindictively, it comforted her to finally expose her nemesis.

"I—I can't believe that," Louise gasped, but the conviction in Victoria's eyes was unmistakable. It had to be true – there was no lacking in her certainty.

Crowned with triumph after having bested the other, Victoria sank back into her original position. "Don't believe it," she dared her. "See for yourself—ask either of them to tell you who Emily really is. And then tell me if you still doubt that they're using you."

Her challenge hung in the air ripe with defiance and Louise could think of nothing else to do but simply take her leave. She walked slowly to the doors, so shaken that she barely noticed her hair pin fall loose, allowing her tresses to fall back down to her shoulders. She shook the rest of her hair down fully, still processing the unseemly revelation as she rushed to redress.

Such was her distraction that she never once saw the shadowy figure lurking in the corridor from whence she came. He retraced her steps back to the sauna doors to peer through. Victoria remained alone inside, still with her head tilted back so that she could not see. The figure hovered for a moment with purpose, and then caught sight of Louise's hair pin right where it had fallen at the foot of the door…

 **SCENE**

Daniel's mind was more than clouded when he returned home to Grayson Manor, but for the brief moments when he first came in all he could think about was getting to one person. At last he reached her – staring down from their bedroom balcony, out onto the vast sea in the west and her father's home in the east.

"Emily," he whispered.

As was her habit in more recent times, she replied without turning. "How'd your exam go?" she asked.

The question slowed his rapid pace somewhat. "Well, you were right," he started in, reaching her side. "I did get ambushed by reporters." He avoided the wry look that followed, shifting onto the more important matter. "But they were tame compared to Margaux – she tracked me down too." With apprehension, he delivered the worst of it. "She knows who you are, Em."

To his surprise, his wife accepted it without a flinch. "Yes, I know," she acknowledged. Her head dropped slightly in recollection. "I should say, I _heard._ My father told me," she explained, and the look she gave next told Daniel it had come as a disappointment.

Daniel bobbed his head, assuming it was a conversation for another day. "Guess you two got a chance to chat this afternoon?"

Emily sidestepped it by literally walking away, returning to the bedroom. "Barely," she sighed and he followed her in. "Enough for him to tell me at what cost he obtained the retraction that went to print… but right now it's not our biggest concern. Aiden came back this afternoon," she delivered with a hopeful breath. "He brought an ally who has a plan for what might be our only shot of ridding my father of _Krovnaya_ for good. If we're lucky—by the end of the night."

"Finally, some good news," Daniel replied, slinging his jacket over a chair. "With my father's escape going public I was starting to think today was going to be a complete bust." He continued to undress, watching Emily all the while. "How'd your father take to the plan?"

Emily shifted uncomfortably, alerting him that there was still yet more to tell. "I didn't tell him all the details," she confessed, quickly defensive to his sour look. "I _wanted_ to," she insisted. "But when I got back from finalizing things with Aiden, he went right into confession about Margaux. And before I could explain everything to him... we were interrupted."

"By who?" Daniel's brow creased with interest.

"Who else?" Emily solved it with a dry look. "Your mother. She had some sort of accident at the beach club today, someone trapped her in the hot sauna—" she paused to allay Daniel's curious gaze. "Don't worry; I had nothing to do with it. She's at Suffolk Memorial; the doctors think she's going to be fine."

"Who do you think was behind it?" Daniel probed, more with intrigue than concern.

"If my instincts were right, someone from _Krovnaya_ was watching her," she estimated tentatively. She shied away from the possibility that Louise had just gotten overzealous in her pursuit. "But of course… my father went to see her when he heard."

Emily finished her recanting by sitting at the edge of the bed and at last Daniel got a full picture of what was weighing on her. Though the timing struck him as odd for his mother's accident, he trusted that she was telling the truth. And yet, as optimistic as it sounded to have a plan in motion that would protect her father, Emily was still left to sort out where his allegiances truly lied.

"And that unsettles you?" Daniel guessed, in reply to both his lingering thoughts and her body language. He joined her on the bedside, resting a hand on her knee.

She shrugged. "I can't stop him from doing what he wants. And ultimately him being there falls right in line with our plan…" she alluded, sparing him the connection for the moment. Her eyes searched the room and when they met Daniel's, they contained a sea of other thoughts. "But I think he went because he needed to face her… after everything that happened, he still needs closure. And I'm starting to think I do too."

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked, not expecting her last comment. "You told him the truth."

"Him, yes," Emily agreed. "But for myself…" she drifted off pensively. "Daniel, I've been Emily Thornefor so long I've forgotten who Amanda really is. I know you said you remember but, sometimes I don't." She stared back with each admission, surprising him with her candor. "I wonder is it worth it to continue the rest of my life keeping up this charade or is it better to just admit the truth – and leave it all behind?"

He studied the desperation in her eyes, the duress in her brow and sensed the moment was ultimately a breakthrough. "Em," he affirmed carefully. "Are you saying you want to tell the world who you really are?"

"I'm saying… I have a family now," she reflected, including him in her gaze. " _We_ have a family, a real one– you, me, Summer, Charlotte, my father… You know if there's anything he's taught me in the short time he's been back is that, fighting for his cause forced me to give up my freedom. It nearly cost me everything. And while I wouldn't change anything we've done, what has it all been for if we don't get to enjoy the live we have with the people we love?" She sighed, culminating her argument by taking hold of Daniel's hand. "To do that I don't need Emily Thorne any more... I just need us."

Her expression was chockfull of emotion and though Daniel could easily think it overdue, all he could do was smile warmly; thankful to see it was there. Things had been remiss between them for some time but it finally felt as though they had gotten through the worst and were all the better for it. At last they stood on even ground and could accept each other with full trust and renewed conviction – their love had never waned but now it felt complete.

"You have me," he assured her sincerely, kissing her hand. "And when you're ready, I'm here for whatever you want to do."

Emily nodded her appreciation and they joined their lips together, equally motivated in unspoken agreement. She lingered for a moment before separating, leaning her head to Daniel's and cupping his face. "I think I'm finally tired of hiding," she added in final.

He returned the soft gesture, prompting with gentle eyes. "After tonight," he supposed, sensing the moment coming near. She still had yet to tell him the details but he was fairly certain they were already underway. "Maybe you won't have to."

 **SCENE**

The nurse had just finished bandaging Victoria's wrist when David arrived at the doorway of her small room in the emergency ward. He hung back a moment while the doctor gave her instructions and appeared to process her release. Just as they turned to leave, Victoria sat upright and finally caught his eye.

"David," she breathed in relief, surprised to see him. "You came?"

"I heard you had an accident over at the club," he nodded, allowing the doctor and nurse to leave before continuing. One quick appraisal of her told him it was nothing too serious – aside from her bandaged wrist she appeared to be fine. "Looks like you managed to get out alright."

"Just barely," Victoria drummed up her own enthusiasm. "I had to smash the door to the sauna before I was nearly burned alive." She slid off the side of the bed and approached him with angst. "But I know who was behind it and I'm filing a report with the police. This was all Louise's doing," she swore.

"Louise?" David scrunched his brow in confusion. "Why would you think that?"

"Besides being the only other person there," Victoria defended angrily. "She was clearly summoned on your _daughter's_ behalf." Her allegation immediately cut through the tension in the room, eliciting a fearsome look from David. But it did not deter Victoria from pressing on in argument. "I know you may find it hard to believe, but Emily will do anything to hatch her vengeance. Louise is only her latest minion in a series of attempts on my life—"

"Victoria," David protested, but she carried on.

"That _girl tried to murder me!_ " she flared boldly, staring him down with dark, insistent eyes.

"Victoria, enough!" David finally bellowed, pushed to his limit. When her face contorted in reply, he quieted her with a finger. "I told myself I would do everything I could to leave you out of this but I've had just about all I can stomach of your lies!" With that he approached her, with slow and deliberate steps. "Do you think that just because up until now I couldn't remember everything, that it exempts you from what you've done?"

This time Victoria remained silent, anticipating the moment she knew eventually would come. Instead of defending herself she merely gazed back and let him finish.

"I stayed away because I didn't want to face it," he went on, delving deeper. "But the more time that passes I can't ignore the truth. You knew who Amanda was all along, and you said nothing. Instead you tried to convince me she was an enemy – from the moment I got back to the Hamptons, you've been perpetuating lies."

"And what about her lies?" Victoria seized a brief opening.

David remained firm, shaking his head. "They pale in comparison," he rebutted. "Ever since she was little, you've been trying to find ways to tear us apart – to betray the love we coveted as our own," he referred to himself, clearly ashamed. "And to destroy the last memory of the daughter I loved. You made sure that Amanda never contacted me that entire time I was in prison – you even went so far as to seal the fate of the girl you _thought_ was my daughter." In a long assessment of the words she had forced him to speak, he stared her down with contempt. "You know, for years I tried to instill forgiveness in Amanda—I hoped that one day she would come to find solace for what I had to endure. But now as I stand witness to the twisted person you've become – I can see just how hard for her that's been."

Victoria swallowed as he concluded the reprimand, but still showed no defeat. "So that's it, then," she supposed grimly. "You're content to take your daughter's word at face value and just ignore every _vicious_ thing she's ever done to my family?" Her voice shook and her eyes accused him with intensity.

David waited a few seconds before answering. "No," he responded, edging ever closer. "I don't have to take her word," he asserted, suddenly reaching into his pocket. When he held up his hand there was a small notebook in his palm and Victoria recognized it was just like the one Amanda once brought to her home. "You see, as much as I hoped you had been put up to my framing against your will by Conrad – I always doubted you were completely innocent. And I guess a part of me chose to tell my daughter everything because deep down inside… I knew she could find out the truth that I was too blind to see."

Gripping the journal confidently, he lowered it to his side and imparted his final words with conviction. "But despite whatever losses you may have suffered, it wasn't Amanda that proved me right, Victoria," he paused to take a deep breath. "It was _you_."

At last it seemed to penetrate Victoria's stern exterior, and her expression sank as she absorbed the finality in his words. She watched him turn and finally leave, condemning her with his final glance. And even so, she became aware of just how severed their relationship had been from the moment he returned, and yet further back. When it came to David there was no question – she had forced him to choose between her and his daughter, and he would always choose the latter.

While Victoria stewed in acceptance of the reality, David felt renewed in contrast with each step down the corridor of Suffolk County Memorial. Visiting his former love had given him more than just the closure he needed – it was the platform to convince his self of something it had taken too long to accept. He never could trust Victoria, no matter how much he wanted to. And though he had payed dearly for his dalliances with her in the past, it was one lesson he was all the better for now that he had been blessed with a second chance.

But the promise of second chances and eternal hopefuls suddenly grew dim as he exited the hospital doors and set one foot outside. No sooner could he be wary of his surroundings when a figure suddenly emerged from the darkness and apprehended him, covering his mouth and face. His attempt to cry out was silenced by fumes that immediately knocked him unconscious, making it all the more easy for his assailant to snatch him away into the night.

 **SCENE**

"In position."

Emily squinted behind a stack of crates in an abandoned warehouse, shifting to get a clear line of sight into the center of the room. There several men from _Krovnaya_ were gathered and scanning the premises, though they appeared to not see her in hiding.

"Copy that," she acknowledged Aiden's voice in her earwig, confirming his location mirrored hers on the opposing side. A moment passed and at last her focal point came into view – their ally Oliver Queen arrived, pulling a hooded figure along with. "I have eyes on," she confirmed in a low whisper. It took every muscle in her body to stay in place, but she knew for the plan to work she had to show restraint.

" _Brat'ya krovi_ , _"_ Oliver addressed them first in Russian. The assembly of four men took on a guarded stance before nodding for him to proceed. As they watched, he pushed the hostage to his knees and then slowly unmasked him. "I believe this is the man you're looking for."

Emily peered closely, wincing at the sight of her father's face. David appeared disoriented and unsuspecting, but as disquieting as it was to watch him in such a position, she knew it would more than convince _Krovnaya._ As predicted, one took a step forward to examine, conveying his gratitude with a pleased look at Oliver.

" _Vy preuspeli_ ," he applauded him, reiterating it in English. "You've done well. Release him."

Oliver placed a hand on David's shoulder, implying he was not yet prepared to turn him over. "Payment first, Viktor," he insisted.

Viktor conferred with his associates and then finally relented, returning with a large duffel bag. He tossed it to the ground and slid it in Oliver's direction. But to his surprise, Oliver barely glanced at it.

"That's not the bounty we discussed," he objected, keeping a cautious eye on him.

"And neither is he," Viktor maintained. "To receive the full terms of our agreement you were to bring in both David Clarke _and_ Conrad Grayson," he reminded him pointedly. "Not to mention the lead you promised on our missing agent?"

"Conrad is a mission for another day," Oliver replied firmly. "He's off the grid, no one can find him. But if it's Mathis you want a lead on—you won't have to go far to get it," he alluded, gesturing over to his left.

As Emily watched with concern, Oliver directed them right to Aiden in hiding across the room. Viktor immediately darted over and his men followed, drawing their weapons just as Aiden rose slowly from his position. His face contorted with shock, stunned at the reveal. "What the hell are you doing—" he began.

"Giving them what they asked for!" Oliver belted in reply, drawing even more of the men with _Krovnaya_ out to come detain him. They seized him at once, so engrossed with pulling him captive—that they never saw the next turn of actions coming.

" _Now!_ " Oliver suddenly yelled across the room, and from the eastern corner a swarm of armed men suddenly emerged. Recognizing them as Bratva forces, the _Krovnaya_ attempted to disband from where they stood but the distraction of capturing Aiden had left them completely surrounded. They drew their guns in return, instantly realizing the counter attack.

"It's a set up!" Viktor declared with a loud yell, staring evilly back at Oliver. "FIRE!" he commanded his men and all at once rapid gunfire suddenly broke out.

On cue, Oliver pushed David to the ground to protect him from the first round and then joined him in a brisk run to the direction where Emily was waiting. "Go, go, go!" he rushed David to safety, and as he broke away to return to battle, Emily came to David's rescue – pulling him out of sight.

"Dad, get down!" she grasped him with relief, removing the binding on his wrists just as they had planned. His expression met hers with a mix of fear and surprise, but it was all she could do just to keep him safe. "Stay here—don't move!" she instructed, lowering the black hood that was keeping her concealed. After ensuring he was clear of fire, she listened for the final round to run out and then dashed back into the arena.

"Amanda-!" David called after her, but she had already joined in. He watched her fight off _Krovnaya_ agents vigorously, fending them with a barrage of punches and swift kicks as both Oliver and Aiden assumed stance nearby, each taking turns apprehending each other's attackers. The assailants hit the floor with ease but it wasn't long before Bratva called for backup from the outside, encircling the perimeter until only one _Krovnaya_ agent remained—Viktor.

While Oliver and Aiden were distracted fending off the last of his men, Viktor seized the open moment and turned his gun on Emily, causing her to freeze. "ENOUGH!" he shouted, grabbing the other's attention. Oliver and Aiden drew close to defend but Emily stopped them with a look, slowly putting her hands in the air.

"Heh," Viktor spat, breathing heavily from the injuries he had already sustained. He spat a mouthful of blood off to the side, still leveling the gun at Emily's head. "There's one bullet left in this gun," he articulated, his accent as thick as the tension in the room. "Should I save it for one of you traitors," he turned it next to Aiden and Oliver, and then switched back. "Or put it in this woman?"

It was the moment of truth as he deliberated the choice, and both men cried out to her defense. "Viktor, your quarrel is with us!" Aiden insisted, to which Oliver agreed. "Let her go!" they said in unison.

"No!" Emily shouted in protest, but her scream was overreached by yet another.

"Let them all go!" David insisted, drawing them all to look in his direction. He approached slowly with determination in his eyes that Emily could only rebuff by shaking her head.

"Dad, I told you to stay away—!" she pressed in desperation, but he edged forward regardless.

"And I told you this wasn't your fight," he snapped, instantly conveying that it came from a protective paternal instinct. He took his eyes off her just long enough to stare Viktor down with precision. "These men may have betrayed you but _I'm_ the one you came here in search of. You let my daughter go—and kill me instead!"

Viktor appeared to deliberate while each of the others glanced about worriedly, fearing what his choice would be. At last he took one look at the bodies of his men on the floor and then leveled a concentrated gaze onto David, surmising that his offer was the only rational exchange. "Very well," he concluded. "Have it your way."

" _No!"_ Emily shouted, coinciding with the loud discharge of a gunshot.

As she watched in horror, David flinched in response. But to her surprise it was only to look down, shocked that there was no wound at all. Emily's eyes darted back to Viktor in amazement and realized the gunshot had come from behind him instead, ripping through his chest. He suddenly sank to his knees, revealing the figure that had just come in the south entrance to spare their lives.

"Daniel," she gasped in relief, lowering her hands to run over to him.

Daniel stood momentarily in shock at what had just transpired, and then slowly lowered his government issued firearm. Within seconds Emily collided into him with a warm grasp, wrapping her arms around to thank him for the rescue. They froze, almost oblivious to the police officers that he had summoned, which soon came running in behind them.

"Southampton P.D.! No one move!" they announced their entrance into the room. Among them were both Ben and Jack, the latter of which whispered to them before slipping by. "You two alright?" he verified, and Emily separated from Daniel so they could examine each other.

"Yes," she affirmed in a raspy voice, nodding at her husband for confirmation. "Are you?"

"I'm fine," he quickly agreed, looking next to the others. "We all are—finally."

Jack nodded in return and then continued through while more officers poured into the scene. They kicked away the weapon from Viktor's lifeless body and began arresting the few remaining members of the Bratva, who were either too bloodied or unconscious to stand. At the center of it all, Oliver and Aiden gave each other knowing looks of relief, joining hands in a show of comradery and success. Yet the moment was short-lived as Aiden soon faltered, expecting the officers that came over next to apprehend him.

"Hey—" Oliver protested, forthcoming.

"Never mind that," Aiden prompted him to fall back, and prepared to face the music. He cinched his hands behind his back in anticipation. "We all knew this was coming."

"Mr. Mathis," Ben Hunter approached to confirm it. "I'm afraid you are wanted back at Riker's Correctional—"

But before he could put the cuffs on, Jack stepped forward. "Actually, I think it's safe to say Mr. Mathis is a material witness," he suddenly implored on his behalf, alarming them both. Aiden exchanged an odd look that Jack returned by staying Ben's hand. "I know I'm only here with SPD on loan, but if I know my statutes… this man deserves a chance to tell his story on what happened," he paused, shooting a civil gaze in Aiden's direction with just the slightest hint of compassion. "The _full_ story."

As much as it stunned Ben, he had to acknowledge Jack was right. And while he suspected there was more to his reasons, he complied nonetheless. "Alright, then," he instructed Aiden. "Looks like we're making a stop downtown first." With that he led him out, giving Aiden the chance to give Jack a brief nod in gratitude.

While the police continued with clearing the scene, Emily had pulled away from Daniel and ran back to where her father remained. "Dad," she sighed gratefully, expecting him to have a sea of confused questions. "I'm so sorry," she whispered into his ear upon pulling him into an embrace. "I wanted to tell you, but for this to work we needed it to look as real as possible."

She separated from him, needing to explain things eye-to-eye. "Oliver was convinced if he could get both the groupshere, the Bratva would wipe _Krovnaya_ out and you would never have to worry about losing your freedom again," she exhaled apologetically, catching sight of Oliver in the distance, debriefing the police. "But unfortunately the only way was to lure them out…"

"I know," David quickly stopped her from going any further. "I understand now what you had to do – and why." He peered into the eyes of his daughter with clarity, pushing away the habitual need to see her as a little girl. It was abundantly clear now that not only was she highly intelligent and endlessly devoted to his redemption, but she had grown into a strong, independent woman – and of all the men in her life, he was now the last to accept it.

"I'm sorry," Emily was repeating again, but David rested a hand under her chin in absolution.

"Don't be," he insisted, giving her the smile she had missed since she was a young child. "You risked everything to save me – and I love you all the more for it. I'll always love you, Amanda," he finished, pulling her close to return her initial embrace with even more fervor.

Emily smiled as she nestled his shoulder, overwhelmed with tears of joy. In that moment it was as if he had truly come home, not just to a life of freedom, but the life he deserved to finally live out with his daughter. And there was nothing that could seal the moment more than the next words to leave his mouth—words that would never leave her heart.

"Infinity times infinity."

 **END OF CHAPTER**

 **A/N: My sincerest apologies for taking SO LONG to update! Sorry I know it's not like me to delay so long but it was a crazy busy summer and I've been kind of down lately so it's been hard to write. Feeling a little better though having wrapped up this chapter and hopefully some long awaited loose ends. There is still ONE more to go (at least, still debating if it needs another to really feel complete) but in the meantime I hope you liked how this turned out and are relieved if you were concerned about the Arrow showing up :) Turns out in the Revengeverse, his purpose was served without too much DC saturation. Things have been quiet on this fanfic so I'm hoping you all still care about the story, but if not, just know I want to bring it to a satisfying end. BIG chapter coming! So I appreciate your thoughts and reviews as you have them, please share. And know how much I love our Demily couple, and all of you who are still faithfully supporting! Take care~ Love and Revenge ~ MothToANewFlame**


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